Kravetz-Kravetz (1972)

A twist of fate transformed Frenchman Jean-Jacques Kravetz into one of the pioneers of German rock, or as it's commonly known, "krautrock". Having settled in Hamburg in the late 1960s at just 20 years old, this Parisian multi-instrumentalist forged a strong reputation within the burgeoning psychedelic music scene, becoming one of its leading figures. A few years later, he released his only solo album, a low-key effort with virtually no promotion, alongside legendary drummer Udo Linderberg and musicians Thomas Kretzschmer on guitar, bassist Carl Stepehan, and vocalist Inga Rumpf. On this album, Kravetz masterfully blends heavy, hazy organ sounds and synthesizers with sharp, precise electric guitars. This is demonstrated in the opening track “I’d Like To Be A Child Again” and the ethereal “Ann Toomuch”, while the experimental “Routes” adds a psychedelic and dark note to this work, which culminates in the progressive jazz “Master Of Time”, bringing to a close an album that would define one of the early sounds of krautrock. In the following years, Kravetz would become a full member of three of the greatest German rock bands: Frumpy, Kin Ping Meh, and Atlantis, producing excellent albums with all of them, including some of the classics of German rock and prog rock.