Grumble… If only I could use my Mac as a remote to my Ubuntu-based Core (long support thread, no resolution, very frustrating), I’d be able to see what my true ECM loyalties are. The Android remote does not have equivalent focusing/stats functionality.
My intro to ECM was The Pat Metheny Group. So, a no brainer for me…
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I figured I could never decide on my four favorite albums, so here are four I really like that I don’t think others have mentioned:
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BTW, re-listening to this closely just now, amazing how this 1973 release stands up not just musically but also in recording quality. The quartet is really well separated and realistically placed on the soundstage, with the horns dueling upfront, the bass coming in strongly from center rear, and the drums filling more space than the other instruments – as they should – in the back. I listen to lots of live jazz, this is how it works in reality, very impressive.
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You’re right, I don’t have any of them in Roon. But I remember them clearly. Have to go rummage in the vinyl bin in the basement.
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Started buying them on vinyl, then CD, now as regular high res downloads from HighResAudio. I could also do a ‘Your 4 most “Oh well, it was worth a try!” ECM albums?’.
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Just to complicate things (now that I finally fixed the firewall glitch that was keeping Roon from working as a remote on my Macbook), my Roon 4 most played since I got Roon last summer are below. Quite different from my all time favorites from memory given earlier, but all very well liked. Especially interesting that the top 3 of the 4 are pretty recent acquisitions. Recency effect?
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HDtracks offering up to 30% off on select ECM Titles. http://www.hdtracks.com/label-sale/weekly-sale?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=!HDtracks%20Newsletters&utm_content=
I’m not sure if this is a good deal or not…
on Qobuz ECM hi-res are €20 and 16/44 €13.99. all the time 
No Qobuz here, unfortunately.
:shh: here neither. officially
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I’m a fan of some of the music that ECM puts out but ECM do not allow any of their albums to be streamed, only downloaded or bought as CD’s. It appears that Manfred Eicher, the founder and producer of all ECM records, does not approve of music streaming sites like Tidal!
His anachronistic marketing policy seems to be, to charge the highest price he can for both his CD’s and Hi-Res downloads from sites such as Qobuz. In order to get round this, I buy my CD’s from Amazon to make sure I’m not paying the highly inflated retail prices that ECM think is acceptable in the current dynamic market.
I still find his policy valid. It would be difficult to maintain ECM in another way these days.
I support them buying their products. Well, I also enjoy them.
At one point @philr raised the question as to why a lot of ECM albums are listed on Tidal but as “unavailable.” @Pal_Bratelund had this to say:
I’d certainly welcome an ECM “buy-to-stream/download service” in the US … although I guess this amounts to what Qobuz offers currently.
If by “anachronistic” you really mean “financially sound,” I agree… Streaming is a terrible business for all distributors (who are losing gobs of money) and for specialty labels, because the fixed costs of a new recording cannot be recouped from a small volume of low streaming royalty payments. I’d rather pay more for CDs or digital downloads and see ECM live for a long time providing an outlet for great artists outside the top 20, than for them to go with the times and enter a financial death spiral.
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You can buy many ECM releases as downloads in the US on HDtracks.com or HighResAudio.com. The latter seems to bringing them out more quickly and consistently.
… $20 = €21? 
Curious…