Search - Jan Garbarek :: Paths Prints

A meeting of the minds

The Delite Rancher | Phoenix, Arizona | 09/05/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting." While Brian Eno wrote this in 1978, it perfectly describes "Paths, Prints." Indeed, this 1981 release could be the very definition of the ECM sound, for better or worse. For the better, it beautifully walks that ambient line between new age sensibilities and European style jazz. For the worse, the music lacks hooks. Some listeners may find the effort a bit bland and feel unsettled by the absence of memorable compositions or melodies. Alas, it is what it is and it works well as atmospheric music. I approached this as a casual listener of Jan Garbarek and a fanatic of Bill Frisell. While there's plenty of Bill to satisfy the Frisellians, "Paths, Prints" will probably most resonate with devotees of Garbarek. That written, there is an inevitability to this project given both musicians' time on the label. While "Paths, Prints" remembers what has mostly become a phase for Bill Frisell, this project was an effective convergence of what were two remarkably similar visions. "Paths, Prints" stands as an ambient adventure between two great musicians."