ECM's 50th Anniversary release of 50 more 'Touchstones' reissues continues at the end of this week, with the second batch of 25 albums including early jewels like Paul Motian's Tribute, Julian Priester's Love Love and Bennie Maupin's Jewel In The Lotus. Sadly, as in January, there doesn't seem to be any that are making their digital debut: if, like me, you were holding out for a CD release of long-deleted treasures like John Clark's Faces or Hajo Weber/Ulrich Ingenbold's Winterreisse, we'll just have to keep hoping.
Anyway, here's a favourite out of a small handful that I picked up from
January's tranche (see news for 18 Jan 2019) of new Touchstones. Philadelphian guitarist Mick Goodrick made his ECM debut in Gary Burton's group, appearing on three albums - the first of which comes back into print on Friday, and
the third was among the original 2008 Touchstones. A few years later, Goodrick recorded his only ECM album as leader, with the dream team of Eddie Gomez & Jack DeJohnette on bass and drums, and John Surman on saxes and bass clarinet.
In Pas(s)ing, named as a pun on the Munich district, is an album of slow-burning, after-hours beauty. Goodrick is such a subtle and understated player that you can at times find yourself forgetting you're not listening to a Surman album. But whenever Surman takes a break, as on the brightest tune Summer Band Camp, the quiet beauty of Goodrick's chords and runs makes clear whose material you're enjoying. Tonally, Goodrick is somewhere in between Metheny and Abercrombie and leaning towards the latter, but is a strong enough identity in his own right to make this an album to return to repeatedly. A single favourite track is difficult - they're all cut from one cloth without being samey - but I'll go for the melancholy lilt of Pedal Pusher.
link
pw: sgtg
