(Mathias Eick – trumpet, guitar, vibraphone; John Balke – piano, Fender Rhodes; Audun Erlien – electric bass, guitar; Audun Kleive – drums, percussion; Stian Carstensen – pedal steel guitar)
Over the past three decades or so, ECM has discovered and recorded some of the finest jazz trumpet players. These include Palle Mikkelborg, Enrico Rava, Jon Hassell, Thomasz Stanko, and Nils Petter Molvaer. With his debut recording as leader, we can add Mathias Eick to that formidable list. Probably best known for his work on Manu Katche’s fine disc Playground, he has also recorded with Jon Balke, Iro Haarla, and Jacob Young (all ECM artists).
Eick operates in familiar ECM territory–down-tempo, atmospheric sonorities with New Music and chamber jazz moves–but with some fascinating tweaks, especially the pedal steel guitar of multi-instrumentalist Stian Carstensen on the middle three numbers. There’s also a kind of Jan Garbarek-ish melding of folk sensibilities with a spacey feel, pretty much present throughout the entire disc but especially prominent on “The Door,” “October,” December,” and “Porvoo.” “Williamsburg” and “Fly” start out stately enough but morph into semi-rockers about halfway through before settling back into their original mood. “Stavanger” takes a different approach, beginning with a decidedly edgy vibe, then settling into a calmer frame of mind, and then shifting back and forth between tranquility (though not without an underlying restlessness) and agitation, finally resolving into pure serenity.
Those who’ve come to appreciate the distinctive ECM approach will welcome this very attractive addition to Scandinavian jazz. Others may want to investigate this sound with the proviso that it will probably take some getting used to, since it doesn’t swing and superficially sounds soporific.
TrackList: The Door, Stavanger, Cologne Blues, October, December, Williamsburg, Fly, Porvoo
– Jan P. Dennis
