Pianist & composer Ketil Bjornstad has assembled quite a musical cast here for his tribute to Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni, titled La Notte and recorded live at the Norwegian Molde International Jazz Festival in 2010. Joining him here are Andy Sheppard (tenor & soprano sax), Eivind Aarset (guitars, electronics), Anja Lechner (violoncello), Arild Anderson (double bass), and Marilyn Mazur (drums, percussion). No song titles, but a live set consisting of eight tracks of intoxicating jazz intended to almost act like a soundtrack to any of Antonioni's films. Suffice to say it was a job well done.
From the opening notes of track number one, you can't help but become enraptured by the sensual sounds of Bjornstad's lovely piano melodies and Lechner's soaring violoncello. Sheppard's emotional, melodic sax twists and turns through the gorgeous second number, while Bjornstad's alluring piano skips alongside Lechner's yearning violoncello lines on the majestic third track. The haunting fourth track just tugs at your very soul, with Lechner and Bjornstad front and center, while on the fifth, Lechner & Andersen create some lush tones, with the pianist gentle caressing the ivories underneath. There's pure emotion coming from Lechner on track number six, and by this point in the CD you really have to just marvel and the talent that this woman possesses, as she's really the star here amongst an ensemble that works so well together. The band gets more upbeat on track seven, with some tricky drum fills from Mazur and booming bass courtesy of Andersen, before the rest of the band dive in and turn things into a rousing, melodic jazz opus. For what really seems like the first time on the CD, Aarset explodes with some savage guitar ferocity, his tone brimming with distortion and whammy bar theatrics, before giving way to Sheppard's delightful sax explorations. It's easily the highlight piece of the album. The final number returns things to a more meditative and tranquil state, as the mourning strains from Lechner just float alongside Bjornstad's tender piano notes. A beautiful end to a gorgeous album.
In typical ECM fashion, the booklet that comes along with this release is dark & bleak, though the lack of any real information on the event or the songs kind of works well with the somewhat mysterious and anonymous portrayal of the concert. Expect some striking black & white photographs of the musicians from the concert however, reminding us what a magical evening it must have been. La Notte is, quite simply, a deliciously haunting listening experience, and at times an achingly beautiful one at that. Highly recommended.
Track Listing
1) I (6:53)
2) II (8:23)
3) III (4:36)
4) IV (5:27)
5) V (8:31)
6) VI (6:44)
7) VII (7:04)
8) VIII (7:00)
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