Manu Katche

One door closes… another opens for Manu Katché

A valedictory compilation representing Manu Katché’s time on ECM, Touchstone for Manu has just been released, a matter of weeks before the drummer’s first album for Munich rival ACT appears.

Cherry-picking tracks from Neighbourhood (recorded in 2004), Playground (2007), Third Round (2009), and the self-titled Manu Katché (2012), it’s a handily accessible snapshot of some of the most laidback and tastefully groove-laden moments of the French-Ivorian star’s years with Manfred Eicher’s label, the Neighbourhood tracks the pick with Jan Garbarek sounding probably more relaxed and funky than he ever has.

Here too are some infectious piano from Katché’s former fellow Sting bandmate Jason Rebello on the highly organic grooverider ‘Keep on Trippin’’. And towards the end of the 11 sections bass don Pino Palladino certainly brings ‘Swing Piece’ from Third Round to a boil with some sublime timekeeping and quintessential feel, in tandem with Katché at his most soulfully intuitive. Stephen Graham

Photo: Gildas Boclé / ECM