Tomasz Stańko Quartet - Suspended Night (2004)

Second album by Stańko's "Polish Quartet" of the 2000s, or, as the three younger musicians became known outside of Stańko's employ, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio.  It was an inspired combination that produced three great albums of spacious exploration, both rooted in classic post-bop jazz and completely up to date, a forward-looking example of the modern ECM aesthetic.

The album's predecessor had no track titles at all - this one at least starts out with a named piece, the lovely opener Song For Sarah, before embarking on the Suspended Variations, just numbered I - X.  The first of these lays out the template in fine mid-tempo form, highlighting each musician in turn, then journeys through sublime group telepathy in uptempo (like II, V, and VIII) and wispy, becalmed modes (III, IV, VII) and more to complete one of Stańko's most rightly celebrated late-period albums.

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pw: sgtg

Tomasz Stańko at SGTG:
Jazzmessage From Poland
Purple Sun

TWET 

Balladyna
Freelectronic in Montreux
Bluish
Bosonossa And Other Ballads
Matka Joanna 

Wolność W Sierpniu - Freedom In August
Dark Eyes
Wisława
Polin

Manu Katché - Neighbourhood (2005)

Active since the 80s as a high-profile session musician, French drummer Manu Katché had only released one other solo album prior to this beautifully relaxed ECM session.  He was no freshman to the label, having played with Jan Garbarek throughout the 90s, and it's Garbarek who is the main instrumental voice here, in fine form.  The rest of the lineup was Tomasz Stańko's "Polish Quartet" of the time - minus the drummer, of course.

The ten tracks here, all composed by Katché, only raise the temperature a few times - for the most part, Neighbourhood is a wonderful, laid-back immersion in pure group dynamics.  When the album does start to groove, it's with a taut, understated funkiness that makes Katché's deft touch endlessly enjoyable, as on Number One, Lovely Walk, No Rush and the catchy Take Off And Land.  The rest is pure heaven for a rainy afternoon and a beverage of choice.

 

link

pw: sgtg