GA Russell

This is a good explanation of what is going on.

Savon Scarver has signed with the Argos. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/07/argos-sign-receiver-returner-savon-scarver/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/toronto-argonauts-sign-former-redblacks-receiver-savon-scarver/ ***** Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund will sign with the Alouettes. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-montreal-alouettes-agree-to-terms-with-canadian-dl-isaac-adeyemi-berglund/ ***** Dewayne Hendrix will sign with the Ticats. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-hamilton-tiger-cats-agree-to-terms-with-dl-dewayne-hendrix/ ***** Ante Milanovic-Litre has signed with the Ticats. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/07/ticats-extend-bennett-ternowski-sign-milanovic-litre/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/hamilton-tiger-cats-sign-canadian-rb-ante-milanovic-litre-re-sign-one-other/ ***** Adam Auclair will sign with the Riders. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-saskatchewan-roughriders-agree-to-terms-with-canadian-lb-adam-auclair/ ***** Matthew Shiltz (a favorite of mine) will sign with the Stampeders. I can see him helping the team if Maier struggles. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/07/report-matthew-shiltz-to-sign-with-stampeders/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-calgary-stampeders-agree-to-terms-with-qb-matthew-shiltz/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/report-veteran-quarterback-matthew-shiltz-agrees-in-principle-to-deal-with-calgary-stampeders-1.2072728 ***** Ricky Walker will sign with the Stampeders. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-calgary-stampeders-agree-to-terms-with-dl-ricky-walker/ ***** Tevin Jones will sign with the Alouettes. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/sources-montreal-alouettes-agree-to-terms-with-receiver-tevin-jones/ ***** Brady Oliveira turned down two big offers from the Ticats and BC to remain with the Bombers. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/07/bombers-rb-brady-oliveira-turned-down-770000-and-550000-financial-packages-to-stay-in-winnipeg/

That's great, Mark!

Brandon Barlow will sign with the Ticats. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-hamilton-tiger-cats-agree-to-terms-with-dl-brandon-barlow/ ***** Jameer Thurman will sign with the Roughriders. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-saskatchewan-roughriders-agree-to-terms-with-american-lb-jameer-thurman/ ***** Boris Bede has signed with the Elks. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/elks-boris-bede-agree-to-two-year-deal/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/edmonton-elks-sign-all-star-kicker-boris-bede-through-2025/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/edmonton-elks-sign-veteran-kicker-boris-bede-1.2072370 ***** Drew Richmond has retired. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/drew-richmond-retires-at-28-leaves-hole-in-winnipegs-offensive-line/ ***** Javon Leake will sign with the Elks. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/report-mostp-javon-leake-to-sign-with-elks/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/edmonton-elks-agree-to-terms-with-cfl-all-star-return-man-javon-leake/ ***** Jalon Edwards-Cooper will sign with the Riders. https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-saskatchewan-roughriders-agree-to-terms-with-db-jalon-edwards-cooper/ ***** Jamal Peters will sign with the Ticats. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/report-jamal-peters-to-sign-with-ticats/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-hamilton-tiger-cats-agree-to-terms-with-db-jamal-peters/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/hamilton-tiger-cats-to-sign-defensive-back-jamal-peters-to-record-deal-1.2072352 ***** William Stanback has signed with BC. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/lions-sign-stanback-to-beef-up-run-game/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-rb-william-stanback-signs-with-b-c-lions/ ***** Demerio Houston will sign with the Stampeders. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/report-demerio-houston-headed-to-calgary/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/calgary-stampeders-agree-to-terms-with-all-star-db-demerio-houston/ ***** AJ Ouellette will sign with the Riders. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/report-riders-to-sign-aj-ouellette/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/06/sources-saskatchewan-roughriders-agree-to-terms-with-two-time-east-all-star-rb-a-j-ouellette/ ***** The Elks and the Riders have added a number of good players, and the Argos have lost many of the stars. Apparently the Argos have been so good because these guys were playing on their rookie contracts. Now that these old contracts have expired, their market value has shot up, and the Argos don't have the salary cap space to keep all the people they would like. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/four-toronto-argonauts-players-reach-agreements-in-principle-with-other-cfl-clubs-1.2072391 https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/06/oleary-argos-hit-hard-with-player-departures/

Clyde McPhatter - Twice as Nice (1959-1961) Jasmine 2 CDs, 48 songs $13.99 prime https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008COSZ0S/

Here's a surprise. The Argos have let go Boris Bede, and signed Lirim Hajrullahu. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/05/argos-bring-back-kicker-lirim-hajrullahu-release-boris-bede/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/05/canadian-k-lirim-hajrullahu-returns-to-cfl-signs-with-toronto-argonauts/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/toronto-argonauts-sign-kicker-lirim-hajrullahu-release-boris-bede-1.2071787 ***** Free Agent rankings specialists https://3downnation.com/2024/02/04/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-specialists/ ***** The Redblacks have let go Nate Behar. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/05/redblacks-release-receiver-nate-behar/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/04/ottawa-redblacks-release-canadian-rec-nate-behar-despite-partially-guaranteed-salary/ ***** Marcus Brady has agreed to become the Los Angeles Chargers' "passing game coordinator." https://3downnation.com/2024/02/04/los-angeles-chargers-hire-former-cfl-assistant-coach-qb-marcus-brady-as-passing-game-coordinator-report/ ***** Free Agent rankings overall https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/canadians-brady-oliveira-mathieu-betts-top-tsn-s-list-of-cfl-free-agents-1.2071367 https://3downnation.com/2024/02/04/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-top-30/ ***** Adarius Pickett has agreed to join the Redblacks. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/report-toronto-argonauts-db-adarius-pickett-to-join-ottawa-redblacks-in-free-agency-1.2071861 https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/05/report-adarius-pickett-heading-to-the-nations-capital/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/05/sources-cfl-all-star-adarius-pickett-agrees-to-terms-with-ottawa-redblacks/ ***** Jermarcus Hardrick has agreed to join the Roughriders. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/jemarcus-hardrick-to-sign-two-year-deal-with-saskatchewan-roughriders-1.2071971 https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/05/report-all-star-ot-jermarcus-hardrick-headed-to-riders/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/05/sources-american-ol-jermarcus-hardrick-agrees-to-terms-with-saskatchewan-roughriders/

Featured on Bing's homepage today are poutine recipes. poutine recipes - Search (bing.com)

This book is a pep talk for women who are miserable. She focuses on getting rid of everything you own which does not spark joy. She thinks that a tidy home will help eliminate your constipation problem. And she doubles down on talking to inanimate objects like your apartment and your socks, as if they are people to whom you should be grateful.

Andre Bolduc has joined Calgary's coaching staff. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/29/stamps-announce-coaching-staff/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/29/calgary-stampeders-hire-andre-bolduc-ryan-williams-to-finalize-coaching-staff/ ***** free agent rankings running backs and fullbacks https://3downnation.com/2024/01/29/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-running-backs-fullbacks/ receivers https://3downnation.com/2024/01/30/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-receivers/ offensive linemen https://3downnation.com/2024/01/31/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-offensive-linemen/ defensive linemen https://3downnation.com/2024/02/01/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-defensive-linemen/ defensive linemen https://3downnation.com/2024/02/02/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-linebackers/ defensive backs https://3downnation.com/2024/02/03/2024-cfl-free-agent-rankings-defensive-backs/ ***** This is unusual. The Argos traded Jordan Williams to the Ticats. In addition there was an exchange of eight draft picks. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/29/ticats-acquire-national-lb-jordan-williams-in-trade-with-argos/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/29/hamilton-tiger-cats-acquire-canadian-lb-jordan-williams-from-toronto-argonauts/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/toronto-argonaut-jordan-williams-hamilton-tiger-cats-1.7102808 ***** The Ticats have let go Jonathan Kongbo. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/30/ticats-release-dl-jonathan-kongbo-sign-four/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/29/canadian-dl-jonathan-kongbo-says-hes-been-released-by-hamilton-tiger-cats/ ***** The Als have let go William Stanback. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/30/als-release-running-back-william-stanback/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/30/end-of-an-era-montreal-alouettes-release-rb-william-stanback/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/william-stanback-eager-for-free-agency-head-start-after-release-from-montreal-alouettes-1.2069704 ***** combine - March 19-24 draft - April 30 rookie camps - May 8 training camps - May 12 pre-season games - May 20 through June 1 traing camps end June 1 https://3downnation.com/2024/01/31/cfl-unveils-dates-for-draft-training-camp-cutdown-day-in-2024/ ***** The Redblacks have let go Jacob Ruby. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/31/redblacks-release-national-ol-jacob-ruby/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/31/redblacks-release-canadian-ol-jacob-ruby-prior-to-offseason-roster-bonus/ ***** Chris Streveler has returned to the Bombers on a one-year deal. This is a bit of a surprise, because you would think that after four years in the NFL he would go to a team where he would have a shot at becoming the starter. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/31/bombers-bring-back-chris-streveler-on-one-year-contract/ https://3downnation.com/2024/01/31/hes-back-winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-qb-chris-streveler/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/01/tait-streveler-excited-to-be-back-in-the-peg/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chris-streveler-winnipeg-blue-bombers-cfl-1.7100356 ***** Paul Boudreau has joined the Ticats coaching staff. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/02/ticats-announce-2024-coaching-staff/ https://3downnation.com/2024/02/02/ticats-hire-former-bombers-special-team-coordinator-paul-boudreau-six-others-to-2024-coaching-staff/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/hamilton-tiger-cats-head-coach-scott-milanovich-unveils-24-staff-1.2070934 ***** Jeff Reinbold has joined the Univ. of Hawaii's coaching staff. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/16/longtime-cfl-coach-jeff-reinebold-accepts-position-at-university-of-hawaii-report/ ***** This thread's view count now stands at 235,600, which is an increase of 900 since Jan. 26.

Carl Weathers has died at 76. RIP.

Disc 3 Disc 3

Trumpeter-Composer Ian Carey Pays Homage to His Late Artist Father On "Strange Arts," To Be Released March 22 On Slow & Steady Records Carey Debuts a New Jazz-Plus-Strings Septet, Wood Metal Plastic, Supported by a Grant from InterMusic SF CD Release Show at Oaktown Jazz, Oakland Sunday, April 7   February 1, 2024 Ian Carey extends his oeuvre of unique, ambitious chamber jazz with Strange Arts, set for a March 22 release on Slow & Steady Records. Carey’s seventh album is also the Bay Area trumpeter-composer’s first with his septet Wood Metal Plastic, which augments a working quartet—featuring alto saxophonist Kasey Knudsen, bassist Lisa Mezzacappa, and drummer Jon Arkin—with the free-wheeling string trio of cellist Jessica Ivry and violinists Alisa Rose and Mia Bella d’Augelli, resulting in a nimble unit that brings together the spheres of jazz, modern chamber music, and free improvisation. Recorded in 2019, Strange Arts pays tribute to Carey’s father, the noted and innovative visual artist Philip Carey (who passed away in 2022). As the curator of his archive, Ian Carey gained an intimate understanding of much of his father’s work, which included vibrantly illustrated envelopes, wall-sized collages created from grocery packaging and medical trash, and detailed and humorous drawings of his vivid dreams—and, in its density and voluminous surprises, found a fruitful connection with his own. “I even found an interview of him using the phrase ‘abhor a vacuum’ to describe the intricacy of his art, which is something I had also said about my composing!” Carey remarks. “I started to see how this could be a kind of dialogue between us.” Ironically, Carey first conceived the ensemble with the idea of turning away from his previous elaborately composed works. He had the best of intentions to “try something simpler, writing one-page charts and making it all about the improvisation.” However, a grant from InterMusic SF inspired him to expand the project with strings, which in turn led to an exploration of the new textural and interactive possibilities the ensemble afforded him. It's these possibilities that animate “Set for 7,” the five-part piece that makes up most of Strange Arts. The opening “Chorale” is a space primarily for counterpoint between Carey’s trumpet and Knudsen’s alto (but with no small amount of assertion from Mezzacappa, Arkin, and the strings); “Ostinato” and “Unforeseen (CGBG)” create contexts against which the relationships between instruments frequently reset themselves; the through-composed “Nocturne for Solo Violin” provides a showcase for violinist Rose; and “Alien Anthropology” gives the unusual combo a deconstructed bebop twist. L. to r. Ian Carey, Lisa Mezzacappa, Mia Bella d'Augelli, Jessica Ivry, Alisa Rose, Kasey Knudsen, Jon Arkin (photo: Ben Torres) While “Set for 7” was the commission for which Carey received the InterMusic SF grant, he also happily took the opportunity to take Wood Metal Plastic for a spin on two pieces in his existing book (“Rain Tune” and “Sink/Swim”), as well as a previously unrecorded composition, “I Still Remember Clyfford Still,” saluting another (titular) visual artist. Even a five-movement extended composition isn’t enough to contain all of Carey’s ideas. Ian Carey was born July 24, 1974 in Binghamton, New York, moving to the Sacramento, California area when he was 13. Both parents were visual artists and his father was also a choral vocalist (who toured with the Grammy-winning Gregg Smith Singers in the 1960s and recorded with Stravinsky), giving Carey a foundation not just in music but in creativity and curiosity. Starting on cornet, then French horn, Carey settled on trumpet when he found his way into the famous Folsom High School Jazz Band program, then in its infancy but already quite prestigious. From there, he studied classical trumpet at the University of Nevada, Reno, then transferred to the New School in New York to focus on jazz and composition, studying with greats like Reggie Workman, Billy Harper, and Maria Schneider. After a few frustrating years in New York City dealing with the challenges of balancing the musical life with a necessary day job, Carey returned to the West Coast, quickly settling into the robust San Francisco Bay Area jazz scene where he is still working and thriving to this day. Carey built a working quintet with which he recorded his first two albums, 2006’s Sink/Swim and 2010’s Contextualizin’, before augmenting it with Kasey Knudsen on alto and recording Roads and Codes (included in DownBeat’s “Best of 2013” issue) with the newly dubbed Ian Carey Quintet+1. That was the ensemble that Carey navigated through his next two highly ambitious projects, the long-form but determinedly non-programmatic composition Interview Music in 2016 and the Chamber Music America-commissioned Fire in My Head, an examination of his own lifelong struggles with anxiety, in 2020. While Strange Arts is the worldwide premiere of the Wood Metal Plastic septet, Carey also continues to work throughout the Bay Area with the Quintet+1 (featuring Wood Metal Plastic’s Knudsen and drummer Jon Arkin) as well as an organ trio that performs what Carey calls “a pared-down, street food-style version of my tunes.” Ian Carey and Wood Metal Plastic will perform a CD release show at Oaktown Jazz Workshops, 55 Washington Street in Oakland, on Sunday 4/7. Bandcamp: https://iancarey.bandcamp.com/    EPK: Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic | "Strange Arts"  Ian Carey Web Site  

Thanks rostasi! That answers my question as well as I could expect, although it did not include the sales of the original recordings prior to the release of the "TVs." It may be that the buyers of the TVs are the same people who had already bought the originals when they were new. That leaves my other question: Is there a website which lists current CD sales?

Who are the people who love Rhapsody in Blue, and who are the people who play it? Jazz fans? Jazz orchestras? I am reminded of the people who used to tell me, "I don't like jazz, but I like Brubeck." Twenty-five years ago, an Atlanta jazz pianist (Carl something, maybe Carl Allen) told me that the attitude of jazz musicians toward smooth jazz was, "Don't blame us for that!" I don't think the problem is the music. I think it's with its fans. They don't like jazz, they like this, and they think this is jazz. Maybe the tip-off is that it was commissioned by Paul Whiteman.

You probably know that Taylor Swift's recording contract expired. She wanted the company to sell her the ownership of her records, and they wouldn't. So she signed with a different company, and re-recorded all her albums, dubbing the re-recordings "Taylor's version." So now I wonder, are people buying the Taylor's versions *instead of* the originals? Maybe there is no market for this, everyone who was interested having already bought them. Historically, fans of pop music wanted to buy the original hits, not re-recordings. So I wonder if the answer to my question can be found on the internet. Are sales figures for CDs released anymore? Spotify will tell about the songs it streams, but that's not the same thing as record sales. Any ideas?

Brawl - Venezuela winter league style This is how they do baseball brawls down in Venezuela | Not the Bee

Adam Konar has signed with Calgary. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/22/calgary-stampeders-sign-lb-adam-konar-following-release-from-elks/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/22/stamps-sign-adam-konar-extend-elliot-graham/ ***** The two US spring leagues, the XFL and the USFL, have merged to become the UFL - United Football League. Steven Dunbar, Jr., signed with them this week. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/22/steven-dunbar-jr-signs-in-ufl-following-release-from-edmonton-elks/ ***** It looks like John Hufnagel has semi-retired. He will be an advisor to the Stampeders. The new President will be Jay McNeil. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/23/jay-mcneil-named-calgary-stampeders-president-as-hufnagel-takes-advisory-role/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/23/jay-mcneil-appointed-team-president-with-stamps/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cfl-calgary-stampeders-jay-mcneil-president-1.7092317 ***** Bruce Covernton has died at only 57. RIP. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/23/longtime-calgary-stampeders-ol-bruce-covernton-dead-at-57/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/former-stampeder-bruce-covernton-dead-at-57-1.7092863 ***** Mason Fine has re-signed with Sask. That suggests that that the Riders will not bring back Jake Dolegala. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/23/saskatchewan-roughriders-re-sign-qb-mason-fine-through-2025/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/23/fine-riders-agree-to-two-year-extension/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/mason-fine-resigned-roughriders-1.7093332 ***** Mark McLaurin has signed with Sask. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/24/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-former-edmonton-elks-db-mark-mclaurin/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/24/riders-sign-american-lb-mark-mclaurin/ ***** Dru Brown has signed with the Redblacks. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/24/qb-dru-brown-signs-two-year-contract-with-ottawa-redblacks/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/24/redblacks-sign-quarterback-dru-brown-to-two-year-deal/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-redblacks-dru-brown-quarterback-sign-1.7093340 ***** The Scouting Bureau's winter rankings are out. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/25/illinois-ol-isaiah-adams-tops-cfls-2024-winter-scouting-bureau-rankings/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/25/ferguson-top-5-biggest-risers-in-the-scouting-bureau-rankings/ ***** Kelly Malveaux has died at only 47. RIP. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/25/long-time-cfl-db-kelly-malveaux-passes-away-at-47/ ***** Kerry Joseph will be Chicago's QB coach this year. https://3downnation.com/2024/01/26/chicago-bears-to-hire-former-cfl-mop-kerry-joseph-as-quarterbacks-coach/ https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/chicago-bears-to-hire-2007-cfl-most-outstanding-player-kerry-joseph-as-quarterbacks-coach-1.2068077 ***** Video: The coldest games in CFL history https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/21/the-coldest-football-games-in-cfl-history/ ***** Demetrious Maxie and Dominic Picard have joined the Argos coaching staff. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/22/argos-add-demetrious-maxie-dominic-picard-to-coaching-staff/ ***** Analysis of each team's QB situation https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/23/steinberg-a-look-at-all-nine-quarterback-rooms/ ***** The Elks have let go Ed Gainey. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/23/elks-release-defensive-back-ed-gainey/ ***** Here's a first. The Argos' Qwan'Tez Stiggers will play in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Huh? https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/toronto-argonauts-qwan-tez-stiggers-invited-to-participate-in-east-west-shrine-bowl-game-1.2063993 ***** This thread's view count now stands at 234,700. That's an increase of 2,300 since Jan. 17, nine days ago.

Disc 1

The Album Title of British Reedman's John Surman's Words Unspoken Alludes to the Instant Musical Understanding Found by the Members of This Nimble Quartet Featuring Vibraphonist Rob Waring, Guitarist Rob Luft and Drummer Thomas Strønen Available February 16 “It has always fascinated me hearing from people the many different images and messages that any one piece of music can conjure up in their imaginations,“ says the British reedman John Surman in the liner notes for his new quartet album. “Quite often the impressions and stories can be widely varied, and yet somehow seem to make sense to the individuals concerned. This is one side of the title Words Unspoken - but the other refers to the way that I wanted us to approach the music as a group. I simply brought some ideas along to the musicians and, without discussing who would play which element and how the tunes would take shape, we would try and piece the elements together just by listening to each other and reacting accordingly.” Surman’s open compositions here are frameworks encouraging musical debate as the players guide the collective sound to new destinations, and add striking statements of their own. The ensemble’s identity builds upon the understanding achieved by Surman and US vibraphonist Rob Waring who, like the bandleader, has long been a resident of Oslo. Surman and Waring previously collaborated on John’s 2017 trio recording Invisible Threads with Brazilian pianist Nelson Ayres. They are joined here by two musicians familiar to ECM listeners, British guitarist Rob Luft (lately heard on albums with singer Elina Duni), and Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen, whose projects have included the ensemble Time Is A Blind Guide, Food (with Iain Ballamy), the trio Bayou (with Ayumi Tanaka and Marthe Lea), Parish (with Bobo Stenson) and more. Strønen’s most recent ECM appearance was as a member of Sinikka Langeland’s band on 2023 release Wind And Sun. The Words Unspoken quartet is a resourceful and often exciting band, as the opening “Pebble Dance” immediately makes plain. It flies from the starting block with a flurry of notes from the vibraphone that establish a climate for swirling and energetic soprano saxophone, and an atmosphere of intensity stoked by taut drums and shimmering guitar. Through the changing moods of the album each of Surman’s instruments comes to the fore. On “Hawksmoor”, the music begins as a lithe dance for bass clarinet and Strønen’s brushed drums, joined at the halfway mark by guitar and vibes. On title track “Unspoken Words”, the beautiful baritone sax has a tenderness and eloquence that John alone seems able to wrest from the big horn, his soulful soliloquy developed against a wash of complementary sound-colour from Luft and Waring. So it goes. Surman, who turns 80 in 2024, has been a vital force in European jazz and adjacent genres for more than half a century, already establishing himself as a unique soloist in the 1960s in groups led by Mike Westbrook and Chris McGregor. The band called just The Trio, with Surman and Americans Barre Phillips and Stu Martin, was one of the defining improvising groups of its era, and it was with this line-up that Surman first appeared on ECM, on Barre Phillips’s Mountainscapes in 1976. This was followed, in 1978, by Surman’s Upon Reflection. Since then, he has appeared on ECM in the broadest range of contexts. These range from solo recordings (including the acclaimed Private City and Road To St Ives) to large ensembles - among them the John Surman/John Warren Brass Project, the Proverbs and Songs project with the Salisbury Festival Chorus, and Free and Equal with London Brass. And from duos (with Jack DeJohnette, Howard Moody) to transcultural projects (Anouar Brahem’s Thimar trio with Dave Holland, and John Potter’s early music-aligned Dowland Project). Surman has collaborated with the string quartet Trans4mation (on The Spaces In Between and Corruscating), and fronted his own groups on the albums Nordic Quartet (with Karin Krog, Terje Rypdal and Vigleik Storaas), Stranger Than Fiction (with John Taylor, Chris Laurence and John Marshall) and Brewster’s Rooster (with John Abercrombie, Drew Gress and Jack DeJohnette.) He has also been an important contributor to projects led by Paul Bley, Miroslav Vitous, Tomasz Stanko, Misha Alperin and Mick Goodrick. In all, a richly creative discography. Unspoken Words was recorded at Oslo’s Rainbow Studio in December 2022. John Surman · Words Unspoken ECM · Release Date: February 16, 2024 For more information on ECM, please visit: ECMRecords.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter