Jazz Articles
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John Scofield & Dave Holland: Memories Of Home
by Frank Housh
John Scofield and Dave Holland have about a century of combined experience making jazz. They have played with everybody and created deep bodies of work that span bebop to today. “Memories of Home" sounds like an intimate reflection on two musical lives. Scofield and Holland each spent time with Miles Davis' band. They played together with Herbie Hancock and others, but Memories of Home is their first duo album. Scofield said, “I honestly don't recall when or how ...
Continue ReadingWolfgang Muthspiel: Tokyo
by Doug Collette
Even a mere cursory perusal of Wolfgang Muthspiel's discography reveals how his playing has evolved over the years, populating a body of work that is roundly eclectic, but nonetheless focused. That very summary might well also apply to this third outing with the aforementioned high-profile rhythm section of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade (ECM, 2023) because on Tokyo, the Austrian guitarist sounds as liberated as in this combo context as on Angular Blues (ECM Records, 2020) and Dance ...
Continue ReadingAnouar Brahem: After the Last Sky
by Scott Gudell
Although ECM Records has released straight-ahead jazz, free form and more, many of their recordings sweep over listeners with mysterious, ethereal and hypnotic sounds creating alluring siren calls. When those sessions are taking place with an ECM release on the horizon, it is easy to imagine the artists are thinking about 'where's the mystery?'--which is what Anouar Brahem seemed to focus on this time around. Brahem, a revered Tunisian-born master of the oud (the fretless stringed instrument with ...
Continue ReadingAt The Deer Head Inn: The Complete Recordings
by Joshua Weiner
Pianist Keith Jarrett is the only artist with his own subheading on the main menu of ECM Records' new US website. That attests to his fruitful association, beginning in 1971 and continuing to the present day, with the independent German label known for its dedication to artistic freedom and beautiful sound. Though a series of strokes has sadly silenced Jarrett since 2018, ECM continues to enrich his discography with both new releases (a series of 2016 European concert recordings, including ...
Continue ReadingJohn Taylor: Tramonto
by Neil Duggan
British pianist John Taylor (1942-2015) possessed a remarkable talent for eluding the global recognition his skills warranted. A former house pianist at London's Ronnie Scott's club, Taylor probably achieved his widest acclaim through Azimuth, the group he formed with vocalist Norma Winstone (his wife) and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. His trio recordings with drummer Peter Erskine and bassist Palle Danielsson further cemented his reputation. Tramonto captures Taylor in another trio setting, this time collaborating with American musicians bassist Marc ...
Continue ReadingDino Saluzzi: El Viejo Caminante
by Doug Collette
El Viejo Caminante is a natural and logical extension of Dino Saluzzi's Albores (ECM, 2020). On that solo album, the bandleader used his instrument (the bandoneon--an accordion-like instrument with origins in Germany) to mesmerize and during this companion piece/sequel, Saluzzi's interplay with his two bandmates is comparably hypnotizing. As such, the album belies the translation of its title “The Old Wanderer." Understated as is the flow of energy on cuts such as “La Ciudad De Los Aires Buenos," ...
Continue ReadingFred Hersch: The Surrounding Green
by Doug Collette
Taken together, Fred Hersch's first two albums for ECM Records can be seen as a bid for recognition as the preeminent pianist in contemporary jazz. The solo work of Silent, Listening (ECM, 2024) complements the trio work on The Surrounding Green, their individual and combined impact heightened by release on the vaunted label in successive years. As much as the former depicts Hersch's touch for nuance, the latter is a display of the equally subtle mutual empathy he ...
Continue ReadingFred Hersch: The Surrounding Green
by Jack Kenny
Fred Hersch's The Surrounding Green , his third release for ECM Records, is a testament to the art of the piano trio, combining lyrical introspection with sophisticated interplay. Recorded in May 2024 at Lugano's Auditorio Stelio Molo under Manfred Eicher's meticulous production, the album features Hersch on piano, Drew Gress on double bass and Joey Baron on drums. Their decades-honed chemistry gives the album musical maturity, creating a sound that is both intimate and expansive. The album's seven ...
Continue ReadingFred Hersch: The Surrounding Green
by Neil Duggan
In a world where turmoil arrives almost instantly via notifications on our devices, a Fred Hersch album feels like sanctuary--an invitation to slow down and listen deeply. The Surrounding Green, his third release for ECM, once again finds the pianist in tandem with producer Manfred Eicher, the ideal partner to bring focus to the pianist's gentle improvisational and instrumental artistry. Widely regarded as one of jazz's most distinctive and enduring voices, Hersch's creative vision has influenced the genre ...
Continue ReadingKeith Jarrett: New Vienna
by Jack Kenny
The evening began with extraordinary anticipation as the Golden Hall filled to capacity, creating an atmosphere of reverent expectation for what many in the audience understood would be a rare opportunity to hear one of jazz's most celebrated improvisers in an optimal acoustic environment. However, the concert's opening moments quickly revealed the dynamics that often characterize Keith Jarrett's live performances, as the pianist's demands took center stage in a dramatic standoff with audience behavior. Upon entering the stage ...
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