リラックスな生活 You may imagine funky grooves created by instrumental performance, or passionate sessions played by musicians in the heat of the moment.
Or perhaps you think of stylish background music playing in a calm bar or restaurant — or these days, even in a ramen shop.
Today, I would like to introduce ECM Records, a label that creates a kind of jazz that feels a little different from that image.
There are many wonderful websites that study ECM Records in depth, and others that review nearly every release.
This page is a simple introduction for beginners, so that more people can discover how beautiful ECM Records really is.
Original Japanese article
This English page is based on the original Japanese article published on relakatsu.
Read the original Japanese version here
目次
Table of Contents
What Is ECM Records?
ECM Records is a music label built around the concept of “The Most Beautiful Sound Next To Silence.”
It was founded in 1969 by the German producer Manfred Eicher.
Over more than fifty years, the label has discovered and released a wide range of talent across many genres, centered on jazz but also including fusion, free jazz, classical music, early music, and world music.
In recent years, ECM has often been associated with quiet, cool-toned jazz — sometimes even described as “silent jazz.” Some of its music carries a resonance that feels close to classical music.
At the same time, ECM also releases progressive jazz that layers electronic textures over acoustic performance.
Personally, I am especially drawn to ECM’s more recent quiet-jazz direction, though of course the catalog is filled with masterpieces from earlier years as well.
To get a sense of the atmosphere of ECM Records, please begin with this official live video.
The Sound of ECM
ECM’s music is delicate, beautiful, and deeply moving.
At the same time, the label is also home to tense performances and stimulating free-jazz improvisation. That contrast is part of what makes ECM so compelling.
Its recordings are made with exceptional care, with a strong commitment to sound quality and meticulous acoustic design.
The main studio associated with ECM is Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway. But recordings have been made all over the world, and some albums were even recorded in cathedrals to capture a particular kind of reverberation.
When people think of ECM, they often think of its deep reverberant sound. For some listeners, that may be a matter of taste. Personally, I love this sense of space and resonance.
Some traditional jazz fans say, “This isn’t jazz.” But the truth is, there are also many devoted ECM listeners who feel strongly attached to this sound.
When reading books about ambient music, I often come across discussions of similarities between ambient music and ECM Records. In fact, some ECM works seem to recreate the spirit of ambient music using live instruments.
For more on ambient music, please see this related article:
An exquisite relaxing experience. Let’s listen to ambient music!
The Artwork of ECM
ECM is admired not only for its sound, but also for the beauty of its album artwork.
Unlike many traditional jazz album covers, ECM releases do not often rely on straightforward artist portraits. Instead, they frequently use abstract landscape photography or typography-driven design.
ECM offers a remarkably high level of completion as a total work — not only in the music itself, but in the artwork as well.
I was once so taken by its visual beauty that I bought Windfall Light: The Visual Language of ECM: Edition of Contemporary Music, a photography collection of ECM cover art from 1996 onward, as soon as it was released.
The artwork is so beautiful that simply looking at it feels like stepping into an art museum. It seems difficult to find now, perhaps because it has become collectible. If you ever find it at a reasonable price, it may be worth buying immediately.
There is also a Japanese book called ECM Catalog, which provides commentary on the label’s releases through 2009. Unfortunately, that book also appears to be out of print.
ECM Artists
When people think of artists who have released music on ECM, names such as Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Paul Bley, Pat Metheny, and Charlie Haden quickly come to mind. Even a short list includes many true jazz legends.
Here, I would like to introduce a few ECM artists that I personally recommend — especially those whose music feels beautiful and deeply relaxing.
Keith Jarrett
When people say ECM, Keith Jarrett is often one of the first artists they think of.
He is one of the great pianists of the world. To me, the sound of his piano carries nourishment and healing.
He has released many masterpieces in the history of jazz, including The Köln Concert. Every album feels worth hearing.
Recommended albums
・The Köln Concert
・The Melody At Night, With You
・My Foolish Heart
Marcin Wasilewski
A pianist from Poland, Marcin Wasilewski is one of my strongest recommendations among recent ECM artists.
His tone has a beauty of its own, different from Keith Jarrett’s, and I feel he is one of the musicians who will help lead ECM into the future.
Recommended albums
・January
・Trio
・Spark of Life
Dominic Miller
An Argentine guitarist, Dominic Miller joined ECM Records in 2017.
Before that, he was known for his work as a recording and touring member in Sting’s projects.
It is said that the guitar riff for Sting’s famous song Shape of My Heart was created by Dominic Miller.
His transparent guitar tone has a wonderfully calming effect.
Recommended albums
・Silent Light
・Absinthe
Bill Frisell
An American guitarist, Bill Frisell is a veteran musician and Grammy Award winner.
His playing has a pastoral quality shaped by influences from folk and country music.
Recommended album
・Epistrophy
This is a live recording from the legendary New York jazz club Village Vanguard.
When I visited New York, I had the chance to hear Bill Frisell perform at Village Vanguard, and by coincidence, this album was recorded at that same time. That is one reason this album feels especially meaningful to me.
It has a soft and gentle sound, as if the atmosphere of the live performance were packed directly into the recording.
Tomasz Stańko
A trumpeter from Poland, Tomasz Stańko was known for a tone that was both solid and deeply expressive.
When I listen to his trumpet, it brings to mind the feeling of a city at night.
Sadly, he passed away on July 29, 2018.
Recommended albums
・Lontano
・Wislawa
Who Should Listen?
- People who are tired of the noise and pressure of the city
- People who feel worn down by everyday obligations and entanglements
- People who want to spend at least one quiet evening in peace
- People who want to sink into thought while listening to music
Summary
ECM Records is a label that creates music under the concept of “The Most Beautiful Sound Next To Silence.”
Its extraordinary commitment to recording quality and its artistic visual identity have attracted passionate listeners from around the world.
On a tired evening, turn off the television and light a candle — or simply switch on a soft lamp.
Pour yourself a good drink, sit in a quiet room, and listen carefully to music that pursues stillness.
Let yourself relax inside the resonance of sound.