Forty-six years ago in Ukraine (today it is a war zone) the first, probably, vinyl record was released. contemporary jazz what was written there. It’s about “Lyrical Mood(1977) of the legendary company of the Ministry of Culture of the former USSR “Melody” (“Melody”), which was created in 1964 by a decree of the Cabinet of Ministers and remained state-owned until 1989. over 70 countries. Main repertoire: classical musicmusic of Soviet composers, historical recordings of classical, popular music, literary, historical, political recordings and great jazz bands.

“Lyrical Mood” is the first and only recording by a quartet of three outstanding Ukrainian musicians: Vyacheslav Novikov (piano), Vladimir Molotkov (guitar, bass), Valeriy Kolesnikov (flugelhorn, tuba) and Greek Alexandros Kristidis (drums), who lived in Kiev (on the cover) he is first on the right). Molotkov, Kolesnikov, Kristidis participated in the Donetsk jazz festival since 1969, and then in the Dnepropetrovsk and Donetsk festivals, receiving awards and public recognition. Novikov’s interest in jazz manifested itself in the mid-60s, bringing him closer to Molotkov, Christidis, who formed a trio. All four played together for the first time on the record. Novikov (an important interpreter of Schubert’s works throughout the world), was born in 1947 in Kharkov, with an intense concert activity in the USSR, Europe, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and classical and jazz scrolls. It reminds me of Bill Evans.

Kolesnikov (1945-2012), a legend of Ukrainian mainstream jazz, winner of the Prague International Jazz Competition (together with Belichenko, Vapirov and others), was distinguished by a bold humorous part on the solo trumpet. Molotkov (1947-2005), composer, arranger, founder of jazz guitar in Ukraine with great teaching work and remarkable international career.

Born in Novi Sad, Serbia to Greek parents, Kristidis was influenced by the jazz and Dixieland that flooded the streets of Prague, where he moved with his family. Later in Tashkent, he listened to jazz on the radio, a gift from his parents, and collected releases of dance jazz. Initially learning to play the drums, he continued his studies in classical percussion (Kyiv Academy of Music). In parallel with jazz activities, he collaborated with the Kyiv Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of the Kyiv Ballet Opera.

In 1978 he repatriated to Greece, closing the ring of Ukraine. In Greece he participated in contemporary music groups, concerts, recordings in “Edo Lillipoupoli”, other recordings by Hadzidakis (16 years of cooperation), Kypourgos, Markopoulos, Zafeirelis, as a soloist in “Canto General” Theodorakis. Collaborated with international orchestras, was the lead percussionist in the ERT Symphony Orchestra, National Opera, com. He was the first Greek to perform “Psaptha” (Sappho), the first work for solo percussion by Yiannis Xenakis, dedicated to the outstanding French percussionist of Algerian origin, the first performer of the work in 1976 in London, Silvio Gualda. With his ensembles, he blazed a new trail in the Greek music scene, favoring orchestral innovation and a wide repertoire.

The first jazz record recorded in the country by three great Ukrainian musicians (Novikov, Molotkov, Kolesnikov) and drummer Alexander Christidis.

The album’s musical material varies. From their version of the traditional Ukrainian folk song “I’m Walking in the Garden” to the quartet’s insightful look at jazz standards. From the adaptation of the beautiful ballad by the American songwriter Jimmy McHugh “The Mood of Love” the development of the composition on the musical theme of the famous song by Yuri Milyutin from the popular comedy film “Four Hearts” (1941) by Konstantin Yudin in the processing of the traditional folk song “Adrift”.

The tracks may not carry the quartet’s original compositional stamp, but they reflect the soulful vision and rich instrumental ideas that transfigure the originals. There are also lineups of band members. The wonderful “Rainbow” and “Carousel” were signed by Molotkov and Novikov, respectively.

The virtuoso mastery of the participants is revealed in a calm, expressive, lyrical manner, justifying the name “Lyrical Moods”. The arrangement approach emphasizes the dominant theme in many ways, while we like organic combinations, from duets to quintets. And we say a quintet, because there are moments with five instruments: Molotkov sounds like a guitarist and bassist at the same time. Recorded in 1973 at the Kiev Melodiya studio during a break from other recordings in conditions that did not favor the collective sound of improvisational jazz, without a bassist, with an invitation from Molotkov to play bass to add to the guitar and solo sound (at another time) in a pre-recorded material. However, the back cover describes this method as common in modern recording technology.

The album reaches the highest aesthetic level, conveying a fresh mosaic of rhythm melodies that pervade many components of the genre: cool jazz, electric, contemporary, modal, jazz funk, with an emphasis on improvisation.