Magical Connection is an album by Hungarian guitarist Gábor Szabó featuring performances recorded in 1970 and released on the Blue Thumb label.Payne, D. Gábor Szabó discography accessed February 21, 2012
Reception The Allmusic review states "Consciously more percussive -- and more commercial -- Szabo's newly formed sextet was clearly up to the challenges of combining rock with jazz. More an instrumental-pop confection, Magical Connection doesn't quite live up to its promise. But even as Szabo covers pop hits by Carpenters, Buffalo Springfield and John Sebastian, he often plays with great wit and solos with energetic dexterity".Payne, D. Allmusic Review accessed February 21, 2012
Track listing "Sombrero Sam" (Charles Lloyd) - 5:14 "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) - 3:04 "Country Illusion" (Wolfgang Melz) - 3:45 "Lady With Child" (Chuck Blore, Jerry Wright, Don Richman) - 3:45 "Pretty Girl Why" (Stephen Stills) - 3:31 "Hum a Song" (Richard Ross) - 3:32 "Magical Connection" (John Sebastian) - 4:26 "Fred and Betty" (Gábor Szabó, Richard Thompson) - 4:53 "Love Theme from "Spartacus"" (Alex North) - 3:13 Recorded in Los Angeles, California on May 27 (track 1), June 3 (track 6), June 5 (tracks 4 & 7), June 10 (track 3), June 13 (track 5), June 15 (track 2), June 27 (tracks 5, 8 & 9) and July 8 (overdubs), 1970
Personnel Gábor Szabó - guitar Lynn Blessing - vibraphone Richard Thompson - keyboards Wolfgang Melz - bass Jim Keltner - drums Emil Richards, Hal Gordon - percussion Erno Neufeld - concertmaster George Kast, Marilyn Baker, Jack Gootkin, Henry Ferber, Ambrose Russo, Leonard Malarsky, Jerome Reisler - violin Allan Harshman, Myron Sandler - viola Anne Goodman, Frederick Seykora - cello Jules Chaikin - contractor Nick DeCaro - keyboards arranger, conductor
Charts Album – Billboard YearChartPosition1971/01/16Billboard Best Selling Jazz LP's13
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