Jack DeJohnette featuring Lester Bowie - Zebra (1985)

By request, here's Zebra by drummer Jack DeJohnette and trumpeter Lester Bowie. Atmospheric, synth-y slow-burners comprising tastefully wandering solos over laid-back, sparse, at times African-sounding grooves. Not counting this one, I've posted at least 10 albums featuring Jack DeJohnette, so it's really about time that I did one of his solo records.

Track listing:

1. Ntoro I

2. Jongo

3. Aho

4. Kpledzo

5. Ntoro II

Strange shapes

You might also enjoy:

Rainer Brüninghaus - Continuum (1983)

Mark Isham - Castalia (1988)

Bill Connors - Of Mist and Melting (1978)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:

Bill Connors - Swimming with a Hole in My Body (1979)

Icy ECM jazz led by guitarist Bill Connors, and featuring Gary Peacock on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums (who else?), and Jan Garbarek on sax. Been on a major ECM kick the past couple of days, expect more soon.

Track listing:

1. Melting

2. Not Forgetting

3. Face in the Water

4. Aubade

5. Cafe Vue

6. Unending

Learning forgetfulness

If you like this, listen to:

Terje Rypdal - After the Rain (1976)

Steve Tibbetts - Northern Song (1982)

Joe Henderson - Power to the People (1969)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Joe Henderson - Black Is the Color (1972) + Black Narcissus (1976)
Joe Henderson - Multiple (1973)

One of the first jazz records that ever stuck with me. Loose and energetic pieces that build from a low simmer to chaotic peaks with incredible ease. Unsurprisingly, Herbie Hancock puts in some phenomenal work.

Track listing:
1. Black Narcissus
2. Afro-Centric
3. Opus One-Point-Five
4. Isotope
5. Power to the People
6. Lazy Afternoon
7. Foresight and Afterthought (An Impromptu Suite in Three Movements)

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem

You'll probably also enjoy:

Elvin Jones -
Genesis (1971)

Steve Reid -
Nova (1976)

Kenny Wheeler - Deer Wan (1978)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
John Taylor, Norma Winston, & Kenny Wheeler - Azimuth (1977)

Laid-back but sprawling, stream-of-consciousness pieces, helmed by Canadian trumpeter/flugelhorn-player Kenny Wheeler, and featuring a band of ECM heavyweights -- check the tags.

Track listing:
1. Peace for Five
2. 3/4 in the Afternoon
3. Sumother Song
4. Deer Wan

Follow down

You'd also enjoy:

Barre Phillips -
Mountainscapes (1976)

Paul Motian Trio -
Le Voyage (1979)

Chico Freeman - The Outside Within (1978)

Eastern-tinged, nocturnal jazz led by saxophonist Chico Freeman. While much of the album has a dark, late-night feel, there's a sustained sense of tension throughout that periodically culminates in cathartic bursts of full-on chaos, preventing the listener from ever getting too comfortable.

Track listing:
1. The Search
2. Undercurrent
3. Luna
4. Ascent

Close to you alone

Also listen to:

Sam Rivers -
Contours (1965)

Jan Garbarek -
Esoteric Circle (1969)

Steve Kuhn - Trance (1975)

Super-chill, slow-burning jazz led by American pianist Steve Kuhn. Perfect zone-out tunes for yours truly's lazy-as-fuck day -- I goddamn earned it, trust me.

Track listing:
1. Trance
2. A Change of Face
3. Squirt
4. The Sandhouse
5. Something Everywhere
6. Silver
7. The Young Blade
8. Life's Backward Glance

We could be flying

You should also listen to:

Gato Barbieri -
Bolivia (1973)

Henry Threadgill & Make a Move -
Where's Your Cup? (1997)

Joe Henderson - Multiple (1973)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Joe Henderson - Black Is the Color (1972) + Black Narcissus (1976)

Phenomenal, funky, groove-based jazz fusion from a band led by Joe Henderson, one of jazz's all-time great saxophonists. Though it's plenty far-out, Multiple is one of Henderson's more accessible ventures -- in addition to continuing his exploration of the world of studio overdubs, it features a bit of vocals from the man himself!

Track listing:
1. Tress-Cun-Deo-La
2. Bwaata
3. Song for Sinners
4. Turned Around
5. Me, Among Others

In pursuit of blackness

Collin Walcott - Cloud Dance (1976)

Sitarist Collin Walcott's (also of Oregon fame) first solo album. Yes, he studied under Ravi Shankar. What's really interesting about this record is how, instead of creating some kind of whitewashed version of Indian music, the sitar and tabla are often simply folded into the pillowy, gently propulsive sounds of ECM jazz.

Track listing:
1. Margheritte
2. Prancing
3. Night Glider
4. Scimitar
5. Vadana
6. Eastern Song
7. Padma
8. Cloud Dance

Get to the moon lake

Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous & Jack DeJohnette - To Be Continued (1981)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous & Jack DeJohnette - S/T (1978)

Second of two collaborative efforts between guitarist Terje Rypdal, bassist Miroslav Vitous, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Atmospheric, dynamic, free-form compositions that might work as an easy primer on 'the ECM sound.'

Track listing:
1. Maya
2. Mountain the the Clouds
3. Morning Lake
4. To Be Continued
5. This Morning
6. Topplue, Votter, & Skjerf
7. Uncomposed Appendix

Icing

Freddie Hubbard - First Light (1971)

A masterpiece of cushiony, lush, ornate, spaced-out jazz fusion. Of the many, many great records Hubbard put out, First Light might be the most satisfying.  Virtually any and every music nerd needs to know about this album.

Track listing:
1. First Light
2. Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey
3. Moment to Moment
4. Yesterday's Dreams
5. Lonely Town

True colors

Miroslav Vitouš - Infinite Search (1969)

First album by Czech jazz bassist Miroslav Vitouš. Energetic, playful, and heady, Infinite Search has one foot in the then-new world of jazz fusion and the other in slightly more avant-garde territory, and features a formidable cast of musicians, including Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Joe Chambers, and Jack DeJohnette.

Track listing:
1. Freedom Jazz Dance
2. Mountain in the Clouds
3. When Face Gets Pale
4. Infinite Search
5. I Will Tell Him on You
6. Epilogue

Beautiful place to

Wayne Shorter - Super Nova (1969)

Excellent, adventurous album led by saxophone great Wayne Shorter, who I was just talking about. A highly diverse set, ranging from frantically energetic fusion that borders on free jazz ("Supernova", "More Than Human") to relatively straightforward hard bop ("Water Babies") to reflective and low-key ("Sweet Pea".) Atop all of these great moments, though, rests the album's centerpiece and undeniable highlight -- "Dindi", a mind-melting journey from clattering percussion and nervous, sparse melodic elements to a gentle, acoustic-led Portuguese ballad, then back out through explosive, climactic full band improvisation. Features John McLaughlin, among others.

Track listing:
1. Supernova
2. Sweet Pea
3. Dindi
4. Water Babies
5. Capricorn
6. More Than Human

Wild flower

Joe Henderson - Black Is the Color (1972) + Black Narcissus (1976)

Two phenomenal records from legendary jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson. Black Is the Color marks Henderson's first usage of studio overdubbing, while Black Narcissus finds him incorporating synthesizers into the mix for a heady, spaced-out sound. Both records are fueled by hard, conga-driven grooves, and serve as excellent additions to the more experimental end of Henderson's discography.

Track listing:
-Black Is the Color-
1. Terra Firma
2. Vis-A-Vis
3. Foregone Conclusion
4. Black Is the Color (Of My True Love's Mind)
5. Current Events
-Black Narcissus-
1. Black Narcissus
2. Hindsight and Forethought
3. Power to the People
4. Amoeba
5. Good Morning, Heartache
6. The Other Side of Right

...Is the Color
...Narcissus

Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous & Jack DeJohnette - Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous & Jack DeJohnette (1979)

SUP. Rypdal = Norwegian guitarist. Vitous = Czech bassist. DeJohnette = American drummer. Chilly, haunting jazz fusion, ECM style.

Track listing:
1. Sunrise
2. Den Forste Sne
3. Will
4. Believer
5. Flight
6. Seasons

To be continued