ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) is a German record label founded in 1969 by Manfred Eicher. Spanning the gamut from jazz to classical and various hybridizations thereof, ECM has been at the forefront of contemporary music since its inception and has also been long known for its meticulous recordings and distinctive cover art. More information can be found here.
My goal in maintaining this blog is to provide a subjective and open forum for all things ECM. Eventually, I hope to review every album released on the ECM and ECM New Series imprints and will be using this blog primarily for that purpose. I will be proceeding as chronologically as I am able, though the order of reviews will also depend on what I am listening to at the time and on the trajectory of future releases.
I am indebted to Paul Geffen and his ECM Discography for providing essential information regarding recording dates and locations whenever liner notes were not present.
Image credits:
The header images are my own. All album covers are the property of ECM.
Dear Tyran,
You have made a great start on a very ambitious project!
I will follow this blog with great interest.
- Paul Geffen
Great idea, and fantastic blog! ^^
Hi there,
Just wondering about updating some information about recent Meredith Monk releases, including “mercy” and “impermanence”. Also curious about posting one of her you tube videos- “Hocket” from “Facing North”:
Thank you!
Peter Sciscioli, Assistant Manager
Meredith Monk/The House Foundation for the Arts
Hello, Peter,
Thank you so much for dropping by and taking the time to post!
I actually just drafted a review of “Volcano Songs” yesterday, and will post it soon. I will be more than happy to do write-ups on “mercy” and “impermanence” as well. Keep an eye out for them this week.
And thank you for the YouTube suggestion. I have now added it to the videos page.
-Tyran
By the way, your blog is snowing to the core. Keep your words warm.
Great idea for your blog. I wish there were more individuals like you supporting valuable sources of music, of jazz, of art. Thank you.
And thank you for the heartening words. Calling this blog a labor of love would be an understatement, and I am humbled to know that others feel the same.
First visit and found much of interest. Passionate original writing, greatly to be commended. (Too many jazz blogs just cut and paste the Scott Yanow/ AllMusic review and think thats it.!) Adding a Youtube when you can find it adds an important dimension. Reading about music is good but its also nice to be able to hear what is being writing about. Keep up the god work. The world needs to hear more jazz to make it a better place.
Thank you for such kind sentiments, and also for the YouTube suggestion. In the future, I hope to post samples (with ECM’s permission) in each review, as YouTube links of this nature tend to be very unstable or are taken down due to copyright infringements. And I agree 100% with your last comment. I have only come to recognize the powerful uplift of jazz in the past few years, and ECM has been instrumental in this awakening.
Err … that should read “good work” not “god work”. Though come to think about it…
Dear Tyran
I have known your blog almost from the beginning but have only recently become more interactive in the blogging world! I realize how much I still have to discover about the music I love and will be catching up here and attempting to add a few thoughts when I feel able to contribute something verbal.
It is a privilege to be added to your ‘Other Sites of Interest’ list – thank you.
Dear Diana,
I am touched by your words and feel fortunate that anyone would have been following my thoughts for so long. If and when you ever feel compelled to chime in on any of the music I have reviewed, feel free to do so. The more opinions, the merrier!
Dear Tyran,
Thanks for your wonderful blog. I recently got Spotify and read Geoff Dyer’s article on ECM (which I’ve been into since Crystal Silence). One thing led to another and I came upon and subscribed to your posts. Your reviews have led to much listening pleasure that I would otherwise have never come across. As others have said, I wish there were more people with your depth of knowledge who were willing to share it in this way. In the meantime, I’m extremely grateful that you are willing to do so.
Best regards,
Tom Lane
Dear Tom,
I am humbled by your compliments, and further strengthened to know that this music matters far beyond the little circle I am drawing with my drop-in-the-bucket reviews. I would be the last, however, to profess any depth of knowledge, for I only know what I hear and what the music tells me to say.
Best,
Tyran
Dear Tyran,
I suspect you’re being a bit more humble than appropriate, but I understand the impulse behind your response. Your dedication is commendable and I among many others am enriched by it.
Best,
Tom