Favorite ECM albums

Felix · June-29th-2005, 11:49 PM

I just wondered what your favorite ECM albums were... I find that mine are probably the ones that are less associated with the "ECM sound":

-Jan Garbarek: Afric Pepperbird (1970)
-Chick Corea: A R C (1971)
-Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds (of course..., 1972)
-Tomasz Stanko: Balladyna (1975)
-Enrico Rava: The Pilgrim and the Stars (1975)
-Keith Jarrett: The Survivors' Suite (1976)
-Enrico Rava: Quartet (1978)
-Old & New Dreams: self-titled (1979)
-Barre Phillips: Journal Violone II (1979) and Music By... (1980)
-Art Ensemble of Chicago: Urban Bushmen (1980)
-Miroslav Vitous Group (1980, for some reason, that one hasn't been put on CD yet)
-Gary Peacock: Voice from the Past-Paradigm (1981)
-Charlie Haden: The Ballad of the Fallen (1982)
-John Surman: The Brass Project (1992)
-John Surman: Stranger than Fiction (1993)
-Louis Sclavis: L'affrontement des prétendants (1999)
-Art Ensemble of Chicago: Tribute to Lester (2001, one of my favorite albums of the decade... well, so far)
and, if reissues count: Jimmy Giuffre 3, 1961

Jesse · June-30th-2005, 12:13 AM

Tomasz Stanko: Balladyna

Edward Vesala: Nan Madol

Kenny Wheeler: Gnu High

Pierre Favre/Tamia: de la nuit...le jour

Pat Metheny: Bright Size Life

If you include the subsidiary releases from the 70's/80's on JAPO, the list expands...

Edit: OOps! I was trying not to repeat your selections, overlooked Balladyna on your list.

The Pilgrim & The Stars is lovely, I recommended that one to Jaka last week.

I would add Old & New Dreams live date, Playing, as well as the O & ND release you cited.

Felix · June-30th-2005, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse

Edward Vesala: [I]Nan Madol

Edit: OOps! I was trying not to repeat your selections, overlooked Balladyna on your list.

Vesala has indeed some very worthy releases, and I second your choice.

I don't think it hurts if Balladyna is listed a few times... Great album...

stonemonkts · June-30th-2005, 12:59 AM

Jimmy Giuffre - 1961

Abdullah Ibrahim - African Piano

Dave Holland - COTB

another vote for Balladyna, with thanks to Jesse

Paul Bley - Time Will Tell

Paul Bley - Sankt Gerold

AAC - Urban Bushmen

john williams · June-30th-2005, 01:27 AM

Bley/Parker/Phillips : Sankt Gerold
John Abercrombie : Cat and Mouse
Anouar Brahem : Thimar
Gavin Bryars : After the Requiem
John Cage : Herbert Henck : Locations
John Surman/Jack de Johnette : Invisible Nature
Bobo Stenson Trio : Serenity
Tomasz Stanko : Leosia
Valentin Silvestrov : Requiem for Larissa
Dave Holland : Jumpin' In

...and many more!

jaka · June-30th-2005, 03:26 AM

Felix's avatar certainly comes first.

Not much that wasn't already mentionned, L'Affrontement des Prétendants, Bright Size Life, 1961, After the Requiem being among favorites. The Pilgrim and the Stars is a great recent discovery (thanks Jesse).

I'd add Bill Frisell's Lookout For Hope, Keith Jarrett's The Sun Bear Concerts box, the Erskine/Taylor/Danielsson trio dates and a selection of Meredith Monk.

Missing some for sure.

Jesse · June-30th-2005, 03:35 AM

Jaka, right on for mentioning Meredith Monk. I forgot to list her Dolmen Music, in my experience a release that cleaves straight down the center of love/hate responses, no middle ground! I think it is amazing, audacious & owns that rarified quality of being solely & wholly Monk's work, never to be mistaken for someone or something else.

Sand · June-30th-2005, 04:30 AM

Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: Sofienberg Variations
Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: A Year From Easter

jaka · June-30th-2005, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse

Jaka, right on for mentioning Meredith Monk. I forgot to list her Dolmen Music, in my experience a release that cleaves straight down the center of love/hate responses, no middle ground! I think it is amazing, audacious & owns that rarified quality of being solely & wholly Monk's work, never to be mistaken for someone or something else.

I LOVE HER! And you put words on it so much better than I would have.

likewise · June-30th-2005, 05:38 AM

I'll second the Holland, Giuffre, Haden, Stanko & Vesala choices, and add:

Wadada Leo Smith - Kulture Jazz
Vesala - Lumi & Nordic Gallery
Stanko - Soul of Things & Litania
Shankar - Nobody Told Me
Julian Priester - Polarization
Joe Maneri - Angle of Repose & Three Men Walking
Krakatau - Volition
Don Cherry/Ed Blackwell - El Corazón
Barry Guy/Maya Homburger - Ceremony
Paul Motian Trio - Dance
Arvo Pärt - Te Deum
John Surman - Upon Reflection & The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon

(Long list, considering my aversion to the ECM sound...)

burning dog · June-30th-2005, 05:43 AM

Conference of the Birds - Holland/Rivers/Braxton/Altschul
Contrasts - Holland/Rivers/Lewis/Barker

Also Circle Paris Concert - Corea, Braxton, Holland, Altschul

Surfer · June-30th-2005, 12:22 PM

Tons of stuff. And unlike likewise, I like the ECM "sound".

Jarrett, Facing You, Koln, Solo Concerts, Vienna, Belonging (might be the best thing he ever did), etc etc etc
Bobo Stenson
Return To Forever s/t
Circle
Chick Corea - Now He Sings, Piano Improv. I - II
Bley - Open, To Love
Holland - COTB
Liebman - Lookout Farm
Wheeler - Large and Small Ensembles, Gnu High, etc.
Vesala - Ode to the Death of Jazz, Nordic Gallery
AAC - Urban Bushman, Full Force, etc.
Codona
Hussain - Making Music
Steven Micus - Music of Stones
Anouar Brahem
Jimmy Guiffre - 1961
Jan Garbarek - 12 Moons

and many others I'm forgetting.

Squaredancecalling Steve · June-30th-2005, 01:12 PM

Lots of great picks here!

I'll add Art Ensemble of Chicago's "Nice Guys" (inlcuded no doubt in Surfer's etc.)

Codona 2 & Codona 3 (Surfer inadvertently left out the 'etc.', I'm sure

I've recently started dipping into ECMs "Selected Recordings :rarum" series and love all three I've bought, all of which feature some great OOP stuff:

Jack DeJohnette
Paul Motian
Bill Frisell

Root Doctor · June-30th-2005, 01:27 PM

Thanks for jogging my memory, Steve:

Squaredancecalling Steve · June-30th-2005, 01:32 PM

RootDoc: I've been looking for that one for years, and that's the primary reason I bought the DeJohnette comp (one cut from it). "Dance" was the Motian album I've been looking for forever, with Brackeen and Izenson (2 cuts on the comp).

Sand · June-30th-2005, 02:01 PM

While Live At The Blue Note is, Now He Sings... is not.

LeMo · June-30th-2005, 02:09 PM

- Jimmy Giuffre: "1961"
- Dave Holland: "Conference of the Birds"
- Old & New Dreams: "Old And New Dreams - 1979"
- Louis Sclavis: "L'affrontement des prétendants"
- Art Ensemble of Chicago: "Tribute to Lester"
- Keith Jarrett: "Facing You"
- Chick Corea: "ARC"
- Paul Bley: "Open, To Love"
- Edward Vesala: "Ode To The Death Of Jazz"
- Leo Smith: "Divine Love"
- Paul Motian Trio: "Dance"
- Paul Bley/ Evan Parker/ Barre Phillips: "Time Will Tell"
- Paul Bley/ Evan Parker/ Barre Phillips: "Sankt Gerold"
- Evan Parker: "Toward The Margins"
- Paul Bley/ Gary Peacock/ Tony Oxley/ John Surman: "In the Evening There"
- Sam Rivers: "Contrasts"
- Marilyn Crispell/ Gary Peacock/ Paul Motian: "Nothing Ever Was, Aniway. The Music Of Annette Peacock"

Jesse · June-30th-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

"Dance" was the Motian album I've been looking for forever, with Brackeen and Izenson (2 cuts on the comp).

Yes, this is a fantastic date, I have Dance & Le Voyage (Motian/Brackeen/Jenny-Clark) on well-grooved vinyl.

iris · June-30th-2005, 02:49 PM

Kenny Wheeler - Gnu High
Kenny Wheeler - Music for Large and Small Ensembles
Azimuth - How It Was Then (Never Again)
Keith Jarrett - My Song & Standards Vol. II
Dave Holland - Jumpin' In
Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life
Kenny Wheeler - Angel Song

julie

Ralf Wacker · July-1st-2005, 12:14 PM

I tried to cut the list to 10, but sorry, imposible.

Here are my personal top ten ECM ... of the last ten years

:

Jack DeJohnette: Oneness - 1997
Roscoe Mitchell: Nine To Get Ready - 1997
Paul Bley: Not Two, Not One - 1998
Tomasz Stanko: From The Green Hill - 1998
Gianliugi Trovesi / Gianni Coscia: In cerca di cibo - 1999
John Surman / Jack DeJohnette: Invisible Nature - 2000
Dave Holland Quintet: Extended Play - Live At Birdland - 2001
John Surman / Jack DeJohnette / London Brass: Free And Equal - 2001
Charles Lloyd: Lift Every Voice - 2002
Enrico Rava: Easy Living - 2003

And here are my ten for the previous years

Jimmy Giuffre 3: 1961 - 1961
Denny Zeitlin / Charlie Haden: Time Remember One Time Once - 1981
Charlie Haden / Carla Bley / ...: The Ballad Of The Fallen - 1982
Chick Corea: Children's Songs - 1983
Dino Saluzzi: Once upon a time - Far away in the south - 1985
Charlie Haden / Egberto Gismonti: In Montreal - 1989
John Surman Quartet: Stranger Than Fiction - 1993
Paul Bley / Evan Parker / Barre Phillips: Time Will Tell - 1994
Keith Jarrett: At the Blue Note : The Complete Recordins - 1994
Keith Jarrett: La Scala - 1995

Ralf Wacker
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
today at the player:
Luciano Biondini / Javier Girotto: Terra Madre - enja 2004
Dave Holland Big Band: Overtime - Dare 2 Records / Universal 2002

Surfer · July-1st-2005, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Tomasz Stanko: From The Green Hill - 1998
Gianliugi Trovesi / Gianni Coscia: In cerca di cibo - 1999

How couldI forget these?!?!?!?

That Litania- Leosia-Green Hill triology is some of my favorite jazz of recent years.

And Trovesi can do no wrong. Gotta get that Round the Weill disk.

Squaredancecalling Steve · July-1st-2005, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfer

Gotta get that Round the Weill disk.

That's quite nice! As is The Green Hill album.

I recently got the Sylvie Courvoisier/Mark Feldman/Erik Friedlander 2-CD set "Abaton", which I love (as I have all of the Courvoisier/Feldman pairings I've heard).

Gentle Giant · July-1st-2005, 04:03 PM

Here are a couple of fairly obvious choices that haven't been mentioned yet:

Gentle Giant · July-1st-2005, 04:10 PM

Also, it's hard to pick which Charles Lloyd releases over the past decade to include, as they're all pretty exceptional. I've been listening to Canto a lot lately.

Also, the Gateway albums with Abercrombie, Holland, and DeJohnette are wicked pissa.

Squaredancecalling Steve · July-1st-2005, 04:35 PM

I'm glad you guys keep reminding which ECMs I have! Charles Lloyd, of course!

My pick would be the 2 CD set with Billy Higgins, "Which Way Is East".

burning dog · July-1st-2005, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gentle Giant

the Gateway albums with Abercrombie, Holland, and DeJohnette are wicked pissa.

Wouldn't normally buy Abercrombie but I borrowed the first one from the library on the strengh of DeJohnette/Holland. It's great! The first track "Back-woods song" is excellent. I have purchased it since. Is the 2nd one as good?

letchhausen · July-1st-2005, 04:47 PM

The number one choice for me would be:

AMM - "It had been an ordinary enough day in Pueblo, Colorado"

now I'm gonna have to go and listen to the Music Improvisation Company record since I can't remember how good that one was......

Alastair · July-1st-2005, 05:06 PM

David Torn/Mark Isham/Tony Levin/Bill Bruford - Cloud About Mercury

This was big in my student room in 1989/90. Still like it.

Squaredancecalling Steve · July-1st-2005, 05:34 PM

Ralph Towner!

My favorite is probably his fairly recent solo album, "Anthem", and I also like two duo albums a lot, with Gary Peacock ("A Closer View") and Peter Erskine ("Open Letter").

Brian Olewnick · July-1st-2005, 06:54 PM

Without question, the best ECm album that no-one ever mentions, Bengt Berger - Bitter Funeral Beer (w/ guest, Don Cherry)