Yochk'o Seffer - Ghilgoul

Ghilgoul is an outstanding effort from reed-man Yochk'o Seffer (known from Zeuhl ensembles like Magma and Zao) who was in his Neffesh Music period, combining complex jazz-fusion stylings with string quartet orchestrations and his own sharp sax skills along with quite adept piano playing. Influences range from John Coltrane to Bela Bartók and Hungarian folk music. "Dag" is a highlight: one of his most accessible and memorable melodies written, a folky jaunt allied with rhythms and textures that suggest avant-prog or Rock In Opposition, along with solid jazz soloing from Seffer on soprano. "Sifra" starts with classical chamber music and transitions into a busy ensemble work with nimble rhythm section work from Dominique Bertram (bass) and Francois Laizeau (drums). Bertram wrote "Dailn" and that is the most overtly Fusion-influenced pieces, while "Larma" features Seffer's trademark falsetto vocalize, harking back to mid-period Zao. The title track is an avant-garde piece in the vein of "Ima", but less droning, combining Seffer's ghostly Ligeti-inspired overdubbed vocal harmonies, sax improvisations, keyboards and strings. The album's reissues have three bonus tracks recorded in 1980 with a different lineup, they feature Seffer extensively on piano and there's an alternate version of "Sifra", skipping the classical intro and jumping headfirst into ensemble section. Recommended for fans of RIO/Zeuhl.