STREAMING HOLDOUT JOINS THE PARTY

For some people this news is huge. Others may wonder the big deal is. ECM has entered the world of streaming.

Founded by Manfred Eicher in 1969, the label has been a consistent source of cutting edge jazz and classical music, much of it from Europe. Notably, the label released Pat Metheny’s first dozen albums, Steve Reich’s landmark Music for 18 Musicians and has been Keith Jarrett’s label home since the early ‘70s.

Thanks to a new digital distribution agreement with Universal Music, the ECM catalog became available to subscribers on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz.

The company stated: “Although ECM’s preferred mediums remain the CD and LP, the first priority is that the music should be heard. The physical catalogue and the original authorship are the crucial references for us: the complete ECM album with its artistic signature, best possible sound quality, sequence and dramaturgy intact, telling its story from beginning to end.

“In recent years, ECM and the musicians have had to face unauthorized streaming of recordings via video sharing websites, plus piracy, bootlegs, and a proliferation of illegal download sites. It was important to make the catalog accessible within a framework where copyrights are respected.

“In this time of mobile communication, the hope is to reach new ears and create new fans for the extraordinary music ECM continues to champion after 48 years of independent, ground-breaking music production.”

Excuse us while we A/B Dave Holland’s Conference of the Birds.