See moreA fascinating set from three strong and contrasting musical personalities: Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Brazilian guitarist-pianist Egberto Gismonti, and US bassist Charlie Haden making purposeful and creative music together on this previously unreleased live recording. Carta de Amor documents music captured at Munich's Amerika Haus in April, 1981. Recorded three decades ago by Manfred Eicher and Martin Wieland, it was mixed from original analog tapes by Eicher and Jan Erik Kongshaug in 24 bit/96 kHz in 2012.
Carta de Amor means "love letter" and Egberto Gismonti says, "think of it as a message in a bottle that has taken this long to reach the shore." In the interim the musical message has lost none of its pertinence or potency. This recording finds the protagonists two years along the road from the albums Magico and Folk Songs, opening up the repertoire to admit extended improvising, changed by their experiences as a touring band, bringing in new pieces but still maintaining the taut balance of energies that made their first studio dates so arresting. The concentrated cry of Garbarek's saxophones, the restless movement of Gismonti's guitars and his focused, lyrical piano, and the dark tones of Haden's bass, anchoring the music...
Repertoire includes five pieces from Gismonti's pen: 'Cego Aderaldo', 'Don Quixote', 'Branquinho', 'Palhaço' and the title track, heard in two versions which open and close this enthralling double album. Also heard here are Garbarek's folk song arrangements and an extended, freewheeling version of his composition 'Spor'. Charlie Haden brings in 'La Pasionaria', from the repertoire of the Liberation Music Orchestra and 'All That Is Beautiful', not previously documented on disc.
Personnel: Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophones), Egberto Gismonti (guitars, piano), Charlie Haden (double-bass)