Sideways is the second ECM release from Norwegian guitarist
Jacob Young. Featuring more of
Young's atmospheric jazz, the album walks a fine line between melodic, cool-influenced sounds and avant-garde group improvisation. In that sense, Sideways brings to mind some of the work of such classic ECM artists as trumpeter
Kenny Wheeler, keyboardist
Keith Jarrett, and guitarist
Pat Metheny. Joining
Young here is a stellar ensemble consisting of such journeyman artists as reedman
Vidar Johansen and drummer
Jon Christensen, as well as bassist
Mats Eilertsen and trumpeter
Mathias Eick. Notably,
Eick brings an interesting style to the band suggesting a mix of the intimate '70s work of
Wheeler; the more epic,
Miles-inflected approach of
Enrico Rava; and a kind of European folk interpretation of '50s icon
Chet Baker. Much like other ECM releases, with its mix of laid-back edginess and ambient, searching improvisations, Sideways works just as well on a cerebral, engaging level as on a background, afterglow level. ~ Matt Collar