Silent Moon

A series of seasonal concerts held in a historic sanctuary in Stratford, Ontario in December 2021 were recorded live and released as Loreena’s 16th album, entitled Under A Winter’s Moon.

Ever-adventurous pianist Marilyn Crispell in quietly exploratory improvised duets with clarinetist David Rothenberg (in his ECM debut). Rothenberg studied with Jimmy Giuffre and Joe Maneri, amongst others, is active as player-composer and also well known as an author and naturalist, his books including “Why Birds Sing” and “Thousand Mile Song” (an investigation of the music of whales), and the titles here reflect also on the natural world. Tracks include “The Hawk and the Mouse”, “Owl Moon” and “Still Life with Woodpeckers”. (Source: ecmrecords.com)

Antonín Dvorák famously complained about the sound of the cello, but if he had heard this album by Swiss-born cellist Christian Poltéra and his wonderfully sympathetic British accompanist Kathryn Stott, he might have written more for the instrument. Most of the music here was transcribed for cello and piano by Poltéra himself, with a couple of small Dvorák originals and two transcriptions by the composer rounding out the program. Poltéra has an extraordinary way with Dvorák's melodies, which require a distinctive kind of tempo flexibility: not full-fledged tempo rubato, but something of the caressing delivery of the café singer.

Silent, Listening is a major addition to ECM’s distinguished line of solo piano recordings, featuring one of the outstanding improvising pianists and jazz masters of our time: Fred Hersch. The album features seven original creations and a handful of well-chosen standards, including Billy Strayhorn’s “Star-Crossed Lovers”, Sigmund Romberg’s “Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise”, Alec Wilder’s “Winter Of My Discontent” and Russ Freeman’s “The Wind”, all played with the focus, sensitivity and gracefulness for which Hersch is renowned. Developed with producer Manfred Eicher in the responsive acoustics of the Lugano studio, the album was recorded in May 2023.

Once in a long while, a musical synergy erupts that leaves a mark for generations. Asia’s initial incarnation pooled together the considerable talents of past members of such legendary groups as Yes, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and EL&P. After 7 studio albums, and 4 greatest hits compilations, Asia released Aura in February 2001. This album produced what a great number of fans have called the most creative Asia record ever, and garnered some of the finest reviews the band has ever received. Silent Nation, a deliberate return to the rock roots from which Asia was born, is the 2004 follow up to Aura. With solid rock tracks like Ghost In The Mirror and What About Love, Silent Nation is poised to bring Asia’s distinctive brand of music back to the masses. Silent Nation also heralds the first album released under Asia’s new record label, Inside Out Music.