Oleg Lundstrem Conducts Variety Orchestra - Variety Orchestra Conductor O Lundstrem

Review by Pamela Oluola

Oleg Lundstrem Conducts Variety Orchestra – A Soviet Jazz Punch to the Gut Alright, let’s get into this beast of an album. Variety Orchestra Conductor O Lundstrem by Oleg Lundstrem isn’t your grandma’s easy-listening jazz record—it’s a raw, swinging hammer that smashes through expectations like a sledgehammer through drywall. Released under the USSR’s Мелодия label (because of course it was), this thing is steeped in big band swagger and contemporary jazz vibes. Recorded by Victor Babushkin, who clearly knew his way around a mic, the sound has that vintage crackle but still punches hard enough to make modern ears perk up. Now, don’t come at me with "Oh, Soviet jazz? That must be stiff and boring." Nah, bro. This is fiery stuff, dripping with personality and attitude. Tracks like “A Day Without Beginning” slap you awake from the first note. It's chaotic yet controlled—like watching someone juggle knives while riding a unicycle on fire. The horns blare out these bold, brassy statements, and then there’s this sneaky little piano riff weaving in and out like it owns the place. You can practically hear the sweat dripping off the players as they tear through it. It sticks with you because it feels alive, like it could fall apart at any second but never does. And then there’s “Improvisation (On A Theme Of Muradeli’s Song ‘Don’t Be Sad’).” Holy crap, this one hits different. Starts off slow, almost mournful, like someone sitting alone in a dimly lit room nursing their third glass of vodka. But then—BAM—it flips into high gear, spinning Muradeli’s melody into something wild and untamed. The saxophonist goes absolutely berserk here, ripping notes like they owe him money. By the time it winds down, you’re left breathless, wondering what just happened. It’s not just music; it’s a damn experience. But let’s talk about the elephant in the room: this album comes from the USSR, a place not exactly known for letting artists run free. Yet somehow, Lundstrem and his crew managed to create something so vibrant, so full of life, it makes you question everything you thought you knew about Soviet culture. Was this some kind of rebellion disguised as swing? Or maybe just proof that even in the tightest grip, creativity finds a way to explode? Here’s the kicker, though: listening to this now feels… weirdly relevant. Like, yeah, it’s old-school jazz, but there’s something universal about its energy—the push-pull between chaos and control, tradition and innovation. It reminds you that no matter where or when you are, good music will always find a way to kick down doors and shout, “Listen up!” So if you’re tired of the same sterile playlists and wanna hear something with soul—and maybe a few rough edges—grab this album. Just don’t blame me if it messes with your head.

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Artist: Oleg Lundstrem Conducts Variety Orchestra
Album: Variety Orchestra Conductor O Lundstrem

USSR

Jazz

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Confessing
Festival Rhythm
Impromptu
Suite In Three Parts
A Day Without Beginning
Plaint
Musical Greeting
Caprice
I Am Going Back Home
Hauswarming
Somg Without Words
Improvisation (On A Theme Of Muradeli's Song "Don't Be Sad"
Thanks
In Folk Style

Video

Эстрадный оркестр - Экспромт

Orchestra of O. Lundstrem 1966 (vinyl record)

Trololo Valerij Obodzinskij (third Trololo Man)

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Catalog Numbers

C 01333-4

Labels

Мелодия

Listen online

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

Formats

Vinyl
LP

Credits

Role	Credit
Recorded By	Victor Babushkin

About Oleg Lundstrem Conducts Variety Orchestra

Oleg Leonidovich Lundstrem (also spelled Lundstroem, Lundström, Russian: Олег Леонидович Лундстрем) - Russian (and Soviet period) jazz composer and conductor. Born : April 02, 1916 in Chita, Russia. Died : October 14, 2005, near Moscow, Russia. Сonductor of the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra, one of the earliest officially recognized jazz bands in the Soviet Union (full official name: The State Oleg Lundstrem Chamber Orchestra of Jazz Music, Russian: Государственный камерный оркестр джазовой музыки под управлением Олега Лундстрема; currently, Oleg Lundstrem Memorial State Jazz Orchestra, Russian: Государственный оркестр джазовой музыки имени Олега Лундстрема). His surname is of Swedish origin (grandfather Franz Lundström moved to Russia from Sweden). Oleg Lundstrem's family moved to Harbin, China when he was five. In 1935, inspired by 's "Dear Old Southland" record which he occasionally purchased in Harbin for a private party, Lundstrem joined forces with eight other young Russian amateur musicians and formed the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra. In 1936, the band moved to Shanghai, where they immediately became popular among the public. Until 1947, the band was an important part of Shanghai jazz scene, along with Buck Clayton Orchestra. After World War II, in 1947, Lundstrem returned to the Soviet Union and settled in Kazan, where he worked as a violinist in the opera and ballet theatre, while keeping his jazz orchestra as a side act. In 1956, the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra moved to Moscow; Lundstrem was appointed by the Soviet cultural authorities as the orchestra's art director and conductor. In 1994, the Guinness Book of Records recognized the Lundstrem band as the oldest continuously existing jazz band in the world. In 1998, he was awarded the Russian Federation State Award. He died at the age of 89 from natural causes at his home in the village of Valentinovka, Moscow suburbs, and was buried at the cemetery of the Obraztsovo village, Moscow suburbs

Real Name

Oleg Leonidovich Lundstrem (Оле́г Леони́дович Лу́ндстрем)

Name Vars

O. Lundstrem
O.Lundstrem
Oleg Lundstem
Oleg Lundstrum
О. Л. Лундстрем
О. Лундстрем
О.Лундстрем
Олег Лундстрем
Олег Лундстрем
Олега Лундстрем
Эстрадный оркестр п/у: Олега Лундстрема

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *Variety Orchestra Conductor O Lundstrem* by Oleg Lundstrem is a hidden gem from the USSR jazz scene. It blends Big Band and Contemporary Jazz, recorded under the label Мелодия. What makes it special? Tracks like "A Day Without Beginning" and "Improvisation (On A Theme Of Muradeli's Song 'Don't Be Sad')" show how Soviet musicians infused Western jazz styles with their own unique twist. Victor Babushkin handled the recording, capturing this rare mix of creativity and tradition behind the Iron Curtain. Not your typical jazz record, right?