Bennie Maupin: The Jewel In The Lotus

Bennie Maupin was a congenial collaborator on cult albums such as Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi and Headhunters and Marion Brown's Afternoon Of A Georgia Faun. Recordings under his own name are rather rare, but his debut as a leader is indeed a gem. "It's hard to imagine a more selfless album," wrote Down Beat in 1975. "The sound on The Jewel In The Lotus is flawless, and everyone involved puts themselves at the service of the greater whole." The line-up of the album, recorded in New York in 1974, came from the circle around Herbie Hancock at the time, but the music has its very own character. in 2019, ECM is celebrating 50 years of continuous independent music production, an anniversary that provides an opportunity to take a look at the journey so far. With its reissues, the Touchstones series highlights albums that were created during this long period. It contains many recordings that are now considered milestones in the history of jazz and improvisation. 50 Touchstones will be released in 2019: the first 25 in January and a further 25 in May. A first, highly acclaimed collection of Touchstones was released to mark ECM's 40th anniversary. Like ten years ago, the 2019 reissues offer what made ECM famous: the great music, the stunning sound and the original artwork.