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Improvisatory duet for cello (Darling) and piano (Bjornstad) forms part of a water-themed ECM cycle based around Bjornstad and assorted partners. Darling and Bjornstad were reunited in the subsequent album Epigraphs, although I don't think it quite captures the magic of this effort. They are also heard in the soundtrack to Jean-Luc Godard's film "Forever Mozart". After working on the earlier album "The Sea", Bjornstad wrote about the processes that lead to "The River": "I spent the winter of 1994/5 researching and playing music of the late renaissance, paying particular attention to the clarity of William Byrd's and Orlando Gibbons's melodic invention, trying to 'translate' some of this into a modern idiom, trying to find a contemporary language for further dialogues."This album deserves to share the higher profile of other ECM artists like Jan Garbarek & the Hilliard Ensemble. See also the soundtrack music of Eleni Karaindrou (Music for Films, Ulysses Gaze,...) for other richly textured marvels in the ECM roster.&mdash; Michael G. Williams <hr> Ketil Bjornstad comes from Norway and on this, his third release on the ECM label, teams up with American cello player David Darling again. David Darling had of course made an appearance on a previous release entitled The Sea. Darling is without doubt one of the more influential players on the scene today lending tremendous imagination and color and tonality to whatever he puts his bow to. He started originally with Paul Winter, in the same line up as Ralph Towner and Collin Walcott who would later form the band Oregon. Darling of course would in later years make a name for himself with the album EOS which he recorded with Terje Rypdal, consisting of screaming improvised guitar and cello duets. Classical meets Norwegian rock, further enhancing ECM's name and reputation, not to mention their own .Ketil Bjornstad is more of a classical player than a jazz figure. His background is with the Oslo Philharmonic. Born in 1952, KB is these days a leading arts figure in Norway, not only a respected pianist but also a writer of sorts.The River contains twelve duets between the two players. It's fairly slow music and continues KB's fascination with aquatic themes, which started with Water Stories, featuring Terje Rypdal and Bjorn Kjellemyr from The Chasers, as well as drummer Jon Christensen and leading on to 1995's release The Sea, featuring the same line up. This is more introspective and is contemplative in feel. This is a fine combination that works well together. This is very refined music from two leading classical figures who are not afraid to cross over. For myself, I am very drawn to the dark textures that David Darling is able to produce and if you are aware of his previous releases like Darkwood then this might appeal.

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