Spellbinder [Original recording remastered]

Gabor Szabo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Impulse Records
• ASIN: B000AMJEJG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,728 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #5 in Music > World Music > Europe > Eastern Europe > Hungary

Editorial Reviews

Japanese edition of the late jazz guitarist's second album.Musicians include Ron Carter on bass, Chico Hamilton on drums, with Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on percussion. Tracks include 'Gypsy Queen' the song Santana turned into a hit in 1970, plus cove --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gabor Szabo........It's Time He Was Reconized, December 7, 1999

By 

Toad Fraley (Grants Pass, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spellbinder (Audio CD)

If you buy albums and Jazz Guitar is one of your preferences, this CD is an absolute must for your collection. Gabor Szabo was born a Hungary. Chico Hamilton heard him while on tour and offered him the guitar spot in his orchestra. He came to the United States and played with Hamilton for over six years. While Chico led an inspired percussion group, it was Gabor Szabo's spellbinding guitar which was the driving force to a new and mesmerizing sound. This album, Spellbinder, is his first effort on his own. To wish him well, Chico Hamilton came over and played percussion. I have over 700 jazz albums, 300 of which are guitarists. This album would be in my top five. Gabor Szabo was a gifted and indeed a great guitar player. Carlos Santana would have been just another player if he hadn't been influenced by Szabo's unique style. So my advice to you is buy this album, put on your head phones, and kick back. It shouldn't take you long to see why they called it "SPELLBINDER'.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gypsyesque jazz guitar, March 3, 2004

By 

Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Spellbinder (Audio CD)

A true artist, that is his art work from the original Lp cover, in every sense of the word, the late Gabor Zsabo was probably never recognized for the musical talents he possessed and contributed to the field of jazz. The Hungarian born Zsabo plays a Gibson guitar on this disc that resonates magic from his skillful fingers. His style of guitar playing is so different from any of his then(or even now) contemporaries that it is almost hard to explain the unique qualities. Possibly because he was European, playing an American art form, that at first he tried to emulate until he realized his own voice was valid, that you can hear the Gypsy influences, even soft echoes of Spanish guitar, but make no doubt about it there is a distinctive "spellbinding" effect to Gabor Zsabo's lyrical music. He was quoted as saying that he loved to listen to Gypsies play and dance around the campfires in the cornfields as a child. It must have made a big impression on him because it comes out in his music. It is a soft style that has a certain rhapsody, at times sensuous, always elgant and definitely hipnotic.The title track , "Spellbinder" sets the stage with an upbeat percussion introduction by none other than Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja for a Latin jam kickoff to some of the most incredible guitar licks ever heard. The Zsabo number and playing sounds a bit like Carlos Santana or vice versa since Santana broke through a bit later, but it is just a fine piece of music. The whole disc has a bit of a Latin feel to it because of Gzabo's style of playing and the heavy pecussion throughout.There really are no weak songs on this disc although some are a little different in style. "Witchcraft" has a soft Brazilian feel to it that is soothing. There are a few standards like "It was a Very Good Year" and "Autumn Leaves" but they both get theZsabo treatment for some original sounding renovations. Of particular interest are the vocals offered up on "Bang Bang. " At the time of this recording in 1966 many jazz artists felt compelled, often pushed by the production people , to record some of the pop music of the day."Bang Bang" was a very forgetable hit by Sony and Cher that sounds so cool by Gzago that it blows the original out of the water. He has a rather spooky voice, or maybe it is just the song, that is melancholy but the guitar playing livens it up as his fingers dance merrily up and down the frets. There are several original Gzabo compositions including the title track, "Cheetah, "inspired by a New York discotheque, "Yearning" a beautiful lyrical song and "Gypsy Queen" later made famous by Carlos Santana on his spectacular and groundbreaking Lp "Abraxsas." On "Gypsy Queen " the similarities in styles between Santana and Gzabo are most evident and easily compared but throughout the disc you can hear the twangy, lingering notes that sound so similar. The other band members are whooping it up in the background as they encourage each other to increase the intensity. If you have never heard the late great Gabor Gzabo and are interested in guitar than pick this disc up. The personnel featured on this recording are all top notch having led their own groups. The Amazon editorial lists the contributors. The disc was originally produced by super Impulse engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Bob Theile in production. Incidently, Theile had the tape running while Gzabo and band were "warming" up as Gzabo led them through his rhytmic structure. The music sounded so good he gave it a name, "Gypsy Queen"(for his childhood memories of Gypsies) and included the results. The rest is history as the song was later made popular by Santana and one of his most popular an recognizable songs. Anyway, both of these individuals have been part of some of the best jazz recording ever made and anything with their name on it is usually outstanding. A great addition to any jazz collection and highly recommended.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is amazing!!!, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Spellbinder (Audio CD)

I found an LP of this in my dad's record collection, it is awesome! This album is in the period before Szabo got into pop and psycadelia. Carlos Santana was greatly influenced by this record, and he covered "Gypsy Queen" (It's the second part of Black Magic Woman).

His guitar ideas and the rythms are great and very original. Chico Hamilton was part of album. This may be a but pricey because it's an import, but it represents some of his finer work, before he became a pop musician.