Retro Reviews: Gábor Szabó: Dreams

 

I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. These albums are lesser known titles.

Gábor Szabó – Dreams  (1968)

****

Producer: Gary McFarland

Musicians: Gabor Szabo, Jim Stewart, Louis Kabok, Jim Keltner, Hal Gordon, Tony Miranda, Ray Alonge, Brooks Tillotson, Julius Schacter, George Ricci, Gary McFarland

Music; Galatee’s Guitar, Half The Day Is Night, Song of Injured Love, The Fortune Teller, Fire Dance, The Lady In The Moon, Ferris Wheel

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    European Jazz Guitarist Gabor Szabo has assembled a lovely instrumental album, that is both gentle, introspective, and daring. He had been building a reputation with a number of prior albums, but this might be his best and feels like it arrived at the right moment. In terms of a lead player, he sounds like someone that has been influenced by the contemporary scenes he has observed. He far removed from the influence of a Wes Montgomery, or Charlie Christian and has his own sound. Most everything is originals, except for two pieces from Manuel de Falla, and a Donovan piece. His last two albums “Bacchanal” or “Wind, Sky and Diamond’s” before then had relied on more covers so it’s refreshing to see a focus on originals.

    The album opens with the freeform section of “Galatee’s Guitar”, some lovely playing before it shifts to the rhythm and some very prominent Latin percussion, there’s both a subdued feeling and a quiet burn to the proceedings. There’s a raga feel to his playing as well as alternating notes. “Half The Day Is Night” has a more somber, introspective mood, some nice supportive violin playing on the track. “Song of Injured Love” is one of the first de Falla pieces. They manage a wistful quality to the recording. “The Fortune Teller” is one of the most lively tracks on the album with some great interplay between Gabor and the violin player. The structure bends and blurs as he falls into some open note riffing.

    “Fire Dance” is the second de Falla piece, another Latin shuffle adds to the mysterious quality of the piece, the string and horn coloring adds to it’s feel. Gabor’s overdrive and volume pedal – I am guessing – adds to the second half of the piece, while it all builds with a slow intensity. 2^nd Guitarist Jim Stewart adds rhythm support or almost mandolin fills to Gabor’s lead / rhythm as is evidenced by “The Lady In The Moon”, the inventiveness of Jim Kelter really comes through on this track. His take on Donovan’s “Ferris Wheel” has another Latin feel with some nice support of the horn section. Some tasteful violin and Jim’s acoustic lead help to bring this home before Gabro wraps up the proceedings. I could see many guitarists lifting ideas from Gabro’s work, his controlled use of volume is tactical and tasteful. The album is another hybrid between Jazz, pop, Gypsy, Indian and Asian influences, all of which is fused beautifully.

    This is an album I could see Hippies and members of the counterculture putting this on, burning some incense, toking or dropping and relaxing to. It has a lovely feel throughout. Very much worth your time.