Louis Sclavis - recommendations please

[Guy Berger]

Brilliant record as is:

This is a really good album, at least on 3 or 4 listenings. It reminds me a little of the Thomas Chapin trio, but with more of an "old world" vibe and less of the Chapin trio's irreverant humor.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

I've been enjoying Suite Africaine, a recent acquisition. As John B says upthread, it's a very strong album. I think it's of about the same quality as Carnet de Routes, so I wouldn't recommend one over the other. (And you probably don't "need" more than one of these.) One exception: SA is about 12-15 minutes longer than CdR.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

Hey folks, any recommendations among Sclavis's ECM recordings?  I heard a track or two on Pandora which were surprisingly hard-hitting with skronky elecgric guitar, not stereotypically ECMish.

[mandrill]

I like "Sources" (Atlas Trio) & "Silk & Salt Melodies" (same trio augmented by percussionist). Great music to listen to when I'm on the move (driving, walking, etc.)

 

[Guy Berger]

On 5/8/2017 at 6:25 AM, mandrill said:

I like "Sources" (Atlas Trio) & "Silk & Salt Melodies" (same trio augmented by percussionist). Great music to listen to when I'm on the move (driving, walking, etc.)

 

Strongly agree on Silk & Salt Melodies being great.  Sources is next for me.

I’ve picked up a few other of Sclavis’s ECMs.

Rouge is the first one he did back with ECM in the late 80s or early 90s.  Very good, not classic.

Asian Field Variations is a trio with violin and cello.  Very “third streamish”, very enjoyable.

Characters on a Wall is with a conventional rhythm section of piano, bass and drums.  Enjoyable but if you find ECM to be too sleepy, this won’t change your mind.