Marilyn Mazur
Celestial Circle
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com

Stefano Battalgia Trio
The River of Anyder
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com

The Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble
Levon Eskenian-Music of Georgew I. Gurdjieff
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com
By George W. Harris

Here are a trio of recent releases by ECM records. Questions about the
distinctive qualities of jazz and folk music are melded together in
each disc.
Drummer/percussionist/vocalist Marilyn Mazur, with John Taylor/p,
Josefine Cronholm/voice and Anders Jormin/b produce a disc that is
short on melody and long on experimentation. The vocals, if that’s what
you desire to call them, are of the edgy-avant garde style. Eerie
sounds emanating from the lips of Mazur and Cronholm, veering in and
out of off beat percussions and piano musings like a pong game that is
about to tilt. Music used to be created to get you in the mood for
dancing, romancing, or worship. Not sure what this is for, except
looking at Jackson Pollock paintings.

Pianist Stefano Battaglia with Salvatore Maiore/b and Roberto Dani/dr
team up with a collection of material that essentially defines the ECM
trio sound. Spacious piano musings, dark resonant bass work and
atmospheric cymbal and drum work that spotlights crystalline, if not
sterile, sounds and interplay. Could this also be Bobo Stenson, Tord
Gustavsen, Marcin Wasilewski or any of a myriad of European pianists? I
challenge anyone to tell me 3 differences between this disc and any of
the aforementioned trio leaders. It reminds me of the days when every
50s trio sounded like a Bud Powell wanna be. Choose one, but don’t
choose all.

Creating a musical environment comprised of Middle Eastern instruments
such as duduks, ouds, santurs and assorted percussion instruments, an
ensemble directed by Levon Eskenian features traditional folk music
that melds Assyrian, Greek, Armenian and Middle Eastern sounds and
moods. Very little of it is for dancing, more likely suited for a
evening in a square or tavern. Mystical, moody and spacious, the mix of
strings, reeds and hands takes you on a trip to the Byzantine Empire.