Friday, June 29, 2012

Quartet Music - Window on the Lake 1986

Last album (I mean not yet avail.) from this fantastic american quartet of jazz musicians with an ecm-like sound. I know there aren't many out there who love this chamber jazz style, but I'm a sucker for it. In particular I find the addition of violin and viola just exquisite for the textures and tones of the musical result.








Tracklist:
1. Circular Thoughts in Darkness
2. Zen Piece
3. This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I said Let's get smashed Tonight (in memoriam Virgil Partch)
4. Norton's Last Words
5. Dead leaves Dance (N. Cline)
6. Window on the Lake (for Joni Mitchell) (A. Cline)

All compositions by von Essen except where indicated.
Jeff Gauthier - violin and viola
Nels Cline - guitars, recorder
Eric von Essen - bass, harmonica, piano, caxixi [??]
Alex Cline - percussion
Recorded Mad Hatter Studios, LA 1986

The only concession to commerciality from this uncompromising foursome is the excerpt I post below from the fourth track, Norton's Last Words, wherein you hear Gauthier play strings behind a gorgeous harmonica melody from von Essen.  Dangerously close to easy listening, but equally dangerously close to giving me 'musical heart-melting syndrome.' As composers they were unforgiving in their demand for attention and education from listeners with the complexity they input into everything.  How demanding are musicians today?

8 comments:

Tristan Stefan said...

flacs
http://www.filejumbo.com/Download/190CBBB626479B33
mp3
http://www.filejumbo.com/Download/6D565E268DA1AC64

Mr. Banstead said...

Thanks Tristan!So many rarities!

sosgotcha said...

Hi Tristan
Is it possible you post here in wav : GOD BLESS : anak adam 1980 and GINO D 'ELISO Carso 1976 ?

Thank youvery much

Sosgotcha

Marc said...

A caxixi (pronounced ka-shee-shee) is a percussion instrument consisting of a closed basket with a flat-bottom filled with seeds or other small particles. The caxixi is an indirectly struck idiophone. Like the maraca, it is sounded by shaking. It is found across Africa and South America, but mainly in Brazil. Natives believed the caxixi to summon good enchanted spirits and to ward off evil ones.

In Capoeira music, the caxixi is played along with the berimbau. In West Africa it is used by singers and often alongside drummers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caxixi

JD said...

Thanks for the great share!

ushaped said...

Hi Tristan,

Thank you very much. I also like the acoustic fusion that was happening at this time. Funny how frames of reference change. I was playing my son the previously-posted LP and he said it reminded him of the music from the PS2 game "Dark Cloud 2"!

All the best,

Michael said...

Thank you very much !

Tristan Stefan said...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/4tva8q
NEW REUP Oct 7 2013

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