Jazz & Improvisation / Avant-Garde Jazz

ECM debut of bassist Michael Formanek: six of his compositions played with Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Craig Taborn (piano) and Gerald Cleaver (drums). Recorded June 2009, Charlestown Road Studio, Hampton (NJ); released 2010.

Live recording by Roscoe Mitchell and The Note Factory (Corey Wilkes, Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer, two bassists, two drummers), made on 17 March 2007 at the Stadtsaal, Burghausen, during the Burghausen jazz festival. Released by ECM in 2010.

Seven one-movement concertos by Michael Mantler for soloists including Mantler, Roswell Rudd, Majella Stockhausen and Nick Mason, with the Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin under Roland Kluttig. Recorded 2007-2008 in Berlin, Pernes-les-Fontaines and Union City.

Miroslav Vitous (double bass, compositions, arrangements, production) with a shifting ensemble including Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Gary Campbell and Gerald Cleaver, plus orchestral and choral samples. Recorded 2004-2005 in Clavesana, Italy. CD, ECM 2013.

Anthology of Michael Mantler's work chosen by the composer: 22 tracks recorded 1968-2000 for JCOA, WATT and ECM, with Jack Bruce, Robert Wyatt, Marianne Faithfull, Carla Bley, Pharoah Sanders and others. Released by ECM in 2006.

Nine-part suite by John Surman (soprano and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet) with Jack DeJohnette (drums, piano) and the ten-piece London Brass, a BBC Radio 3 commission. Recorded live in June 2001 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. ECM 1802, 2003.

Live recording by Keith Jarrett (piano), Gary Peacock (double bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums): four free improvisations and When I Fall in Love. Recorded 26 and 28 July 2000 at the Royal Festival Hall, London; produced by Manfred Eicher, released by ECM in 2001. CD edition.

The Source (Trygve Seim, saxophones; Øyvind Brække, trombone; Per Oddvar Johansen, drums) with the Cikada String Quartet, Arve Henriksen, Frode Haltli and others. Recorded November 2000 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo; produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM, 2002. CD edition.

Solo album by Mat Maneri on acoustic violin and viola: his own compositions and pieces by Matthew Shipp, Joe Morris, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy and Joe Maneri, recorded July 1999 at Gateway Studio, Kingston, produced by Steve Lake. CD, 2001.

First duo album by Joe Maneri (alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, piano) and his son Mat Maneri (acoustic and electric violins, electric viola), recorded October 1997 at Hardstudios, Winterthur, produced by Steve Lake.

Edward Vesala's last ECM album with his band Sound & Fury: twelve of his compositions for horns, harp, accordion, strings and percussion, with Iro Haarla, Jorma Tapio, Pepa Päivinen and others. Recorded 1993-1994 at Sound and Fury Studio, Korkeakoski, Finland. ECM 1541, 1994.

Free improvisations by Paul Bley (piano), Evan Parker (tenor and soprano saxophones) and Barre Phillips (double bass), the first recorded Bley/Parker meeting. Recorded January 1994 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Steve Lake. ECM 1537, 1995.

Quartet album led by John Surman (baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet) with Paul Bley (piano), Gary Peacock (bass) and Tony Oxley (drums), recorded in September 1991 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 1463, 1992.

The only ECM album by the Swiss trio of Hans Koch (clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophones), Martin Schütz (bass, cello) and Marco Käppeli (drums), nine pieces by Koch recorded June 1987 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second album by Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, arranged by Carla Bley, with a twelve-piece band including Don Cherry, Dewey Redman and Paul Motian: resistance songs from Spain, Portugal, Chile and El Salvador, recorded November 1982 in Ludwigsburg.

Live recording by Old and New Dreams (Don Cherry, trumpet, piano; Dewey Redman, tenor saxophone, musette; Charlie Haden, bass; Ed Blackwell, drums) from June 1980 at the Theater am Kornmarkt, Bregenz, produced by Manfred Eicher, released by ECM in 1981. CD edition.

Keith Jarrett's two-part suite for his American Quartet with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, recorded in April 1976 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, produced by Manfred Eicher and released by ECM in 1977. CD edition.

Chick Corea's first ECM album as a leader, a piano trio with Dave Holland (bass) and Barry Altschul (drums), recorded 11-13 January 1971 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, produced by Manfred Eicher. Released April 1971. CD edition.

First ECM album by the Louis Sclavis Quintet: Sclavis (clarinets, soprano saxophone), Dominique Pifarély (violin), François Raulin (piano, synthesizer), Bruno Chevillon (bass), Christian Ville (drums), recorded in September 1991 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo. Cassette edition.