Schattseite

Schattseite is another one-off ECM album from the 80s, this time featuring Austrian bassist Adelhard Roidinger leading a captivating band that includes tenor saxophonist Heinz Sauer, guitarist Harry Pepl, and drummer Michael DiPasqua. Roidinger, who died in 2022 at the age of 80, was equally adept at painting joyful and plaintive moods, navigating these extremes with humility and patience. Favorites include the overdubbed bass duet “Lufti” and the Return to Forever-inspired “Loveland,” featuring vocalist Aina Kemanis. The closing “When Earth Becomes Desert,” which builds from drone to free jazz to unison, signs off with a flourish.