Perfect.Toy Records reissues rare 1980 adventurous vocal jazz album from Munich group Bhakti Jazz

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Perfect.Toy Records reissues rare 1980 adventurous vocal jazz album from Munich group Bhakti Jazz

German-based Perfect.Toy Records, who just recently re-released Bobby Cole’s 1967 A Point of View LP, has officially reissued another incredible rare vocal jazz album, First Step by the Munich-based group Bhakti Jazz.

Originally self-released in limited quantities back in 1980, this widely eclectic nine-track recording spans a lot of territory stylistically, from the brilliant acrobatic vocal jazz cuts “Glimpses of Truth,” and “Eastern Moods”, to the more avant deep jazz selections like “Tutankhamun,” “Die Zeitmaschine,” and the Latin-tinged “Opes De Salsa”. This is one of those records that has a little bit of everything, keeping the listener on their heels, however in a good way.

Led by pianist Götz Tangerding, who also originally released the record on his own Bhakti Records label, is also joined by longtime collaborator and drummer Rudi Roth, flautist Alan Ett, saxophonist Alan Ett, bassist Urs Hämmerli, and vocalist Lisa Dawson, who’s exotic vocal harmonies really take the whole recording to another level.

Limited to just 500 copies, hopefully this well-crafted reissue helps shed a light on one of the more brilliantly adventurous German jazz albums from the early 1980s.