Rainer Brüninghaus - Freigeweht (1981)

First album as leader for German pianist Rainer Brüninghaus, perhaps best known in the 70s for working with Eberhard Weber; he'd go on to have a long association with Jan Garbarek.  This gorgeously autumnal record was taped in August 1980, and fleshes out Brüninghaus' piano and synths with flugelhorn (Kenny Wheeler), French horn and oboe (Brynjar Hoff), with the late Jon Christensen on drums.

Much of Freigeweht is built on minimal, cyclical structures which, along with the keyboard textures and the mellifluous brass (not least with Wheeler involved), make the album a must-hear for anyone who likes the early Azimuth sound.  Honestly can't pick a favourite out of these six long-ish trips into turn-of-the-80s ECM magnificence, but the two longest (Radspuren, and the closing title track with its false-fade towards the end) are particularly good for getting lost in.  Highly recommended.

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