ECM: The Art Of Sound

“Sit down and give this a proper listen!” So proclaims the booklet accompanying this obscure compilation from the Netherlands. Released in 1990 by ECM Records in collaboration with Hi-Five, its purpose is to draw from the label’s catalogue to gauge the quality of home system loudspeakers and amplifiers. The resulting “test CD” pays tribute to producer Manfred Eicher’s penchant for classically captured jazz and atmospheric veracity. Combining ADD and DDD recordings, it allows audiophiles to expose vibrating cabinet doors or buzzing speaker grilles while tweaking their systems toward perfection. It is also a great sampler in its own right. Oregon’s self-titled ECM debut (ECM 1258) yields “The Rapids,” whose opening chords render compositionally minded passages with unusual dimensional force. Rays of light shoot from Paul McCandless’s soprano, yet the percussive colors of Collin Walcott hold the tightest grip on the ear, clearing a wide berth for Martin Wieland’s engineering virtuosity.…