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For this ECM project, John Surman (who plays soprano, baritone, clarinet, bass clarinet and piano) and conductor John Warren wrote a full set of original music for Surman's reeds, a seven-piece brass section and a rhythm section to interpret.

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Keith Jarrett describes his pieces as "prayers that beauty may remain perceptible," and indeed he seems to have written exactly what his ear and heart told him. The music is peaceful, lyrical, pastoral, sometimes mournful, sometimes dancelike, often devotional.

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The Paul Bley Quartet is dominated by the twenty-minute track “Interplay.” which starts off sounding a bit like warped Bill Evans with just Motian providing a subtle driving pulse. Soon though Surman enters on soprano sax and the music begins its trip as Frisell plays “sounds” on the guitar...

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Egberto Gismonti's profound search for the universal departing from the particular is always an applauded approach. On this album, one can recognize references from several cultures, but that never resembles an opportunistic pastiche.

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Kenny Wheeler's string of ECM recordings are all quite rewarding, generally avoiding the ECM stereotype of introspective long tones and silence. A fiery but thoughtful trumpeter whose style can range from advanced swinging to sound explorations...

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LIFE CYCLE is bassist David Holland's solo cello album. He approaches the cello on its own terms, and his playing is all the more striking in that it is no mere adjunct to his bass artistry. The five-part title composition is a grand amalgam of folk, classical, and jazz musics. This blending is not surprising, given Holland's wide-ranging credits (he has played with artists as diverse as Anthony Braxton, Stan Getz, and John Hartford). The warm tones of Holland's bowed cello are close in register to the human voice. They fill these pieces with a resonant sense of the solitary man who created them. Holland only records with the cello occasionally, but he always does so with great passion. LIFE CYCLE is richly emotional and, at times, even spiritual. ~ cduniverse.com

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The melody and texture of the Persian language exerts a subtle hold on the composing and improvising of the Berlin-based Cyminology quartet, heard here on its ECM debut Bandleader Cymin Samawatie, charismatic German-Iranian vocalist, sings her own Farsi lyrics as well as poetry of Sufi masters Rumi and Hafez, and 20th century verse of Forough Farrokhzäd. “As Ney”, an album titled after Rumi’s “Song of the Reed-Flute”, is quietly compelling, proposing a chamber jazz from new and fresh perspectives. An unusual and highly attractive ‘intercultural’ recording whose sensitive musicianship draws the listener in.

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This surprising 1984 effort from John Abercrombie finds the guitarist in conversation with Jan Hammer, Jack DeJohnette, and Mike Brecker. The lack of a bassist on this session is not felt; the spaciousness of the music and the masterful playing of all parties involved keep the focus clearly on the melodies, both scripted and improvised.

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Excellent trio date featuring Abercrombie playing with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Peter Erskine. The three take chances, converge, collide, alternate time in the spotlight, and make emphatic, unpredictable music while never staying locked into one groove or style. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide.

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Presenting Oh!, The debut CD by the jazz all-star collective ScoLoHoFo, comprising guitarist John Scofield, saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Dave Holland & drummer Al Foster.

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Psalm is the fifth album by Paul Motian to be released on the ECM label. It was released in 1982 and features the first recordings by Motian with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano, along with Ed Schuller and Billy Drewes.

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When one considers the personnel of this quintet set (which features altoist Lee Konitz, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and drummer Paul Motian), the instrumentation (with includes both Henri Texier's acoustic bass and Steve Swallow's electric bass), and the fresh repertoire (two songs apiece from each of the five musicians), it is surprising to realize that this is essentially a straight-ahead bop date.

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