Manu Katché is a French drummer, with ancestors in Ivory Coast. Initially he played as a pop drummer with Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell and Sting, among others. ECM producer Manfred Eicher heard him with Robbie Robertson and immediately knew that his modern and at the same time African influenced drumming would fit well in a jazz context. He linked him to Jan Garbarek. Eicher was right and Katché
… contributed to some successful Garbarek albums. With the help of this saxophonist, Katché released his own CD Neighborhood in 2005. Playground is the successor to this very enthusiastically received album and is closely linked to it. On Playground we hear Katché's regular quintet, consisting of Mathias Eick (trumpet), Trygve Seim (sax), Marcin Wasilewsky (piano) and Slawomir Kurkiewicz (bass). All pieces on the album are from the leader himself and are characterized by the seamless connection of funky drumming to the lyrical themes. With his subtle patterns and grooves, Katché inspires the soloists to glowing solos. (HB)more
