These recordings are indeed a minor sensation! It's hard to imagine that, apart from the well-known recordings in the GDR, something "different and deeper" existed in the late 1960s alongside appealing soul and jazz bands. Modern and progressive fuzzy and funky jazz rock. Really? But yes, "So einfach war das wohl / it was probably that simple" back then. The highly talented pianist Ulrich Gumpert played and composed in one of the country's most renowned ensembles, the Klaus Lenz Orchestra, since 1967. Joining him on stage were the already renowned drummer Günter "Baby" Sommer, one of the best and most studio-experienced jazz bassists of the time, Gert Lübke, and former Modern Soul Septet guitarist Günter Dobrowolsky. Also in the orchestra was the outstanding Günther Fischer! Ulrich Gumpert chose precisely this rhythm section to perform his ideas of contemporary soulful and rocky jazz alongside orchestral sessions starting in 1968.
His own appealing compositions were played on selected stages in bars, youth clubs, and even theaters (Jazz in der Kammer) and achieved great popularity among music lovers of this genre.
Even Klaus Lenz himself was enthusiastic about the compositions and included some tracks in his orchestral program. Later, around 1970, the song "Der Läufer auf dem Dach" (The Runner on the Roof) even reached high in the DT Radio youth charts. A tragic, exciting, driving, and psychedelic theme, which Ulrich Gumpert composed, inspired by a novel by Fritz Rudolf Fries, and later performed again as "Roofrunner" in concert programs. Inspired by the freshness of this world-class sound, DT64 youth radio luminary LUISE MIRSCH gave the young musicians the opportunity to record some of their songs.
Star saxophonist and flautist Günther Fischer invited the quartetto the first two recordings in 1968 and participated as a guest soloist. His contribution, "Hallo Ulli" impresses with its lightness and jazzy funkiness and has already become an absolute groove classic.
Somewhat ahead of its time, it's hard to imagine from today's perspective that these songs were originally intended to serve as filler and interval music on youth radio. But the fact that the editors and recording directors agreed that the studio doors would be open to this quartet from now on, during its temporal existence, was more than just a stroke of luck. No, it should be mentioned that this quartet, as the rhythm section of the Klaus Lenz Orchestra and the later jazz-rock formation SOK, was considered at that time one of the most booked recording groups for all kinds of music, from beat and rock to pop, by broadcasting and the Amiga record label. But after the commissioned work, they really started to jazz. But then in the style of Gumpert & Co.: rougher, more progressive, more modern!
This early period is considered one of the most important in the history of GDR jazz and rock music and was unfortunately overshadowed by the subsequent free jazz era, receiving less attention and recognition. The only composition, "So Einfach Ist Das" by drummer Günter Sommer, not only reflects the joy of playing this outstanding quartet from 1968 to 1972, it also now bears its name on this retrospective LP.
In October 1972, the Ulrich Gumpert Quartett appeared for the first time under the new name "Synopsis". The following year, the quartet was reshuffled. With the change in lineup, the quartet also changed its style and, with the new members Ernst Ludwig "Luten" Petrowsky and Conny Bauer, steadily turned to free jazz as the group Synopsis. Gert Lübke and Günter Dobrowolsky remained with the group SOK until its dissolution in 1974 and later enriched the Uschi Brüning Band under the direction of Hermann Anders. In memory of Gert, Günter and Luten!
This LP is a milestone and reflects one of the most progressive periods in East German music history in jazz and rock! Good ears, music lovers, as Ulrich Gumpert likes to say!
