Playground Manu Katché

• 1 Lo 06:30
• 2 Pieces of Emotion 04:18
• 3 Song for Her 06:27
• 4 So Groovy 05:53
• 5 Morning Joy 05:32
• 6 Motion 05:21
• 7 Project 58 06:19
• 8 Snapshot 04:59
• 9 Possible Thought 06:10
• 10 Inside Game 05:11
• 11 Clubbing 07:08
• 12 Song for Her, Var. 06:25
• Total Runtime 01:10:13

Info for Playground

Playground is the spiritual successor to drummer Manu Katché’s auspicious ECM leader debut: Neighbourhood. Auspicious, because said debut practiced just the communal sort of sharing it preached. The lineup here replaces saxophonist Jan Garbarek with the multi-talented Trygve Seim and adds to its ranks trumpeter Mathias Eick—neither strangers to one another since their appearance on Iro Haarla’s Northbound. Rounding out the cast are two thirds of the Marcin Wasilewski Trio (bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and Wasilewski himself at the keys), as well as guitarist David Torn. Aside from the latter’s ambient contributions to its bookends, the album luxuriates in the all-acoustic interplay of Katché’s simple yet potent tunes.

„European jazz originals Tomasz Stanko and Jan Garbarek made Neighbourhood an almost impossible act to follow. But Playground has very powerful substitutes in Miles-meets-Arve Henriksen trumpeter Mathias Eick, with young Norwegian Garbarek heir Trygve Seim on saxes. Katché combines beautifully mutated grooves and softly jazzy themes with familiar echoes. … And his drumming transforms the simplest melodies with hustling cymbal patterns and sudden galloping tom-tom spurts. Some themes have an In a Silent Way-era Miles feel, while Clubbing has an insistent heartbeat contrasting with a leisurely, almost standard melody. Katché’s broad-church connections glow all over a delectable set.“ (John Fordham, The Guardian)

strong>Mathias Eick, trumpet
strong>Trygve Seim, tenor and soprano saxophones
strong>Marcin Wasilewski, piano
strong>Slawomir Kurkiewicz, double-bass
strong>Manu Katché, drums
strong>David Torn, guitar (on Lo and Song For Her)

Recorded January 2007 at Avatar Studios, New York
Engineered by James A. Farber
Produced by Manfred Eicher

Paris-born (in 1958) and originally a pianist, Katché switched to percussion while studying at the Paris Conservatory. His distinctive drum style is derived from classical snare drum and kettledrum studies as well as from a conscious embracing of African roots. His work with Peter Gabriel on the album “So” and, subsequently on the Amnesty International World tour with Gabriel, Sting and Tracey Chapman catapulted him to world attention and he was soon recording and/or touring with Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson, Dire Straits, Simple Minds, The Bee Gees, Tears for Fears, Youssou N’Dour, Joan Armatrading, Joe Satriani, Nigel Kennedy and dozens more. His ECM affiliations include recordings with Jan Garbarek, amongst them: “Took Up The Runes”, “Twelve Moons”, “Visible World”, “In Praise of Dreams”, and the recent live album “Dresden”. Katché’s first leader date for the label, “Neighbourhood”, was recorded in 2004, with “Playground” following in 2007.

Booklet for Playground