Tomasz Stanko - Selected Recordings :rarum XVII (2004)

ECM :rarum MONTH* (MARCH 2017)

I don't particularly care for Stanko's aggressive trumpet tone - I don't know if I don't like what he's saying, I don't understand what he's saying, or I don't like how he's saying it. However, I do like his writing so this turns out to be an enjoyable compilation. It's somewhat accessible avant-garde jazz (if that makes any sense). Nonetheless, it requires so getting used to as well as repeated listenings to fully appreciate. This ain't background music from the local jazz lounge - it's an ear-opening journey into improvisation and interplay.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 12 tracks, 75 minutes.

Title	Album	Year
Tales for a Girl, 12	Matka Joanna	1995
Pantronic	From the Green Hill	1998
Cain's Brand	Matka Joanna	1995
Tale	Balladyna	1976
Moor	Voice from the Past - Paradigm	1982
Die Weisheit von Le comte Lautréamont	Leosia	1997	✔
Morning Heavy Song	Leosia	1997	✔
Quintet's Time	From the Green Hill	1998
Sleep Safe and Warm	Litana - Music of Krzysztof Komeda	1997
Litana	Litana - Music of Krzysztof Komeda	1997
Together	Satu	1977	✔
Balladyna	Balladyna	1976

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

---

*Back in June 2015, this beautiful thing showed up at my doorstep:

It's a 12 CD box set (2008) of compilation discs from ECM's :rarum series, a birthday gift from a good friend.  In this series, the artists were given the freedom to pick their personal favorite recordings from any ECM release they've made as a leader or sideman. In other words, the label got outta the way and good for them.  I'll be making my way through the set this month.

ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music), originally a German label, was founded in 1969. "Rarum" comes from the Latin root "rarus" meaning "rare" (perhaps foreshadowing that these CDs wouldn't be in print for very long).