THI @ Nextbop, Edition 8

I wrote a short review of Craig Taborn’s upcoming record on ECM, Chants, for Nextbop. You can read my review here. I always enjoy hearing new ECM albums, even if I don’t ultimately like the music – though that wasn’t an issue with Chants! I like that ECM has found a balance, albeit a tenuous one, between the staidness that threatens major labels (think Blue Note) and the underdog mentality of a small indie label. I love that they start every record with five seconds of silence. Yes, it’s pretentious, but it also reminds us what music does – fills silence, has a relationship with silence. In a world where silence is ever receding under the onslaught of car MP3 players, laptop speakers, and earbuds, it’s a welcome reminder.