Joe Zawinul – The ESC Years
Joe Zawinul was perhaps the best-known and most influential keyboardist in jazz, who pioneered the use of electric keyboards and synths. Till his death he was still at the peak of his powers, shows no signs of slowing up and no inclination to compromise his individuality one jot – his electric-based music is way out of step with the strict acoustic-only policy endorsed by the jazz police. Drawing from the cream of today’s contemporary jazz- and world music stars he set about charting a tantalising voyage. Zawinul had lost none of the elegant chops that so graced the 70s. His signature of embellishment of individual motifs enabled him to float around a tune without any need for a fixed role. Zawinul’s trademark multi-textured keyboard and vocoder mix was buoyed up by an extraordinary variety of rhythms and sounds from all over the planet on this exuberant celebratory, irresistibly ebullient albums. Tumbling African beats jostle with keening Indian vocals propelled by chattering tablas, spine-tingling harmonised vocals were interspersed with soft-voiced, soulful earnestness; slinky, percussive funk rub shoulders with ethereal keyboard washes. Quite what it’s all about remains a bit of a mystery, – the logic of Zawinul’s compostions is hardly ever obvious. “THE ESC Years” included tracks Joe recorded between 1992 to 2002. This compilation includes pieces from “My People”, “World Tour” and “Faces & Places”. Also included is “Ötzi”, a track never released worldwide except in Japan.
tracklist:
1 Borges Buenos Aires (Part 1) 4:38
2 Cafe Andalusia (A Day In Tunesia) 7:12
3 Introduction To A Mighty Theme 1:52
4 Waraya 6:03
5 Rooftops Of Vienna 6:00
6 When There Was Royalty 6:02
7 Bimoya 6:35
8 Tower Of Silence 6:07
9 Orient Express 7:53
10 The Search 2:03
11 All About Simon 4:56
12 In An Island Way 4:48
bonustrack:
13 Ötzi 6:17
total: 70:26