Kloss Encounters (live Bremen '78) (2lp/180g)

A rare moment in jazz history is captured on this exceptional live recording from July 1978, featuring saxophonist Eric Kloss and pianist Barry Miles at the peak of their creative powers. What unfolded on stage at the Bürgerzentrum Neue-Vahr in Bremen, Germany was nothing short of extraordinary, a performance that critics immediately hailed as one of the finest duo concerts ever heard in the city. Their appearance at the Berliner Jazztage only reinforced this acclaim, with reviewers praising the duo's remarkable interplay, intensity, and artistic daring. Barry Miles, a pioneering force in early jazz fusion, began his musical life as a drummer before switching to piano at nineteen. His technical brilliance and expressive sensitivity shine throughout this recording, performed entirely on acoustic grand piano. Shortly after these duo performances, Miles would embark on a fifteen-year tenure as musical director for Roberta Flack. Eric Kloss, blind from birth, devoted himself wholly to music. He recorded his first album for Prestige at the astonishing age of sixteen and later collaborated with giants such as Chick Corea, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette. His alto saxophone work here is a testament to why he is considered one of the most gifted improvisers of his generation.