Customer Reviews

Neighbourhood

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This cd is highly enjoyable. It's not a usual ECM record I can say. It's a little bit easier harmonically in a sense, but meantime it's still of very high artistic value. It is a very balanced recording. It's at the same time deep and fresh music. You can listen to it accurately or you can loop it in the background and be really happy with it. Stanko and Garbarek form a very interesting horn duo. Katché is a light drummer, his playing is modern, very sensitive and accurate. He has a really nice touch on the drum set. As I keep listening to this album again and again I still find it quite different from the common ECM catalogue (I mean the chamber music they often publish). It is light and intriguing, a little more bouncing, rhytmic music. Of course it depends from the fact that it has a drummer as the leader, I don't know. Anyway it is a very nice record for the connossoir but for the novice too. I mean that I feel to suggest it even to those unfamiliar with Jazz because it's a very easy listening in my opinion. So if you jazz novices want to buy a nice jazz cd to appear sophisticated when friends come to visit you this could be the one. Stanko does some exceptional trumpet playing over some quite urban, sophisticated, light tunes. I appreciated Katcheé's playing very much and Wasilewski piano playing too. The ensembe is very unique, coherent and they complement each other perfectly.

Very listenable jazz. Beautifull piano of Marcin Wasilewski!! Great combination of Stanko on trumpet and Garbarek on tenor saxophone, blending very good. Easy drumming by Manu Katche, never getting in the way of the music. The rhythm-duo (Slawomir Kurkiewicz on bass) does what it must do: create the base of the songs, but with a great sense of timing and subtlety. The sound of the album depents very much on the sound of Wasilewski's piano. The second song sounds a little like EST, but it doesn't get the same intensity of some EST-material. But that's no problem here.
Full and warm recording, with enough aspects for both the romantic and the cool intelectual.
(Further more I recomend the good review of Jazzcat.)

I am a Tomasz Stanko fan. I tried this CD on a whim since Tomasz was playing on it. I absolutley love it. A very beautiful CD that is very pleasing to my ear. Wonderful, slow, rhythmic melodies. One of my all time favorite Jazz CD's and I have ~ 1500 of them.

"Neighbourhood" by Manu Katche, with Jan Garbareck, Tomasz Stanko, Marcin Wasilewski and Slawomir Kurkiewicz - 2005, ECM Label.

Drummer, Manu Katche, has been making a name for himself as one of the world's better drummers. That may be a matter of opinion but I confess I do like him pretty much. I would describe his style as `soft-spoken'. I first heard the cut "February Sun" from this CD on Cable Radio before I ordered it. I love the Scandinavian Jazz genre from the ECM label so when I saw the incredible artists accompanying Katche, ordering this CD was a no-brainer for me.

This CD is a bit of a departure from the typical ECM album. This is an easy album to listen to, maybe a little too easy for some. The music is quiet, moody, melodic and perhaps not-very-challenging for some of you. When my wife first heard a few cuts, she said "that's nice music". She hates avant guard jazz so that should give you an idea just how smooth this CD is.

Some negative reviewers complained that this CD was nothing more than smooth jazz but that misses the mark. There's more here than just smooth jazz. Jan Garbareck, Tomasz Stanko and Marcin Wasilewski on piano keep it interesting enough. Manu Katche's drumming is quite good and he manages to stay out of the way of the other musicians. I like bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz playing on this CD as well. The group as a whole reminds me a bit of the Swedish group E.S.T.

If you can imagine, Jan Garbareck, and Tomasz Stanko, playing with E.S.T. then you can imagine what the group sounds like. Those two horn players do some really nice work together and are worth the price of the CD alone.

My modest system (hybrid tube-integrated and MMG speakers) gives a very nice sweet presentation of this type of music. It's detailed enough to bring Katche's percussion forward and give the horns a biting presence. Plus it does a fantastic job of realistically imaging small jazz groups like this.

I recommend the CD for those that want a laid back change of pace, especially if you're a Jan Garbareck, and/or Tomasz Stanko fan.

I was totally blown away by this CD. The compositions are incredible Jan Garbarek's playing is amazing as well as the pianist on the date and Manu's not bad either. I'm really shocked and saddened by other folks who have compared it to smooth jazz. This music has nothing to do with Kenny G, Boney James and the like. But it is melodic, contemporary (and I mean that in the best possible way), jazz done by great improvisers who I think are developing a new language of jazz. I'm an old time ECM listener having bought Eberhard Weber, Jarett, Rypdal, Abercrombie, Towner etc. etc. in the 70' & 80's. And while I've spent the last 15 years listening to other types of music from electronica to neo soul this cd yanked me back to the jazz world because it feels like it acknowledges in a way (not incorporates)all these influences and creates something different. A music that doesn't pander like all those smooth jazz but still manages to challenge while pulling you into incredibly gorgeous compositions. Check out Rose, November 99, and Number one if you don't believe me. Enjoy!

Think of the great ECM albums: Belonging, The Koln Concert, Witchi-Tai-To, Yellow Fields, Crystal Silence, et al. Manu Katche's Neighbourhood belongs right up there with them. This may come as a surprise, especially after the years 1985-2000 were such a lackluster period for the label. During their peak period (1973-83), ECM would release 12-15 essential albums a year. This figure dropped off to 2-3 a year, if even that. Starting about 2004, the label has made an amazing comeback, and Neighbourhood is right at the forefront - it really is that good.

While other reviewers have complained this album is not over-the-top intense enough, it does have its moments where everyone contributes and the tempos (tempi?) do quicken. But no, it's not an in-your-face performance. With ECM, it's usually safe to think late-night/winter afternoon chamber jazz, and those labels effectively describe this music. Clocking in at a modest 55:07, the album does not overstay its welcome (sometimes a problem with ECM recordings).

Interestingly, trumpeter Tomasz Stanko is billed first, and he almost steals the whole album. He adds dissonances to songs such as "Lullaby" and "Lovely Walk", a "Milestones"-ish riff to "Take off and land", and a mournful line to the haunted impressionism of "February Sun" (a perfect ECM title). But the duets with Jan Garbarek are what really stand out, particularly on "Good Influence". Garbarek and his distinctive sound only appear on 5 tracks, but they are all among the album's best. It's easy to take the excellent work of pianist Marcin Wasilewski for granted: this is the perfect medium for his work. Double-bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz has one of his best recorded performances ever, whether providing the melody line on the trio number "November 99", or driving the uptempo "Number One". As for the "leader", Manu Katche is content not to dominate the proceedings - the closest he comes to a solo is in the center section of "Lovely Walk". Make no mistake, this is not a typical drummer-as-leader album. But listen to his cymbal work and rimshots throughout, even when it sounds like not much is happening - there is no one better.

After playing with everyone from Peter Gabriel to Robbie Robertson to Tears for Fears, some might be surprised to hear Katche make such a thought-provoking, yet straight-ahead recording. But I make no qualifications for calling this the jazz album of the year for 2005, slightly edging Enrico Rava's Tati (also highly recommended).

This music on this Manu Katche album does seem a little "handcuffed" as another reviewer puts it but to label it smooth (ie. in the same genre as Kenny G) is certainly too harsh. Seems more like its generally stuck in 2nd &/or 3rd gear & certainly doesn't show off Stanko or Garbarek to anywhere near their full potential. The best example of what I mean is "Lullaby" a track that according to its title should be lilting & relaxing yet instead comes off as stilted & pre-programmed. Katche's drumming is generally fine although often a bit too "busy" with the star of the disc being undoubtedly pianist Wasilewski. The two highlights in an otherwise fairly subdued outing are February Sun (haunting trumpet lead from Stanko & some of Katche's more restrained, tasteful drumming) & the drop-dead gorgeous & infectious closer Rose with beautiful rich tenor sax from Garbarek & which is almost worth the price of the entire disc.

Great music from grat musicians. Manu Catche plays great every time on every record. Neighbourhood was made with a group of jazz players like Marcin Wasilewski, Jan Garbarek, Tomasz Stanko and many others who add their unique touch to every note on this record. I would also recommend watching Number One video, not only pop stars can make a great picture ; )

Typical ECM fare this - a sparse, slow tempo recording where the instruments have plenty of space to breathe. Although on paper this is a Manu Katche CD, in practice it's the rest of the band that take centerstage with Katche happy to play a mainly supporting role. If I had to summarize this album, I'd describe it as "friendly, listenable jazz that could easily serve as background music or would reward concentrated listening''.

It's good but because it doesn't break new ground, it ain't great.

This is a lovely CD. Not complex jazz, some might find it a little soft, but beautiful in its simplicity. A little reminiscent of Garbarek's own material, or Eberhard Weber's. Katche is excellent, colourful but subtle with no grandstanding, and the others, Garbarek, Marcilewski, Stanko etc are all having a good time. Garbarek doesn't go out of his way but is in his usual good lyrical form, Marcilewski, not unlike Rainer Brunninghaus, keeps the harmonies coming sweetly and goes nicely with the flow, while Stanko throws in a few surprises to liven things up. The sound quality is top-notch. To get the most of the music's intricacies play on a good sound system and don't have distractions.