Eberhard Weber: Stages of A Long Journey

In 2005, upon reaching his 65th birthday, Weber used the occasion to perform twice with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR). Weber selected a number of his more enduring compositions, rearranged them for the orchestra, also choosing a core quintet.

The core quintet consists of artists he has worked with throughout the years, including vibraphonist Gary Burton; saxophonist Jan Garbarek, percussionist Marilyn Mazur and pianist Rainer Bruninghaus. Pianist Wolfgang Dauner, who guests on one track, goes back to Weber's student years in the early 1960s, during which time they worked frequently as a duo.

The musical performance by the SWR Orchestra and Weber's quintet encapsulates Weber's productive years as composer and leader, and is a nostalgic chance for his enthusiasts to experience his music in a new context.

The opening "Silent Feet" begins as a classical, then folkish tune before handing it off to Garbarek's bracing soprano sax. Weber utilizes a custom built electro-acoustic bass, which gives him extended range, and demonstrates how mesmerizing it can be on Carla Bley's "Syndrome. Burton's vibes provide the underpinning for Bruninghaus' keyboard work, with Garbarek right behind for a steamy tenor sax statement.

Weber engages in a low-key duet with Dauner on Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," followed by another duet, this time with Garbarek, on his own "Seven Movements, where the two chase each other around like two butterflies in search of a nesting place.

The second half of the album is largely devoted to a five-part "Birthday Suite," beginning with Weber's popular "The Colours of Chloe. The bassist demonstrates that time has not altered the beauty of this composition as Burton, Bruninghaus and Garbarek equally demonstrate that they have not lost their creative interpretative skills. This selection is a fine example of the entire album, which provides a window into how beautiful classically themed material can intertwine with the work of jazz soloists.

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