Shekina

Zao (Heavy Metal), Zao | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 29, 2003)
• Original Release Date: January 1, 1975
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Musea
• ASIN: B0000CDE8H
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,403 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

ZAO proposes through its albums a fusion of rock, jazz, Hungarian folk influences and the mark of modern composers (BARTOK, STRAVINSKI...). Created in 1973 by two former MAGMA members, Yochk'o SEFFER (Saxophone) and François "FATON" CAHEN (Keyboards), the band offers a music with complex writing. The compositions are very sophisticated, where saxophone and piano play themes with strange tones. "Z=7L" is their first album with Mauricia PLATON's superb voice. On "Osiris" (1974), a classical string quartet participated to the orchestration. "Kawana" is a bit more jazz-rock oriented. "Typhareth" is the last album of the band, recorded shortly after Yochk'o SEFFER left, closer to American jazz-rock ala WEATHER REPORT. "Akhenaton" is the album from the band's reunion in 1994 and its come back to its original music. An essential band from the Seventies musical French scene !

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent, March 28, 2010

By 

Bill Your 'Free Form FM Handi Cyber Print DJ ... (Mahwah, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shekina (Audio CD)

Before the music, the process of obtaining the music. You know those stupid macho guys you see in the movies?: sleep with some girl and they brag, "I feel like a king." describing their latest score.

Right, Chester. Well, music hardcore freaks tend to be more cerebral, but when they hit upon something fantastic, the impulse is as gratifying and base: beat your tiny hairless chest like I do and tell all your friends you just got ten Vertigo Swirl albums for a dollar at a garage sale--not probable but it does happen. One time, a record shop flooded, and I got 100 rare progs for around fifty bucks.


All this is a roundabout way of telling you I just discovered the speed date of downloading on Amazon, and I wanted Zao to be my first. Sometimes it is just TOO easy.

Zao, one of the least known but best of the Vertigo bands. One of the freakiest too: in the mid 1970s, when the old swirl was becoming JUST a little more streamlined, geared towards bigger rock and prog sounds.

Zao was a Magma offshoot, and featured a singer who sang not in words, but a ghostly improv. Get Z=7L and it is like Henry Cow meets Return To Forever.

This album does not have the vocal kicks, but does have orchestral experiments, some funk, and nice instrumental work. The absence of the vocals renders Shakeia not as distinctive, or sexily weird as Z=7L, which you should definitely get first, lest you think Zao was just another crack '70s jazz rock unit.

But for what this is, this is good and recommended.

Now onto a new conquest: I was over on the prog site after I got this and have my eye on this cute little German album. Perky little 6/13 time signitures, and a personality to match. Hey Chester, check out the Berlin Stockhausen pair on THAT. Ms. Brainticket, Billy wantz to buyz you a da-rink.