''A Closer View'' is an album by American jazz guitarist

Ralph Towner Ralph Towner (born March 1, 1940) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion, trumpet and French horn. Biography Towner was born i ...

and bassist

Gary Peacock Gary George Peacock (May 12, 1935September 4, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist. He recorded a dozen albums under his own name, and also performed and recorded with major jazz figures such as avant garde saxophonist Albert Ayler, piani ...

recorded in December 1995 in Norway and released on

ECM ECM may refer to the following: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...

in 1998.ECM discography
accessed October 20, 2011

Reception

The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

review by Leo Stanley awarded the album 3 stars, stating, "''A Closer View'' finds Ralph Towner working with Gary Peacock, crafting a subtle, textured instrumental album that relies more on compositions than improvisations. Occasionally, it all gets a little too static and colorless, but the best moments are fluid, engaging and graceful."Stanley, L
Allmusic Review
accessed October 20, 2011 Doug Ramsey of ''

Jazz Times ''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade ...

'' wrote "The news release accompanying the advance CD says that three of the pieces in A Closer View are “off-the-cuff joint compositions.” One can only guess which three. The most attentive and knowledgeable listener will be unable to tell where composition ends and improvisation begins in this music performed by guitarist Towner and bassist Peacock. The most discerning will not consider it an issue. It is more important that, despite its quietness, the richly textured music flows with uncommon harmonic interest and rhythmic strength. No one familiar with Peacock's and Towner's many past collaborations will be surprised at their synergy, which may involve ESP. Each is a virtuoso who makes virtuosity servant to the music. Deep intelligence, hard work and complexity went into the conception and performance of the pieces on this album. The listener hears ease and simplicity. As Red Mitchell famously observed, simple isn't easy. Hearing Peacock and Towner, you'd never know it."

Track listing

''All compositions by Ralph Towner, except as noted.'' # "Opalesque" (Peacock, Towner) - 3:29 # "Viewpoint" - 1:19 # "Mingusiana" - 4:03 # "Creeper" - 6:10 # "Infrared" - 3:55 # "From Branch to Branch" (Peacock, Towner) - 5:13 # "Postcard to Salta" (Peacock, Towner) - 3:12 # "Toledo" - 6:18 # "Amber Captive" (Peacock, Towner) - 4:15 # "Moor" (Peacock) - 4:59 # "Beppo" - 6:24 # "A Closer View" - 4:48

Personnel

– bass *

–

classical guitar The classical guitar, also known as Spanish guitar, is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string (music), string instrument with strings made of catgut, gut or nylon, it is a precursor of the ...

12 string guitar A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 strings in six courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lower four courses are tuned in ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Closer View ECM Records albums Gary Peacock albums Ralph Towner albums 1998 collaborative albums Albums produced by Manfred Eicher