Plazma are Matt Troja and Norby on guitars, keyboardist Martin, percussion vocalist Ephraim Goldin, the notorious rhythm section of Lee Farber and Jay, and Ian Wood on digeradoo.
In the 1990s you could find them in funky basement bars and big nightclubs playing a mutant form of Acid Jazz, with the bass and drums holding an R&B tight groove, and vocal composition framed between musical interludes. Their release Vital Rhythm Colors was the culmination of over two and a half years of work, and a chance for the uninitiated to clue in to one of the most soulful outfits this side of Plzen.
The roots of the group stretch all the way back to when you could catch live music at Cafe Rincon. Lee, who'd had a frustrating stint in Paris before coming to Prague, says he was just kickin' it one day in the Cafe when he spots Jay and says, "Hey, wanna start a band?"
Along with Russian singer-songwriter Vladia, the three started to look for new places to play. U Maleho Glena which was a disco at the time offered to let them try a live Jam session on Thursdays in the winter to shore up business, and presumably since Glenn himself is a drummer, to 'liven' up his club.
Before long the room was full of musicians, and a cult had formed around the scene, those who enjoyed Rincon also turned up after a fire closed the Cafe. After a while the chaos of the musicianship and the desire to write some material inspired Lee and Jay to pare down to the present line-up to a house band, and Plazma was born. Their 7-song recording was done live in the studio to capture the improvisational character of Plazma.
Ephraim continues his writing and flatly states "God, love, ex-girlfriends, history," when I ask him about his favorite writing topics. One of his more powerful pieces 'Africa/Slavery' is a historical journey through different styles of 'black' music.
It starts with a slave ship chant, and wanders into gospel and the blues, tilts towards ragtime, back to a jazzy feel, winding up with R&B, rock, disco, funk, and finally hits a hip-hop groove, then you feel the lyrics. Try to imagine recording it. Richard Mader of Faust records made making their demo Vital Rhythm Colors possible. The CD also features Burama from Hypnotix rapping on 'On the Right Track', guitar hero Gary Lucas on 'Gary's Visit', and a number with Teresa from Colorfactory on vocals.
Lee does have a mission in his work...
"Music is a medium for understanding to happen, and boundaries to be broken. I grew up in an inter-racial environment, and I wanted to encourage harmony in Eastern Europe. Eyes still light up when they see people of color here. I was especially excited to have played on TV a couple times, taking part in something new. I'd also like to dedicate the last track on the disc to my friend Malcolm who passed away suddenly."
(Colin Stewart of Colorfactory co-produced the CD).
|
