In Praise of ECM/Your Favorite ECM Guitar Album(s)

[maxsmith]

In the mid-1980s, I took a road trip from Alabama to Atlanta, GA to visit a friend in the hospital. As was my habit when visiting a new city, I sought out the local record stores to peruse the stacks. As I entered one of the stores - can’t remember the name - I was confronted with a giant bin full of cassette tapes - no organization, just a big pile. The cases all had dark blue spines with titles and artists’ names in white.

I pulled a couple out. John Abercrombie Quartet. Bill Connors. Then Ralph Towner, Mick Goodrick, Terje Rypdal. These were all guitarists I had heard of and read about, but had not yet actually heard their music. The bin was full of ECM Records cassettes from the mid ‘70s up to the mid ‘80s, at $1.99 each (commercial cassettes sold for $8.99 - $10.99 at the time - maybe they were pushing them out to make room for the newfangled CDs).

In those times your listening was limited by what you could find in your local store and, unless you lived in a major city, there were things you just weren’t going to get, except by luck. I went to the counter and asked for a bag and put in every album could find with a guitarist as leader or sideman. I walked out of that store with well over 100 cassettes, which turned out to be maybe the best single purchase of music I ever made.

I made off with my booty and over the next year or two of listening, my view of guitar and recorded sound and improvised music and jazz had been forever transformed.

Shortly after scoring all these ECM tapes, I spent a lot of time traveling Europe, mostly by bus or train. I always carried a Walkman (it was the ‘80s, remember) and a 10-cassette case, at least half of which was filled with ECM cassettes. I spent hours bathing in the label’s expansive Northern European auditory landscapes.

Around this same time, the primary American jazz offerings were electric pseudo-funky fusion, smooth jazz (basically instrumental R&B makeout music), and Marsalis re-enactment costume jazz, complete with 1950s fashion and non-smiling conservative stoicism.

The ECM aesthetic was an alternative take on improvised music from a European perspective, making little concession to melding jazz with American pop, yet not trying to turn the clock back to the Blue Note era. Classic Blue Note records, to my ear, sound like 3-6 guys together in a dimly lit room at night, sharing a bottle of Ten High and creating a B&W urban noir soundtrack. The ECM records presented an aural presentation of a visual landscape, out in the open air amongst the peaks in daylight, often stark, sober, and wintry.

The guitarists on these albums had a profound effect on my own playing, down to the present. Here are a few albums that really stand out, amongst the riches:

Mick Goodrick - “In Pas(s)ing”
John Abercrombie - “Characters” and “Arcade”
Ralph Towner - “Batik”
Bill Connors - “Of Mist and Melting”
Pat Metheny - “80/81”
Terje Rypdal - “Odyssey”
Eberhard Weber (with Bill Frisell) - “Later That Evening”

If I had to choose just one that was most influential for me and personally aesthetically satisfying, it would be Goodrick’s “In Pas(s)ing”. The clean, reverberated tone, brighter than my then existing conception of what a jazz guitar sounds like, the liquid left-hand articulation and phrasing, the conversational and compositional approach to comping, the angular yet lyrical tunes with harmonies beyond the ii - V - all these things and more combined to alter my jazz guitar path.

Mick Goodrick - In Pas(s)ing

Do you have a favorite (or favorites) ECM guitar album that influenced your conception and direction? Please share here.

All the best!

[mr. beaumont]

Great picks.

I think John Abercrombie's "39 Steps" and "Tactics" would have to be on my list.

[Doctor Jeff]

Anything by John Abercrombie was worthwhile...

I had Timeless and Sargasso Sea on cassette and pretty much wore the ferrous oxide off the tapes. In fact listened to Timeless just the other day.

ECM was such a great label with a great aesthetic. I can't remember a single ECM record not worth listening to.

As far as Atlanta record stores of the 80's, the best were Wuxtry and Wax-n-Facts. I visited Wuxtry several times a week for the 7 years I lived in Atlanta, and bought 2 or 3 records a week pretty consistently during that time period. (I also took guitar lessons next door at a long-gone guitar shop, Diapason.) I got to know the Wuxtry manager, Mark Methe, pretty well. Last time I was there about 5 years ago I walked in and said hi, and it was like no time at all had elapsed.

IIRC Peter Buck of REM worked at the Athens Wuxtry and met Michael Stipe there.

[Jimmy blue note]

If I had to choose just one that was most influential for me and personally aesthetically satisfying, it would be Goodrick’s “In Pas(s)ing”. The clean, reverberated tone, brighter than my then existing conception of what a jazz guitar sounds like, the liquid left-hand articulation and phrasing, the conversational and compositional approach to comping, the angular yet lyrical tunes with harmonies beyond the ii - V - all these things and more combined to alter my jazz guitar path.

Mick Goodrick - In Pas(s)ing


All the best!

I'll see him in an hour, I'll tell him about this! It will make his day, I am sure!
You mention the left hand. You should know Mick is left handed and he plays in "normal" orientation. He also plays fingerstyle so he really had to discipline his right hand to achieve that control. The combination of unusual challenges and a self created solution has been the mainstay of his own style but also the most important this he always put paramount to each of his students: Don't copy me. Find it yourself. There is more than a lifetime's work finding yourself. It never ends and it's always satisfying.

Some of my Favourite ECM recordings:

Rypdal Vitous DeJohnette. Terje Rypdal trio
To Be Continued. by Terje Rypdal
-----Both of these recordings are like a single recording though there were many years between them. These were the roots of Bill Frisell's sound---

Jan Garbarek with Bill Frisell, they put out a couple of CDs. SO fresh!

In Line. By Bill Frisell. Wildly experimental, heart breakingly beautiful

John Abercrombie Quartet. anything they did. Same instrumentation as Pat Metheny's group at the time. So much more textural and layered, thanks to no small part to the bass playing of the great George Mraz.

Yeah, so much good music out there.

[maxsmith]

Anything by John Abercrombie was worthwhile...

Amen. RIP.

[maxsmith]

If I were able to say one just word to Mick, it would be “Thanks”. Please give him my best.

This tune and performance may reveal more of John Abercrombie’s influence on me (listen for the “electric mandolin” solo :-), but I think Mick is in there, too. Two of my absolute favorites.



I love “Rypdal Vitous DeJohnette”, too.

I'll see him in an hour, I'll tell him about this! It will make his day, I am sure!
You mention the left hand. You should know Mick is left handed and he plays in "normal" orientation. He also plays fingerstyle so he really had to discipline his right hand to achieve that control. The combination of unusual challenges and a self created solution has been the mainstay of his own style but also the most important this he always put paramount to each of his students: Don't copy me. Find it yourself. There is more than a lifetime's work finding yourself. It never ends and it's always satisfying.

Some of my Favourite ECM recordings:

Rypdal Vitous DeJohnette. Terje Rypdal trio
To Be Continued. by Terje Rypdal
-----Both of these recordings are like a single recording though there were many years between them. These were the roots of Bill Frisell's sound---

Jan Garbarek with Bill Frisell, they put out a couple of CDs. SO fresh!

In Line. By Bill Frisell. Wildly experimental, heart breakingly beautiful

John Abercrombie Quartet. anything they did. Same instrumentation as Pat Metheny's group at the time. So much more textural and layered, thanks to no small part to the bass playing of the great George Mraz.

Yeah, so much good music out there.

[Jimmy blue note]

If I were able to say one just word to Mick, it would be “Thanks”. Please give him my best.

.

Just saw him. I told him about your comment. He was genuinely surprized. He said "Really? Wow!" then he reflected.
"I'm grateful to Manfred (Eicher, head of ECM) for keeping that in the catalogue all these years despite the low sales. Manfred had his ways, he was always the uncompromising German, and he knew what he wanted. Two times when we were in the studio, he came up to me before a take and said 'Make this a good solo', which is the worst thing to say to a jazz musician. ...but somehow it worked. I played a good solo, so he must've known something."
There's something you don't get from any liner notes. And your comment did make him very happy.

[maxsmith]

“Make this a good solo” - Ha!

I’m glad “In Pas(s)ing” stayed in the ECM catalog, too - besides the cassette mentioned, which eventually died a valiant death after so many plays, I bought, over the years, an LP version (found in a great record store in Mannheim), the CD version for myself and a couple of friends, and a digital version on iTunes, I think. It really is a favorite, I always wondered why Mick and ECM only did the one album together, other than the stuff in Gary Burton’s band.

Just saw him. I told him about your comment. He was genuinely surprized. He said "Really? Wow!" then he reflected.
"I'm grateful to Manfred (Eicher, head of ECM) for keeping that in the catalogue all these years despite the low sales. Manfred had his ways, he was always the uncompromising German, and he knew what he wanted. Two times when we were in the studio, he came up to me before a take and said 'Make this a good solo', which is the worst thing to say to a jazz musician. ...but somehow it worked. I played a good solo, so he must've known something."
There's something you don't get from any liner notes. And your comment did make him very happy.

[Jimmy blue note]

... I always wondered why Mick and ECM only did the one album together, other than the stuff in Gary Burton’s band.

He had a contract with Manfred, to do a number of projects with Gary. When he left the band, he went into a period where he stopped playing out and devoted himself to working on the Bach lute suites for over a year. He hadn't planned on working with anyone at that point and one day he got a call from Manfred. "Mick, you still have one record date in your contract. Do you want to come to Oslo and do a record?" to which he agreed.
Having only played a classical guitar for over a year, he flew to do the session. He assembled a band on the spot at Manfred's suggestion of sidemen. He'd worked occasionally with John Surman, had never worked with Eddie Gomez at all, and he and Jack were old friends.
They did the usual ECM two days of rehearsals and did the recording.
Mick was in the booth for the mixdown and then never listened to it again for over a decade. The story of how that happened is another great story...for another time.
But yes, he did that amazing record as a contract fulfillment. We'll see if something is in the future. I have some remarkable duo things of Mick and Wolfgang, who is now with ECM. I'm going to send Wolfgang the digital masters and if Manfred likes what he hears, I know Mick and Wolfie both enjoyed those duos; maybe they'll become an ECM offering.

[maxsmith]

Wow, incredible story, thanks! Take off a year to learn Bach lute suites? Now I feel I have even more in common with Mick. I love nothing more than to sit in a room alone with a guitar all day, for days on end. I joke that some musicians practice so they can get gigs; I play gigs so I can afford to practice.

Nice that Manfred instigated Mick completing his contract - not sure all record label heads would take that initiative.

Thanks, man - have you been studying with Mick?

He had a contract with Manfred, to do a number of projects with Gary. When he left the band, he went into a period where he stopped playing out and devoted himself to working on the Bach lute suites for over a year. He hadn't planned on working with anyone at that point and one day he got a call from Manfred. "Mick, you still have one record date in your contract. Do you want to come to Oslo and do a record?" to which he agreed.
Having only played a classical guitar for over a year, he flew to do the session. He assembled a band on the spot at Manfred's suggestion of sidemen. He'd worked occasionally with John Surman, had never worked with Eddie Gomez at all, and he and Jack were old friends.
They did the usual ECM two days of rehearsals and did the recording.
Mick was in the booth for the mixdown and then never listened to it again for over a decade. The story of how that happened is another great story...for another time.
But yes, he did that amazing record as a contract fulfillment. We'll see if something is in the future. I have some remarkable duo things of Mick and Wolfgang, who is now with ECM. I'm going to send Wolfgang the digital masters and if Manfred likes what he hears, I know Mick and Wolfie both enjoyed those duos; maybe they'll become an ECM offering.

[Jimmy blue note]

Thanks, man - have you been studying with Mick?

Never formally, even while I was at Berklee. But I'm always asking him questions as they come to me and he gives me answers as they come to him. One day while I was a student I walked by his office and heard other worldly chordal sounds coming from behind his door. I had NO idea what he was doing but sometime later in the week I stopped by when I was between classes and he between students. I said "What can you tell me about triads over bass notes?"
He gave me the most incredible answer that held secrets to harmony that nobody anywhere else outside of his room at Berklee could even begin to understand. Then he punctuated everything he talked about by playing a passage in some tune context.
He handed me a piece of paper with some ideas on it and said "See what you can get out of this." and I understood nothing of even how to BEGIN understanding three note combinations over a bass note. Ten years of study and this was the key to unlocking one way of interpreting the Almanac material.
I never studied with him formally, but we played duo for a regular gig twice weekly for near 7 years and it was a blast. It was a session we organized with artists, musicians and models. He played solo and duo and it was heavenly. Funny thing, it was open but those we played for never had the slightest idea who he was except Mick, who draws and plays guitar. And it was just how he wanted it.

[Doctor Jeff]

Great story!

Those ECM records with Burton, Metheny and Goodrick were heavenly. I pretty much wore the Ring album out.

I know it's not guitar, but have to point out Paul and Carla Bley on ECM. Carla didn't use guitarists much, unless you consider bass guitar (Steve Swallow). But these late 70's/early 80's albums are awesome.

I think I bought this album just based on the album cover:



Also, I must point out the great composer, arguably our greatest living symphonic composer, Arvo Part. His ECM recordings, which went on for a couple of decades are phenomenal, actually otherworldly. I have never met him, but my ex met him on a plane (visiting family in Estonia), and got his autograph for me.

Listening to Te Deum or I Am the True Vine or Alina (deceptively simple, yet transcendant) on a good stereo is a religious experience.

[maxsmith]

I never studied with him formally, but we played duo for a regular gig twice weekly for near 7 years and it was a blast.

I can’t imagine - that must have been fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Mick has always been a sort of distant mysterious guru to me. Must be a pleasure to know the man behind the mystery.

[maxsmith]

Those ECM records with Burton, Metheny and Goodrick were heavenly. I pretty much wore the Ring album out.

“Ring” is the most effective use of two bassists - Eberhard Weber and Steve Swallow - I have ever heard. The arrangement of bass parts, the interplay, the recording, and the mix maintains the clarity on the low end - it’s really a beauty.

Carla Bley has a lot of nice ECM releases, agreed. This is not an old one, but a favorite.

[maxsmith]

“Ring” is the most effective use of two bassists - Eberhard Weber and Steve Swallow - I have ever heard. The arrangement of bass parts, the interplay, the recording, and the mix maintains the clarity on the low end - it’s really a beauty.

Same with “Passengers”.

[sergio.bello]

Great thread. It moves upfront some memories from the '80...

Not the most influential for me, but the "liquid" phrasing of David Torn in It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice of Jan Garbarek was a fresh surprise, at the time.

Sergio

[AndyV]

Motility by pianist / composer Steve Kuhn and Ecstasy, recorded in 1977

[maxsmith]

I think I bought this album just based on the album cover:

That’s funny you say that - it was her appearance and my experience in the ‘80s with women with that kind of haircut, makeup, and fashion sense that kept me from taking her seriously - from even checking out her records - for a long long time. But I finally got it, she’s a really distinctive composer and some of her tunes and albums are among my favorites.

That being said, my favorite “Carla Bley album” is one she doesn’t even play on.

[Doctor Jeff]

Great thread. It moves upfront some memories from the '80...

Not the most influential for me, but the "liquid" phrasing of David Torn in It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice of Jan Garbarek was a fresh surprise, at the time.

Sergio

I was particularly taken with his album Cloud about Mercury--he seemed like Robert Fripp's bastard brother on that one. (And why not? Tony Levin on bass, Bill Bruford on drums.)

I have listened to him a bit over the years, always interesting. He played on David Bowie's album The Next Day.

[Doctor Jeff]

That’s funny you say that - it was her appearance and my experience in the ‘80s with women with that kind of haircut, makeup, and fashion sense that kept me from taking her seriously - from even checking out her records - for a long long time. But I finally got it, she’s a really distinctive composer and some of her tunes and albums are among my favorites.

That being said, my favorite “Carla Bley album” is one she doesn’t even play on.

Speaking of dreams, I only dreamed of having experiences with women with that kind of haircut, makeup, and fashion sense in the 80's.

Yes Dreams So Real was another great Burton/Goodrick/Metheny/Swallow/Moses effort.

[maxsmith]

Speaking of dreams, I only dreamed of having experiences with women with that kind of haircut, makeup, and fashion sense in the 80's.

Ha! Be careful what you dream of, my friend! Never forget there are another 23 and a half hours in a day…

[maxsmith]

In Line. By Bill Frisell. Wildly experimental, heartbreakingly beautiful.

This one got by me somehow, it’s gorgeous. I was aware of Frisell at the time, but I didn’t really connect solidly with him until he came out of his volume-pedal-compressor phase. Kind of like how much more I enjoy post-chorus-pedal Scofield, and why it’s hard for me to listen to very much Mike Stern, even though he’s a great player - the ‘80s chorus-tubescreamer-transistor amp sound is just not my cup of tea, unless it’s in an ‘80 pop song - say something by Tears for Fears.

Frisell sounds incredible and emotionally compelling on this beautifully recorded album. I’m thinking that just the reverb return channel from the mixing board could be used for some sort of audio therapy.

Here’s one of my favorite one-guitar-genius-plays-with-himself albums:

[Sam Sherry]

Pardon me for dropping down an octave, but this bass guitar record haunts me.



I dropped bass guitar for about 35 years -- I would play it once a year. Last year I had a musical excuse to pick it up and I bought an Epi Jack Casady bass for that. Play with a pick, instant Steve Swallow sounds -- it's like I'm a teenager again. I'm playing it as often as I can.

Who the heck would put out an album of vibes & bass guitar duos? Only ECM for sure, and it's a piece for the ages!

[Jimmy blue note]

I dropped bass guitar for about 35 years -- I would play it once a year. Last year I had a musical excuse to pick it up and I bought an Epi Jack Casady bass for that. Play with a pick, instant Steve Swallow sounds -- it's like I'm a teenager again. I'm playing it as often as I can.

Who the heck would put out an album of vibes & bass guitar duos? Only ECM for sure, and it's a piece for the ages!

Ooo this reminds me. Home by Steve Swallow is hypnotically beautiful.
The recordings he did with Chris Potter and Mick Goodrick are such great energy and show his compositional as well as his instrumental genius. Mick said that group had such a great vibe, everybody loved and respected Steve so much that it's the only band he had ever been in, ever toured and recorded with where everybody showed up on time, was ready to do their best, was 100% professional and did their 110% 100% of the time. That comes out of respect and love. That's the sound of Swallow projects.

[paulkogut]

Always Leave Your Uniform On Top is another great Steve Swallow side with Mick and Chris Potter, this time with Barry Ries on the trumpet.


PK