Home » Jazz Articles » Extended Analysis » Manu Katche: Manu Katche: Touchstone for Manu
Manu Katche: Manu Katche: Touchstone for Manu
A competitive move between two labels that may seem, on the surface, to share more than they differ—both hailing from Munich, both led by label heads with a lifetime in the business, and both bringing lesser-known artists to international attention? Perhaps, but in truth, not really. Despite ACT being a label with no shortage of appealing artists, ranging from guitarists
Nguyen Le
guitar, electricb.1959
Ulf Wakenius
guitarb.1958
Joachim Kuhn
pianob.1944
Lars Danielsson
bassb.1958
ECM, on the other hand, was founded by a more active artistic visionary in
"
data-original-title="" title="">Manfred Eicher, who—as one of the few active producers left that gets his hands dirty, creatively speaking, and is consequently often thought of as the third member of a duo, the fifth member of a quartet and the ninth member of an octet—created a clear aesthetic for the label from the very start that has managed to avoid artistic confinement as it approaches the half century mark. If anything, the more than one thousand albums Eicher has personally produced since forming ECM Records in 1969 (in addition to others produced by the artists or by the label's Production and Licensing manager, Steve Lake) have been defined by the broadest possible stylistic breadth, leading to that most desired but rarest of reputations amongst record labels: one where fans will invest in unfamiliar music solely on the basis that it has been released by the label. Brand loyalty is hard to come by in the new millennium, but ECM has managed to build and retain it for more than 45 years. These days, ignoring the equally active and boundary-pushing New Series line that differentiates itself from the regular series of more improvisation-heavy music through its preponderance of largely scored music with a more classical bent—though, no surprise, what was once a clear line between the two imprints has become increasingly fuzzy—ECM continues to push the envelope, by incorporating—and encouraging collaborations between—a broad range of artists from around the world. From Americans including saxophonists
Tim Berne
saxophone, altob.1954
Chris Potter
saxophone, tenorb.1971
Jon Hassell
trumpetb.1937
David Torn
guitar, electricb.1953
Ralph Towner
guitarb.1940
John Abercrombie
guitar1944 - 2017
Jack DeJohnette
drumsb.1942
Keith Jarrett
pianob.1945
Craig Taborn
pianob.1970
David Virelles
pianob.1983
Vijay Iyer
pianob.1971
Marc Copland
pianob.1948
Jan Garbarek
saxophoneb.1947
Terje Rypdal
guitarb.1947
Arild Andersen
bass, acousticb.1945
Jon Balke
pianob.1955
"
data-original-title="" title="">Ketil Bjornstad and drummer 
Jon Christensen
drums1943 - 2020
Mathias Eick
trumpetb.1979
Jacob Young
guitarb.1970
Sinikka Langeland
vocals
Tord Gustavsen
pianob.1970
Trygve Seim
saxophoneAnd it's a discography that's all the more significant thanks to the participation of other important international artists throughout the years, including British singer
Norma Winstone
vocalsb.1941
Andy Sheppard
saxophoneb.1957
Eberhard Weber
bassb.1940
Anja Lechner
cello
Jakob Bro
guitarb.1978
Marilyn Mazur
percussionb.1955
Bobo Stenson
pianob.1944
Anders Jormin
bass
Iro Haarla
piano
Edward Vesala
drums1945 - 1999
Anouar Brahem
oudb.1957
"
data-original-title="" title="">Amina Alaoui; Italian trumpeters 
Enrico Rava
trumpetb.1939
Paolo Fresu
trumpetb.1961
Stefano Bollani
pianob.1972
Stefano Battaglia
pianob.1965
Giovanni Guidi
piano
Dino Saluzzi
bandoneonb.1935
Egberto Gismonti
guitarb.1947
Nana Vasconcelos
percussion1944 - 2016
Susanne Abbuehl
vocalsb.1970
Nik Bärtsch
pianob.1971
Colin Vallon
pianob.1980
Tomasz Stańko
trumpet1942 - 2018
Marcin Wasilewski
pianob.1975
Louis Sclavis
woodwindsb.1953
Francois Couturier
pianoIrrespective of the "why"—and despite containing no previously unreleased music, drawing entirely, instead, from the drummer's four albums including two tracks from Neighbourhood, three from Playground, three from Third Round and four from Manu Katché—Touchstone for Manu is both an ideal introduction for the uninitiated and an example of just how much track sequencing plays a role in the overall flow of an album. With the exception of the balladic opener, Playground's "Song for Her," which features a lyrical solo from bassist
Slawomir Kurkiewicz
bass, acousticInstead, Touchstone for Manu can and should be seen as a distinct and discrete entry in the drummer's discography, with a large cast of guests that ranges from senior ECM artists Jan Garbarek and trumpeter Tomasz Stańko to younger Norwegians Mathias Eick and Trygve Seim, along with another Norwegian,
Tore Brunborg
saxophoneb.1960
Nils Petter Molvaer
trumpetb.1960
Sidsel Endresen
vocalsAlong with Wasilewski and Kurkiewicz, bassist Pino Palladino (better known in the pop world) and pianist
Jason Rebello
pianob.1969
Jeff Beck
guitar1944 - 2023
Jimmy Watson
b.1922It's a breezy hour of in-the-pocket drum work that rarely breaks a sweat and is almost never heard in a solo context, but is impressive nevertheless because Katché's resume—which includes significant stints with Sting and
Peter Gabriel
vocalsb.1950
Herbie Hancock
pianob.1940
Joni Mitchell
vocalsb.1943
Joe Satriani
guitarKatché's ECM recordings have been deemed, but some, as smooth jazz—or, at the very least, approaching it—but beyond the largely acoustic nature of his work (with only Molv?r utilizing any electronics and Rebello the only keyboardist to add electric piano to the mix), it's really an unfair assessment. True, the writing is relatively straightforward and easy on the ears; but on every record from which Touchstone for Manu is culled, the group interplay and soloing is always impressive.
And it is impressive, whether it's Garbarek's cascading lines and signature tonal purity on Neighbourhood's "Number One"; Wasilewski's Herbie Hancock-inspired work on the same album's "Take Off and Land"; Eick's extended solo on Playground's effervescent "So Groovy," which builds to a conclusion in the upper stratosphere reflective of the young trumpeter's early touchstone—and, for many years, ECM regular—
Kenny Wheeler
flugelhorn1930 - 2014
With Katché having moved on and his first post-ECM record a live recording, it's hard to know what the impact of his decision will have on his solo career. After working for so many years with a producer who provides plenty of input into the creative process, it's yet to be seen if Katché will be able to leverage that experience or, indeed, miss the input of an active producer like Eicher. In the meantime, Touchstone for Manu puts a very fine period on an eight-year run that positioned Katché as a strong bandleader, an accessible composer...and a drummer whose focus on groove and group interplay over chops and excessive gymnastics remains both refreshing and relevant. ">
Track Listing
Song for Her; Number One; Take Off and Land; So ; Morning Joy Keep on Trippin'; Senses; Swing Piece; Running After Years; Slowing the Tides; Bliss.
Personnel
Manu Katche
drumsManu Katché: drums; Tomasz Stanko: trumpet (3, 4); Jan Garbarek: tenor saxophone (3, 4); Marcin Wasilewski: piano (2-6); Slawomir Kurkiewicz: double bass (2-6); Mathias Eick: trumpet (2, 5, 6); Trygve Seim: tenor and soprano saxophones (3, 5, 6); Tore Brunborg: tenor and soprano saxophones (1, 7-11); Jason Rebello: piano and Fender Rhodes (7-9); Pino Palladino: bass (7-9); Jacob Young: guitar (7); Nils Petter Molv?r: trumpet and loops (1, 10, 11); Jim Watson: piano and Hammond B3 organ (1, 10, 11).
Album information
Title: Touchstone for Manu | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: ECM Records
Tags
Manu Katche
Extended Analysis
John Kelman
ECM Records
France
Paris
nguyen le
Ulf Wakenius
Joachim Kühn
Lars Danielsson
Manfred Eicher
Tim Berne
Chris Potter
Jon Hassell
David Torn
Ralph Towner
John Abercrombie
Jack DeJohnette
Keith Jarrett
Craig Taborn
David Virelles
Vijay Iyer
Marc Copland
Jan Garbarek
Terje Rypdal
Arild Andersen
Jon Balke
Ketil Bjornstad
Jon Christensen
Mathias Eick
Jacob Young
Sinikka Langeland
Tord Gustavsen
Trygve Seim
norma winstone
andy sheppard
Eberhard Weber
Anja Lechner
Jakob Bro
Marilyn Mazur
Bobo Stenson
Anders Jormin
Iro Haarla
Edward Vesala
Anouar Brahem
Amina Alaoui
Enrico Rava
Paolo Fresu
Stefano Bollani
Stefano Battaglia
Giovanni Guidi
Dino Saluzzi
Egberto Gismonti
Nana Vasconcelos
Susanne Abbuehl
Nik Bartsch
Colin Vallon
tomasz stanko
Marcin Wasilewski
Louis Sclavis
Francois Couturier
Slawomir Kurkiewicz
Tore Brunborg
Nils Petter Molvaer
Sidsel Endresen
Jason Rebello
jeff beck
Jim Watson
Peter Gabriel
Herbie Hancock
Joni Mitchell
Joe Satriani
Kenny Wheeler
Manu Katche: Touchstone for Manu
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