Once upon a time, I had a decent working knowledge (at least for an American expat) of Soviet Jazz. It keeps popping back into my life, and I still find it a joy to listen to even 30 years down the road. Thanks to Shasha Svistunov for compiling some real treasures here, including quite a few whose names are new to me!
Brief run-down in English Tracklist:
1. Oleg Kutsenko Leningrad Instrumental Ensemble – Oriental Suite (Oleg Kutsenko, 1975)
2. Kavkaz Jazz Trio – Borjomi Park (Vagif Mustafa Zadeh, 1966)
3. Vadim Ludvikovski Ensemble – Rhythm Dance (Arno Babadjanian, 1961)
4. Emin Khachaturian Film Studio Orchestra – Hiking (Alexander Zatsepin, 1964)
5. Emin Khachaturian Film Studio Orchestra – A Wordless Song (Alexander Zatsepin, 1963)
6. Murad Kazhlaev Instrumental Ensemble – Play All Day (Murad Kazhlaev, 1975)
7. Armenian Radio Instrumental Ensemble dir. Martin Vartazarian – A Stroll (Martin Vartazarian, 1973)
8. ‘Rero’ Georgian State Orchestra – When The Saints Go Marching In (trad., 1966)
9. Elvira Trafova – Caravan (Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington, 1978)
10. Keith Beckingham – Caravan (Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington, 1967)
11. Rafiq Babayev Jazz Quartet – Mugham Improvisation (Rafiq Babayev, 1968)
12. All-Union Radio Variety Orchestra dir. Yuri Silantiev – Oriental Ballad (Murad Kazhlaev, 1962)