ECM's Arcanum: Trygve Seim, Markku Ounaskari, Arve Henriksen and Anders Jormin
Image: Mats Eilertsen
May is officially here, and with it comes some brand new releases! Stars of ECM Arve Henriksen, Trygve Seim, Anders Jormin and Markku Ounaskari join forces for their debut ensemble album Arcanum and the Jan Gunnar Hoff Group blend the acoustic and electric in Voyage. Presenting his first piano solo album, Shai Maestro delivers spontaneous improvisations and nuanced compositions in Solo: Miniatures & Tales, George Colligan, Jack DeJohnette and Linda May Han Oh dazzle in Live at the Jazz Standard and Norwegian jazz-rock group Soft Ffog bring high energy in Focus.
Arcanum is the debut album by a Scandinavian quartet of ECM staple performers: Arve Henriksen, Trygve Seim, Anders Jormin and Markku Ounaskari. Although the musicians have played together in various settings, this marks their first recording as a unified group. Emerging from informal trio sessions during tours with folksinger Sinikka Langeland, the ensemble formed with the addition of Henriksen. The album blends composed and freely improvised material, with influences ranging from Finnish hymns to Japanese and Norwegian music.
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Blending electric and acoustic sounds, the new album from the Jan Gunnar Hoff Group explores a rich fusion of jazz, jazz-rock, classical, prog rock, world music, and folklore. The group stars pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff, guitarist Nguyen Le, bassist Per Mathisen, and drummer Gary Husband, with compositions influenced by all members of the group. Hoff contributed half of the tracks, while Le’s distinctive style and Vietnamese heritage significantly influenced the group’s sound.
Available format: CD
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 48 kHz, 24 bit)
Live at the Jazz Standard captures a 2014 performance by pianist George Colligan, drum legend Jack DeJohnette, and bassist Linda May Han Oh, now released on Whirlwind Recordings. Recorded at the now-closed Jazz Standard in Manhattan, the concert followed Colligan's acclaimed 2013 trio album The Endless Mysteries, which also featured DeJohnette. This live set, considered by some to surpass the studio recording in intensity, showcases the trio’s interplay in a vivid document of three master musicians united through music.
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
