Indies Rec.
Jablkon : Live Oslava (CZ,2006)***°
When I first saw Jablkon live and heard their first album with violin master Sveceny, Jablkon for me was the biggest revelation in folk. This does not automatically mean that all they ever do will have the same effect. First of all, the band mostly makes music for the Czech public, which will mean they also make songs that are understood by this public, while the pure fundament of instrumental cleverness gives a more universal creative understandable experience, a complete focus on it will give something of a more esoteric separation from a direct public contact, an opportunity which Jablkon obviously did not want to miss, not to give their commitment to, even when this means a slight loss of attention to the purest form of instrumental creativity. I was curious as to this special live concert with many guests. It gives a great overview of their repertoire (including humorous tracks, with poetic ramblings, a few bluesier tracks, and songs). Much of it is enjoyable, even when not a must, with some clever contributions, which includes some flute, crumhorn, and a small female background choir. The few tracks with violinist Sveceny are directing back to those early revelations. With additional crumhorn and a few clever rhythmical imaginations, they even add some surprise and variation to these original tracks. I am sure the highlights of the concert must still have impressed some people.
