The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band '83
Theatre
ECM Records (Germany) 1984
ECM 1265 (LP) Original pressing.
sleeve : EX(slightly wear on corner, sligtly color-faded on back side)
media : EX/EX(some slightly noise)
Released in 1983, this album by The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band is led by renowned Swiss composer and pianist George Gruntz, active since the early 1960s and responsible for outstanding works such as Noon in Tunisia and Eternal Baroque, in which he absorbed elements of ethnic and classical music. The extraordinary lineup includes Charlie Mariano, Dino Saluzzi, Palle Mikkelborg, Julian Priester, Howard Johnson, Mark Egan, Bob Moses, and many others—a cast that could almost be described as an ECM all-star ensemble. Performed by a total of eighteen musicians, this is fundamentally a big-band jazz recording, with pieces that at times carry the flavor of traditional swing. But, as one might expect from ECM, the music never remains that straightforward. On A1, Dino Saluzzi’s meltingly sweet and deeply expressive bandoneon and Palle Mikkelborg’s muted trumpet drift through the arrangement with an urbane atmosphere. A2 introduces a strong ethnic dimension through the earthy sound of Seppo “Baron” Paakkunainen’s tuohihuilu, a traditional Finnish flute, which resonates with a beautifully organic presence. Sheila Jordan, the ensemble’s sole female vocalist, is also superb on A3. An album that remains thoroughly engaging from beginning to end. Original German pressing.
A1: El Chicancho
A3: No One Can Explaine It