Here are the latest releases from ECM, showing the height, breath, depth and width of music that comes to 21st century ears. If they don’t have it, it may not exist!
A duo recording between Elvind Aarset and Jan Bang is more of a mood creator and audio experimentation than anything else. Elvind’s home instrument is the electric guitar, but he also relies on the bass, percussion and a wide variety of electronic musings to team up with Bang’s samples, Dictaphone and programming. Textures weave in and out of pieces like “Close for Comfort” and “Surrender” with Aaerset’s meaty guitar creating aural landscapes. Indian vocal music is hinted at on “The Beauty of Decay,” while thick layers of sound permeate “The Whispering Forest.” Sounds for a mad scientist?
Pianist Benedikt Jahnel has built up a career as a sideman for the likes of Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Dave Liebman and John Abercrombie, so he knows his way around the ivories. He leads a trio with Antonio Miguel/b and Owen Howard/dr. The band has some excellent interplay, and can go from galloping jaunts like “Gently Understood” to pensive ballads such as “Sacred Silence” and feel at home at both. An opus such as “Moorland & Hill Land” takes you on a kaleidoscope of moods and feelings, as if you are on a musical journey through the countryside. The interplay on the closing title track reveals empathetic synergy between the musicians. A real treat!
Barcelona born guitarist Jose’ Luis Monton captures the allure, passion and chops of modern flamenco guitar on this inspiring collection of his own material. Mixing Andalusian beauty, baroque classicism and Flamenco passion, Monton attacks the guitar like a dancer with thick heals, making material such as “Espaniola” and “Piel Suave” as much a treat for the heart and feet as they are for the ears. His delicate touch is exemplified on the Bach inspired “Air” which is as logical as it is blissful. This is a disc that you’ll play whether you want to simply chill in the background, or heat up in the foreground
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com