Saturday, September 22, 2007

Sitting at the sidebar

A year ago, this piece of music by Zakir Hussain helped guide me safely, but not painlessly across a bridge. And on this quiet morning, it reminds me to be fearless, to never cross back over, and at all costs to keep the door to my heart wide open.

1 comment:

Douglas Miller said...

In the first two bars I knew this was off 'making music' - ONE OF THE GREAT JAZZ ALBUMS (Katie, I kind of knew that it was going to be this as soon as I saw you put the words 'Zakir Hussain' up!). The Garbarek playing on this album is magnificent.

I see this album as a kind of Shakti plus Garbarek with John Mc playing at his best. I first heard this in about 1989-90 and it is one of the albums that has made the biggest impression on my musical life. This is sexual, sensuous music.

Certainly one of ECM records finest moments. ECM are as important to jazz post 1970 as Blue Note were pre 1970 and this album along with twenty or so others of theirs have taken jazz into a new world - metaphorically an literally.

I don't know if you have ever seen Garbarek live but if you can take the chance. ZH plays in so many genres and is one of jazz's most important innovators and musicians and he has to be seen in the flesh too. I saw Hariprasad Chaurasia in a 'Remember Shakti' concert and I loved his playing too.

I am thrilled that you posted this. I never knew that the ECM sound had really crossed over the pond.