A Lark Ascending

Be at peace, glasshopper. The 0s and 1s are merely realigning themselves to create another chimera.

I buy endless amounts of new music in order to feel again that warm fuzziness that I felt so often as a mid-teen exploring music for the first time. That's the only reason - I like music because it can make my spine tingle. Doesn't happen quite so often (for obvious reasons); but one of the ways of increasing the chances is to keep trying new things. However, I will admit to having decidedly furred arteries when it comes to anything involving machines pumping out regular beats very loudly.

I find downloads more spiritually satisfying. The lack of tangibility reminds me that the sense of the material self is but an illusion.

It's also worth remembering that a substantial part of the ECM catalogue is quite deliberately very different from American jazz. The 60s going into 70s were really when you moved from some marvellous jazz musicians playing as well as Americans in an American context to some marvellous musicians playing in a very different context to American musicians. That sense that if jazz in Europe was ever going to establish an independent voice, then it had to do so by working from some other base materials. Notwithstanding the many excellent recordings of US musicians on ECM, I'd say the appeal of the label to some of us was that sense of exploring those other pathways. [And just to be contrary, I like Criss Cross too].

I'm a big fan of that one...in fact I think you put me onto it many years back! Another good choice - in fact all those Mujician discs are excellent.

Actually, Westbrook's 'Love/Dream Variations' is even more neglected - don't think it's ever got to CD. Lovely disc with Paul Rutherford in near romantic mood.

Highland spring water works best. Especially Norwegian highland spring water. Try listening to 'Conference of the Birds' after a couple of bottles.

ECM was one of the reasons I started listening to jazz (mid-70s). Jarrett, Towner, Weber etc took me to some improvised music that didn't sound like, what to my ears at the time, was an old fashioned jazz sound. I was looking for music that was largely acoustic and rhythmically fleet of foot as I retreated from rock, but was still hearing most jazz as I heard most Baroque music. I have no difficulty understanding why the sound, approach etc might not appeal to many, especially those for whom the blues/swing roots of jazz are paramount. But if you grew into music from the 70s onwards - especially in Europe - those features don't necessarily hold such a sway. They do some things better than others. I'm still not convinced people like Enrico Rava or Stefano Bollani are best served by ECM (though I've enjoyed much on the discs there). But for me Eicher and ECM are heroes - my shelves are stacked with their recordings and I doubt if a week goes by without an ECM being played. And they get played because I like the individual records, not because I'm seeking a dose of 'the ECM Sound'.

Sounds like the Pavilion.

OK. Perhaps Alan said 'Maybe'!

Like my favourite Alan Barnes quip: "This is a Horace Silver tune called 'Yeah' (said in a hipster whisper). You can't imagine a British musician calling a tune anything as assertive as 'Yeah! More likely to be called 'Perhaps'"

It doesn't come much better than being the backing band for God.

Joseph Haydn was the house composer (and, I suspect, keyboard player) at the Eszterházy Palace for many years. A really swinging joint, by all accounts. Then there was W.A. Mozart in Salzburg...though that one ended badly. And as for J.S. Bach....

Stan Tracey at Ronnie's. I might be wrong but didn't John Taylor do a stint there too?

And on a different tack. The excellent NMC label that focuses on contemporary British classical music has a new series devoted to emerging composers http://www.nmcrec.co.uk/debut-discs Meanwhile, established British composers are not happy: http://www.holstfoundation.org/media/Open-Letter-SAM-ACE.pdf Sounds like the sort of concerns the British jazz world has had for eons.

A couple of doorstep retrospectives for the 150th anniversary. I rarely go in for these things but the EMI has some of the operas which I'd like to hear. At £30.99 for 18 discs, a bit of a bargain even with a fair bit of overlap. The EMI box contents: http://www.emiclassics.com/releasetracklisting.php?rid=52018

Due Friday 25th May, I believe. Called "Delius: Composer, Lover, Enigma' Seems portraying English cowpat composers as randy buggers is the current way of getting them noticed. I think I'd have gone for 'Delius: a nice sort of chap.'

Maybe I'll stand by the door with some tickets I've made! Love the thought of the fresh smell of dung to accompany an evening of jazz.

£2.52 on emusic. Which on my excessively generous legacy plan comes out at £1.26!

Music does NOT have to swing to be good. Do you really think that Eicher is telling Kuhn, a musician for over 50 years, to cut an album that is ethereal, and not what Kuhn intended? As a matter of fact, I'm almost positive that the Venuses that you so love are the ones where the artists are being told what to play. Avant doesn't swing. Energy music doesn't swing. Hell, most Nessas don't swing. And yet, a lot of you guys are ALL OVER those. More misplaced ECM bias. The way I read Peter's post was just as a statement of personal preference. I'm a great supporter of ECM and get as irritated as anyone by the 'Manfred's dastardly plot (probably in league with Andorrans)' response to anything ECM. I don't believe Peter's post was one of those.

Just got in ahead of you! In the same line:

Back to: At present I'm:

They are slowly...very slowly...digitalising things. So 2045 is a possibility for a download version.

Yes, I have that. Marvellous record - even if it is based on an absolute classic.