2017

Svensk jazzhistoria vol. 11/Jazz Cosmopolit är en box med fyra fullmatade cd-skivor och en 188-sidig bok om den svenska jazzen på 1970-talet.<br/> <br/>Här hörs musik av så vitt skilda namn som Alice Babs, Monica Dominique, Nannie Porres, Monica Zetterlund, Lars Gullin, Georg Riedel, Bernt Rosengren, Nisse Sandström, Janne Schaffer, Bobo Stenson, Eje Thelin, Per Henrik Wallin, Putte Wickman, Lennart Åberg och grupper som Egba, Iskra, Mount Everest, Oriental Wind, Rena Rama, Sevda, Solar Plexus, Radiojazzgruppen, Tintomara m.fl.

My Foolish Heart is the latest solo album by master guitarist Ralph Towner, recorded at Lugano's Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in February 2016, and produced by Manfred Eicher. Solo music is an important thread through Towner's rich discography. Diary was the title he gave to his first ECM solo album back in 1973 and each of his solo albums since then - the list includes Solo Concert, Ana, Anthem, and Time Line - has had a special autobiographical, diary-like character. The solo music is where one can see most clearly the inspirational strands informing Towner's music. He alludes to this in the performer's note introducing the new album, his first solo disc in a decade:<br/><br/>"'My Foolish Heart', the title song of this album had an immeasurable impact on my musical life, as it did with many of my colleagues in the world of jazz and improvisation. The seminal version, played by Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian set me on a course to try to attain the magic of this trio in my own attempts to play the piano, and later, on the classical guitar which became my principal instrument. I needed to know how it felt to inhabit such a reverent musical space. So, many years later, I've decided to pay a visit to this song and include it among a variety of my own pieces. I hope I've continued to use the inspiration I gained from that first encounter in all the music I play."

"Live" was the final album by fusion band Return To Forever. It was recorded live at the *Palladium* in New York City on May 20 1977 as part of the Musicmagic tour to support the album of the same name.<br/><br/>REMASTERED

Buczek Vivian: Ella lives 2017 [Digipack / CD]

Released on the occasion of Anouar Brahem's 60th birthday, "Blue Maqams" offers many reasons to celebrate. Recorded in New York's Avatar Studios in May 2017 and produced by Manfred Eicher, it brings the Tunisian oud master together with three brilliant improvisers: the "Maqams" of the title refers to the Arabic modal music system, rendered kind of blue by the jazz players. For Anouar Brahem and Dave Holland the album marks a reunion: they first collaborated 20 years ago on the very widely-acclaimed "Thimar" album. Brahem meets Jack DeJohnette for the first time here, but Holland and DeJohnette have been frequent musical partners over the last half-century beginning with ground-breaking work with Miles Davis - their collaborations are legendary. British pianist Django Bates also rises superbly to the challenge of Brahem's compositions. And Anouar in turn is inspired to some of his most outgoing playing. "Blue Maqams" is a highlight of ECM's autumn season.

Digipack.<br/><br/>"Jag låter min musik frodas i den nordiska melankolins tonspråk. Där vill jag varsamt förvalta arvet efter några av de mest älskade namnen inom svensk jazz och visa. Musiken hedrar en tradition men tar den in i en samtid med de infallsvinklar en 90-talist upptäcker i sig själv och andra."<br/>Amanda Ginsburg<br/><br/>"Albumdebuterande sångerskan Amanda Ginsburg har redan låtit tala om sig; i våras släppte hon en singel, i höstas ännu en, och till på köpet nominerades hon till P2:s Guldkatten i kategorin Årets nykomling. <br/>Fullängdaren "Jag har funderat på en sak", som innefattar båda singlarna, rör sig mellan jazz och visa, med texter på svenska. Det är musik som vinner mycket på just språket, men tilltalet är också musikaliskt okonstlat och direkt. Andra har gått före i samma spår - Sarah Riedel, till exempel. Men Ginsburg har sin egen timbre och en närhet till sin musik och sina texter som känns distinkt personlig. En viss poppighet smyger sig osökt på, samtidigt som musiken ekar av samma gammelsvenska traditioner som Jan Johansson och andra utvecklade på 60-talet".<br/><br/>- Johannes Cornell - DN

Eidolon är en uppdaterad samling med hans egna favoriter från sin karriär som gitarr-ess.