Triptykon (album)

Triptykon is the fourth album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, recorded on 8 November 1972 and released on ECM the following year—his third for the label. The trio features rhythm section Arild Andersen and Edward Vesala.^[1]

Triptykon
Studio album by Jan Garbarek
Released	1973
Recorded	8 November 1972[1]
Studio	Arne Bendiksen Studio Oslo, Norway
Genre	Jazz
Length	42:19
Label	ECM 1029 ST
Producer	Manfred Eicher
Jan Garbarek chronology
Sart (1971) Triptykon (1973) Red Lanta (1974)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[4]

Reception

Jazz historian and Jazzwise journalist Stuart Nicholson selected Triptykon as one of Garbarek's five essential recordings, noting that it presented a "radical twist" in his musical style.^[5]

In a similar vein, the AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick stated, "Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek took several intriguing stylistic turns early in his career, none more extreme than that shown on Triptykon... an expressionist trio drawing on both free improvisation and Scandinavian folk tunes, roaring, stumbling, and reeling, evoking an aural equivalent of Edvard Munch. Garbarek's work on all his reeds is assured and imaginative, even as the context is often dark and bleak.... Highly recommended."^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Jan Garbarek, Arild Anderson & Edward Vesala except where noted.

1. "Rim" – 10:33
2. "Selje" – 2:16
3. "J.E.V." – 7:28
4. "Sang" – 2:45
5. "Triptykon" – 12:46
6. "Etu Hei!" (Garbarek, Vesala) – 2:20
7. "Bruremarsj" (Traditional) – 4:13

Personnel

• Jan Garbarek – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass saxophone, flute
• Arild Andersen – bass
• Edward Vesala – percussion