If a musician were asked to compile an album from recordings - often spanning decades - on ECM, what would he select, and what would be the criteria? Where would the focus be: on 'greatest hits' or on overlooked works? On virtuoso soloing or the soul of things, the songs that still stir the heart? On touring bands or inspired or experimental studio projects? On stylistic diversity or a single aspect of the artist's output? Are these 'concept' albums, musical self-portraits, or samplers in a literal sense? The answers are as different as the musicians embraced by the rarum series, who have in common the fact that they number amongst the most important improvisers of our era. Their work on ECM continues to resonate and has changed the way jazz is heard today. Each of their anthologies reflects, in diverse ways, the character of its maker. The musicians were given complete editorial freedom; this is the music that they want the listener to hear...
More than thirty musicians who either are or were closely associated with ECM over a long period were invited to participate in the rarum anthology project. The response was overwhelmingly positive. And one major difference between rarum and other jazz 'sampler' series currently in circulation stems from the musicians' active participation at every step of the way: choosing and sequencing material, writing liner notes, often supplying photos from private collections - all of this has given the series a very personal character.
:rarum will be launched on May 21, 2002 with eight volumes
For more information contact All About Jazz.
