Sounds and Silence: Travels With Manfred Eicher

“sounds and silence” (sic), ...a great documentary journey. If you love the ECM artists and recordings produced by Manfred Eicher, this 87 minute film will give you a beautiful insight into Manfred’s process. The journey takes you on location for recording the artists, and shares some comments from Manfred, and the artists. There are some delicate and artistic moments. Filmed much like Manfred produces his music - with care, patience and artistry, I found myself almost holding my breath during a session with Arvo Part and orchestra. There is even a scene showing selection of art for album covers (I’ve always loved ECM album covers!). There are perhaps a dozen featured artists, all very multi-cultural, and filmed in a way that made me wish I could hang with these folks. Everyday people, with exceptional talent, but who would blend in and disappear when on the street walking home. I especially appreciated Dino Saluzzi’s comments - he resonated deeply with my own personal musical viewpoints.I was turned on to the beautiful music of the ECM record label, in the early 70’s, when just exploring the great jazz sounds of the old CTI recordings (remember those early Benson records like White Rabbit, Body Talk and Bad Benson?). But, when I discovered the very young Metheny (via Gary Burton, who also brought us a young Julian Lage not so long ago!), Frisell, Abercrombie, Garbarek, Weber, and “all the rest from ECM”... My head turned and I literally haven’t looked back. If you too, love this music and the generation of work Manfred has given us, check out this film! True to the ECM vibe👍.

This film is a chance to watch a diverse group of musical artists at work in many settings. Some are musicians, some are technicians, some are composers, and one is an extraordinary producer. The film is not encyclopaedic, but in a surprisingly short time, the viewer can get a sense of what makes the recording label ECM special, between a set of brilliant artists with distinctive personalities and a ring leader who knows just what to amplify. Although Eicher's portfolio spans four decades, this film is a snapshot from a short period of his recent work. For those of us who enjoy travel, it is scattered across multiple countries and continents, with some very playful photography. In the balance between information and art, Wiedmer and Guyer err in the direction of art, and they achieve the intrigue of an ECM album cover. Enjoy this as an engaging video, rather than a history lesson. Consider it even as shrewd advertising, since it exposed me to unfamiliar newer ECM artists I've subsequently grown to enjoy. Both the video and the soundtrack of Sounds and Silence get about as much play in my house as any ECM album, which is a lot. The soundtrack is on my frequent play list. The video is on my must see list to show visitors, who reliably seem impressed with the art, the music and the relationships. If only we could all enjoy our work like that!

Simply put, ANYTHING that reveals the mind and machinations of Manfred Eicher is just worth everything it takes to find it. As I have been an "ECM Guy" for 40+ years (Eberhard Weber, Terje Rypdal, Steve Tibbets... the list goes on of muscians that ECM has brought to my attention), this was a most welcome documentary.

I used buy ECM records on vinyl by the crate. I had so many lps, I could hardly walk to my bed. Eventually, I had to sell them just to clear out the clutter. The better recordings were issued on CD, so I retained my love of the ECM sound through the CD reissues.The thing about ECM was they had this sound which is almost enigmatic to describe. At one level you could listen on an ambient level and just let the music flow through you. Or in listening closer, there was a detail of the sound that was intricate and palitable. Whether you were listening to the screaching guitar of Terje Rypdal., or the sacred sound of Arvo Part, The sound was always magnified. I think this DVD will give you an understanding of the artistic producer Manfred Eicher. He is a lover of sound and music.I would have liked this more if they covered some of the artists I followed on ECM. As is, they seemed to touch on the more classical artists in the roster of ECM artists.Another aspect of ECM records was the unique photos and artwork that graced their covers. This topic was not discussed. I can actually see more documentaries of Manfred and his label being made. This one is a good place to start, but I think it is the tip of the iceberg in a truly complete ECM documentary

If you enjoy ECM recordings, this is a must view. Eicher's musical philosophy is on full display here. It is clear that his contributions to the recorded performances are every bit as significant as the artists' original conceptions. And the artists have little trouble accepting that. Nik Bartsch's Ronin is the most concrete examples. Eicher patiently explains his suggestions and the band members completely get it as soon as they hear it. It's a great documentary.

Hello my Friends! Do not buy this if you're into the ECM jazz scene. When I was in high school, a friend came over to my house with "Solstice" and "Witchi-Ti-Tao." I was hooked for life.Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber, Jon Christensen, Terje Rypdal, Jan Garbarek, soon became my biggest influences. L Shankar, Nana Vasconcelos, Marilyn Mazur, Trilok Gurtu, so many great jazz artists on one label. This video is mostly about producer Manfred Eicher. His record label ECM and ways of listening to music. It's mostly Manfred in orchestral settings.In "Sounds and Silence" there's a nice clip with Marilyn Mazur, some Anouar Brahem, and a little bit of Garbarek in an orchestral setting. This is not the ECM I know. Peter Guyer and Norbert Weidmer paint a lop-sided picture of Manfred. I was disappointed with the video because I'm mostly familiar with Manfred's great work in jazz and world music and there's little of that in this film.