Some interesting ECMs on the way

[king ubu]

The upcoming Keith Jarrett release, "Testament", consists of solo concerts from last year (Paris and London).

Here's the special website for the 40th Anniversary of ECM - it's German only it seems. Lots of information, including a detailed chornology.

edit: I see David has posted the Jarrett info already, sorry.

[David Ayers]

The upcoming Keith Jarrett release, "Testament", consists of solo concerts from last year (Paris and London).

Here's the special website for the 40th Anniversary of ECM - it's German only it seems. Lots of information, including a detailed chornology.

edit: I see David has posted the Jarrett info already, sorry.

Thanks for the link. I entered the competition so if I win you can join me in Dresden (uhhh - assuming either of us can get there...)

[king ubu]

Hm, I don't think I'd travel to Dresden to see Garbarek... not much of a fan, really. On tenor he can be quite good though, at least in an ok-ish context (such as on that Miroslav Vitous sort of supergroup lookalike but only pieces of it pitched together track by track thinkgie). Also what little I've heard of Jarrett's European Quartet I found ok, but I never went places to find the albums I don't yet have (I have "My Song" and "Personal Mountains", I think).

[David Ayers]

Hm, I don't think I'd travel to Dresden to see Garbarek... not much of a fan, really. On tenor he can be quite good though, at least in an ok-ish context (such as on that Miroslav Vitous sort of supergroup lookalike but only pieces of it pitched together track by track thinkgie). Also what little I've heard of Jarrett's European Quartet I found ok, but I never went places to find the albums I don't yet have (I have "My Song" and "Personal Mountains", I think).

Hey! I'm going to win and we are GOING, that's final!

[king ubu]

Hell, sounds like we're married!

[David Ayers]

Hell, sounds like we're married!

Shut up and get in the car!

[WorldB3]

I am half way the new Surman and love it. Heck some of it even swings, plus a cover of Chelsea Bridge on a ECM release?

I've listened to Brewster's Rooster I think five times, and I like it more with each listen.

Agree, I listened to the whole disc last night and its one of the years best releases. It swings, rocks with a little bit of free jazz in there. Great stuff.

[JETman]

I am half way the new Surman and love it. Heck some of it even swings, plus a cover of Chelsea Bridge on a ECM release?

I've listened to Brewster's Rooster I think five times, and I like it more with each listen.

Agree, I listened to the whole disc last night and its one of the years best releases. It swings, rocks with a little bit of free jazz in there. Great stuff.

Different strokes, I guess.

His soprano playing gives me the funny feeling that Kenny G is in the room on this one.

[GregK]

My only ECM purchases since the '80s are by Evan Parker and Roscoe Mitchell. This might say more about me than the label, or not.

What about Tribute to Lester, the most recent Art Ensemble of Chicago ECM?

[GA Russell]

John Abercrombie - "Wait Till You See Her", fourth quartet album from the band with Mark Feldman and Joey Baron, with new bassist Thomas Morgan.

I heard this for the first time today. I like it. What I have heard from Abercrombie sounds like he has been making the same record for over thirty years, but this is the first by this quartet that I have heard.

It swings more than any other Abercrombie I have heard before, although it still is pretty laid back. Maybe Joey Baron should get the credit for that. Mark Feldman on violin is a major part of the album.

I can definitely recommend this one for when you want to relax.

The release date is Sept. 8.

The band will promote the album at Birdland in New York Sept. 30 - Oct. 3.

Edited August 23, 2009 by GA Russell

[7/4]

John Abercrombie - "Wait Till You See Her", fourth quartet album from the band with Mark Feldman and Joey Baron, with new bassist Thomas Morgan.

I heard this for the first time today. I like it. What I have heard from Abercrombie sounds like he has been making the same record for over thirty years, but this is the first by this quartet that I have heard.

I haven't heard this one but his previous three albums with Feldman and Barron were real mellow.

It swings more than any other Abercrombie I have heard before, although it still is pretty laid back. Maybe Joey Baron should get the credit for that. Mark Feldman on violin is a major part of the album.

it depends on what you mean by swing.

Abercrombie isn't a string of 8th notes bopper, there's a lot of magic in his harmony and his melodicism.

[GA Russell]

John Abercrombie - "Wait Till You See Her", fourth quartet album from the band with Mark Feldman and Joey Baron, with new bassist Thomas Morgan.

I haven't heard this one but his previous three albums with Feldman and Barron were real mellow.

7/4, compared to the rest of the world, this too is "real mellow". But compared to all of the other Abercrombie I have heard, then maybe not so much. This one never bores me or puts me to sleep.

[save0904]

Stefano Bollani, Jesper Bodilsen, Morten Lund Stone In The Water

Beautiful trio recording!

[danasgoodstuff]

"Interesting ECM", that's the prob, the're always 'interesting', rarely exciting or funky or greasy or... I think the last one I got was that Scofiel/Goldings/Dej TW Lifetime trib thing (Trio somethingorother). That was otay. I cn dig shimmery if it's way good, lie Crystal Scilence. I'm sure there's some recent ECM I'd dig but I find myself less and less inclined to seek it out.

Edited September 5, 2009 by danasgoodstuff

[A Lark Ascending]

"Interesting ECM", that's the prob, the're always 'interesting', rarely exciting or funky or greasy or...

If you are seeking funky or greasy then you're looking in the wrong place. Most ECMs are coming from a different direction. If you are attuned to that direction there's just as much excitement as anywhere else.

I'm someone who often doesn't find funky or greasy very exciting as it can sound formulaic. The problem lies in my expectations, not the music.

I think we've got a rich enough world of music for these things to live side by side.

[GregK]

"Interesting ECM", that's the prob, the're always 'interesting', rarely exciting or funky or greasy or...

If you are seeking funky or greasy then you're looking in the wrong place. Most ECMs are coming from a different direction. If you are attuned to that direction there's just as much excitement as anywhere else.

I'm someone who often doesn't find funky or greasy very exciting as it can sound formulaic. The problem lies in my expectations, not the music.

I think we've got a rich enough world of music for these things to live side by side.

Absolutely agree, Bev. The lack of "greasiness" is what makes these interesting for me.

[sal]

"Interesting ECM", that's the prob, the're always 'interesting', rarely exciting or funky or greasy or...

If you are seeking funky or greasy then you're looking in the wrong place. Most ECMs are coming from a different direction. If you are attuned to that direction there's just as much excitement as anywhere else.

I'm someone who often doesn't find funky or greasy very exciting as it can sound formulaic. The problem lies in my expectations, not the music.

I think we've got a rich enough world of music for these things to live side by side.

[nail75]

I am half way the new Surman and love it. Heck some of it even swings, plus a cover of Chelsea Bridge on a ECM release?

I've listened to Brewster's Rooster I think five times, and I like it more with each listen.

Agree, I listened to the whole disc last night and its one of the years best releases. It swings, rocks with a little bit of free jazz in there. Great stuff.

Different strokes, I guess.

His soprano playing gives me the funny feeling that Kenny G is in the room on this one.

A rather absurd statement. Kenny G?

I bought the album as well and I am a bit surprised that much of the album is rather low-key. I expected a little more intensity. Not sure how much I like it.

Edited September 9, 2009 by nail75

[GA Russell]

Keith Jarrett, Paris/London - Testament [3 CDs]

Keith Jarrett "Testament" - solo piano from London and Paris 2008 as a 3CD set.

The upcoming Keith Jarrett release, "Testament", consists of solo concerts from last year (Paris and London).

I can tell you a little bit about the new Keith Jarrett solo concert album.

From the cover it looks like it is called Paris/London - Testament. But the text calls it Testament - Paris/London.

The Paris concert was at the Salle Pleyel November 26, 2008. The London concert was at the Royal Festival Hall December 1, 2008.

Like The Koln Concert, both concerts consisted of Jarrett improvising alone with no preconceived plans regarding what he would play.

The package is three CDs. The 1:09 Paris concert is on the first CD. The 1:33 London concert is divided between discs 2 and 3.

I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but you can now hear it at lala.com here:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627041169188...don_(Testament)

[GA Russell]

The new Egberto Gismonti album called Saudacoes can now be heard at lala.com here:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627039264013...a%C3%A7%C3%B5es

It's very rare that I hear an ECM track on Sirius/XM, and I'm guessing that ECM is putting its new releases onto lala promptly because they're not getting much airplay. But that's just a guess.

Thanks be for lala, I say.

[WorldB3]

The new Egberto Gismonti album called Saudacoes can now be heard at lala.com here:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627039264013...a%C3%A7%C3%B5es

It's very rare that I hear an ECM track on Sirius/XM, and I'm guessing that ECM is putting its new releases onto lala promptly because they're not getting much airplay. But that's just a guess.

Thanks be for lala, I say.

Streaming it now, wow, wasn't what I was expecting at all but I am digging it.

Edited October 21, 2009 by WorldB3

[GA Russell]

Tonight I listened to the new Abercrombie and the new Surman, both for the first time in over a month probably, and really enjoyed them.

So I wondered if they are available on lala.com, and I found the Surman:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627041169179...ter%27s_Rooster

[David Ayers]

Tonight I listened to the new Abercrombie and the new Surman, both for the first time in over a month probably, and really enjoyed them.

So I wondered if they are available on lala.com, and I found the Surman:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627041169179...ter%27s_Rooster

Is there any method in the streaming madness? Spotify has the Abercrombie but not the Surman. I think they somehow missed the batch that Rooster was in.

I hadn't listened to any Abercrombie for a while (uhhh, Night, when it was first issued on LP...). He hasn't changed!

[7/4]

Tonight I listened to the new Abercrombie and the new Surman, both for the first time in over a month probably, and really enjoyed them.

They're both great albums!

I really like the balance between the horn and the band on the Surman album.

It's amazing how changing the bass player in the Abercrombie band changes things. I don't know what's different, but something has changed.

[Van Basten II]

Tonight I listened to the new Abercrombie and the new Surman, both for the first time in over a month probably, and really enjoyed them.

So I wondered if they are available on lala.com, and I found the Surman:

http://www.lala.com/#album/432627041169179...ter%27s_Rooster

Visiting for the first time Lala, could not help but laugh reading this

Fastest rising artists

1. Lionel Hampton

2. Kenny Rankin

3. Allan Holdsworth

4. Laurindo Almeida

5. Jean-Luc Ponty

6. Ben Webster

7. Lester Young

8. Brian Culbertson

9. Keren Ann

10. Smooth Jazz All Stars