Intimate
The Gift
Third ECM album by Susanne Abbuehl: settings of Emily Dickinson, Emily Brontë, Sara Teasdale, Wallace Stevens and her own lyrics, with Wolfert Brederode, Matthieu Michel and Olavi Louhivuori. Recorded in summer 2012 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines.
Baida
Ralph Alessi's first ECM album as a leader: ten original compositions plus a reprise, played with Jason Moran, Drew Gress and Nasheet Waits. Recorded in October 2012 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Transylvanian Concert
Live duo recording by Lucian Ban (piano) and Mat Maneri (viola): pieces by Ban and Maneri, a joint improvisation and the spiritual Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen. Recorded 5 June 2011 at the Culture Palace, Târgu Mureș, Transylvania.
Travel Guide
Guitar trio album by Ralph Towner (classical and 12-string guitar), Wolfgang Muthspiel (electric guitar, voice) and Slava Grigoryan (classical and baritone guitar), with five pieces each by Towner and Muthspiel. Recorded August 2012 at the Auditorio RSI, Lugano.
In Full View
Julia Hülsmann's trio with Marc Muellbauer and Heinrich Köbberling becomes a quartet with English trumpeter Tom Arthurs: band originals plus Feist, Fumi Udo and de Falla, recorded June 2012 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2306, 2013.
Azure
Duo album by bassist Gary Peacock and pianist Marilyn Crispell: compositions by each, three free improvisations and a solo apiece, recorded January-February 2011 at Nevessa Production, Saugerties, NY, and self-produced. ECM 2292, 2013.
Outstairs
Fifth ECM album by the Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, a sextet with trumpet, tenor saxophone, Hardanger fiddle, cello and drums around Wallumrød's piano and harmonium, playing eleven of his pieces. Recorded at the Auditorio RSI in Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Trios
Carla Bley (piano), Andy Sheppard (tenor and soprano saxophones) and Steve Swallow (bass) play five Bley compositions, including three suites. Recorded in April 2012 at the Auditorio RSI in Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher; Bley's first album as leader on ECM itself.
Songways
Stefano Battaglia's second trio album for ECM with Salvatore Maiore (double bass) and Roberto Dani (drums): ten Battaglia pieces inspired by imaginary places in literature and myth. Recorded in April 2012 at the Auditorio RSI in Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Sources
First album by Louis Sclavis's Atlas Trio, with Sclavis on clarinet and bass clarinet, Benjamin Moussay on piano, Fender Rhodes and keyboards and Gilles Coronado on electric guitar. Recorded in September 2011 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines.
Matanë Malit
ECM debut of the Elina Duni Quartet: Albanian traditional songs and new pieces, with Elina Duni (voice), Colin Vallon (piano), Patrice Moret (double bass) and Norbert Pfammatter (drums). Recorded February 2012 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines.
Fragments
Solo album by Iva Bittová (voice, violin, kalimba): twelve pieces titled Fragments I-XII, mostly her own. Recorded February 2012 at Auditorio Radiotelevisione svizzera, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Within A Song
John Abercrombie Quartet tribute to 1960s jazz (Rollins, Davis, Coleman, Coltrane, Evans) with three originals: John Abercrombie (guitar), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone), Drew Gress (double bass), Joey Baron (drums). Recorded September 2011 at Avatar Studios, New York.
Trio Libero
Debut of Trio Libero: Andy Sheppard (tenor and soprano saxophones), Michel Benita (double bass), Sebastian Rochford (drums), with originals, group improvisations and one standard. Recorded July 2011 at the Auditorio RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Equilibrium
ECM debut of the Benedikt Jahnel Trio: Benedikt Jahnel (piano), Antonio Miguel (double bass), Owen Howard (drums), seven Jahnel compositions. Recorded July 2011 at the Auditorio RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
All Our Reasons
First ECM album by the Billy Hart Quartet: Billy Hart (drums), Ethan Iverson (piano), Mark Turner (tenor saxophone), Ben Street (double bass). Recorded June 2011 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Solo Guitarra
Solo album by Barcelona guitarist José Luis Montón: twelve of his own flamenco-based pieces and an Air after Bach, for unaccompanied guitar. Recorded April 2011 at the Auditorio RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.
The Well
Album by the Tord Gustavsen Quartet, with Gustavsen on piano, Tore Brunborg on tenor saxophone, Mats Eilertsen on double bass and Jarle Vespestad on drums, recorded in February 2011 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, and produced by Manfred Eicher.
Year Of The Snake
Second ECM album by the collective trio Fly, with Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Larry Grenadier on double bass and Jeff Ballard on drums, recorded in January 2011 at Avatar Studios, New York, and produced by Manfred Eicher.
Indicum
Album by the Bobo Stenson Trio, with Bobo Stenson on piano, Anders Jormin on double bass and Jon Fält on drums, recorded in November and December 2011 at the Auditorio RSI in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher.