Karel Velebney, SHQ - Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69

Review by Derek Wood

Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69: A Wild Ride Through Free Jazz Chaos Let’s get this straight—this album isn’t for the faint of heart. If you’re into smooth jazz or elevator music, turn back now. Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69 is a raw, untamed beast that slaps you in the face and dares you to keep listening. Released in ’93 under ESP Disk and ZYX Music (because apparently one label wasn’t enough), this record punches hard with its mix of free jazz, modal madness, and post-bop vibes. It’s like someone threw a grenade into a jazz club and recorded the aftermath. And guess what? I kinda loved it. First off, let’s talk about Jiri Stivin on alto saxophone, flute, and recorder. Dude’s got range, no doubt. But it’s Karel Velebney himself who steals the show—tenor sax, bass clarinet, vibraphone, you name it. He’s all over the place, but in the best way possible. Josef Vejvoda on drums sounds like he’s trying to break his kit in half, while Karel Vejvoda holds down the low end on bass like a champ. Oh, and Ludek Svabensky on piano? The guy’s fingers must’ve been bleeding by the end of these sessions. Now, onto the tracks. “Joachim Is Our Friend” sticks out because… well, how could it not? It starts off with some chaotic drumming and then BAM—saxophones collide like two drunk cats fighting over tuna. Then there’s that vibraphone solo from Velebney, which feels like someone dropped acid and decided to channel their trip through mallets. It’s messy, sure, but also oddly hypnotic. You can tell they weren’t playing safe here—they were swinging for the fences, consequences be damned. Then there’s “Beetles On The Head,” which might as well be titled “Listen To This While Questioning Your Life Choices.” The bassline groans like an old man getting out of bed, while the horns spiral into controlled chaos. There are moments where it feels like everything’s falling apart, but somehow it all comes together again. Like watching a car crash in slow motion—you can’t look away even if you want to. This album doesn’t just push boundaries; it kicks them down, sets them on fire, and dances around the ashes. Tracks like “Andulko Safarova” and “Waldi On The Castle Steps” round out the experience with more wild improvisation and unpredictable shifts. By the time you hit “The Uhu Sleeps Only During The Day,” you’ll either be hooked or reaching for your noise-canceling headphones. Here’s the thing: listening to Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69 feels like eavesdropping on a secret jam session between geniuses who don’t care if anyone understands them. And honestly, that’s what makes it special. Sure, it’s not perfect—it’s too loud, too dissonant, and probably gave at least one engineer a headache—but perfection isn’t the point. The point is freedom. Pure, unfiltered creativity. So yeah, maybe this album won’t top any mainstream charts. Maybe your grandma will hate it. But screw that—if you dig jazz that challenges your ears and rattles your brain, this is the real deal. Just don’t blame me when you find yourself humming random saxophone lines at 3 AM. Oh, and one last thought: whoever named the tracks clearly had a sense of humor. Beetles on the head? Waldi on the castle steps? What does ANY of that mean?!

Download Karel Velebney, SHQ - Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69

Artist: Karel Velebney, SHQ
Album: Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69

Jazz

1993

Rating: 3.5

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Filename: karel-velebney-shq-karel-velebny-shq-pf-69.zip

MP3 size: 33.5 mb
FLAC size: 166 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Joachim Is Our Friend	11:25
Andulko Safarova	4:46
The Uhu Sleeps Only During The Day	7:30
Waldi On The Castle Steps	8:52
Beetles On The Head	5:00

Video

Karel Velebny & SHQ - S/T (FULL ALBUM, modal / post bop, Czechoslovakia, 1969)

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Catalog Numbers

ESP 1080-2
TKCZ-79149

Labels

ESP Disk, ZYX Music
ESP Disk

Listen online

lytte på nettet
écouter en ligne
kuunnella verkossa
ascolta in linea
online anhören
lyssna på nätet
online luisteren
escuchar en línea
ouvir online

Formats

CD
Album
Reissue

Companies

Role	Company
Manufactured By	Multi Media Masters
Copyright (c)	Syndicore Music
Published By	Syndicore
Marketed By	ZYX-Music GmbH
Distributed By	ZYX-Music GmbH

Credits

Role	Credit
Alto Saxophone	Jiri Stivin
Flute	Jiri Stivin
Recorder	Jiri Stivin
Art Direction	Baby Jerry
Bass	Karel Vejvoda
Drums	Josef Vejvoda
Piano	Ludek Svabensky
Tenor Saxophone	Karel Velebney
Bass Clarinet	Karel Velebney
Vibraphone	Karel Velebney

Notes

© Syndicore (BMI) • Syndicore is a division of ESP-Disk’, Ltd.
Recorded in April, 1967
The artists alone decide what you will hear on their ESP-disk
Published by: Syndicore (BMI) / B. Mikulski Publ.
Made in Germany
Marketed and distributed by: ZYX-Music GmbH
Released approx. in the late 1990s or early 2000s, a reissue of ESP-Disk 1080 from 1969.
Except for the original front cover artwork, Karel Velebný’s surname is “consequently” misspelt as “Velebney”.
Correct Czech spelling track 5: “Andulko Šafářová”

Barcodes

Barcode (Scanned): 090204038237
Barcode (Text): 090204 038237
Label Code: LC 0546
Matrix / Runout: MULTI MEDIA MASTERS SWITZERLAND ESP 1080-2 ZYX MUSIC
Rights Society: GEMA
Price Code: PC 14
Barcode: 4 988008 239134
Rights Society: JASRAC

About Karel Velebney, SHQ

Czech band leader, vibraphonist, saxophonist, pianist, composer, actor, educator. Born March 17, 1931, died March 7, 1989 in Prague (former Czechoslovakia). Founding member of (19581960), the (19601961), and (from 1961). Using the pseudonym , in 1966 he was also a founding member of the Jára Cimrman Theatre, and he was actually the originator of the fictional character s name.

Real Name

Karel Velebný

Name Vars

K. Velebny
K. Velebný
Karel Velebney
Karel Velebny
Karel Velebný Nonet
Velebney
Velebny
Velebný

Aliases

Dr. Evžen Hedvábný

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *Karel Velebny SHQ PF 69* is a hidden gem in the jazz world. Released in 1993, it blends free jazz, modal, and post-bop styles into a unique sound. What makes it even more interesting? It came out in both Germany and Japan, showing its global appeal. The multi-talented Karel Velebny not only played tenor saxophone and bass clarinet but also handled vibraphone duties. And get this—Jiri Stivin rocked three different woodwind instruments on the same album. Tracks like "Joachim Is Our Friend" and "The Uhu Sleeps Only During The Day" feel like musical stories with their quirky titles and rich improvisation. Definitely worth checking out if you're into adventurous jazz vibes!

Comments

pepineic

2025-03-14

? ? ? ? ? ?? ??⚡? ?

clrobertomartins

2025-03-14

33:00

omalleyla

2025-03-14

Truly amazing jazz. I find that much of the European jazz especially Polish and Czechoslovakian of the 1960s and 70s is more exciting than the American jazz.