Various GRoove Of Essr Iii: Soul, Jazz-Funk & Easy Listeni

Groove of ESSR III marks the next chapter in highlighting the musical heritage, available as LP on Funk Embassy Records!

Groove of ESSR III marks the next chapter in highlighting the musical heritage trapped behind the Iron Curtain during the Soviet occupation. The tracklist spans recordings from 1971-1983 by Estonian artists, most of whom were born under a foreign regime after the war. Nevertheless, they had relatives in the West and antennas tuned in to Finnish radio signals. In a closed up world, they had the courage to explore the groove without borders. Many performers and songwriters became the most sought-after artists throughout all of Soviet Russia, not because they blindly followed the communist party's canon. On the contrary, the sheer brilliance of their compositions, exceptional artistry, and stage acts that felt like the West attracted audiences even if they couldn't understand the lyrics. Trying to control, censor, and stop bands from doing their thing became impossible in some cases. Despite multiple attempts to stop him, Gunnar "Iron Man" Graps only sang in Estonian and played any kind of music he wanted.

We didn't hold back on the classics this time, since their hit status stems mostly from the 1.3 million people in the northernmost Baltic state. One exception is "Stopp, seisku aeg!" which has already garnered international attention thanks to Frotee Records' 7-inch release and the amazing Funked Up East YouTube channel. As is our custom, you'll find cuts that had never made it out of the archives' analog tapes before we restored them with the help of both Estonian Radio personnel and mastering engineer Jörgen Hermaste. To accompany the music, we've written a few words about each track and artist on the record sleeve. A more saddening tradition has also taken root, with the heroes who laid the foundation for our rich music scene passing away.

Track Listing

Uus Generatsioon - Nr. 3 Heidy Tamme - Neiu väike Tõnis Märgi - Metsaneid Gunnar Graps - Tühjad pihud Els Himma - Samba Apelsin - Igatsus Eesti Televisiooni ja Raadio estraadiorkester - Hüvasti Galja instrumental Collage - Ehted Kadunud Velly Joonas - Stopp, Seisku Aeg Helmut Aniko kvintett - Buldog Marje Aare - Sunny