Playground

Manu Katche | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ecm Records
• ASIN: B000TLPW30
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,478 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #51 in Music > Jazz > European Jazz

Editorial Reviews

Playground is the eagerly-awaited second ECM album from star French drummer Manu Katché. His first ECM record, Neighbourhood, garnered many prizes and awards, and was a favorite among jazz fans. The new recording picks up where Neighbourhood left off, and in the interim the group has coalesced into a rip-roaring and fully-integrated band. Manu's group, featuring a Polish/Norwegian confederacy of young players, is energized by his hard-driving drums, and together, the quintet - whose strong new frontline features Mathias Eick and Trygve Seim - plays exciting, zestful music. Playground's rhythm section is - as on Neighbourhood - the powerhouse team of Manu, Marcin Wasilewski and Slawomir Kurkiewicz. Katché's four band mates represent the leading line of young European jazz artists, and on two tracks, guitar guru David Torn joins the group lending a magical touch with his unique sound. Manu's compositions are all new, and every tune is extremely accessible - catchy melodies and toe-tapping rhythms abound! Manu Katché is one of the best-known drummers in the world today. His listening constituency extends far beyond jazz through his playing on hundreds of rock and pop records, including discs by Peter Gabriel, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Dire Straits, the Bee Gees, Tori Amos, Tracy Chapman and many, many more. However, he has always maintained that jazz is his first love and he has been an ardent follower of music on ECM since he was 15. He first appeared on ECM with Jan Garbarek in 1990 and went on to perform on five of Garbarek's ECM albums. Neighbourhood was Katché's first ECM leader album and was released in 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Manu starting to come of age as a leader, September 30, 2007

By 

David J. Ohanlon "David J OHanlon" (Lilyfield, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playground (Audio CD)

So, what's changed since Manu Katche's Neighbourhood? Well, the tunes are generally better (some even "swing" with very good changes of tempo & dynamic), Manu's playing is less busy & more supportive, we don't have the huge expectations of great Trumpet & Saxophone artistry (because Stanko & Garbarek have been replaced by the relatively unknown & generally excellent Matthias Eick & Trygve Seim) & both the arrangements & playing "breathe" a lot more. What's the same? Well, Wasilewski's piano playing is still a highlight & the music overall is still best classed as "mellow jazz" (in fact the opener "Lo", beautiful as it is, sounds like a Neighbourhood offcut) so we can't quite say the handcuffs are completely off but this is a definite improvement. Tracks best highlighting the improvement/"change" in direction are "So Groovy", "Snapshot" & "Inside Game".

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner for Manu Katche!, September 25, 2007

By 

J. Rich - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playground (Audio CD)

"Neighborhood" was Manu Katche's first album for ECM Records and was to some degree a little bit of a let down or at least for me it was. Don't get me wrong, there were some great songs and great musicianship on that album, but for whatever reason, I thought it wasn't as good as one would expect from those musicians. That album had some fantastic players like Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko and Norwegian sax legend Jan Garbarek and of course Stanko's pianist, Marcin Wasilewski and bassist, Slawomir Kurkiewicz.

This time around Katche has a new frontline with Norwegians Trygve Siem on saxophone and Mathias Eick on trumpet and guitarist David Torn on two songs. The rhythm section is the same as "Neighborhood." The musicians on this album are all top-notch and deserve wider recognition.

I can't talk too much about the music, because words can't describe music, but I will say that this album is great from start to finish. If you like European jazz, then you will not be disappointed.

If you own "Neighborhood," then pick this one up too. You'll probably find yourself listening to it more than his first one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Jazz Masterpiece, August 29, 2008

By 

D. Brier "Branding Guru" (Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playground (MP3 Download)

This CD is a beautiful sonic landscape. It marries gorgeous tonal brass melodies over lovely rhythmic foundations. I enjoyed it better than Manu's first, and it bears no resemblance to his work with Peter Gabriel. It stands alone with melodious solos and are a treat from start to finish, which as a rarity these days.

Carry on Manu!