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Ralph Towner

At First Light

ECM
Release Date: March 31, 2023

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1 Flow  
2 Strait  
3 Make Someone Happy  
4 Ubi Stunt  
5 Guitarra Piccante  
6 At First Light  
7 Danny Boy  
8 Fat Foot  
9 Argentinian Nights  
10 Little Old Lady  
11 Empty Stage  
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In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, “have always included my own compositions in which there are trace elements of the composers and musicians that have attracted me over the years. Musicians such as George Gershwin, John Coltrane, John Dowland, Bill Evans, to name a few. The blend of keyboard and guitar techniques is an important aspect of my playing and composition, and I feel that this album is a good example of shaping this expanse of influences into my personal music.”

  • The perennially eclectic guitarist Ralph Towner is still defying categorization / ACOUSTIC GUITAR
    Posted At: October 8, 2023
    At 83, the prolific guitarist/composer continues to write and record vital, involving pieces.ACOUSTIC GUITAR's Blair Jackson writes….It’s been 50 years since Ralph Towner’s first album solely under his name, Diary, came out on producer Manfred Eicher’s groundbreaking ECM Records label. Towner had already been recognized as a great up-and-coming player for his work in the Paul Winter Consort and the remarkab...

  • Ralph Towner....Mastering the logic of music / Premier Guitar
    Posted At: September 10, 2023
    Ralph Towner, whose first instrument was piano, didn’t start learning classical guitar until he was 22.Premier Guitar's Kate Koenig writes…..The nylon-string guitarist and composer, who famously founded the historic jazz-and-world-music group, adds a fresh chapter to his extensive, illustrious career with his new solo album, At First Light.What does it mean to have curiosity as an artist? For some, it can m...

  • 'Guitars Adapt to Whoever Is Playing Them.' Ralph Towner explains why he doesn't use amplification / ULTIMATEGUITAR
    Posted At: August 24, 2023
    "I can even play somebody else's guitar for two weeks and it will change according to how I play it" - Ralph Towner Jazz Icon Explains Why He Doesn't Use Amplification, Says Guitars 'Adapt to Whoever Is Playing Them'ULTIMATEGUITAR.com's The_Phoenician writes….Ralph Towner claimed that acoustic guitars "adapt to whoever is playing them", and explained why he prefers playing to a microphone rather than t...

  • Ralph Towner - At First Light makes 'stereophile: August 2023 Jazz Record Reviews'
    Posted At: August 10, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • Ralph Towner is always worth hearing especially when you have some quiet time to just sit and listen / Elsewhere
    Posted At: April 7, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • 'At First Light' extends Ralph Towner's great tradition, drawing inspiration from a broad palette of music / New Releases Now
    Posted At: April 6, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • It's albums like Ralph Towner's 'At First Light' that make you fall in love with both acoustic guitars and ECM / Jazz Weekly
    Posted At: April 3, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • Ralph Towner has an impressive control of his instrument on 'At First Light' / SPECTRUM CULTURE
    Posted At: March 20, 2023
    SPECTRUM CULTURE's Reed Jackson writes….At 83 years old, guitarist Ralph Towner is among the last of his jazz cohort to be active: John Abercrombie and Chick Corea are both dead; Keith Jarrett and Eberhard Weber have been silenced by strokes and Gary Burton has called it quits. Of his octogenarian labelmates at ECM, drummer Jack DeJohnette might be the only one to have released anything this decade. It...

  • Ralph Towner's tonal consistency and aural clarity gives 'At First Light' a casual, intimate feel / THE BIG TAKEOVER
    Posted At: March 17, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • Ralph Towner's 'At First Light' features the unadulterated solo guitar he now favors. Groundbreaking / UK Daily News
    Posted At: March 16, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • Ralph Towner's 'At First Light' was inspired by a broad palette of music / jazzguitarTODAY
    Posted At: February 7, 2023
    In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the most important being a run of solo recordings which began with Diary in 1973. At First Light is the newest addition to the solo guitar series. “My solo recordings,” says Towner, ...

  • 'At First Light' is an outstanding addition to Ralph Towner's discography / JAZZ VIEWS
    Posted At: February 2, 2023
    Each recording appears to offer a career résumé to date, while also introducing new elements and developments in Towner’s music, and this new recording follows in this tradition.In his liner note for At First Light, Ralph Towner writes of the singularity of having most of his life’s work at one record label. He’s been an ECM artist for more than fifty years, appearing in many different contexts, one of the ...
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