I love ECM Records. It may my favorite record label ever (Blue Note comes close). Gonna try listening to the entire ECM discography in chronological order. I'll give my thoughts in this thread. Feel free to mute. We'll see how far I get. I'll skip songs I don't like!

Mal Waldron Trio - Free at Last (1969). Solid. I need to explore more Waldron, who plays in a spare, quirky, Monkish style.

Paul Bley with Gary Peacock (1970). Underwhelming cobbling of two dates from 63 and 68. Seems like most agree it's far from this trio's best work.

Marion Brown - "Afternoon of a Georgia Faun" (1970). Entirely free, mostly rhythmless date with a lot of extended techniques and strange sounds. Impressive lineup (Brown, Braxton, Corea, Cyrille, Jeanne Lee, Bennie Maupin), but mostly left me cold.

Jan Garbarek Quartet - "Afric Pepperbird" (1970). What a title! I like these guys, but the later records are better.

Chick Corea/Dave Holland/Barry Altschul - A.R.C. (1971). Tight, angular post-bop trio record. Worth hearing.

Paul Bley - Ballads (1971) - Two recycled trio dates from 67. Eh.

David Holland/Barre Phillips - "Music from Two Basses" (1971). Two masters to be sure, but how often are you in the mood for improvised bass duos? "Song for Clare" is lovely, though.

Bobo Stenson - "Underwear" (1971). I adore Bobo, but this one was doomed as soon as it was titled. Pass!

Dave Holland/Derek Bailey - "Improvisations for Cello and Guitar" (1971). Extremely accurate title. Live date, lots of harmonic plunks and plooks. Not my thing. It's interesting how many of these early ECM records are entirely "free."

Chick Corea - "Piano Improvisations, Vols 1-2" (1971). These are more notable historically than musically. The first of the epochal ECM solo piano records from 71/72. The inspiration is lacking a bit but Chick's inimitable sound is always a joy - pointed, crystalline, dart-like

Jan Garbarek - "Sart" (1971). According to Google, "Sart" means "sore" in Norwegian? All of these guys were still trying to find their sound and did much, much better stuff later. Love that font, though.

Terje Rypdal - "Terje Rypdal" (1971). I have yet to develop an appreciation for Rypdal - the angular lines ripping through the mix make me woozy.

Keith Jarrett - "Facing You" (1972). The first masterpiece. "In Front" changed my life, and it still floors me today. The complex harmonic motion, the unceasing melodic inspiration, that central barrelhouse gospel section - astonishing genius.

Circle - "Paris Concert" (1971). Boom! Another masterpiece. What a band! Jesus Christ

Keith Jarrett/Jack DeJohnette - "Ruta and Daitya" (1971). For as much as Keith claims he despised electric pianos and organs, he sure seemed to enjoy himself with them. A tossed off NYC session in between dates w/ Miles. Fun, but inessential.

Chick Corea - "Return to Forever" (1972). Masterpiece w/ Clarke/Ferrell/Moreira and Flora Purim adorably delivering Chick's dopey hippie lyrics. I wish ECM recorded more of these early fusion albums - the Fender Rhodes never sounded better.

Paul Bley - "Open, to Love" (1972). The other great early ECM solo piano masterpiece along w/ "Facing You". (This was recorded first.) Also the first album with the true "ECM sound" - each singing note and cryptic chord resonating into infinite halos of harmonics

Chick Corea/Gary Burton - "Crystal Silence" (1972). Masterpiece. ECM was on a roll in 72. Such a beautiful record - two masters on a single wavelength. Joy and warmth throughout.

Ralph Towner/Glen Moore - "Trios/Solos" (1972). Towner is one of my favorite ECM artists, but his debut meanders and underwhelms. These guys (Oregon) went on to make a lot of great records, tho

Stanley Cowell Trio - "Illusion Suite" (1973). A modest classic.

Dave Holland Quartet - "Conference of the Birds" (1973). Masterpiece. Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton intwining on reeds all day, everyday

Paul Motian - "Conception Vessel" (1973). I don't like this record as much as most, but everything w/ Motian, Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden is worth hearing. Keith plays more flute than piano, though - unfortunate.

Jan Garbarek - "Triptykon" (1973). Depressing Nordic trio jazz sans piano. Good playing, of course.

Gary Burton - "The New Quartet" (1973). Is that funk I hear?!? Abraham Laboriel on bass! Definitely more pop/R&B influence then we've heard before on ECM. Not as dated as I expected. Solid.

Terje Rypdal - "What Comes After" (1973). Still not sold on Rypdal, at least these early records. I feel like they lack clear focus. "Séjours" is a nice bit of ambient ECM rubato tho, but won't be listening again.