The Gary Burton Quintet with Eberhard Weber - Ring (1974)

Dynamic ECM excellence. The glimmering sound of Burton's vibraharp is usually front and center, with expertly subtle backing from Pat Metheny, Mick Goodrick, Eberhard Weber, and others.

Track listing:
1. Mevlevia
2. Unfinished Sympathy
3. Tunnel of Love
4. Intrude
5. Silent Spring
6. The Colours of Chloe

Visible thoughts

For more from Burton and Weber, check out:

Eberhard Weber - Fluid Rustle (1979)

Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (1982)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life (1976)

Gorgeous ambient jazz from guitarist Pat Metheny and keyboardist/frequent Metheny collaborator Lyle Mays. The 20-minute-plus title track is an enigmatic, multi-suite masterpiece, and the rest of the album, while generally leaning a bit closer to center, is beautiful in a more easy-to-grasp way. Apparently, way back when, my mom used to put this record on when it was my nap time, and let it play as I slept. My dad played it for me last week, and it struck an oddly, almost biologically familiar chord with me -- gonna be honest, I got a lil' verklempt.

Track listing:
1. As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
2. Ozark
3. September Fifteenth (dedicated to Bill Evans)
4. It's for You
5. Estupenda Graça

The waves at night