Drummer Manu Katche’ puts himself in a wide variety of settings here, mixing and matching with a dozen guests that include Mathias Eick-Tomasz Stanko/tp, Jan Garbarek/ts and Marcin Wasilewski/p. Some pieces are quiet things that emphasize gentle and thoughtful piano such as on “Song For Her” and “Number One,” which allows Katche’ to demonstrate his deft use of brushes. He dances on the cymbals along with Garbarek’s breathy tenor on the delicate “So Groovy” while Stancko’s horn gasps along “Morning Joy.” Some sly and sinister piano musings shift back and forth for Katche’s work on the ride cymbals on the lurking “Swing Piece” and his use of the timpani canters along with Jim Watson’s B3 on “Running After Years.” A funk bop groove hiply closes the album on the appropriately titled “Bliss.” Easy swing is the thing here, with Katche’s use of the reins done to sublime perfection.
ECM Records