1969

I ordered the gold vinyl that was released circa April 2019. Beautiful disc, good sound except there is a pop (as if caused by a scratch) starting towards the end of the first track on side 2, continuing for a couple of tracks. Visually, I can see defects though not the defect that is causing the pop. This disc is also odd in that the song breaks visually do not correlate with the audio breaks. That's a first.Ordered a second album that has the same defect and was also warped. Kept the first one. Thank you Amazon for making returns easy.

sweet tunes

It took me a long time to warm up to Gabor Szabo. I was a huge fan of Wes Montgomery and he always seemed to want the same crowd but always seemed like a weak sister to Montgomery. Of course, that was silly, since Szabo is very much his own artist and while he's not my favorite guitar player in the world he's a terrific player and this album, produced by Gary McFarland (but sans orchestra and McFarland orchestrations, which I actually wish it had) - but I love the vibe of this - it's so of its time and the song selection can't really be beat. I don't have this DCC version, I have a Japanese import with the original gatefold packaging - it's also available here on Amazon, so search for it. Sound is fine

I became interested in Gabor Szabo many years ago after following his releases in Downbeat magazine. Szabo always had an interesting and unique technique that was suffused with a pleasant tone. He could play funky when he desired, but here he decided to create an atmosphere somewhat akin to a trance state or sleep-walking. The tracks on this release are not hard-edged jazzy improvisations. They could have easily been accepted by devotees of easy listening fare. This might not please hard-core jazz listeners. But, that was not the intention here. The album consists of 1960s tunes accompanied by guitarist Francois Vaz, bass, subdued organ, drums and cello. Essentially, each song is a guitar duo with backing instrumentation and it works very well unless your jazz instincts are cutting edge. The improvisations are succinct and the touch is light. About the only potentially funky song on the CD is their version of the Classics IV hit, Stormy. So, if you want to induce a lull in your nervous system, this CD is adequate musical medicine. Recommended for the undemanding listener who just wants to relax with a glass of wine.

This was part of the original music that "Muzak" distributed as "elevator music" and was heard in JC Penney, Sears, and Montgomery Ward stores across the nation. It is calm, thoughtful, and beautifully played. You can play this behind your video game, while you are knitting, cooking dinner, doing your homework, or reading the book you just bought. It won't interfere, derail your thoughts, or increase your anxiety level. The other group that did the original "Muzak" was the "Ventures". Many of their best albums are not available on CD. Good news is that EVERYTHING Gabor recorded is now back in print. Get it while you can. It has a tendency to disappear just about the time you finally realize you need it.