Départ

For the album by Tanya Chua, see Depart. For the Belgian film also called "Le Départ", see The Departure (1967 film).

1980 studio album by Azimuth with Ralph Towner

Départ

Studio album by

Azimuth with Ralph Towner

Released| 1980
Recorded| December 1979
Studio| Talent Studios
Oslo, Norway
Genre| Jazz
Length| 52:51
Label| ECM 1163
Producer| Manfred Eicher
Azimuth chronology
| The Touchstone
(1979)  | Départ
(1980)  | Azimuth '85
(1985)

|
|

Ralph Towner chronology
| Old Friends, New Friends
(1979)  | Départ
(1980)  | Solo Concert
(1980)

|
|

Départ is an album by British jazz trio Azimuth with American jazz guitarist Ralph Towner, recorded in December 1979 and released on ECM the following year. The trio features trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, vocalist Norma Winstone and pianist John Taylor, joined by guitarist Ralph Towner.[1]

## Reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
The Penguin Guide to Jazz| [2]

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called Towner "an ideal guest,"[2] and wrote: "Much as he does on Weather Report's I Sing the Body Electric, Towner sounds as if he comes from outside the basic conception of the group, but with a genuine understanding and appreciation of what it's all about. His contribution is perhaps most emphatic on 'Arrivée'... linking the whole disc into a continuous suite."[3]

Writing for Between Sound and Space, Tyran Grillo described the album as "Azimuth's most fully realized effort, through which the project honed its sound to an art," and noted: "Winstone's overdubs visualize gossamer veils of more distant storms, while Wheeler's soulful trumpet shines like the sun beyond them... The brief addition of Tower heightens their collective sound, even as it tethers them to the earth."[4]

## Track listing

[edit]

All compositions by John Taylor.

1. "The Longest Day" – 6:32
2. "Autumn" – 11:10
3. "Arrivée" – 7:52
4. "Touching Points: a. From the Window" – 1:14
5. "Touching Points: b. Windfall" – 4:37
6. "Touching Points: c. The Rabbit" – 2:36
7. "Touching Points: d. Charcoal Traces" – 4:37
8. "Départ" – 10:29
9. "The Longest Day (Reprise)" – 3:44

## Personnel

[edit]

### Azimuth

[edit]

* Kenny Wheeler – trumpet, flugelhorn
* Norma Winstone – vocals
* John Taylor – piano, organ

### Guest

[edit]

* Ralph Towner – 12-string guitar, classical guitar

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Azimuth: Départ". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
2. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1992). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP and Cassette. Penguin Books. p. 48.
3. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1998). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. Penguin Books. p. 69.
4. ^ Grillo, Tyran (November 30, 2010). "Azimuth". Between Sound and Space. Retrieved April 27, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Azimuth

Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.

* Norma Winstone
* John Taylor
* Kenny Wheeler

Albums|

* Azimuth (1977)
* The Touchstone (1978)
* Départ (1979)
* Azimuth '85 (1985)
* How It Was Then... Never Again (1994)
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