Release Date: 31 December 2008
Label: Ecm Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 602498740590
Genres: Jazz  Contemporary  
Release Date: 31 December 2008
Label: Ecm Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 602498740590
Genres: Jazz  Contemporary  
Description
Born in Barnet in 1958, Martin Speake began playing saxophone at 16. In the early 1980s he was a founder member of the prize-winning sax quartet Itchy Fingers, which toured festivals and recorded for Virgin, with McCoy Tyner guesting on their first album. Speake subsequently worked with Django Bates, Stan Tracey and others on the London jazz scene, toured with pop band The Style Council, and recorded ten albums as a leader. Recent projects have ranged from new Charlie Parker arrangements and duo concerts with Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson to collaborations with Indian musicians.
In 1993, Speake toured the UK with a quartet including US drummer Paul Motian and bassist Mick Hutton (previously heard on ECM with First House and with Robin Williamson). For the Cheltenham International Jazz Festival seven years later saxophonist, bassist and drummer reconvened, with pianist Bobo Stenson, in Speake's International Quartet. Speake wrote new music specifically to accommodate Motian's and Stenson's different-but-compatible conceptions of jazz. Motian and Stenson, who had never played together before, got along so well that the drummer subsequently joined the Swedish pianist's band, recording the acclaimed 'Goodbye'.
After a second UK tour in early 2002 the group travelled to Oslo to record 'Change of Heart' under Manfred Eicher's direction. Successful as the recording was, this first ECM disc will likely be the last from this formation. Paul Motian, now 75, no longer leaves New York, and Mick Hutton has since abandoned the bass - with steel pans and keyboards and composing his priorities now.
Recorded 2002
Personnel: Martin Speake (saxophone), Bobo Stenson (piano), Mick Hutton (bass), Paul Motian (drums)
Tracklisting
John Surman
Marcin Wasilewski Trio & Joe Lovano
Sebastian Rochford
Elina Duni, Rob Luft, Fred Thomas & Matthieu Michel
Keith Jarrett
Mette Henriette
Keith Jarrett
Jakob Bro, Arve Henriksen & Jorge Rossy
Martin Speake, Matthew Forbes & Phelan Burgoyne
Martin Speake, Mike Outram & Jeff Williams
Martin Speake, Nikki Iles, Duncan Hopkins & Anthony Michelli
Martin Speake
Martin Speake
Martin Speake
Martin Speake