ジャズアルバム紹介

『 David Darling / Cycles 』

ECMが挙げた’80年代初頭の成果の一つであろう。最近この時期のECM作品を聴いてみる機会が増えているが素晴らしい成果を挙げている作品が多いなと思う。本作はDavid Darling のチェロをリーダーにしたECMオールスター達によるアルバムである。内省的で抒情的な風景が目の前に浮かび上がってくるようなオープニング曲"Cycle Song"が兎に角美しい。Collin WalcottのタブラとJan Garbarekのソプラノが孤独感を募らせる②"Cycle One: Namaste"はSteve KuhnのピアノとDavidのチェロ、Collinのタブラが絡み会う⑤"Cycle Two: Trio"、クインテット編成となった⑥"Cycle Three: Quintet and Coda"と組曲のように緊密に結び付き円環を閉じる。間にある③"Fly"はJanのテナーの独壇場、おどろおどろしいダーティなまでのダイナミックな表現が強烈に幻想的なケルティックワールドに惹き込んで行く。④"Ode"はタイトル通りの抒情的な曲でArild Andersenのベースラインに沿ってCollinのシタールやOscar Castro-Nevesのギターがリズムを刻みdavidのチェロやSteve のピアノ、Janのソプラノが浮遊するようにメロディを奏でる。ラスト曲⑦"Jessica's Sunwheel"はSteveのピアノをフィーチャーしたセンチメンタルな曲、ラストには相応しかろう。1981年録音作品。☆☆☆☆☆‬

This is one of the achievements of ECM in the early '80s. Recently, I have had more opportunities to listen to ECM works from this period, and I think that many of them have produced wonderful results. This album is by ECM all-stars led by David Darling on cello. The opening song ① "Cycle Song", in which an introspective and lyrical landscape appears before your eyes, is simply beautiful. ② "Cycle One: Namaste", where Collin Walcott's tabla and Jan Garbarek's soprano increase the sense of loneliness, is closely linked like a suite with ⑤ "Cycle Two: Trio", where Steve Kuhn's piano, David's cello, and Collin's tabla intertwine, and ⑥ "Cycle Three: Quintet and Coda", which is arranged as a quintet wrth the addition of Oscar Castro-Neves' guitar, to close the circle. ③ "Fly", which is in between, is Jan's tenor's stage, and his dynamic expression, which is scary and dirty, draws you into a strongly fantastical Celtic world.  ④"Ode" is a lyrical song as the title suggests, with Collin's sitar and Oscar's guitar beating out the rhythm along with Arild Andersen's bass line, and David's cello, Steve's piano, and Jan's soprano playing a floating melody. The last song, ⑦"Jessica's Sunwheel", is a sentimental song featuring Steve's piano, making it a fitting final piece. Recorded in 1981. ☆☆☆☆☆