Sunday Music Muse Day (a day late) Terje Rypydal Miroslav Vitous Jack DeJohnette, Terje Rydal

This day late Sunday Music Muse Day post is a double spin of Terje Rydal, the Norwegian guitarist and composer, I first became aware of through his ECM recordings in the 70's, with an eclectic blend of Jazz, Free-Jazz and Classical music. My first selection, "Terje Rydal /Miroslav Vitous /Jack Dejohnette" is self-tilled untitled recording from 1979, and it has strong Jazz Fusion leaning with European flavor, with Rydal's angular and spacy electric guitar, and guitar synthesizer styling, and Vitous, the well-known Czech bassist, in Free Jazz and Jazz Fusion.  He was an original co-founder of Weather Report, with Joe Zawinul, and Wayne Shorter (reportedly he chose to leave Weather Report when the musical direction shift from more Free Jazz to a more commercial sound).  Jack Dejohnette is also highly regarded jazz drummer and composer, well-known for playing with Miles Davis, and for a long association with pianist Keith Jarrett.  This solid CD is for anyone with adventurous taste in music.  Definitely give it a listen with an open mind.

My second selection is Terje Rypdal Melodic Warrior. I'm at a lost to describe this CD, so I'll just quote a reviewer John Kelman from Jazz Online, " The lion's share of guitarist Terje Rypdal's Melodic Warrior is devoted to the nine-movement title suite, a 2003 recording with the Bruckner Orchester Linz and, most importantly, the Hilliard Ensemble, the vocal ensemble that leapt to greater fame with Officium (ECM, 1993), the first of three recordings with Rypdal's fellow countryman, Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek. The four-movement "And the Sky was Coloured with Waterfalls and Angels," from a 2009 performance with the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra at Poland's renowned Jazztopad Festival, rounds out the record, a series of tone poem studies in contrast.   On repeated listenings, the best I could come up with is, it sounds like a soundtrack for updated 'Forbidden Planet", the classic 1950's sci-fi and New free-form Classical music.  I'm on the fence with this one, it can be challenging.

Take your pick, old  or newer, Terje Rydal.  Either way, not a dull musical experience.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Terje Rypdal, Steve Tibbits.

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me sharing two special ECM collections.  First, Terje Rypdal Odyssey in the Studio & In Concert. Terje Rypdal is a Norwegian guitar and composer, who is hard to categorize  He's part Stratocaster playing Rock, free jazz, and lyrical jazz fusion player.  I had his 1975 double LP, Odyssey, and was intrigued, and maybe a little confused by it. I really became a fan with his Wave album, and later works.  Listening to him some of his works produced for ECM. I could feel the cold stillness of the Norwegian fjords.  This release let me revisit the Odyssey band's music.  Plus, the previously unreleased, Unfinished High Ball (3rd CD) is actually in a more jazzy vain, and more appealing, in some ways.  ECM has been packaging recent multi-CD releases in plain white sleeves.  That might be because of copyright issues with reusing the original cover photos.  I've been personalizing them with album cover art.

My added cover art.

My second selection is Steve Tibbetts, Hellbound Train - An Anthology. This is 2 CD set featuring tunes from 8 ECM records.  Tibbetts is another musician that hard to categorize.  His music has a rock, mystical, world music favor.  Steve Tibbetts "Safe Journey" is one of my all time favorite albums, sadly only two tunes from it make this collect.  Still, it's well worth giving it a listen.

These CD sets will be spending a lot of time on in my player.  Check them out if you can.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, Jack DeJohnette, Iro Haarla

This Memorial Day, belated Sunday Music day finds a weekend of ECM listening, a touch of old, Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, Jack DeJohnette, and new (at least to me) Iro Haarla Northbound. I had a vinyl record of the Rypdal & company CD, but I sold all my collection. I haven’t heard of Iro Haarla before a recent post to the group. I’m settling in to enjoy both.

This Iro Haarla is totally new to me. I just picked up on the strength of being a ECM release and having a harp on it. It definitely a ECM record introspective in a adventurous way.

Please take a moment to remember the true meaning of this Memorial Day, and commit to fighting for a better tomorrow to honor their sacrifice. Peace.

Another Belated Sunday Music Muse Day post - Terje Rypdal, David Darling, Jan Garbarek with Bill Conners.

Here's another belated Sunday Music Muse Day, featuring some vinyl records, which I don't have on CD.  First up is saxophonist Jan Garbarek Places, an 1977 ECM release, featuring Bill Connors (post Chick Corea's Return to Forever) on acoustic guitar, Jack DeJohnette on Drums and John Taylor on organ and piano. I'm almost positive I picked this up because of Bill Connors.  I think I appreciate it more now than when I first bought, as I was still into the heavy guitar fusion style. My tastes have mellowed over the years and ECM recordings helped.

My second choice is another ECM release (1984) Terje Rypdal David Darling Eos (note the album title doesn't appear on the front cover). By the 80's I was interested in picking up any by ECM, and had several by guitarist Rypdal, a very esoteric player. This duet album with cellist David Daring definitely fits that description.  I still need to explore it more.

I think I'll be digging into my vinyl stack in the coming weeks.  It's like visiting old friend, who you lost touch with.