Sunbirds ~ Germany

Zagara (1973)

Zagara is a more traditional jazz outing than Sunbirds' awesome debut. However, there are still some great moments to behold. Both 'Fire Dance' and 'Ocean Song' bring back the strobe light Kraut jazz rock groovliciousness, where our fantasy girl in white thigh high go-go boots returns for one more dance. 'African Sun' and 'My Dear Groovin' are also at a high level of melody, atmosphere, and grooves. The other tracks are more or less straight-up flute jazz, though all are thoroughly enjoyable if the genre is favorable to you. Along with the flute - piano, jazz guitar, and a cracking rhythm section provide the necessary ingredients. So perhaps not the ultimate essential album that the debut most certainly is, but a mighty fine follow up for this studio-only project. Recommended.

CD adds a two minute bonus track, but it is nothing more than a tuned percussion accompaniment.

Ownership: 2015 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with history and photos.

8/19/07; 7/27/15 (acquired / review)

Sunbirds (1971)

Sunbirds are perhaps the ultimate soundtrack for your next autobahn excursion. We're talking open top BMW convertible, hot megababe sitting next to you, hairspray, loads of mascara and thigh high white go-go boots - with 4 inch heels. Oh really, you have no idea what I'm talking about? Go over to your cable TV and find some independent channel that has some feature at 3:00 in the morning with a name like Weird Ass Euro Theater. Catch a flick like The Girl on a Motorcycle and you're there.... BABY! Must be a European production, even a soft core flick will suffice. Put on the Sunbirds, kick back, relax and drift into your inner vertigo. Extra points if you have shag carpet and wood paneled walls.

Musically the Sunbirds' albums can best be qualified as "flute groovers". That is to say, they are seasoned in the jazz idiom, but also wanted to venture into the psychedelic sounds of the day. Chris Hinze, Lloyd McNeill, and Bjorn J:Son Lindh did this too. But the Sunbirds also had that Krautrock thing going on, and you know they were hip to Wolfgang Dauner, Association P.C. and the whole gang at MPS Records. Plenty of wild fuzz guitar and electric piano. Especially on the first album, the Sunbirds could have easily fit on the Brain label, and may have had they come around a year or two later. File next to your T. Yokota and the Beat Generation record. Of course you have that.

Ownership: 

1971 BASF (LP). Gatefold.

2011 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with full history and photos.

10/13/07 (review); 2009; 9/5/11 (update)

9/5/11 (new entry)