The recording comes from two birthday concerts at a packed Stutgart Theaterhaus in 2005 featuring Eberhard Weber's electro-bass mastery in lucid dialogue with the eighty-plus members of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted with sensitivity by Roland Kluttig. Also featuring musicians who, over the years, have meant something special to the great German bassist: Wolfgang Dauner, Gary Burton, Rainer Brüninghaus, Marilyn Mazur and, of course Jan Garbarek.
Although the concerts also included classical pieces, the only music besides Weber's here are a lovely version with Dauner of the Jerome Kern standard "Yesterdays" (which has Weber working out on his early "steam" bass), a coruscating reading of Carla Bley's "Syndrome", with Burton and Garbarek in terrific form, a surprise guest appearance from Swiss percussionist Reto Weber (no relation) and his engaging compatriot, young beat-box vocalist Nino G, and a couple of transitional solos from Brüninghaus and Mazur.
Otherwise the range and diversity of Weber's musical sensibilities are fully reflected in a sequence of superbly interpreted pieces (all arrangements by Weber) from his 'Pendulum', 'Orchestra', 'Colours of Chloë', 'Later That Evening', 'Yellow Fields' and 'Silent Feet' ECM albums. A fully orchestrated "Last Stage of A Long Journey" (from Little Movements) and the haunting solo meditation "Air" round off a truly magical programme from this master musician and friends.
Personnel: Eberhard Weber - (bass), Jan Garbarek - (soprano and tenor saxophones), Gary Burton - (vibraphone), Rainer Brüninghaus - (piano), Marilyn Mazur - (percussion), Wolfgang Dauner - (piano), Reto Weber - (beatbox), SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Roland Kluttig - (conductor)