Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

The Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is led by conductor <a href="spotify:artist:2gYxwgFrlv0jvphFmL3PT0">Alexander von Schlippenbach</a> and includes an all-star group of European creative jazz musicians. Their first, self-titled recording was released on ECM in 1989 and included <a href="spotify:artist:2GIms8u3bruipn5MOR5wcs">Kenny Wheeler</a>; pianist <a href="spotify:artist:09yacWNQY2fYjP3ubsmWTM">Aki Takase</a>; and Dutch bandleaders and key figures in European avant-garde jazz, pianist <a href="spotify:artist:7F2OJrkULYIuVb00V72pXT">Misha Mengelberg</a> (of the <a href="spotify:artist:1xruo2HA7soa6UckR2bWYE">ICP Orchestra</a>) and <a href="spotify:artist:4X0yg3kP4yvppbWjJCGnje">Willem Breuker</a> (of the <a href="spotify:artist:13BLm7qVmXP6cBGwUuPjdZ">Willem Breuker Kollektief</a>). In 1998, DIW released Live in Japan '96, co-led by <a href="spotify:artist:2gYxwgFrlv0jvphFmL3PT0">Schlippenbach</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:09yacWNQY2fYjP3ubsmWTM">Takase</a>. The cast is slightly different on this second album; the lineup differences include the lack of <a href="spotify:artist:7F2OJrkULYIuVb00V72pXT">Mengelberg</a>, the inclusion of trombonist <a href="spotify:artist:6ALcRqg6R4Eqja54kBcFp2">Wolter Wierbos</a> (another ICP Orchestra member), and the addition of free blower <a href="spotify:artist:42WVIJPKijZYsOWhNqnAke">Evan Parker</a>. ~ Joslyn Layne, Rovi