Mindblowing sounds from guitarist Terje Rypdal – one of the most unique players of the 70s, and still very much at the top of his game all these many years later – even after generations have tried to copy his style! The set is a great reminder that the mixture of Rypdal and ECM is a match made in heaven – as the guitarist has a sound that's full of the kind of atmospherics that the label loves to spin out with its trademark production, but also keeps more than enough of his own identity here – never falling into easy modes or soundscape cliches – and always knowing when to step up front sonically when that seems about to happen. Other players include Stale Storlokken on keyboards, Endre Hareide Hallre on Fender and fretless bass, and Pal Thowsen on percussion and drums – on the titles "Dawn", "By His Lonesome", "Conspiracy", "What Was I Thinking", and "As If The Ghost Was Me". CD

A key early ECM set from guitarist Terje Rypdal – a set that moves him from the territory of his more experimental Bleak House album into the kind of moodily expressive field that made the label such an important showcase for his unusual talents! There's still some psychedelic touches around the edge – but almost in some sort of Miles electric vibe, as Terje's guitar really comes on strong at times – with these bold statements that you might not expect from later years – but mixed with more ECM-styled moments too – all delivered by a superb lineup that includes Jan Garbarek on tenor and flute, Bobo Stenson and Tom Halversen on electric pianos, Arild Andersen on bass, Jon Christensen on drums, and Inger Lise Rypdal on a bit of voice. Terje also plays a bit of flute – and titles include "Keep It Like That Tight", "Rainbow", "Electric Fantasy", "Lontano II", and "Tough Enough". CD

A fantastic early record by one of the true guitar geniuses of the 70s – and a set that shows why even at ECM, Terje Rypdal could still sound unlike anybody else in his generation! Side one features a quintet working through two very striking tunes – a bit noisy and funky at times, atmospheric at others – filled with freaky lines from Rypdal on guitar! Other players include Pete Knutsen on mellotron and electric piano, Odd Ulleberg on French horn, Sveinung Hovensjo on basses, and Jon Christensen on percussion – and the group plays the tunes "Silver Bird Is Heading For The Sun" and "The Hunt". Side two features a very different mode – the title track "Whenever I Seem To Be Far Away" – billed as an "image for electric guitar, strings, oboe, and clarinet"! Rypdal's guitar is mixed with work from members of the Sudfunk Symphony – and the 17 minute track is a masterful showcase not just for Terje's guitar, but also for his large conceptions of music. CD

Classic ECM material from guitarist Terje Rypdal – a set that only features a trio, but which has a wonderfully majestic sound all the way through! Terje plays guitar, keyboards, and flute – somehow finding a moody edge on all three instruments – getting perfect accompaniment from the open drums and percussion of Jon Christensen, and the more pointed work on trumpet from Palle Mikkelborg – who often punctuates the music in a really great way! Mikkelborg seems to be processed at points, and also plays a bit of keyboards – and there's a shifting acoustic/electric vibe to the set that's somewhere in the EG Records territory of Jon Hassell – but more guitar-based overall. Titles include "Circles", "Descendre", "Speil", "Men Of Mystery", "Innnseiling", and "Avskjed". CD

An ECM power trio set from the late 70s – served up with a sound that's very much the sum of its three great parts! Terje Rypdal's guitar work is as enigmatic as ever – sharp-toned, and spinning out in really spacey, spooky ways – and Miroslav Vitous plays bass just like we like – using the instrument to feel out space, instead of just mark time – leaving most of that, at points, to the drum work of Jack DeJohnette, who shows once again that conventional rhythms aren't really his bag – and that he's free to use the drum kit like nobody else. Producer Manfred Eicher folds the whole thing together with a beautiful sense of sound – and titles include "Sunrise", "Den Forste Sne", "Will", "Flight", and "Seasons". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in bringing the guitar sound of Terje Rypdal to a larger audience – a wonderfully fluid electric set that opens up his sound, while still keeping all the edge from his early days! There's few players like Rypdal on the strings, and that's definitely the case here – as the guitarist moves between a few different instruments, in a few different modes – working with Barre Phillips on bass, Jon Christensen on percussion and organ, Sveinung Hovensjo on electric bass, and Erik Niord Larsen on oboe and English horn. The unusual instrumental range is used to great effect – in the best ECM 70s style – and the players are really staking out new territory in jazz, but without ever sounding gimmicky or overindulgent – qualities that might make the record one of Rypdal's most organic outings. Titles include "Icing", "Yearning", "Bent It", "Back Of J", "Sejours", and "What Comes After". CD

Beautiful bass from Barre Phillips – with Terje Rypdal on guitar and organ, Dieter Feichtner on keyboards, and Trilok Gurtu on tabla and percussion! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only recorded documents of the talents of Swedish guitarist Staffan Harde – a player who departed from the scene after the lack of critical response to this tremendous album! We're not sure why the record failed to make waves at the time – but it could well be because the whole thing is years ahead of its time – so bold in conception, and unique in ideas that Harde could never be easily pigeonholed in terms of sound or style! At one level, Harde's got a very chromatic approach to his instrument – often playing in ways that start with Jim Hall and move past Terje Rypdal – but often with phrasing that's very different than either – not as avant as Derek Bailey, with some of the vision of Ray Russell – but again, still very much his own man too. If we're throwing around big names, it's because we feel that Harde can stand with any of these inventive jazz giants – but in a space that's very much his own – working here ins hifting settings with Berngt Berger on drums, Lars Urban Helje on bass, and Lars Sjosten on piano. Titles include "Substance 1", "Bigaroon", "Incitement", "Electrification", and "Cordial L". CD

Funky funky Norway – a secret look into a 70s scene that most of us know little about! The set's like discovering a whole new funky planet – a mysterious double of the US scene of the time, but one where the funk has a sound that's strangely different, and differently wonderful! There's a lot of jazz in the grooves on the tracks – but there's also some strong influences from rock-fusion, 70s soundtracks, and even some of the hipper jazz vocal work of the time. Lyrics, when they appear, are usually in English – but it's the instrumentation that really makes this set cook – especially the tripped-out guitars on some of the cuts, or the massive basslines that break out on some of our favorite tracks. Titles in clude "Storskrytarstevet" by Knut Skodvin, "Kom" by That's Why, "Come Down" by Saluki, "Dead Man's Tale" by Terje Rypdal, "Sweeten/Theme For Kristian" by Guttormsen & Ekholt Storband, "Libidum" by Helge Hurum, and "Na Sitter Vi Og Venter" by Undertakers Circus. 13 tracks in all! CD