Magma and Zao were on the same bill for an "underground" week at the end of May '73 at the Bataclan. When he was with Magma (up to the summer of '72) François Cahen's piano was the hottest element, in the jazzy sense. And in a small way he continued to impart this direction on Zao's music. Zao played long pieces in which the hypnotic effects of repetition played a big role, but always tempered by their suppleness, and the latent swing, which amplified Mauricia Platon's vocals. They succeeded in creating very beautiful moments, when Seffer's sax and the violin took off in free flight, while alongside them was a very effective rhythm section and the blend of piano / vocals pursuing their own path. The audience at the Bataclan witnessed the beginnings of a great group, struggling to survive in the French desert.
MAGMA et ZAO Bataclan 24 Mai 73
In his traditional introductory discourse, Giorgio Gomelsky remarked that this was the first Parisian concert by Magma for a year, almost to the day, and the large and faithful audience encouraged them. The two pillars were there: Christian Vander enthroned at his drums and Klaus Blasquiz, the voice of Magma, standing beside a table on which many, varied percussive accessories were arranged. Klaus and Christian were backed by brass, bass, organ and piano. I was surprised to see a guitarist, Claude Olmos who had worked with many French groups, notably ALICE. In addition: on some numbers there was a choir of up to three ladies, which included Stella Vander. The concert was divided into two parts, doubling the potency of the band. The first part was a succession of pieces, of varying length, such as 'Soï-Soï', which allowed one to appreciate the cohesion of the ensemble or the solitary flights of one musician or another. It is scarcely original to stress this, but the long solo intervention by Vander was a captivating moment. The bewitching manner, by which he seemed to construct a melody from his kit, then to demolish it with fierce violence, was a sight to behold. This first part confirmed the richness of Magma's repertoire, with all the contrasts, the opposing tonalities, and the mixture of musical styles from the heart of Africa and central Europe.
But it was with the second half, entirely given over to the noble 'Mekanïk Kommandöh', that they raised themselves to a new peak. This long and marvellous opus; First of all preparation, then expectation, then anguish, then construction, then heat, then fire... 'Mekanïk Kommandöh' by this incarnation of Magma was, without the slightest exaggeration, one of the most impressive things you could ever see. The choir was employed magnificently, while the instruments, led by the drums, assailed the senses superbly in their forcible approach. This was a work full of maturity, to which the public responded with a corresponding maturity. Magma continued their fight against incomprehension. That concert at the Bataclan gave us new hope for the future.