Фирюза [Firyuza] - (1979)

00:00 - 07:45 1. Ashkhabad 07:45 - 17:43 2. Native Land 17:43 - 26:25 3. Chapyksuar 26:25 - 34:17 4. Dialog in Aul Musicians Дмитрий Саблин 〈Dmitry Sablin〉 - Piano, Organ Игорь Гордеев (Igor Gordeev) - Drums Евгений Ночевный (Evgeniy Nochevny) - Guitar Михаил Мамедов (Mikhail Mamedov) - Guitar Сабир Ризаев 〈Sabir Rizayev〉 - Saxophone, Flute Алик Нифченко (Alec Nifchenko) - Bass Хана Тэн (Khana Ten) - Violin Firyuza was a Turkmenian ethnic/prog/jazz/fusion instrumental band, founded in 1979 in USSR under the artistic direction of pianist and organist Dmitry Sablin. Firyuza won the first prize at The Sixth All-Union Entertainers Competition (VI Всесоюзный конкурс артистов эстрады) in Leningrad, thus gaining a privilege to release an album on Melodiya. The eponymous album was very progressive, blending improvised prog-rock and psychedelic jazz fusion with strong ethnic flavors. Seven band members imitated sounds of traditional Turkmen instruments, such as dutar, dili tuiduk, and g’ijjak, on regular keyboards, guitars, saxophone, flute, and violin. As an instrumental group, especially with a favorable image of a “national ethnic ensemble from one of the Soviet republics“ (hence the band members wearing traditional telpek fur hats on the cover), Firyuza got a pass on censorship and were provided with a full artistic freedom. Just the fact that the album has a classic prog-style format with only four 8-min tracks is noteworthy enough for a record released in USSR in the 1970s. The record was pressed in Tashkent, at the plant which had been producing some of the smallest Melodiya editions, and never got re-issued. That’s why original copies in decent condition are very rare nowadays, bumping the price up to $500-600 and making Firyuza one of the “holy grails“ of Soviet psych jazz from Central Asia among Western record collectors, together with Gunesh and Dos-Mukasan LPs. In 1980, the band also released a split tape with Gunesh (Melodiya, CM 00833), which included three tracks from the album. “Firyuza“ was placed on a list of 50 vinyl records to be re-released as a part of 50-th Melodiya anniversary in 2014.