Ralph Towner - Solstice

Few jazz record companies have achieved so distinctive a sound and characteristic a style as the German label ECM. This 1974 recording by acoustic guitarist Ralph Towner is a classic of the label's early period. Adept at blending jazz with folk and classical elements, Towner is joined here by drummer Jon Christensen and two of the label's essential voices, the sweetly muscular saxophone sound of Jan Garbarek and the springy bass virtuosity of Eberhard Weber. The quartet has both orchestral breadth and varied textures, each enhanced by some discreet overdubbing and fairly extensive doubling--Weber adding electric bass leads and background cello, Towner adding some piano to his classical and 12-string guitars, and Garbarek playing soprano and overdubbing two flutes on "Nimbus." The modal and atmospheric improvisations contribute to the feeling of spaciousness, and the sumptuously beautiful sound seems to embrace the instruments. --Stuart Broomer Amazon.com

it's

almost but not quite entirely like Brian Eno and John Fahey meeting up with Keith Jarrett's American Quartet and playing something almost but not quite entirely like Miles Davis's Get Up With It or Weather Report's Sweetnighter. that, and Jan Garbarek in his prime is along for the ride. atmospheric, yet stimulating. not quite five stars, but pretty close (by the way, dear Amazon folks, the cover art that you have featured here, as of 9/14/08, is incorrect. please rectify)... September 14, 2008

Ah, The Seventies!

In 1974 when this cd was recorded, I was a brash confident 21 yr. old. Mildly oblivious to the incredibly adventurous environment in which I breathed and lived, I was, not unlike most twenty-somethings of that decade, under appreciative of the historical significance music of that decade would carry!

Ralph Towner and his cronies did not emerge from the seventies as household names. Indeed, in the United States he was largely unheard! However, from listening to Solstice, I can now see that the music emanating from ECM was music whose significance would outlive much of the popular music of the times. Solstice fits that decription aptly. The music does not date itself. However, I can't remember the last time I listened to a cd recorded in the seventies that does as great a job capturing the spirit of those times. There is a joy and exuberance that comes across on Solstice, owing to the absolute freedom to experiment in the studio musically. Whatever fun and enjoyment was felt by these musicians at the moment of recording spills out into my living room when I put Solstice on. I feel very much a part of the proceedings when listening to the cd.
One musical note I would like to share has to do with the abilities of Jon Christensen (drums). Until this cd, my knowledge of Mr. Christensen extended to his more abstract/avante garde material. Solstice has its' share of that as well. But listen to the opening tune on Solstice (Oceanus) and follow his ride cymbal playing. Of course he has mastered the independence of his four limbs and it is always fun to listen to any jazz drummer for the independence factor. The song is some 10 plus minutes long and this very quick involved ride cymbal pattern never lets up. It is constant and steady and never falters....never! I found it quite impressive as it does not draw attention to itself but one can't help but notice. Being a drummer myself, I can appreciate the technique required to play such a physically demanding part (and we're only talking about his right hand - listen to how he puts the entire song together - uncanny!). The level of musicianship and playing from each member of this unit is flawless.

I highly recommend this cd. Its' appeal will last you til death do you part!
Only one word of warning: if you do not enjoy free playing i.e. avante garde jazz, you may want to avoid the cd altogether! However if you love that kind of playing done correctly, this cd is definitely for you! Very relaxing and meditative to me! July 11, 2008

Surreal, Intense, Beautiful, Sublime, Perfect

I still vividly remember the rainy evening I walked into a Tower Records store in Seattle and heard this playing. I was held in a sort of mystical rapture for several minutes and then asked the guys at the counter what was playing. That was in 1976 and I was a big King Crimson fan at the time, just getting into the likes of Miles Davis. This was the first of many ECM records I purchased and those familiar with ECM know that Jan Erik Kongshaug's sound engineering is actually a key part of the way the listener perceives the performance. I'm trying to convey that Konghaug is part of the complete work of art. When you hear a Kongshaug recording, you just KNOW it is his work (if you have heard a couple of the releases he's helped create. His contribution is intangible, hard to pin down in words, and yet, it is distinct. It's almost sublime. Every single track on this release is wonderful to behold. I went on a Towner/Oregon buying frenzy because of this one incredible album. Regarding Mr Kongshaug... I hadn't thought of this guy in a long time but as soon as I set out to write this review I immediately recalled his name. Perhaps the greatest recording engineer out there twiddling the knobs and dials. If you already own Solstice then I also recommend Sargasso Sea by Towner and Abercrombie and Dis by Jan Garbarek (Towner is a guest). Those two releases have a similar mood.

Solstice is a perfect recording, it belongs in the same category as Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, A Love Supreme, Out to Lunch, and Blues and the Abstract Truth. It is THAT good.

Ha! I just realized I wrote a review of Solstice a few years back under a different user Id (Pat Metheny's favorite...) See? That's how great this recording is! February 26, 2008

Before Ms. Feminine Mystique Grew Buck Teeth and Hairy Armpits

Take the musicians on this jazzy escapade in sound.

Only men are hairy and toothy enough to imagine such elegant things. (Unless, of course, they are women.) Garbarek saves his altissimo for just the right moment on "Oceanus." Towner and Christiansen take Richie Havens as their STARTING POINT in "Ticean Dance" and wring just about everything there is to be wrung out of it. "Sand" prefigures Bowie's "Subterraneans" on "Low" by about two years. Connecting these two songs was boss, let me tell you.

Yes, Towner could serenade us with a few more open, cathartic chords on "Ticean Dance" to better highlight the song's incredibly tight, fractious rhythms. If one chose to sweat the details, yes. But, this is not about sweating the details - this is about sitting back and imploding. These guys are good, very good -- "Dis" with a rhythm section.

But, no, it can't last, can it. Santa Claus has to climb back up the chimney and pay off his credit cards, doesn't he. The snowman grins, sags and melts, doesn't he. The ego takes over and ruins everything, doesn't it.

But, in the 70's, when artists weren't ALWAYS grandstanding and could open their soul-lids for a peek, as on "Solstice," you darn well got your money's worth. So, forget it's 2006 (you can do it!); let Sean Hannity, Michael Savage and Glenn Beck save world (one man's opinion); plug in mood lighting; feed fish; drink green tea and; obsequiously enjoy. December 6, 2006

Encountering old friends

As a younger person I owned quite a few vinyl albums. Amoung them were "Crystal Silence"(Gary Burton-Chick Corea), one of my all time favorite pre-new age jazz albums. I found the reissue of that CD years ago.

But my two most beloved jazz albums; moody, peaceful, emotional satisfying works are definitely "Diary" and "Solstice" by Ralph Towner.

Musically, these are all old friends whom I've never met and I'm glad to encounter once again many years later.

Reading at home alone on a rainy night or driving in the mountains on a snowy day in mid-Winter, this is the music to have. May 18, 2006

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