GREEK FUSION ORCHESTRA VOL. 2 | VINYL RECORD (LP)

LP version. Comes in gatefold sleeve; Includes insert and download. Teranga Beat presents the second volume of Kyriakos Sfetsas' 1976 Greek Fusion Orchestra project. Sfetsas' vision behind the formation of GFO was to create a piece of work that would expand the boundaries of Greek traditional music. The result was a progressive-jazz fusion masterpiece comprising complex and intriguing compositions, performed by Athens' best musicians of the day. Following the success of Vol. 1 (TBCD 022CD/TBLP 022LP, 2018), Vol. 2 is a compilation of musical pieces Sfetsas recorded with the group right upon the completion of the Vol. 1 material. Vol. 2 is still reflective of his ambition of bringing together progressive jazz and traditional music, but it does so in a different manner. Although the element of traditional music remains present, it does not provide the compositional foundation for the songs (e.g. most pieces are no longer based exclusively on traditional musical forms). Jazzier and more complex than the first volume, Vol. 2 has a darker feeling, presenting Sfetsas not only as a musical experimentalist, but also as a demanding and distinctive composer who truly puts his musicians to the test. The recordings on this album are previously unreleased and form only a small part of his overall body of work with the GFO. The music was originally recorded stereo on reel tape with highest standards for the time, with the modern mastering process highlighting even more their original sound quality. The result is a truly impressive and pure audiophile album.