Gabor Szabo: Spellbinder [VERVE]

Why you'll love it

This Verve Vault edition is cut from the original analogue tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed on 180g vinyl. AllMusic's Thom Jurek gave it four and a half stars and called it a masterpiece.

This edition

• Verve Vault series
• 180g vinyl
• Cut from the original analogue tapes
• Pressed in Germany
• Remastered
• Stereo mix

About the album

Gabor Szabo left Hungary for the United States in 1956, and by the mid-1960s he had a sound nobody else in jazz could touch. Spellbinder, produced by Bob Thiele for Impulse! in 1966, is where he put it all together, backed by Ron Carter on bass, Chico Hamilton on drums and Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on percussion.

Szabo's own "Spellbinder" and "Gypsy Queen" weave Hungarian modes, Latin rhythm and a droning, almost raga-like guitar into something hypnotic. Szabo also tips his hat to the pop of the day with "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "It Was A Very Good Year," and treats "My Foolish Heart" and "Witchcraft" as gentle, intimate ballads. The set closes with a medley of "Autumn Leaves" and "Speak To Me Of Love."

The album reached No. 140 on the Billboard 200 in early 1967, and four years later Santana folded "Gypsy Queen" into a medley on Abraxas. We mention that to anyone holding a copy of Abraxas at the counter, whether they ask or not.

Also at Kops: more Gabor Szabo on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Impulse! / Verve (cat# A-9123), a reissue of the 1966 album.