GARY BURTON QUARTET / LIVE IN UTRECHT (1CDR)

Gary Burton - vibraphone
Pat Metheny - guitar
Steve Swallow - bass
Dan Gottlieb - drums

1. FALLING GRACE
2. B & G (MIDWESTERN NIGHTS DREAM)
3. DESERT AIR
4. THE WHOPPER
5. DREAM SO REAL
6. COME EN VIETNAM
7. YELLOW FIELDS
8. NACADA

The "Necromancer" series—which reissues rare titles from niche, handmade, collector-focused labels using official master recordings—now welcomes "Headless Hawk," one of the premier collector labels in the jazz world. These rare titles are being brought back at an accessible price point, featuring new reissue branding and updated back-cover artwork.

This is a soundboard live recording of the Gary Burton Quartet. Captured during their peak ECM era, the lineup is impeccable, featuring a young Pat Metheny on guitar and Steve Swallow on bass. While one might expect Jon Christensen on drums, the role is filled here by Dan Gottlieb—all of them heavy hitters from the ECM stable. Unlike some other ECM acts that lean heavily into ambient territory, Gary Burton’s quartet maintains a more orthodox jazz band style. While the overall atmosphere carries that signature cool, Nordic quality—distinct from the "rootsier" American jazz tradition—this release is highly accessible, even for jazz fans who might otherwise find the ECM sound a bit challenging.