If you are into vinyl, the "Tone Poet" mastering sounds great. There is a also a CD with bonus tracks as well. Very adventurous, and well, I like it better than the ECMs
While I have some vinyl, I mostly stream everything from my computer. I found a cd with bonus tracks. I'm going to give it a listen.
I am a bit back-logged, so just streamed this tonight, but another great album by Vijay. Will purchase something soon, CD, or LP, or download. Hope to see this trio live post-pandemic. Get your jab please
OT Warning--Non-ECM Recommendation I really resist the urge to do this but this one is so ECM-like from the Norwegian label NXN Recordings that I had to post: Mats Eilertsen Trio & Trio Mediaeval -Memorabilia NXN Recordings-NXN2003 Recorded at Newtone Studio, Oslo Jan/Feb 2020 Released April 2020 At first I had to do a double take...Mats Eilertsen Trio and Trio Mediaeval? But it works, I mean it really does. The listening experience is about as ECM as it gets as the music just kind of flows through you. Everyone is really on top of their game and there's lots of low, low frequency percussion rumblings from Strønen too so it's still a very Eilertsen Trio sounding recording. Production and engineering stellar. If you liked And Then Comes the Night, I think you'll like this.
In my opinion this album is one of the top 10 ECM albums. I have been playing it non-stop for weeks. I have booked tickets for their London concert in November. It will be my first indoor show since 2019. I don't think my expectations have ever been so high for a concert.
Slightly off-topic but I was wondering if it's the end for the CD jewel case for ECM too. They are one of the few labels that still use them and in the last months several CDs have been released with paper sleeves only. Keith Jarrett, Sinikka Langeland and this morning I have received the new Brahms piano concertos by András Schiff and it's also just a paper sleeve.
Yes, it's funny that they've gone from the overkill of jewel case plus slip case, to the barely adequate card sleeve.
I am sure it will be amazing. I saw his previous trio a few years ago and it was a fantastic concert. Not to mention the thrill of seeing live music again!
I saw Vijay Iyer play twice, the first time with his sextet and it was fantastic, the second time with Craig Taborn. I love Craig Taborn but for me the two pianos thing was a bit too "cerebral". I am sure the trio format will be great (and what a trio!)....
Steve Tibbetts - Big Map Idea (1989) ECM 1380, recorded 1987/88 in St. Paul, MN. Steve Tibbetts on a hot summer night… there’s no substitute.
Thank you, guys. I was really lucky to get it on eBay from a German seller who refreshed and sold vintage Thorens exclusively two years ago. The normal Thorens TD 166 aren't very well-regarded, as they used a innerplatter made out of plastic, but mine is a 166 spezial with a metallic one (just like a 160). I paid 290€ shipped and I'm still happy as Larry about it. It was a ridiculous steal considering the market situation. I hope that one day I can get a SME 3009 tonearm for a good price for it... that would be really something.
It's that time of the year again. Kind of sad to know the days are only getting shorter now. You lucky Southern Hemisphere people. Ralph Towner "Solstice" Jan Garbarek Eberhard Weber Jon Christensen I'm related to Jon by name only and distant uncles, but I'm claiming it!
Jewel case production is now from one plant in China and have been subject to massive price rises. There's also a backlash against their use due to them being plastic. These two may have combined to make them less attractive to ECM
I don't understand the environmentalist antagonism against CD cases and vinyl records. Sure we have should be careful about plastic pollution but these items are not treated as disposable items. I'd be more concerned with the tons of single-use plastic like all the packing material, plastic bags, plastic water bottles, food packaging etc that are discarded daily by consumers. I like my CDs in CD jewel boxes and have no issue with production of new vinyl records. These things are extremely minor in the overall scheme of things.
As I said the environmental thing is only one of the factors reducing the use of jewel cases, the other is the massive price hike and the supply issues from the one plant producing them being in China.
