Recorded in November 1975
The first album released by Garbarek and Stenson, Witchi-Tai-To (ECM, 1974), was a "hit," relatively speaking. Since then, many listeners and critics have hailed it as a masterpiece.
But I think the second record from the duo, Dansere, is even better. The latter LP doesn't have anything as immediately appealing as Jim Pepper's anthemic "Witchi-Tai-To" -- but Dansere strikes me as a more refined and personal record. Another writer described it as "finely tuned," and I think that phrase captures its appeal for me.
Unlike Bobo Stenson, Jan Garbarek is not one of my favorite musicians. His playing sometimes leaves me cold. But not here. On this album, everything works.
Dansere was reissued as part of an ECM 3-CD box set with the same title.
Only just found you - great blog!
ReplyDeleteHi to Jean K.
ReplyDelete"Dansere" and "Witchi-Tai-To" are both very fine, and I will need to listen more carefully to "Dansere" because I had forgotten that Bobo Stenson was the pianist. Of course, between these two albums, Garbarek recorded "Belonging" with Keith Jarrett for the ECM label, that that one would be my choice among the three. The rest of the 70's gave us the chilly Jan Garbarek, except for possibly "Nude Ants" (say new dance) recorded live with Jarrett in 1979.