Early ECM albums

[ghost of miles]

Hey all, I'm finally getting around to doing a long-contemplated Night Lights show about the first several years of the ECM label.  Obvious candidates for inclusion are Mal Waldron's Free At Last and Marion Brown's Afternoon Of A Georgia Faun, Jarrett's Facing You, Circle's Paris Concert, Dave Holland's Conference of the Birds, etc., but what are some of your favorites from the 1969-1973 era? (I think 1973 is as late as I'm going to go, which still leaves me with a ton of material to choose from.  Here's an overall list of ECM releases:

List of ECM Records albums

Edited October 25, 2019 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Corea's Piano Improvisations.

Bley's Open, To Love.

Robin Kenyatta's Girl From Martinique.

Stanley Cowell's Illusion Suite.

Motian's Conception Vessel.

Bennie Maupin's Jewel In The Lotus (1974, but still....)

Garbarek - Afric Pepperbird and Sart.

Garbarek/Stinson - Witchi-Tai-To.

Burton/Corea - Crystal Silence

Those are all records I can listen to now with every bit the satisfaction I did then, and sometimes with more.

[ghost of miles]

21 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Corea's Piano Improvisations.

Bley's Open, To Love.

Robin Kenyatta's Girl From Martinique.

Stanley Cowell's Illusion Suite.

Motian's Conception Vessel.

Bennie Maupin's Jewel In The Lotus (1974, but still....)

Garbarek - Afric Pepperbird and Sart.

Garbarek/Stinson - Witchi-Tai-To.

Burton/Corea - Crystal Silence

Those are all records I can listen to now with every bit the satisfaction I did then, and sometimes with more.

That is a great list, Jim—thanks so much. (And I may well round the show off at 1974... just so much good music to choose from.) I have the Maupin, the Motian and the Corea/Burton, but none of the others.

[JSngry]

Yeah, those are some good records.

Objectively, Colors Of Chloe should be added to the list. But that's one that has not worn as well for me as the others. In it's time, though, pretty striking, and I know it still has its advocates.

Those albums with Jan Garbarek are pretty badass, actually. "Icy fire", of course, but the fire is pretty damn hot. The ice doesn't melt, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's not because the fire ain't hot. It's damn hot. I think it basically comes down to a perfect balance of elements, individually and collectively.

The Corea solo albums are worth a show unto themselves, actually. This is Chick transitioning, and along the way, everything gets covered. Everything.

 

[HutchFan]

Along with the LPs already mentioned, I'd suggest Bobo Stenson's Underwear and Dave Liebman's Lookout Farm.

Also, Chick's Return to Forever, recorded in 1972.  To me, this version of the band -- with Airto & Flora -- was the most interesting incarnation of RTF, by far.

[JSngry]

20 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

Also, Chick's Return to Forever, recorded in 1972.  To me, this version of the band -- with Airto & Flora -- was the most interesting incarnation of RTF, by far.

Yeah, not even close.

[sidewinder]

Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto ‘Love, Love’

[felser]

13 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Yeah, not even close.

A third vote for that one, and second votes for the  Corea Piano Improvisations, Cowell, Liebman, Corea/Burton, and Witch-Tai-To.

5 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto ‘Love, Love’

Great album, but (just) post 1973 cutoff.  I also like Priester's "Polarization", but "Love, Love" is magnificent.

[Guy Berger]

1973-74 seems like a good cutoff, btw.  Lots of great recordings from afterward, but the "uniformity" that folks often associate with the label start showing up around then and the "freewheelingness" of those early recordings began to fade.

[Rooster_Ties]

38 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto ‘Love, Love’

Fantastic album! - one of the very best of any label in that entire half-decade. An absolute stunner.

The Stanley Cowell is pretty phenomenal too, and I don’t even regret the Japanese import price I paid for mine to get it on CD.

[mjzee]

For your show to be truly representational, not only of ECM through 1973 but also the seeds of what it became, you should include some Ralph Towner (Trios / Solos works), Gary Burton (The New Quartet is a monster, though a lot harder-edged than his work just a few years later), and Keith Jarrett's Solo Concerts (since Keith is to ECM as Jimmy Smith was to Blue Note - the earnings that powered the company).  Maybe also a Jan Garbarek, since he's on sooooooo many ECM releases.

[ghost of miles]

6 minutes ago, mjzee said:

For your show to be truly representational, not only of ECM through 1973 but also the seeds of what it became, you should include some Ralph Towner (Trios / Solos works), Gary Burton (The New Quartet is a monster, though a lot harder-edged than his work just a few years later), and Keith Jarrett's Solo Concerts (since Keith is to ECM as Jimmy Smith was to Blue Note - the earnings that powered the company).  Maybe also a Jan Garbarek, since he's on sooooooo many ECM releases.

I have Burton's New Quartet album, the Towner/Burton Matchbook collaboration, and a later Towner; can probably track down a number of the sides recommended in this thread that are currently neither in my or the station library's possession.  But I agree that material that represents the seeds of what ECM became is worthy of inclusion.

[sidewinder]

2 hours ago, felser said:

Great album, but (just) post 1973 cutoff.  I also like Priester's "Polarization", but "Love, Love" is magnificent.

Recorded.1973, released 1974. Agree that it is superb - ‘Polarization’ I personally find even better. Wonder why that one never saw a CD issue?

[JSngry]

There's a show to be had dealing just with Mwandishi-band side projects.

[ghost of miles]

2 minutes ago, JSngry said:

There's a show to be had dealing just with Mwandishi-band side projects.

Yes indeedy!  That's a great idea... if I do it, you shall receive a full and loud credit, sir! Actually working on the 2020 schedule right now... that would be a good fit and light a fire under my butt to finally crack open Bob Gluck's book about that band.

Edited October 25, 2019 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Get hold of the Eddie Henderson Capricorn sides so you don't have to depend on the BNs. The Capricorns are the real deal.

[felser]

34 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Get hold of the Eddie Henderson Capricorn sides so you don't have to depend on the BNs. The Capricorns are the real deal.

One stop shopping, thought it'll cost ya:

[JSngry]

4 minutes ago, felser said:

One stop shopping, thought it'll cost ya:

Is that an anthology, or does it include both albums in full? Or is it both albums in full plus?

[erwbol]

3 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Is that an anthology, or does it include both albums in full? Or is it both albums in full plus?

Both albums in full. No extras.

[felser]

3 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Is that an anthology, or does it include both albums in full? Or is it both albums in full plus?

It's the two albums, no more and no less.

[ghost of miles]

19 minutes ago, felser said:

One stop shopping, thought it'll cost ya:

Fortunately I've already got this one, though haven't listened to it in a long time.  Thanks for your and Jim's advice... how is the preceding V. 1 of Blue Note material?

[soulpope]

5 hours ago, JSngry said:

Stanley Cowell's Illusion Suite.

Yes ....

[JSngry]

2 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

Fortunately I've already got this one, though haven't listened to it in a long time.  Thanks for your and Jim's advice... how is the preceding V. 1 of Blue Note material?

The BNs came after the Capricorns. They're good in points, but somewhat diluted overall.

[sidewinder]

8 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

Fortunately I've already got this one, though haven't listened to it in a long time.  Thanks for your and Jim's advice... how is the preceding V. 1 of Blue Note material?

Very nice - was spinning it just the other day. The Antholgy captures the pick of those Blue Note tracks - a bit more ‘disco’ in parts than the Capricorns. Their Bartz Anthology is good too.

Back to ECM...

Edited October 25, 2019 by sidewinder

[JSngry]

So there's an anthology of Eddie Henderson' BN material as well?