Jan Garbarek

[Milestones]

What's up with Jan Garbarek in recent years?  Limited research shows he has not really been recording for about a decade.

Admittedly, I have not collected much of his work.  I liked him in the trio with Haden and Gismonti, as well as with Jarrett's European quartet.  Some of his own early solo worked sounded good--pretty different from the later low-key stuff.  He has had one of the longest runs ever on ECM, and it is a highly diverse output.  I have sampled rather than explored.  I do like several tracks on the live album Dresden.

Whether one is a fan or not, it has been a major career.  He appears to be one of the most important European jazz musicians...ever.  

I am just wondering what he has been up to lately, and who here has been keeping up with his work.  

[clifford_thornton]

Til Vigdis needs a proper reissue.

Early on, he showed a hell of a lot of promise. After Witchi-Tai-To things get too much of a sheen for me to stay interested.

[mikeweil]

Maybe he has run out of ideas or inspiration. I saw his group with Rainer Brüninghaus and Trilok Gurtu some years ago. Gurtu was the most engaging that evening. 

He is currently touring Germany with Gurtu.

[clifford_thornton]

Frankly, I'm not going to diss someone if they are able to make a living playing improvised music, even if it's not the sort of thing that hits me hard. I'm glad that he's gotten his dues! But the stuff that really has a lot of energy is where I sign up--the first few ECMs (Triptykon is a favorite, and reminiscent of the John Surman Trio) as well as the work with George Russell. I also have a few live concert recordings that are pretty incredible.

[Milestones]

Definitely some mixed reactions.  I get that.