Jan Garbarek – Bobo Stenson Quartet With Palle Danielsson, Jon Christensen – Witchi-Tai-To VG+/VG+

“Witchi-Tai-To,” an album by the Jan Garbarek – Bobo Stenson Quartet, is an enthralling blend of jazz, European folk, and world music influences. Released in 1974, this album stands as a testament to the innovative and exploratory spirit of the European jazz scene during that era.

The album features Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek and Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson, along with bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Jon Christensen, both of whom were prominent figures in the Nordic jazz scene. The quartet, known for their cohesive and intuitive interplay, create a soundscape that is both ethereal and grounded.

The title track, “Witchi-Tai-To,” is a standout piece on the album. It is an adaptation of a Native American peyote song composed by jazz saxophonist Jim Pepper. This track, in particular, showcases the quartet’s ability to fuse diverse musical elements into a seamless and captivating whole. Garbarek’s saxophone, with its haunting, resonant tones, melds beautifully with Stenson’s lyrical piano, while Danielsson and Christensen provide a rhythm section that is both supportive and inventively engaging.

The album traverses various moods and styles, from the introspective and contemplative to the rhythmically driving and energetic. The musicians demonstrate a remarkable sensitivity to space and dynamics, often leaving room for silence and reflection, which adds to the overall atmospheric quality of the recording.