Jazz & Improvisation / Avant-Garde Jazz

Two-CD anthology compiled by Jon Balke from the Magnetic North Orchestra albums Further (1993), Solarized (1998) and Kyanos (2001), with Anders Jormin, Audun Kleive, Per Jørgensen, Arve Henriksen, Morten Halle and string players including the Cikada String Quartet.

What Exit is Mark Feldman's first ECM album as a leader, eight of his compositions played with John Taylor (piano), Anders Jormin (double bass) and Tom Rainey (drums), recorded in 2005 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

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 September 1991 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo.

Lester Bowie's first ECM album as leader, with Donald Smith, Fred Williams and Phillip Wilson, plus Hamiet Bluiett, Fontella Bass and David Peaston on the title track, recorded in June 1981 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg.

The first album by Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, recorded in March 1979 at Generation Sound Studios, New York, with David Murray (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), Arthur Blythe (alto saxophone) and Peter Warren (bass, cello). DeJohnette also plays piano and melodica.

Wadada Leo Smith's first ECM album, recorded in September 1978 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, with Dwight Andrews (winds), Bobby Naughton (vibraphone, marimba, bells) and guests Lester Bowie, Kenny Wheeler (trumpets) and Charlie Haden (bass). Produced by Manfred Eicher.

Jack DeJohnette (drums, piano) with John Abercrombie (guitar, mandolin), Eddie Gomez (double bass) and Lester Bowie (trumpet), recorded in June 1978 at Talent Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. First released 1978.

Enrico Rava's first ECM album, seven of his compositions played by a pianoless quartet with John Abercrombie (guitar), Palle Danielsson (double bass) and Jon Christensen (drums), recorded in June 1975 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg.

Bennie Maupin's 1974 ECM debut as a leader, eight of his compositions recorded in March 1974 at the Record Plant, New York, with Herbie Hancock, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Freddie Waits, Bill Summers and Charles Sullivan.

Trumpeter Ralph Alessi's quintet with his brother Joseph Alessi (trombone), Matt Mitchell (piano), John Hébert (double bass) and Ches Smith (drums, vibraphone) in eleven Alessi compositions. Recorded February 2025 at Oktaven Audio, produced by Alessi and Manfred Eicher.

Paul Motian tribute co-led by Jakob Bro (guitar) and Joe Lovano (tenor sax, tarogato) with Larry Grenadier, Thomas Morgan, Anders Christensen (basses), Joey Baron and Jorge Rossy (drums), recorded November 2021 in Copenhagen. CD, ECM 2747, 2022.

Second ECM album by singer, pianist and cantor Judith Berkson, in a trio with Trevor Dunn (double bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums), recorded July 2021 at Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon, NY, produced by Manfred Eicher. CD, ECM 2741, 2026.

Ralph Alessi (trumpet) with Florian Weber (piano), Bänz Oester (double bass) and Gerry Hemingway (drums), in thirteen pieces by Alessi, three co-written with Weber. Recorded June 2021 at Artesuono, Udine, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Michael Mantler reworks his own compositions (1975-2010) into five suites for a chamber orchestra conducted by Christoph Cech, with Mantler (trumpet), Bjarne Roupé (guitar) and David Helbock (piano) as soloists. Recorded September 2019 at Porgy & Bess, Vienna.

Andrew Cyrille (drums) with Bill Frisell (guitar), David Virelles (piano, synthesizer) and Ben Street (double bass), in tunes by Frisell, Virelles, Cyrille and Adegoke Steve Colson. Recorded August 2019 at Sound on Sound, produced by Sun Chung.

Live sextet recording by Enrico Rava (flugelhorn) with Francesco Bearzatti, Francesco Diodati, Giovanni Guidi, Gabriele Evangelista and Enrico Morello, recorded on 18 August 2019 at Jazz Middelheim, Antwerp. ECM 2672, 2021.

First duo album by pianists Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn, recorded live on 12 March 2018 at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, and produced by Manfred Eicher. Eight improvised pieces, several dedicated to Cecil Taylor, Muhal Richard Abrams, Geri Allen and Jack Whitten.

Third ECM album by trumpeter Ralph Alessi, nine of his compositions for his long-standing quintet with Ravi Coltrane (saxophones), Andy Milne (piano), Drew Gress (double bass) and Mark Ferber (drums). Recorded May 2018 at Studios La Buissonne, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Debut album of the trio Sun of Goldfinger: David Torn (electric guitar, live looping, electronics), Tim Berne (alto saxophone) and Ches Smith (drums, electronics, tanbou), with Craig Taborn and strings on one track, recorded 2015 and 2018 in New York studios.

Trio album by drummer Andrew Cyrille with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and guitarist Bill Frisell, five pieces by all three. Recorded July 2017 at Reservoir Studios, New York; produced by Sun Chung.

Vijay Iyer (piano, Fender Rhodes) with Graham Haynes, Steve Lehman, Mark Shim, Stephan Crump and Tyshawn Sorey: ten Iyer compositions recorded April 2017 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Fourth ECM album by Tim Berne's Snakeoil: Berne (alto saxophone), Oscar Noriega (clarinets), Matt Mitchell (piano, electronics), Ches Smith (drums, vibes, timpani), Ryan Ferreira (guitar). Recorded December 2014 at The Clubhouse, Rhinebeck, produced by David Torn.

Song cycle in ten parts by Michael Mantler (trumpet, music and French texts), sung by Himiko Paganotti with the Max Brand Ensemble conducted by Christoph Cech. Recorded April 2016 at Porgy & Bess, Vienna, with additional recording at La Buissonne. ECM 2537, 2017.

Duo album by Vijay Iyer (piano, Fender Rhodes, electronics) and Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet), centred on a seven-part suite for the Indian artist Nasreen Mohamedi. Recorded 17-19 October 2015 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Michael Formanek's first big-band album, written for his 18-piece Ensemble Kolossus with Tim Berne, Ralph Alessi, Mary Halvorson, Kris Davis and others, conducted by Mark Helias. Recorded December 2014 at Systems Two, Brooklyn.

French violinist Dominique Pifarély's quartet with pianist Antonin Rayon, bassist Bruno Chevillon and drummer François Merville, eight Pifarély compositions. Recorded July 2015 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Trio album led by drummer and percussionist Ches Smith with pianist Craig Taborn and violist Mat Maneri, eight Smith compositions for improvisers. Recorded June 2015 at Avatar Studios, New York; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Largely improvised quartet album by Giovanni Guidi (piano), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Louis Sclavis (clarinet, bass clarinet) and Gerald Cleaver (drums), recorded in February 2015 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Third ECM album by Tim Berne's Snakeoil, now a quintet: Berne (alto saxophone), Oscar Noriega (clarinets), Ryan Ferreira (guitars), Matt Mitchell (piano, electronics), Ches Smith (drums, vibraphone, timpani). Recorded December 2014 in Rhinebeck, NY; produced by David Torn.

ECM leader debut of drummer Andrew Cyrille, with Bill Frisell (guitar), Richard Teitelbaum (synthesizer, piano) and Ben Street (double bass). Recorded July 2014 at Brooklyn Recording, New York; produced by Sun Chung.

Live reunion of AACM associates Jack DeJohnette, Muhal Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell and Henry Threadgill, with Larry Gray, recorded 29 August 2013 at the Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, during the 35th Chicago Jazz Festival.

Michael Mantler's 2013 reworking of his 1968 Jazz Composer's Orchestra music, played live at Porgy & Bess, Vienna, by the Nouvelle Cuisine Big Band under Christoph Cech, with radio.string.quartet.vienna, guitarist Bjarne Roupé and Mantler on trumpet.

ECM leader debut of Cuban pianist David Virelles: ten pieces drawing on Abakuá ritual music, with Román Díaz (biankoméko, voice), Marcus Gilmore (drums) and bassists Thomas Morgan and Robert Hurst. Recorded December 2013, Avatar Studios, New York; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Solo piano concert by Paul Bley, four of his own compositions and Sonny Rollins's Pent-Up House as encore. Recorded live in August 2008 at Kulturkirken Jakob during the Oslo Jazz Festival by Jan Erik Kongshaug; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Miroslav Vitous revisits Weather Report repertoire with a sextet of two saxophonists (Gary Campbell, Roberto Bonisolo), two drummers (Gerald Cleaver, Nasheet Waits) and keyboards. Recorded 2010-2011 at Universal Syncopations Studios, Clavesana.

Second ECM album by Tim Berne's Snakeoil: Berne (alto sax), Oscar Noriega (clarinets), Matt Mitchell (piano) and Ches Smith (drums, vibraphone). Recorded January 2013 at the Clubhouse, New York, produced by Berne and David Torn.

First album by the Craig Taborn Trio, with Thomas Morgan on double bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums, playing nine Taborn compositions. Recorded in June 2012 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second ECM album by bassist Michael Formanek, eight original compositions played by his quartet with Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Craig Taborn (piano) and Gerald Cleaver (drums). Recorded December 2011 at Avatar Studios, New York.

First ECM album as a leader by saxophonist Tim Berne, with Oscar Noriega (clarinets), Matt Mitchell (piano) and Ches Smith (drums, percussion), recorded in January 2011 at Avatar Studios, New York, and produced by Manfred Eicher.

Solo piano album by Craig Taborn, his first as leader for ECM: thirteen pieces of his own, played on a Steinway D. Recorded in summer 2010 at Auditorio RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.