(New) Album of the Year: Michael Formanek on ECM

[MomsMobley]

Now ** this ** is what Moms has been waiting for, soaked with anticipation--

Amazon + Video

Granted, AOTY award will depend on how much dig Tim Berne (I like him more than ever as a player; he was always an interesting composer) but

Formanek <---> Taborn <---> Cleaver

are unimpeachable; would mind a trio record breaking out of this either.

Compositions here are all Formanek btw.

not that Allen Lowe ain't already set with keyboard players but if I had a foundation I'd grant him dough to hook up with Taborn too.

[relyles]

I read a very favorable review of this recording in Point Of Departure and almost picked it up the other day when I was in the record store - primarily because of the presence of Taborn and Cleaver. I am still somewhat uncommitted about Berne, but I will probably give this one a try.

[David Ayers]

Listening to it now. Bit ECM-y?

Edited October 29, 2010 by David Ayers

[Guy Berger]

Thanks for the rec, Clem. Will check it out.

Guy

[Chuck Nessa]

Very good players but the video gives me pause. The ECM name seems to put some sort of "clamp" on wonderful musicians.

[JETman]

Very good players but the video gives me pause. The ECM name seems to put some sort of "clamp" on wonderful musicians.

While I can certainly see your point, I think that ECM has consistently released some of the most interesting music (not necessarily what most diehards would consider jazz) of the last 40 years.

[Stefan Wood]

Good album, but not album of the year for me. I give that to the Rudresh Mahanthappa/Bunky Green disc on Pi

Edited November 1, 2010 by Stefan Wood

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Now ** this ** is what Moms has been waiting for, soaked with anticipation--

Amazon + Video

Granted, AOTY award will depend on how much dig Tim Berne (I like him more than ever as a player; he was always an interesting composer) but

Formanek <---> Taborn <---> Cleaver

are unimpeachable; would mind a trio record breaking out of this either.

Compositions here are all Formanek btw.

not that Allen Lowe ain't already set with keyboard players but if I had a foundation I'd grant him dough to hook up with Taborn too.

Baltimore represent!

[David Ayers]

Well, I've listened this through, and am keen to give it more time. It's a good one and well worth investigating. Some great passages especially in the long 'Tonal Suite'. A bit - just a little bit - of ECM-itude to get past, as in the keening opener which could as easily be Garbarek, but we'll cope.

[Jay]

Definitely not the album of the year or best put out by ECM this year; however, it is certainly a grower and a solid effort.

[GregK]

Well, I've listened this through, and am keen to give it more time. It's a good one and well worth investigating. Some great passages especially in the long 'Tonal Suite'. A bit - just a little bit - of ECM-itude to get past, as in the keening opener which could as easily be Garbarek, but we'll cope.

I've only had time to listen to the first two, but I like the opener a lot. I don't hear any Garbarek.

[mjazzg]

Well, I've listened this through, and am keen to give it more time. It's a good one and well worth investigating. Some great passages especially in the long 'Tonal Suite'. A bit - just a little bit - of ECM-itude to get past, as in the keening opener which could as easily be Garbarek, but we'll cope.

I've only had time to listen to the first two, but I like the opener a lot. I don't hear any Garbarek.

Me neither, no Garbarisms heard on my several listens. Strong album

[David Ayers]

Put it this way, on a blind test you'd identify the label *long* before you got the musicians.

[JETman]

Put it this way, on a blind test you'd identify the label *long* before you got the musicians.

As you would with any Blue Note album from the 50s and 60s.

I do NOT get the bias against ECM.

[mjazzg]

Put it this way, on a blind test you'd identify the label *long* before you got the musicians.

not too sure I would. Taborn leaps out as does Berne. I certainly 'heard' a different approach from Berne across the album but I put that down to Formanek's lead.

And even if I did hear the label first, so what? If it's good music I don't care what the 'house style' may be.

[GregK]

Put it this way, on a blind test you'd identify the label *long* before you got the musicians.

As you would with any Blue Note album from the 50s and 60s.

I do NOT get the bias against ECM.

Hang around here long enough and it will drive you batty. Makes no sense!

[JETman]

Put it this way, on a blind test you'd identify the label *long* before you got the musicians.

As you would with any Blue Note album from the 50s and 60s.

I do NOT get the bias against ECM.

Hang around here long enough and it will drive you batty. Makes no sense!

I have and it DOES.

[mjazzg]

For those interested in more recent Berne as sideman I'd recommend Nebulosa by Hugo Carvalhais.

It's on Clean Feed so all the ECM agnostics can rest easy

[David Ayers]

Well I think those of us who've heard it are all agreeing it's pretty good. Just a question of whether long, repetetive modal vamps, fragmented pastoral solos, and softened-by-mist percussion have ever before been found on an ECM record. Such as Eventyr.

[JETman]

Music does NOT have to swing in the traditional sense to be worth an investment of time. Those who think so are seriously selling themselves short.

[David Ayers]

I'm hoping that my point hasn't got lost. This is a good record and people should try to get past what elements of ECM-iness they may feel they detect, as to production or aesthetic, and give it a serious listen. When you listen to the first track it seems it may be more standard fare than it turns out to be.

On a related topic, I am looking forward to hearing the new Roscoe Mitchell. The following blurb is from amazon.

Bracingly adventurous music from saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and his Note Factory band recorded live at the Burghausen Jazz Festival, at the climax of a 2007 tour, and released shortly after Mitchell's 70th birthday. Challenging notions of festival jazz, the group offers an uncompromising exploration of levels and degrees of sound, with intensity, focus, and thrilling interplay.

'Far Side' is the second ECM disc from Mitchell's Note Factory ensemble. Roscoe described the first, 1999's 'Nine to Get Ready' as "the coming together of a dream I had many years ago of putting together an ensemble of improvising musicians with an orchestral range." The dream has continued as Mitchell has continued to blur the demarcation between composition and improvisation.

The current Note Factory includes two very exceptional piano players in Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer. Taborn can currently be heard on Michael Formanek's hot ECM album 'The Rub & Spare Change' while multi-award winner Iyer appears on ECM for the first time.

Personnel: Roscoe Mitchell (saxophones, flutes), Corey Wilkes (trumpet, flugelhorn), Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer (pianos), Jaribu Shahid (double-bass), Harrison Bankhead (double-bass, cello), Tani Tabbal, Vincent Davis (drums)

Edited November 5, 2010 by David Ayers

[Guy Berger]

Like this one a lot! Just picked up Small Places (the sequel, with the same lineup) as a result, excited to hear it.

[Guy Berger]

Small Places is really good too. Obviously the ECM sheen may turn off some, but for anybody who doesn't mind that, it's just no-nonsense post-bop with some avant edges.

[7/4]

True.