Solstice (album)

Solstice
Solstice
Studio album by Ralph Towner
Released	1975
Recorded	December 1974
Studio	Arne Bendiksen Studio; Oslo, Norway
Genre	Jazz
Length	40:58
Label	ECM 1060 ST
Producer	Manfred Eicher
Ralph Towner chronology
Solstice chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[3]

Solstice is an album by American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner recorded in December 1974 and released on ECM the following year. The Solstice quartet features saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen.

In popular culture[edit]

The American hip hop group Atmosphere used a sample of Jon Christensen's drum introduction to "Piscean Dance" on a track called "Shoes", which features on their 2003 album Seven's Travels.

Reception[edit]

AllMusic awarded the album with 4.5 stars and its review by Michael G. Nastos states: "Of the many excellent recordings he has offered, Solstice is Towner's crowning achievement as a leader fronting this definitive grouping of ECM stablemates who absolutely define the label's sound for the time frame, and for all time".^[1]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Ralph Towner except where noted.

Side I
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Oceanus"	11:04
2.	"Visitation"	2:36
3.	"Drifting Petals"	7:01
Total length:		20:41

Side II
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Nimbus"		6:31
2.	"Winter Solstice"		4:02
3.	"Piscean Dance"		4:15
4.	"Red and Black"		1:19
5.	"Sand"	Eberhard Weber	4:10
Total length:			20:17 40:58

Personnel[edit]

Solstice[edit]

Ralph Towner – 12-string and classical guitar, piano
Jan Garbarek – tenor and soprano saxophone, flute
Eberhard Weber – bass, cello
Jon Christensen – drums, percussion

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Nastos, M. G. Allmusic Review: Solstice accessed 10 March 2010
^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 193. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1410. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[Allmusic-1] Nastos, M. G. Allmusic Review: Solstice accessed 10 March 2010

[RSJRG-2] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 193. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[Penguin-3] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1410. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

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[2]

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v t e Ralph Towner
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Trios / Solos (1972) Diary (1973) Solstice (1974) Matchbook (1974) Sargasso Sea (1976) Sound and Shadows (1977) Batik (1978) Old Friends, New Friends (1979) Five Years Later (1981) Blue Sun (1982) Slide Show (1985) City of Eyes (1988) Open Letter (1992) Oracle (1993) Lost and Found (1995) A Closer View (1995) Ana (1996) Anthem (2000) Time Line (2005) Chiaroscuro (2008) Travel Guide (2012) My Foolish Heart (2016)
Live albums	Solo Concert (1979)
Related articles	Oregon Paul Winter Consort