Air Mail's Prayer for Peace, by request

Typical German contemporary jazz styles, by request, from this Austrian group. Note that Pepl has appeared on these pages before.

Sample track, b2's Pink Monk:

String Summit's One World in Eight, 1981

When you look at the involvement here of famous jazz or fusion musicians you get the feeling it's like a high school reunion.  From discogs:

Bass – Barre Phillips, Bo Stief
Cello – Abdul Wadud
Drums, Percussion – Fredy Studer, Pierre Favre
Engineer – Franz Wagner, Norbert Kloevekorn*
Flugelhorn – Ack van Rooyen
Guitar – Christian Escoudé, Harry Pepl [note that these two have appeared here before, separately, both more than once]
Piano, Synthesizer – Wolfgang Dauner
Trumpet – Ack van Rooyen
Violin – Didier Lockwood, John Blake, Krzesimir Debski

Bringing in so many luminaries does not though lead to a nonlinear multiplication in quality, as is so often the case, with the opposite effect perhaps in evidence.  Dauner once again as he did with the Family of Percussion pulls out his old Trans Tanz composition.


First crazy track called One World in Three (written by the violinists D. Lockwood, Blake and Debski):

1980's Austria Drei and Roidinger's Computer and Jazz Project I from 1984

This is again clearly and cleanly in the ECM tradition of emotional and intellectual jazz.  But it's very good.  Here is the information, as usual.  I think on this record everything came together beautifully for these talented musicians and with this entry we will depart from gorgeous alpine Austria for other countries to explore....

Finally mention should be made of the fantastic album Roidinger made later with electronics and his bass:

Austria fünf: Pirchner - Pepl - Von Alten - Darling - Zadlo in The Loss from 1981

Information here.

Werner Pirchner was an Austrian vibraphonist who was quite productive in this period.  He made at least one very pleasant ECM album with Jack de Johnette and Harry Pepl (in 1983) which I highly recommend, his most progressive and insane work was the 1973 half double album (which mutant sounds once posted, & I can reup if need be).  I think his best record though is Austria Drei, which will be coming up shortly, but this one is very good too, it's highly ECM-like with its legato Weber-like bass and smooth and complex Towner-like guitarwork (from Pepl).  Each guy is responsible for one song.

Pirchner passed away in 2001. Listening to this, we can contemplate The Loss.