EBERHARD WEBER COLOURS: SILENT FEET

If YELLOW FIELDS, the first album Eberhard Weber recorded with his group Colours, was a sensation, SILENT FEET (which appeared a year later) turned out to be more conventional, but still highly enjoyable.

SILENT FEET boasts just three tracks performed by four musicians: Weber on bass, Rainer Brüninghaus on pianos (both acoustic and electric) and occasional synth, Charlie Mariano on soprano sax and flute, and John Marshall on drums.

John Marshall had just left the Soft Machine; Brüninghaus's electric piano sounds similar to Karl Jenkins's; even Weber's composing is reminiscent of the Soft Machine's BUNDLES, which had just appeared when SILENT FEET was recorded. Chances are that if you enjoy BUNDLES, you will also like this. The main difference is, of course, the total absence of electric guitars and organs, with the result that SILENT FEET sounds like a subtler album, less "rocky" than anything the Softs were providing at around this time.

SILENT FEET's three compositions more or less follow the same pattern: plangent, sometimes mournful melodies dissolve into slow grooves, which gradually pick up speed as one of the soloists struts his stuff, until the solo reaches its climax and the process can start over again. The 17+ minutes "Seriously Deep" boasts extended solos from Weber, Brüninghaus and Mariano. The title track (12 minutes long) is the highlight of the album and one of the highlights of Weber's career. It's the only track on SILENT FEET which features a truly fast and exuberant main theme - but the band use the old trick of starting out slowly and soloing on top of the basic chord pattern BEFORE the main theme is played. The initial solo is taken by Brüninghaus, and (as it speeds up) it's one of the most exuberant piano solos I know. The only time I've ever heard Brüninghaus come close to this, is on Jan Garbarek's recent live album DRESDEN, where he's once again given the space to shine.

What you make of Charlie Mariano's solos will depend on how you feel about soprano sax in general. In my view, Mariano's playing was more remarkable on YELLOW FIELDS. Here, it never really catches fire (in spite of those crescendos), not in the way Brüninghaus's playing does. Weber himself, on the other hand, is absolutely brilliant. SILENT FEET is worth buying just to hear how he accompanies his fellow band members. He sounds so strong and confident, it's a joy throughout. As for Weber's own solos, they're highly convincing and totally sui generis. Just imagine a fretless bass which sounds more "organic" than any guitar ever could, and which also swoops and trills in unexpected ways... Incredible mastery is all I can say.

N.B. SILENT FEET is now available in a bargain-priced two-disc set which includes all three albums by the 'Colours' band: YELLOW FIELDS, SILENT FEET itself, and LITTLE MOVEMENTS. A collection I strongly recommend..

Silent Feet is a great album from fretless bass extraordinaire Eberhard Weber. Another artist from the famous ECM label. Recorded in Weber's homeland, Germany in 1977 alongside fellow musicians, Charlie Mariano ( Sorprano sax & Flute), Rainer Bruninghaus ( synths and piano) and Johan Marshall on drums. Weber's bass playing is awesome throughout the entire album and a fellow reviewer has described perfectly Weber's incredible exchanges on Silent Feet with his fellow musicians. All I can say is once you become a fan of bass, fretless bass or even cello in a minimalist jazz setting, Weber's dazzling style will leave you addicted and wanting more!. The album is made up of three pieces, the opener " Seriously Deep", " Silent Feet" and the stark and moody " Eyes That See In The Dark". An excellent piece of work and highly recommend for jazz enthusiasts seeking minimalist soundscape. Four worthy stars.

The year after releasing the beautiful "Yellow Fields" bass extraordinaire Eberhard Weber is back with "Silent Feet". Same lineup except for on the drum kit where John Marshall (NUCLEUS, SOFT MACHINE) replaces Jon Christensen. Charlie Mariano (EMBRYO, SUPERSISTER) is back playing sax and flute. I do prefer this one over "Yellow Fields", I just find it more dynamic and interesting.

We get three long tracks beginning with the side long "Seriously Deep". It takes a while but eventually piano and sax lead the way tastefully then the drums join in. We get bass and drums only before 4 1/2 minutes then the piano joins in as well. The sax is back 6 minutes in. Some intensity around 10 minutes as the sax and drums impress. I really like the electric piano too. It settles back 11 1/2 minutes in then kicks in again around 14 minutes. Marshall is his usual amazing self after 15 minutes.

"Silent Feet" is led by bass and piano early then drums arrive after 1 1/2 minutes. It picks up a minute later. The piano is fantastic here. A calm just before 6 minutes as the sax comes in and leads then it picks back up. A calm 8 1/2 minutes in then it starts to pick up again a minute later. Nice "Eyes That Can See In The Dark" opens with atmosphere and flute. Sparse piano and bass come in after 2 minutes. Sax and sounds build before 4 minutes then the piano leads before 6 minutes. Nice bass and drum work too. The sax replaces the piano 8 minutes in. It settles after 11 minutes to end it.

Such a classy, well played recording in the ECM tradition. Marshall really impressed me too.

For this album Eberhard Weber debuted his short-lived backing band Colours. Saxnan and flute friend Charlie Mariano and keyboard wizard Rainer Brüninghaus had backed Weber on the preceding Yellow Fields; the ensemble was rounded out by John Marshall, who had just left Soft Machine. The blend of talents and backgrounds proves to be an apt one; Marshall, in particular, seems to benefit from working with a fresh new project, the Soft Machine having rather run its course by this point. The sound of the album seems to be solidly rooted in the ECM jazz style that had become Weber's trademark by this point, but the capable performances from all concerned keeps things interesting.

A second quartet pulled together by Eberhard for some November of recording dates in 1976 in Ludwigsburg, Deutschland. He include previous quartet collaborators Rainer Brüninghaus and Charlie Mariano as well as Nucleus/The Soft Machine drummer John Marshall sitting in the place occupied by Jon Christensen on the previous year's Yellow Fields. The result is magical.

1. "Seriously Deep" (17:47) besides benefitting from the amazing talents of Eberhard and John Marshall in the rhythm section, Rainer Brüninghaus' performance is one of his finest--not only in support of Charlie Mariano's beautiful and fluid saxophone soloing, but in his solo as well. (It is probably important to point out at this juncture that the man was only in his late 20s at the time of these sessions.) The melodic choices of the chord progression and soloists' themes throughout the middle section of this (Rainer and Eberhard, predominantly) are so gorgeous that I find myself fighting to hold back the flow of my tears. And it just keeps building and building as John's drumming becomes more and more animated, as Charlie rejoins and starts to soar into the stratosphere with his wonderful melodies and style. I wish this section never had to end! (I never thought I'd ever be able to like soprano saxophone ) The insistent play of John and Eberhard continue to remain at a high output level while Rainer and Charlie trade solos, finally turning into a duel--an all out war--in the 14th and 15th minutes, only starting to peter out in the sixteenth (though John shows no signs of tiring) and then settling down into a soft, gentle afterglow for the 17th and 18th, slowly taking us out to its compositional end. (33/35) 2. "Silent Feet" (12:10) the song starts out slowly, with contemplative Eberhard and Rainer each soloing off of one another. The conversation seems to become more delicate for a bit while John steps in to play his supportive cymbals after the first two minutes. Then, as Rainer seems to be carving out some momentum with his piano melodies, John begins to lay down some very jazzed up rock drumming. Rainer's piano phrasing and chord selection seem so much more dynamic and confident than he did two years before. And Charlie Mariano seems to effortlessly carve out such (to me) beautiful, upbeat and positve melodies, that I find myself brimming with emotion (and my eyes with tears) as I listen and re-listen to this song. And then there's the amazing repeat-glitch motif that starts at the eight-minute mark-- which John Marshall eventually takes advantage to add his creative cymbal play. But, disappointingly, in the 11th minute it develops into something more plodding, militaristic, and simplistic--almost pop musical like. The final minute is occupied with further development of this Mr. Rogers Neighborhood/"pop" theme by Rainer and Eberhard before drawing delicately to a close. (22.5/25)

3. "Eyes That Can See In The Dark" (12:19) there's that ocarina again! or is it an Indian flute? Both! accompanied by percussion noises coming from scratchings inside the body of a piano as well as those from odd metal percussion before real piano, real saxophone, real bass and bowed bass, and real cymbals from a drum kit set up take over the provision of slowly-developing, slow-played melody of long-held notes and delicate cymbal play in support. Finally, at 5:20, Rainer's piano and John's cymbal pattern signal a turn into some real jazz, which is joined by Eberhard's buoyant and bubbly "underwater" fretless double bass play. Rainer's play is beautiful but it is Eberhard's unusual and unique phrasings that pull on the listener's attention. Charlie finally re-enters at the eight-minute mark with a gorgeous soprano saxophone melody that is doubled up by Rainer's piano. John's drum play--especially the snare--is a bit too rock 'n' roll for me--especially as Charlie goes soaring into the stratosphere à la Jerome Richardson on Gino Vannelli's "Storm at Sunup." I love how beautifully-melodic all of the musicians stay with and in support of Charlie's wonderful play. Now this is the kind of jazz I can get into and really enjoy! At 11:15 John cuts out and Eberhard moves to bowing technique as the band return to long-held note play to the finish. There are some real exuberant and joy-filled parts of this song--especially when Charlie is flying around on his sax--and then there are the "artful" patches of theme-suiting play that was obviously created for theatric effect (the two-minute intro). Overall, I come away with a very positive feeling--having thoroughly enjoyed the six minutes of upbeat, uptempo, beautifully-melodic in the second half-- especially the Charlie Mariano-led section. My favorite piece on the album. (23/25)

Total time 42:16

It feels as if there has been significant maturation of the playing styles of Charlie, Rainer, and Eberhard in the two years since their previous quartet album, Yellow Fields, sessions. As much as I love the drumming of John Marshal with Nucleus and The Soft Machine, and as awesome as he is on the opening song, "Seriously Deep," I think Jon Christensen was a better fit for Eberhard's music. And yet, as a whole, I love the use of so many more-accessible melodies and themes on this album. I do have to add the approbatory comment that I can think of few jazz or predominantly-jazz albums that I've heard in my lifetime in which the whole-band's melodic sensibilities connects with me, personally, as well as this one. Though each long suite is jinxed by less-than-pleasing parts, the overall impression left on me after each listening of this album (or even each of its individual songs) is one of joy, excitement, and exhilaration, which says something, right? What's more, these sentiments have only increased with each and every listen to the music--with headphones and without! Could this be my favorite Eberhard Weber album of all-time? Until recently, I'd never even given much of a chance to any of Eberhard's albums because of my undying and devoted love of The Following Morning, but hearing his performances as a sideman on those

A/five stars; a masterpiece of mature and calculated Jazz-Rock Fusion that comes across as something totally fresh and unique. What a great trio are Eberhard Weber, Rainer Brüninghaus, and Charlie Mariano! True simpaticos!