The return of “Gunesh”: Soviet jazz-rock comes out on vinyl

Melody has brought to life the debut album of the Turkmen ensemble “Gunesh” (translated from Turkmen – “sun”), first released in 1980. This record, which is a bright representative of Soviet jazz rock and oriental fusion, returns on vinyl after more than 45 years, thanks to the efforts of editor Vladimir Ryzhikov and sound engineer Rafik Rahimov, who managed to convey the unique polyphony and dynamics of the ensemble.

“Gunesh”, formed in Ashgabat in 1970 around the vocalist Murat Sadykov (known after his role in the film “Only Old Men Go to Battle”), became a noticeable jazz-rock band thanks to the music director Oleg Korolev, who was engaged in the synthesis of different styles. Despite the changes in the lineup (including the 5-year absence of Korolev) and success at the Spring Rhythms festival. Tbilisi-80, the ensemble continued to develop in the ethno-jazz-rock direction.

The album, recorded in 2026 using original analogue films and restored by Maxim Pilipov, includes Sadykov’s vocal numbers, folk song processing and instrumental composition “Oriental Souvenir”. The lyrics of the songs were translated by Artyk Yazkulyev. This release is a valuable artifact of the Soviet groove, reflecting the group in its heyday.