LATER THAT EVENING

Eberhard Weber is well-known by his collaboration on some best jazz artist's albums, but at the same time he is one of ECM label's leading solo musician as well.

"Later Than Evening" contains just four compositions, but with a help of some great musicians participated it could be mentioned as one of the best Weber's release. Sound is crystal clear,crisp and very airy - as you can expect from ECM classic release. Music on the album is relaxed, down tempo, quite often almost liquid and rhythmless, minimalistic but precise.

Album's opener "Maurizius" is composition, heavily rooted in classical music, but played very relaxed,almost ambient-like. In this case ECM sound is more attractive for listening than composition itself."Death in the Carwash" for sure is central album's song and one of the best Weber's composition ever. With help of Frisell's guitar and more energetic Michael DiPasqua drumming, it got flesh and blood, and demonstrate some ascetic, but signature-like Weber custom-made bass leaks.

"Often In The Open" contains dramatic Lyle Mays ( Pat Metheny's collaborator for years) piano and DiPasqua's drums interplays with energetic bass - another great album's composition!"Later That Evening" returns back to opener's fashion - liquid and ambient,but characterless composition, very common for many ECM releases (for good and bad).

In all, album represents some great Weber's moments, and some quite common as well. Strong album for ECM sound maniacs, it is only in part interesting for more adventure jazz lovers.

I like the picture of the band in the liner notes, five cool looking guys sitting in what looks like an auditorium spread out across the stairs and chairs. Weber has enlisted Paul McCandless (sax, oboe, English horn & bass clarinet) , Michael DiPasqua (drums, percussion) , Bill Frisell (guitar) and Lyle Mays (piano) on this 1982 release.

"Maurizius" is very mellow as the piano tinkles with the cymblas and sax helping out. The sax stops but returns before 4 1/2 minutes. Such a relaxed tune I couldn't help but think of that Mays / Metheny release "As Witchita Falls..." Next up is "Death In The Carwash" an almost 17 minute epic. I was surprised at how haunting the intro was with voices whispering and so on. Very eerie. Melancholic horns and cymbals eventually lead then we get some sparse piano after 5 minutes. Bass follows around 8 minutes with guitar expressions helping out too. The piano is back before 12 minutes and it dominates until before 14 1/2 minutes when the horn takes over and leads tastefully.

"Often In The Open" has piano and drums that come and go to start. It's building as bass clarinet and more join in. Intense. A calm before 4 minutes then sparse sounds come and go including oboe, piano, drums and guitar. It's building 8 minutes in. Nice bass lines here. It settles back late. "Later That Evening" has these long english horn notes as guitar then deep bass comes in. it's still laid back. Piano just before 4 minutes then the horn retruns 5 1/2 minutes in.

Another ECM winner but i'd rate "Yellow Fields" and "Silent Feet" slightly above this.