What a great performance and album!
For those who don't know, Roz Vitalis is a great Russian project led by composer and keyboard player Iván Rozmainsky, who back in the early 00s worked as a one-man-band, however, with the years he has surrounded himself with great and talented musicians who have helped him to release a considerable amount of records, and to offer another great number of concerts.
Now in this 2024 Rozmainsky and co. have released a wonderful live album whose title is "Semi-acoustic at Kuryokhin Center", and when I listened to it for the first time I felt surprised it didn't include any song from their latest studio release, but then I realized this concert was recorded in february 2023, prior to that studio release, which saw the light until october.
This is a wonderful performance where we can appreciate songs played in a unique way, with even some different arrangements, songs taken from Roz Vitalis' extended discography, but in particular from their 'The Hidden Man From The Heart', 'Lavoro D'Amore' and 'Patience of Hope'. The album starts with 'Blurred' and since the first moments we can feel that acoustic essence, with a sound that ranges from folk to prog, made by an amalgam of synths, strings and a wonderful clarinet played by AndRey Stefinoff, who greatly adds colorful sounds with his instrument. It is great to hear audience applauses at the end of the tracks, seem it was an intimate concert.
The clarinet continues to take over in 'Jungle Waltz', however I also love the acoustic guitar and bass, along with the percussion (cajón or box drum) which are clearly not drums, so the sound might be quite different from the studio song, however, it makes it a unique performance. I love its changes and how classical music is also present in Roz Vitalis' music, but also that we can feel embraced by different moods, by dark atmospheres, some tension, but also bright passages and beauty. The clarinet & keyboard combo in the final part is a killer! 'The Hidden Man of The Heart' has also an exquisite performance here, first with delicate sounds and then with a bit more intensity for some seconds. One can easily close the eyes and feel embraced by its sound, I imagine people who attended had a wonderful and peaceful time.
Piano opens the gates to 'Lavoro D'Amore', then strings and winds join with delicacy, and a minute later after a brief change, keyboards mark a new proggy sound which is very colorful and dreamy, clarinet playes the same notes and together create a great synergy. Later a guitar solo appear and makes the song even better, with a disarming and heartfelt sound. 'Forbearing One Another in Love' is a solo performance by Rozmainsky with his piano, I am not sure but I think is an original composition (or improvisation) for this concert, play in a delicate and classical oriented way. This piano piece leads to 'Mother of All Rain', a great song release in 2012. Here I'd like to appreciate the work of long-time collaborator Vladimir Semenov-Tyan-Shansky who does an extraordinary effort with both, acoustic and electric guitar, changing the song's direction and atmospheres with his instruments.
'Recovery' is a very nice song that I believe has not been included in any studio album yet, but was included in a live record. The sound is so gentle, with some folkish and eastern flavors. 'Patience of Hope' is also greatly performed here, the sound is so charming, first with the piano and then when clarinet, bass, guitar and percussion, a longer song that has so many interesting changes in tempo and mood, very proggy. 'Ascension Dream' start is very subtle, first piano, then bass notes and lastly acoustic guitar, then after one minute percussion join and all together change the rhythm and the atmosphere, turning it into a joyful track. The final part is very emotional, though.
'Passing Winter' is another piano track that has not been included in a studio album yet, but it is great to hear these clean and passionate performances, music that touches our soul. 'Ending' has a curcial world and yeah, we might think it would be sensible to finish a concert or album with that title, just as it finishes the studio album it belongs. The performance here is delicate as well, so both old and new Roz Vitalis' fans could appreciate it. And last but not least, the band delight us with 'Passing Over', the longest track here, and a challenging song with some changes in time and mood, a nice example of progressive song with a soft and delicate sound, and with a great work of all musicians, including Yury Khomonenko on percussion and Max Lokosov on bass, who I hadn't mentioned before.
Well, it is an exquisite album, to be honest, and I thank the band for releasing it. Hope one day I could see Roz Vitalis on stage.
Enjoy it!
(c) memowakeman
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=3036349
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To share my impression of new album Roz Vitalis "Semi Acoustic at Kuryokhin Center" I will describe images and feelings that arise while listening. (The order of the compositions is different)
Blurred. Road, path and work. Enjoying the road. It can be difficult sometimes, but then revitalization and motivation can occur. Hard work and inspiration. Perseverance, courage and hard work, goal setting helps. The main thing is to see what you are doing it for.
Jungle Waltz. Beautiful, mysterious game and playfulness. It seems that tropical animals are walking and playing around. Mystery, tension take place at the end accompanying a final battle the main wild characters participate in.
The Hidden Man of the Heart. Virtue, hope, rise, the path to achieving the goal come up while listening to this composition.
Lavoro D'amore. Relationships can be difficult. If you want to build relationships you need to put a lot of effort. You have to try your best to go through quarrels, misunderstandings, anger, resentment. Then comes relief, revival, a new stage of the relationships.
Forbearing One Another in Love. Seems like this composition reflects the stages of relationships. Fleeting glances, sympathy. Love. Two clarified each other. It started out hard. Misunderstanding. They were spinning in the stream. Everything is great. Very beautiful, fairy tale. Storm, fake and condescend, work on relationships. Relief has come.
Recovery. Vanity and care are replaced by joy and enjoyment of life, improving the internal state and finding peace.
Ascension of hope. It embraces feelings of beauty, love, kindness, lightness, sublimity, flight, hope.
Passing winter. Light sadness, melancholy, fear and mystery change to hope and enlightenment, excitement, with a feeling of peace and awareness that everything is going as usual. Magical and bright feelings, beauty and sadness occur.
Ending. The road and the work, enjoying the result and the experience that was gained.
Mother of all rain. The peace and joy that we experience in good times, in sunny weather, the laconically and unexpectedly change to the charming and immersing. You feel the atmosphere of strength, struggle and work that we experience in difficult times or in rainy weather. You go through difficulties and move on.
Passing over. Boiling and seething change to the peace. Then it changes immediately to the mystery. You continue the path, with new experience.
(c) OlgaVladimirovna
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=3037912 
