Ecm hi Res

"Standards" is a two-volume set of jazz albums by the Keith Jarrett Trio. Originally released in 1983 by ECM, they have been multiply re-issued. The two volumes present performances of pianist Keith Jarrett with Gary Peacock on double bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums.

"Standards Live" is a live jazz album released by the Keith Jarrett trio in 1986. Originally released by ECM, it has been multiply re-issued. The album presents a performance of pianist Keith Jarrett with Gary Peacock on double bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums, recorded on July 2, 1985 in Paris, at the Palais des Congrès Studios de la Grande Armée, the second of a two-night engagement at that venue.

The pulsations of Steve Reich's landmark Music for 18 Musicians signify a New Music precipice. Where so much music after World War II explored extremes of tone, time, and register, Reich–and some of his colleagues in the 1960s and after–gravitated towards immersion in repetitions and telescoped focus on tonal areas. The combination of piano, vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, clarinets, violin, cello, and female voices is intoxicating in Reich's hands. Reich creates a middle-register, ringing vamp with burnished reed palpitations and, eventually, quick, rolling piano figures emerge in tandem with the percussion. This recording is the second-best known, next to the ECM Records version of the piece, and is warm and colorfully tingling.

With a sensual & seductive voice right out of the '40s or '50s, Luqman Hamza is a real discovery, a vocalist of exceptional pedigree & talent (a former Ink Spot) who inhabits a soulful middle ground that seems to straddle the sounds of Nat King Cole & JohnnyHartman. Previously known as Larry Cummings, Luqman Hamza, an ex-Decca & Argo recording artist in the 50s both as a solo artist & with The Five Aces, is now 1 of the brightest stars of the Kansas City scene who performs regularly to enthusiastic & sold out audiences throughout the Midwest.

Hoff Ensemble consists of some of Norway's finest jazz and session musicians, fronted by trumpeter Mathias Eick, of ECM renown, who plays a leading role in several of the compositions. The ensemble's basic quartet features legendary veteran bassist Arild Andersen and arranger Jan Gunnar Hoff on piano. The music on Quiet Winter Night is created by film composers Geir Bøhren and Bent Åserud and among the vocalists are some of Norway's top names in popular music: Helene Bøksle, Åsne Valland Nordli, Sondre Bratland, Unni Wilhelmsen, Tomine Harket, Bjørn Johan Muri, Cecilia Vennersten and Bjørn Eidsvåg.

Swedish bassist, cellist and composer Lars Danielsson and his special guests create a broad sound world, using the sonic capabilities of a symphony orchestra to great effect. With the bass as the central pivot and the dazzling grandeur of the orchestra, Danielsson's highly-developed creativity in many disciplines is clearly set out on these 12 pieces, including the title track, an instrumental version of Libera Me from Gabriel Fauré's Requiem. It all comes together to created an organic rounded whole, in which it is clear that the orchestra is not just an accessory.

Veteran pianist Richie Beirach distinguished himself as one of the most innovative and creative jazz pianists in the 1970s with his work with Stan Getz, Dave Liebman and his own recordings on ECM. His lyrical style and keen, advanced sense of harmony put him in the same league as his contemporaries Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. Beirach has been recording for the Japanese Venus label for sometime now, and in previous works he has emphasized his swinging jazz roots in trio settings. For this release he chose to go solo, and play the beautiful classical melodies and jazz ballads.

Veteran pianist Richie Beirach distinguished himself as one of the most innovative and creative jazz pianists in the 1970s with his work with Stan Getz, Dave Liebman and his own recordings on ECM. His lyrical style and keen, advanced sense of harmony put him in the same league as his contemporaries Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. This is the first of the two Ballads albums recorded in Japan in 1986-1987, performed in a contemporary manner with the Jazz standard repertoire.

Stefano Bollani is an artist of ebullient virtuosity, with uncommon sensitivity and range. The Italian pianist has proved to be at home on ECM improvising solo or leading a trio, as well as engaging in duos with Enrico Rava and Chick Corea. This album features Jazz reinterpretations of TEN popular Italian songs.

Certainly, Paul Bley is no stranger to jazz fans, but he is more closely associated with the avant garde than with the mainstream, and this title is among his more abstract dates. Many fans of Bley maintain that he is best heard solo, and this 1999 recording comes pretty close – Bley's free improvisations are accompanied sparingly by the intelligent percussion of Togashi.