Midwest (album)
| Midwest | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 20, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | May 2014 | |||
| Studio | Rainbow Studio, Oslo | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 42:19 | |||
| Label | ECM Records ECM 2410 | |||
| Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
| Mathias Eick chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz |   [1] |
| All Music |  [2] |
| The Guardian | [3] |
Midwest is the third studio album by Norwegian jazz musician Mathias Eick. The album was released by the label ECM Records on 20 March 2015.[4]
Composition
Midwest consists of eight new songs dealing with the concept of home.[5] The album was inspired by his tour of the US and Canada. The music is a tribute to the way the people and music move around the world. During its creation, this album was focused on the Midwestern United States because in the past, many Norwegians left Europe to move to America and settled in the Midwest.[4]
Reception
Thom Jurek in his review for AllMusic says that "The compositions are all lyrical, in typical Eick fashion, but with [Gjermund] Larsen they take on a rougher, more earthen quality." and that "it perfectly illustrates the thematic frame of the journey he set out to portray: that of the immigrant encountering the unknown and embracing it"[2] In his review for The Guardian, Dave Gely gave this album four stars and says that "Eick has a beautiful tone and writes attractive themes, by turns haunting and energetic." and added that "The inclusion of folk violinist Gjermund Larsen in the band adds a contrasting texture and some truly exciting solos."[3] Karl Ackermann gave a four and a half stars and says in All About Jazz that "Eick favors minimalist constructs and otherworldly atmospherics, qualities that are well suited in imagining the theme and mood he has intended for Midwest, a warm album as natural and comforting as going home."[1]
Track listing
ECM Records – ECM 2410.[4]
All music is composed by Mathias Eick
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midwest" | 5:11 |
| 2. | "Hem" | 5:14 |
| 3. | "March" | 5:53 |
| 4. | "At Sea" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Dakota" | 4:55 |
| 6. | "Lost" | 5:43 |
| 7. | "Fargo" | 6:18 |
| 8. | "November" | 5:02 |
| Total length: | 42:19 | |
Personnel
- Mathias Eick – trumpet
- Gjermund Larsen – violin
- Jon Balke – piano
- Mats Eilertsen – double bass
- Helge Norbakken – percussion
References
- ^ a b "Midwest (All About Jazz Review)". All About Jazz. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ a b "Midwest (All Music Review)". All Music. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ a b "Midwest (The Guardian Review)". The Guardian. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Midwest". ECM Records. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ Conrad, Thomas (10 July 2015). "Mathias Eick Midwest". JazzTimes. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
