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.   

[felser]

On 11/8/2025 at 11:19 AM, clifford_thornton said:

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.

+1

[optatio]

On 11/8/2025 at 5:22 PM, mikeweil said:

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.

He's performing in Göttingen tonight – I'm staying home. We're surprised that his management scheduled his performance so close after our festival again!