Solstice (album)

Last updated
Solstice
Solstice ecm album.jpg
Studio album by
Released1975
RecordedDecember 1974
StudioArne Bendiksen Studio
Oslo, Norway
Genre Jazz
Length40:58
Label ECM 1060 ST
Producer Manfred Eicher
Ralph Towner chronology
Matchbook
(1975)
Solstice
(1975)
Sargasso Sea
(1976)
Solstice chronology
Solstice
(1975)
Sound and Shadows
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]

Solstice is an album by American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner recorded in December 1974 and released on ECM the following year. The Solstice quartet features saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen.

Contents

The American hip hop group Atmosphere used a sample of Jon Christensen's drum introduction to "Piscean Dance" on a track called "Shoes", which features on their 2003 album Seven's Travels .

Reception

AllMusic awarded the album with 4.5 stars and its review by Michael G. Nastos states: "Of the many excellent recordings he has offered, Solstice is Towner's crowning achievement as a leader fronting this definitive grouping of ECM stablemates who absolutely define the label's sound for the time frame, and for all time". [1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ralph Towner except where noted.

Side I
No.TitleLength
1."Oceanus"11:04
2."Visitation"2:36
3."Drifting Petals"7:01
Total length:20:41
Side II
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nimbus" 6:31
2."Winter Solstice" 4:02
3."Piscean Dance" 4:15
4."Red and Black" 1:19
5."Sand"Eberhard Weber4:10
Total length:20:17 40:58

Personnel

Solstice

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eberhard Weber</span> German double bassist and composer (born 1940)

Eberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, he is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing. Weber's compositions blend chamber jazz, European classical music, minimalism and ambient music, and are regarded as characteristic examples of the ECM Records sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Christensen (musician)</span> Norwegian jazz drummer (1943–2020)

Jon Ivar Christensen was a Norwegian jazz drummer. He was married to actress, minister, and theater director Ellen Horn, and was the father of singer and actress Emilie Stoesen Christensen.

<i>Dansere</i> 1976 studio album by the Jan Garbarek–Bobo Stenson Quartet

Dansere is the second album credited to the Jan Garbarek–Bobo Stenson Quartet, recorded in November 1975 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen.

<i>Belonging</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Keith Jarrett

Belonging is a studio album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded over two days in April 1974 and released on ECM later that year—the debut of Jarrett's "European Quartet", featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. Because Jarrett's contract with ABC/Impulse! prevented him from performing with the quartet under his own name, the group became known as the "Belonging" quartet.

<i>My Song</i> (Keith Jarrett album) 1978 studio album by Keith Jarrett

My Song is an album by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, recorded in November 1977 and released on ECM in June the following year—the second release from his "European Quartet" featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen, after Belonging (1974).

<i>Nude Ants</i> 1980 live album by Keith Jarrett

Nude Ants is a live album by American pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Village Vanguard in New York City in May 1979 and released on ECM a year later. The quartet—Jarrett's "European Quartet"—features saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. The title of the album is a play on the phrase "New Dance", which is the title of the penultimate song.

<i>Personal Mountains</i> 1989 live album by Keith Jarrett

Personal Mountains is a live album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded in Tokyo during his April 1979 tour in Japan, and released by ECM ten years later, in 1989. The quartet—Jarrett's "European Quartet"—features saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen.

<i>Afric Pepperbird</i> 1971 studio album by the Jan Garbarek Quartet

Afric Pepperbird is an album by the Jan Garbarek Quartet, recorded over two days in September 1970 and released on ECM the following year—Garberek's second album overall, and his first released for the label. The quartet features rhythm section Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen.

<i>Sart</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Sart is the third album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, recorded over two days in April 1971 and released on ECM later that year—his second release for the label. The quintet features pianist Bobo Stenson, guitarist Terje Rypdal, and Afric Pepperbird rhythm section Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen.

<i>Witchi-Tai-To</i> (album) 1974 studio album by the Jan Garbarek–Bobo Stenson Quartet

Witchi-Tai-To is an album by the Jan Garbarek–Bobo Stenson Quartet recorded over two days in November 1973 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen.

<i>Esoteric Circle</i> 1971 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Esoteric Circle is the second album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, originally released under the band name "The Esoteric Circle" on Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman label but re-issued under his name on the Freedom imprint, performed by Garbarek with Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen.

<i>Places</i> (Jan Garbarek album) 1978 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Places is an album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, recorded in December 1977 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features pianist John Taylor, guitarist Bill Connors, and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

<i>Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof</i> 1979 studio album by the Jan Garbarek Group

Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof is an album by the Jan Garbarek Group. It was recorded on December 20, 1978, and released on ECM the following year. The quintet features rhythm section Bill Connors, John Taylor, Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen.

<i>Sound and Shadows</i> 1977 studio album by Ralph Towner / Solstice

Sound and Shadows is an album by American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner, recorded in February 1977 and released on ECM later that year, Towner's second album with his Solstice quartet, featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen.

<i>Yellow Fields</i> 1976 studio album by Eberhard Weber

Yellow Fields is an album by German double bassist and composer Eberhard Weber recorded in September 1975 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features saxophonist Charlie Mariano, pianist Rainer Brüninghaus and drummer Jon Christensen.

<i>The Plot</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Enrico Rava

The Plot is an album by Italian jazz trumpeter and composer Enrico Rava recorded in August 1976 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features rhythm section John Abercrombie, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen.

<i>Dis</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Dis is an album by Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek, recorded for ECM in December 1976 and released in May the following year. Garbarek is backed by American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner, with a guest appearance from Den Norske Messingsekstett on brass.

<i>Eventyr</i> 1981 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Eventyr is an album by Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer Jan Garbarek recorded in December 1980 and released on ECM September the following year. The trio features guitarist John Abercrombie and percussionist Naná Vasconcelos.

<i>Paths, Prints</i> 1982 studio album by Jan Garbarek

Paths, Prints is an album by Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek, recorded in December 1981 and released on ECM September 6, 1982. The quartet features rhythm section Bill Frisell, Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen.

<i>Twelve Moons</i> 1993 studio album by the Jan Garbarek Group

Twelve Moons is an album by the Jan Garbarek Group recorded in September 1992 and released on ECM the following year. The septet features rhythm section Rainer Brüninghaus, Eberhard Weber and Manu Katché, percussionist Marilyn Mazur and singers Agnes Buen Garnås and Mari Boine.

References

  1. 1 2 Nastos, M. G. Allmusic Review: Solstice accessed 10 March 2010
  2. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 193. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
  3. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1410. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.