The great success of "Between and Beyond the Black Forest" reaffirmed the immense demand for Music from the MPS label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) which has quite naturally lead to "Between and Beyond 2". And again we tried to find a representative cross-section through the Highlights of the label from the sleepy Black Forest town of Villingen,

This time our voyage through the 600 recordings of MPS starts with Rimona Francis "Bulgarian Beans", an hommage on the native homeland of her parents, published in 1977.
Next stop is Dieter Reiths "Knock Out", a 10-minute groover, and also the title-track of the MPS album he made in the winter months of 1974/75, an album that presents him in his funkiest session.
Jasper van´t Hofs performed the nostalgic dances from the '30s, such as the foxtrot or quickstep, in jazzrock versions as the track "Titty-Chickie-Fitterburg" selected here so impressively demonstrates. He walked away with virtually every prize the critics had to offer. Also not to be missed is George Duke: his tracks from the '70s are veritable milestones in fusion and are possessed of a timeless beauty, as is the case with "Faces In Reflection 2".
Peter Herbolzheimer and his Rhythm Combination & Brass were one of the world's best and most original big-bands. "Frogdance", made in 1973, demonstrates the whole spectrum of this formation's rhythmic capabilities.
"Poobli", the second track by Jasper van't Hof for the present compilation, was written by the drummer Alphonse Mouzon (Weather Report). The present 13-minute version the 1977 production However is without a doubt the spaciest fusion track of any MPS record.
The technical perfection of drummer Charlie Antolini, who once compared drumming with sports, is well shown on "Scratches", from the 1972 album In The Groove. It serves as a perfect example of his ability, despite the striking precision, never to lose sight of the groove. The title "Volcanos Daughter" from Nelson Riddle is found on one of the most costliest MPS productions ever, Communication. Riddle was one of Hollywoods most successful composers of that era.
The New Dave Pike Set was touring Brazil when the recordings for the album Salomão were made in Rio de Janeiro together with three Baiafro musicians."Baiafrock / Volker" is a percussion freak-out with a Volker Kriegel in top form.
Also a must is Roland Kovacs "Powerstart" from the ultrarare as well as totally freaked out Album Trip to Mars. Kovac's spacy sound collages made this production a sought-after collector's item all over the world.
Unfortunatly, Rolf Kühn never quite granted the recognition that his incredible musical talent deserves , by choosing the clarinet for his instrument. "Miss Maggie" is the grooviest track from his 1975 Album Total Space, and will at last prove that you can definitely let your hair down to the sounds of a clarinet.
American pianist Mary Lou Williams was already being put on a par with jazz's prominent male personalities at a time when such comparisons were by no means the order of the day. "A Good Nite For Swinging" works with jazzy Afro-Cuban rhythms and offers an impressive display of her subtly swinging way of playing .
Baden Powell is one of the outstanding personalities present at the birth of the bossa nova. "Sarava", the track chosen here, is a Macumba piece, an African religion very popular in Brazil, that celebrates trance conditions caused by intense rhythms.
Last but not least we got George Shearing, exceptional blind pianist, whose percussive latin version of the WAR classic "The World is a Ghetto" is guaranteed to thrill not only the lovers of the original version.

Once again Crippled Dick Hot Wax! is paying its duty to a legend! The Book "Jazzin´the Black Forest" by Klaus G. Fischer that was already released with our first MPS sampler, might still be recommended to those who search more inside knowledge in form of a complete discography, the complete history, as well as the complete record-coverart. Also this book comes with interesting facts, background stories, an Interview with the recently deceased Joachim Ernst Berendt, and an introduction by the master and MPS founder himself, Hans Georg Brunner Schwer!
Book comes bilingual german / english in LP format.