Universal Syncopations

Universal Syncopations is an album by Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš recorded between 2002–2003 and released on ECM later that year.

Reception
Universal Syncopations was received positively by critics upon release, with John Fordham describing it in his review for The Guardian as "a wonderful contemporary jazz set [...] in which all the players reconsider their histories to maximise the intensity of the present." In a similarly positive review, Thom Jurek of AllMusic stated, "Universal Syncopations is by turns a return to not the old forms, but rather to the manner of illustrating harmonic concepts in a quintet setting that allows for a maximum space between ensemble players while turning notions of swing, counterpoint, and rhythmic invention on their heads... Universal Syncopations is one of the most gorgeous sounding and toughly played dates of the calendar year."

Not all critics were as emphatically positive about the release. Writing for the BBC, Peter Marsh acknowledged the exceptional individual musical performances but wrote that there was at times a 'lack of cohesion' in the ensemble playing, making Universal Syncopations 'a bit of a disappointment'.

Track listing

 * All compositions by Miroslav Vitouš except as indicated.


 * 1) "Bamboo Forest" - 4:37
 * 2) "Univoyage" - 10:54
 * 3) "Tramp Blues" - 5:19
 * 4) "Faith Run" - 4:58
 * 5) "Sun Flower" - 7:21
 * 6) "Miro Bop" - 4:03
 * 7) "Beethoven" (Jan Garbarek, Vitouš) - 7:18
 * 8) "Medium" (Jack DeJohnette, Vitouš) - 5:09
 * 9) "Brazil Waves" (Garbarek, Vitouš) - 4:26

Personnel

 * Miroslav Vitouš – double bass
 * Jan Garbarek – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
 * Chick Corea – piano
 * John McLaughlin – guitar
 * Jack DeJohnette – drums
 * Wayne Bergeron – trumpet (tracks 2-4)
 * Valery Ponomarev – trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 2-4)
 * Isaac Smith – trombone (tracks 2-4)