Jazz & Improvisation / Contemporary

Second ECM album by the Athens quartet of lyra player Sokratis Sinopoulos with Yann Keerim (piano), Dimitris Tsekouras (double bass) and Dimitris Emmanouil (drums), recorded July 2018 at Sierra Studios, Athens, produced by Manfred Eicher.

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.

Live duo album by guitarist Bill Frisell and double bassist Thomas Morgan, recorded in March 2016 at the Village Vanguard, New York, during the run that produced Small Town. Pieces by Monk, Motian, Strayhorn, John Barry and traditional songs. Produced by Manfred Eicher.

First ECM album as leader by saxophonist Joe Lovano, eleven of his pieces for a trio with pianist Marilyn Crispell and drummer Carmen Castaldi. Recorded March 2018 at Sear Sound, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

ECM leader debut of Israeli-French pianist Yonathan Avishai, in trio with Yoni Zelnik (double bass) and Donald Kontomanou (drums): Ellington's Mood Indigo and seven originals, recorded February 2018 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Quintet album by Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel with Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Brad Mehldau (piano), Larry Grenadier (double bass) and Eric Harland (drums), recorded February 2018 at Studios La Buissonne, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Piano trio album by Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen with Sigurd Hole (double bass) and Jarle Vespestad (drums): originals, Bach chorales and Norwegian hymns, recorded January 2018 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Quartet album by Norwegian saxophonist Trygve Seim (tenor, soprano) with Kristjan Randalu (piano), Mats Eilertsen (double bass) and Markku Ounaskari (drums). Eleven Seim compositions, recorded January 2018 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2607, 2018.

Album by pianist Giovanni Guidi with Thomas Morgan (double bass) and João Lobo (drums), joined on six tracks by Francesco Bearzatti (tenor saxophone) and Roberto Cecchetto (guitar). Recorded November 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2604, 2019.

Quartet album by Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Nik Bärtsch (piano), Sha (bass clarinet, alto saxophone), Thomy Jordi (bass), Kaspar Rast (drums). Recorded October 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2603, 2018.

Live trio album by Arild Andersen (double bass, electronics), Tommy Smith (tenor saxophone) and Paolo Vinaccia (drums), recorded by ORF at the PKS Villa Rothstein, Bad Ischl, Austria, on 29 September 2016. Six Andersen compositions. ECM 2594, 2018.

Quartet album by German pianist Florian Weber with bassist Linda May Han Oh, drummer Nasheet Waits and trumpeter Ralph Alessi on three tracks; eight Weber compositions. Recorded September 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Concert recording by the Marcin Wasilewski Trio (Wasilewski piano, Sławomir Kurkiewicz double bass, Michał Miśkiewicz drums), taped by VRT at Jazz Middelheim, Antwerp, on 12 August 2016; produced by Manfred Eicher.

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.

ECM debut of Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu: nine original pieces for trio with guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Markku Ounaskari, no bass. Recorded July 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Sextet album by Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick with Håkon Aase (violin), Andreas Ulvo (piano), Audun Erlien (electric bass), Torstein Lofthus and Helge Andreas Norbakken (drums), recorded June 2017 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Duo album by Mark Turner (tenor saxophone) and Ethan Iverson (piano): six Iverson pieces, two by Turner and Warne Marsh's Dixie's Dilemma, recorded June 2017 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Piano trio album by Bobo Stenson with Anders Jormin (double bass) and Jon Fält (drums): music by Silvio Rodríguez, Bartók, Satie, Mompou, Jormin and Stenson, recorded May 2017 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

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.

Quartet album by Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem with Dave Holland (double bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) and Django Bates (piano), nine Brahem compositions recorded May 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.

First ECM album led by Swiss saxophonist and clarinettist Nicolas Masson, with Colin Vallon (piano), Patrice Moret (double bass) and Lionel Friedli (drums), nine Masson compositions recorded April 2017 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second album by the Andy Sheppard Quartet: Sheppard (tenor and soprano saxophone), Eivind Aarset (guitar, electronics), Michel Benita (double bass), Sebastian Rochford (drums). Recorded April 2017 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second album by Thomas Strønen's Time Is A Blind Guide, a quintet with Ayumi Tanaka (piano), Håkon Aase (violin), Lucy Railton (cello) and Ole Morten Vågan (double bass), recorded in spring 2017 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

ECM debut of the Shinya Fukumori Trio: Shinya Fukumori (drums), Matthieu Bordenave (tenor saxophone), Walter Lang (piano). Fukumori originals and Japanese Shōwa-era songs, recorded March 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines; produced by Manfred Eicher.

ECM debut of the Maciej Obara Quartet: Maciej Obara (alto saxophone), Dominik Wania (piano), Ole Morten Vågan (double bass), Gard Nilssen (drums). Six Obara originals and Komeda's Unloved, recorded January 2017 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo; produced by Manfred Eicher.

ECM debut of the Korean Near East Quartet: Sungjae Son (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), Suwuk Chung (guitar), Yulhee Kim (voice, percussion), Soojin Suh (drums). Five Son originals and three Korean traditionals, recorded December 2016 at Stradeum, Seoul; produced by Sun Chung.

Norma Winstone (voice) with Klaus Gesing (soprano saxophone, bass clarinet) and Glauco Venier (piano), plus Helge Andreas Norbakken (percussion) and Mario Brunello (cello), in film music. Recorded March 2017 at ArteSuono Studio, Udine; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Solo album by Swedish bassist Björn Meyer on six-string electric and acoustic bass guitars with light electronics, eleven originals and one piece by Asita Hamidi. Recorded August 2016 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Solo double bass album by Larry Grenadier: his own pieces plus music by Gershwin, Coltrane, Motian, Rebecca Martin and Wolfgang Muthspiel. Recorded December 2016 at Avatar Studios, New York; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Solo pipe organ album by Kit Downes, played on organs at Union Chapel, London, and two Suffolk churches (Snape and Bromeswell), with Tom Challenger on tenor saxophone on one track. Recorded November 2016; produced by Sun Chung.

Duo album by guitarist Marc Sinan and clarinettist Oğuz Büyükberber (both also on electronics), built around 1916 field recordings of Armenian prisoners of war. Recorded October 2016 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo; produced by Manfred Eicher.

Quartet album by trumpeter Avishai Cohen with Yonathan Avishai (piano), Barak Mori (double bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums), five Cohen compositions. Recorded September 2016 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2548, 2017.

Piano trio album by Julia Hülsmann with Marc Muellbauer (double bass) and Heinrich Köbberling (drums), with originals by all three, a Kyrgyz tune and a Radiohead cover. Recorded September 2016 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 2547, 2017.

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.

First ECM album by Django Bates' trio Belovèd, with Petter Eldh (double bass) and Peter Bruun (drums). Recorded June 2016 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second ECM album by the Gary Peacock Trio, with Marc Copland (piano) and Joey Baron (drums). Recorded May 2016 at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second album by Tomasz Stanko's New York Quartet, with David Virelles (piano), Reuben Rogers (double bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums). Recorded June 2016 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Second and last ECM album by the John Abercrombie Quartet, with Marc Copland (piano), Drew Gress (double bass) and Joey Baron (drums). Recorded April-May 2016 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Third ECM album by pianist Craig Taborn, his first with a quartet: Chris Speed (tenor sax, clarinet), Chris Lightcap (double bass, bass guitar), Dave King (drums, electronic percussion). Recorded May 2016 at Avatar Studios, New York, produced by Manfred Eicher.