Customer Reviews

Rypdal Vitous Dejohnette

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I stumbled on this CD years ago in a used bin and knew a little about ECM and Rypdal from other Jan Garbarek and Paul Giger albums I'd picked up. Recorded in 1978, this album represents some very fine improvisational interplay among these three brilliant musicians. The first four tunes certainly verge towards the atmospheric, each formed around basic melodies that expand, ripple, disappear, and reappear. I find 'Sunrise' and 'Will' particularly satisfying in their emotional and tonal explorations. Regarding Jack DeJohnette's playing, one hears it asked what does a drummer do if not keeping time and his lines provide something of an answer. Vitous and Rypdal (playing the occasional Fender organ) produce sympathetic timbres and lines, with Jack embracing them both. 'Flight' and 'Seasons' take off in more fusion-infused directions, though the later finds its own resolution. If you care for Vitous' 'Mountain in the Clouds' album, with its mix of the energy and contemplative tones, you will like this album. It certainly opened up space in my own ear for unscripted music.

From the golden age of ECM, that being in my humble opinion the seventies into the early eighties, this disc is not uncommon in the ECM catalog in it's looseness and atmospheric qualities, while retaining some sense of rootedness such that it doesn't become a real free form improvisation. Not easily categorized, the music on this recording contains equal elements of jazz, new age sensibilities, and world music, although it couldn't be said to be 'jammin' album. Rather, the musicians bounce off of one another is a loosely structured setting, achieving subtleties of texture and timbre that they themselves would likely have difficulty reproducing very faithfully. While not one of the 'must haves' in the now considerable ECM catalog, it is more enjoyable and, most importantly, creative than much of what one might randomly pull from their more recent releases. I would recommend this without hesitation, especially to those already familiar with ECM, as well as fans of new age sounds.

This release seems to polarize reviewers, the harsher reviews coming from guitarists at odds with Rypdal's effects. I've owned this on vinyl since the 70's. "Sunrise" is ethereal and energetic. "Den Forste Sne" (The First Snow) is a gorgeous ballad. "Will" --first released on "Sweetnighter" by Weather Report (likewise with its composer, M Vitous)-- is an absolutely stunning, emotional composition and I prefer this version (though both are superb). "Believer" is my favorite track from this set and brims with meaning though wordless. The final 2 tracks are more experimental and leave me indifferent. Vitous and DeJohnette are perfection. I can appreciate that some listeners will not care for Rypdal's processing and effects or would prefer a different style, but personally I love the conviction in his playing here. This release has great depth.

I originally purchased the LP the year after it came out. The first two cuts are compositions by Terje Rypdal, the next two are by Miroslav Vitous, and the last two are totally free improvisations. It's kind of like listening to 3 different albums. The two pieces by Rypdal are actually my favorite two pieces by him. Sunrise is eerily beautiful although somewhat tinted. Drummers take note, Jack DeJohnette was always my all time favorite drummer and as a one time serious drummer I can safely say that the work he did on Sunrise was absolutely incredible if you listen very carefully to what he was doing. He was doing stuff with his left hand that most guys could barely do with both of their hands!! Den Forste Sne is absolutely gorgeous (it's the only melodic piece in this album). Flight, one of the free improvs is pretty nutty, but has some interesting stuff in it. I know some people don't like Terje's guitar synthesizor sounds but I think it's pretty cool. Unfortunately the rest of the album sounds like a dreery afternoon in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle or something like that. If you like MP3s, download the first two and maybe Flight if you're trying to fill out a disc. After such a wonderful start, it was kind of a bummer that the rest of the album wasn't as good.

An ECM jazz release from the late 70's, a label distinctive for the endless stream of top-level musicians who have graced it's recording over three decades, this effort is directed towards the more atmospheric and relaxing end of the broad spectrum to be found on this label's several hundred releases, but is never boring or meandering owing to the high level of musicianship involed. The three are notable in their selectivity, carefully placing at times a single note or beat which proves ample to propel the music forward rather than allow it to linger too long. Many of ECM's best releases are to be found in the 1970's (I myself own in the neighborhood of one hundred of the label's releases from it's origin in 1969 to the present), and this one, while not really being particularly distinctive, but rather somewhat subdued, ranks among the better of them, although not the very best, which are themselves some of the best and most inventive jazz of the decade. This is well worth picking up, and while it would never be among someone's personal favorites, it is an addition to one's collection that many would find worthwhile.

Lots of moods and atmospheres here. I guess you can call this a variation of modern jazz, depending on your musical background. To me it is a modern Jazz-Rock-Ambient fusion album. Extremely free form, not a theme anywhere but it works for me. I think the mood of this album is what makes it happen. The performances are great by all. I find I enjoy this cd best at night through a pair of good headphones. It does take a while to grow on you. The drumming on this album is very interesting, it just kind of floats above the rest of the band. You could also file this under New Age, but not the syrupy bland kind. This is one of my new favorite albums at the moment. It is so hard to find interesting music these days, amazing the kind of music that came out once upon a time time.

back in the 1970's I had a lot of these ECM label jazz records, they were a bit on the eclectic side, but they sounded good. This one is pretty representative of the label's output, a lot of "mood music", but jazzy. Doesn't really jump up and grab ahold of you , rather it is more kind of music for the background. ECM recorded a lot of great jazz musicians, mostly from Europe (where the label was from as well), even though this album features the great Jack Dejohnette on drums, playing very understated but steady drums throughout.

The essence of this recording is as follows: One the the world's greatest rhythm sections was hired to play alongside Terje, who, armed with foot-pedal, plays two or three synthesizer-laden notes in the background. Terje often bends the strings to sound like distant bird-calls that seem to fade in and out. The first track is good and Terje does make some cool atmospheric ambience but THAT IS ALL HE DOES FOR THE WHOLE SESSION. It ends up sounding the same and it just keeps going... until it is just stale. He plays basically two to four notes the whole time. His foot pedal sounds great but it just gets repetitive after about 40 minutes. The rhythm section of Vitous and Dejohnette are outstanding players, but it seems almost as if they are exploited... as if they were hired to give "legitimacy" to this alleged "avant garde" foot pedaling.

Don't buy this cd... unless you dig one or two notes on the electric guitar being "bended" and fading in and out over and over and over and over with the backdrop of a jazz rhythm section.

Soundscapes? Ambience? -nope. no way.

If you have no qualms with hearing synthesized, overly cocked-out distorted guitar sound completely out of place over two of the best musicians to ever play, you'll like this. Jack and Miroslav play excellently (as usual), but I can't get past terje's sound. I don't mind the comping so much, but his solos make me want to vomit on my shoes- they're tasteless. Listen to this before you buy it or you might find that terje just sounds like a rocker in the wrong setting. The disc is only atmospheric until he switches his amp up to 11. Props to Jack and Miroslav for playing their asses off. Terje gets 0 stars.