OUR TIME

SONGS OF FATE

Vinyl LP pressing.

PAUL HINDEMITH; ALFRED SCHNITTKE

The third album from Levon Eskenian's remarkable ensemble is it's most adventurous to date. As well as reclaiming the music of esoteric teacher G. I. Gurdjieff for folk instrumentation, Zartir situates Gurdjieff in a tradition of Armenian bards and troubadours including Ashugh Jivani, Baghdasar Tbir and the legendary Sayat-Nova. In parallel, an emphasis on pieces for sacred dance reaches it's apex in The Great Prayer, an entrancing collaboration between the Gurdjieff Ensemble and the National Chamber Choir of Armenia, which draws upon ritual music of multiple faiths. Arranger Eskenian says, "I believe The Great Prayer is more than a mere 'composition'. It is one of the most profound and transformative pieces I have encountered in Gurdjieff's work." Zartir was recorded in Yerevan in 2021 and mixed and completed in Munich in November 2022 by Manfred Eicher and Levon Eskenian.

WIND & SUN

FROZEN SILENCE

STRANDS

ZARTIR

Two CDs. Named for the Grateful Dead song that concludes this inspired double album, Uncle John's Band features masterful guitarist John Scofield at his most freewheeling. Wide ranging repertoire finds his trio with Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart tackling material from Bob Dylan to Neil Young, from Leonard Bernstein to Miles Davis. The red thread through the program is the trio's improvisational verve. "I feel like we can go anywhere," says John Scofield of the group's multi-directional versatility.

EVENTUALLY

EL ULTIMO ALIENTO

RETURN FROM THE STARS

Hellbound Train is a retrospective from Steve Tibbetts with music selected by the guitarist from his 40 years of recordings for ECM, neatly divided into electric and acoustic chapters. With it's liquid melodies, textures, hypnotic patterns, and pulsations subtly influenced by music of many cultures, it's an ideal introduction to his unique body of work. At different times Tibbetts might seem closer to minimalism, alternate rock, or ambient music, yet his artistic signature is unmistakable.

LUNEA