Royal Festival Hall, LondonAmid celebrations of the ECM label’s 50th anniversary, the Norwegian saxophonist delivered some compelling exploratory solos
This year’s
London jazz festival coincides with the 50th anniversary of ECM records and, in celebration, the festival’s opening weekend featured a host of artists from that label’s roster. All share characteristics that have come to define Manfred Eicher’s imprint, performing ethereal European jazz that focuses on texture and often seems quite stridently un-American, even when it features
American musicians. Throughout Sunday, German pianist Julia Hülsmann’s quartet reimagined bebop with all the blues surgically removed; Albanian vocalist Elina Duni and
British guitarist Rob Luft invented a beguiling Balkan bossa nova through heavy use of looper pedals; while saxophonist Joe Lovano’s densely written new Trio Tapestry project, featuring pianist Marilyn Crispell, owed more to the 12-tone serialism of Schoenberg than to Sonny Rollins.
Related: 'This goes in deep!' Jazz stars give their tips for the London jazz festival