Tell Me About Roland Kovac

[Teasing the Korean]

What do you know about Roland Kovac?

In the late 1960s, he recorded one of the greatest albums ever made, Trip to the Mars, for the MPS label (or a precursor label).

Stylistically, the album reminds me a lot of Barry Gray's work for Gerry Anderson supermarionation shows.  It is modern, swinging big band, but with definite outer space touches.

I love this album, but I know virtually nothing about the artist. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Teasing the Korean

[Gheorghe]

He was born in my hometown Viena in 1927 and died 2013 in Switzerland. 

He was best known for his work with Hans Koller, and also collaborated with US Stars like Lee Konitz. 

He was part of the european cool movement  of the 50´s. 

Others might know more about him. The european touch and the cool movement never was really my bag, so others who dig Hans Koller more than me, might know more About Roland Kovac.

[Big Beat Steve]

Recommended listening as a good example of Kovac's (no, not Kovacs' - that's somebody else - talk about the use of apostrophes, ha! ) Fifties recordings: His sessions for the MOD label of Cologne.

Available in the HUGE MOD Records box here, for example (some copies are also avialable on Discogs):

https://www.amazon.de/Records-Cologne-Jazz-Germany-1954-56-Vinyl/dp/B011DF2RJM

A somewhat more (but not quite) complete listing of his output is here, of course:

https://www.discogs.com/de/artist/51855-Roland-Kovac

 

[Shrdlu]

Time to give the dog it is dinner.

[Teasing the Korean]

Thanks all.  Are you guys hep to this album?  This has inspired me to listen to my Thunderbirds CDs today!

 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Teasing the Korean

[jazzcorner]

1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Thanks all.  Are you guys hep to this album?  

This Youtube  is about the best stereo reproduction I've heard so far. Most band members seem to come from the Kurt Edelhagen and /or Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland  band except  Pratt.

The Saba label was known for its great recording technique.

The album is still available at a moderate price (on CD). Have it now on my wantlist

Reminds me to some sounds Eddie Sauter played with the former SWF big band at Radio Baden-Baden.

 

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Edited February 3, 2020 by jazzcorner
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[Teasing the Korean]

9 hours ago, jazzcorner said:

This Youtube  is about the best stereo reproduction I've heard so far. Most band members seem to come from the Kurt Edelhagen and /or Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland  band except  Pratt.

The Saba label was known for its great recording technique.

The album is still available at a moderate price (on CD). Have it now on my wantlist

Reminds me to some sounds Eddie Sauter played with the former SWF big band at Radio Baden-Baden.

It's killer, isn't it?  It inspired me be listen to Barry Gray's soundtracks for Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet today!  

[soulpope]

15 hours ago, jazzcorner said:

Most band members seem to come from the Kurt Edelhagen and /or Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland  band except  Pratt.

The Saba label was known for its great recording technique.

The album is still available at a moderate price (on CD). Have it now on my wantlist

Reminds me to some sounds Eddie Sauter played with the former SWF big band at Radio Baden-Baden.

Lovely 60`s cover art too ....

[Shrdlu]

Saba was a class act. They issued (and recorded) the "Exclusively For My Friends" LPs by Oscar Peterson, and the sound and pressing quality were first-class.

They had a deal with Prestige, and some of my Prestige LPs were Saba versions. Nice, clean sound. Prestige's vinyl at the time (late 1960s) wasn't very good. I used to order them by mail direct from their premises in New Jersey.

[jazzcorner]

 

Lee Konitz touring Europe with Lars Gullin plus a german rhythm section with Roland Kovac

 

[Big Beat Steve]

Nice LP, nice and thoughtful way to fill a gap (for those interested in such details, the cover artwork duplicates that of the original Carisch EPs). I was pleased to see LP it in the shop at the time and of course immediately picked it up.
But you might get some crossfire here from certain forumists who'd sniff at this label (connected to the Official label known for its plentiful R&B reissues) as it was a somewhat "grey area". (Well, in fact at least in this case they resurrected an item that had fallen into disuse. Carisch at the time picked up this session recorded by Gigi Campi for his own MOD label, but as the label folded the items were "orphaned" and ended up briefly at Carisch but never got wider circulation. )