Controlled freedom

It took really too long to the legendary ECM / Japo recordings of Manfred Schoof Quintet were published on CD. The recordings are among the best it has to offer the European jazz of the 70s. While free and Rock Jazz CDs of the same period usually act pretty antiquated Schoofs music is amazingly fresh. Already by the instrumentation - especially the prominent role of the bass clarinet - the five musicians move not in the worn out paths of (neo-) tradition. At the same time the music in compositional and sound aesthetic remains surprisingly accessible. Timeless beautiful music that comes along without any icing.