Recording history and tape provenance
This was the only time Rivers and Braxton recorded together. Holland and Altschul had played together since 1970 in a trio with Chick Corea, and Braxton joined them that August in the group Circle.
All six compositions are Holland's. Each is open form. A theme at the start sets key, tempo and mood, then the players improvise freely until the theme returns. Stuart Nicholson describes the result as a return to the rugged discipline of early 1960s free improvising.
Holland's liner note explains the title. He had a small garden at his London apartment. Birds gathered there one by one at dawn in summer, each declaring its freedom in song. He wanted to share that spirit with the other musicians.
Original ECM pressings (1973)
The 1973 original has the yellow cover and green labels, with ECM 1027 ST on the sleeve and ECM 1027 on the labels. Its back cover reads "Printed in W. Germany" and the labels read "Made in Germany." A near-identical variant omits the "Made in Germany" line.
Some copies of the original have die-cuts in the back cover, so the sleeve can stand up like a photo frame. That affects how cover condition should be judged.
The US pressing was distributed by Polydor in New York and printed in the USA. Its runouts are stamped, with etched plate identifiers. No published comparison with the German pressing has been found.
A German reissue from late 1976 or early 1977 carries "Urheber- Und..." rim text and a label code. That is how it is told apart from the first pressings. It is a vintage-era alternative at a lower price.
The 2017 ECM reissue
Several owner reviews on the Discogs master page state that the 2017 180g reissue was pressed from the same stampers cut in 1973. On that account it carries the original mastering with no new lacquer cut and no digital step.
The same reviewers on that master page describe the pressing as dead quiet, which matters on a record with very quiet passages. One rates it ahead of comparable Acoustic Sounds and Tone Poet reissues from other labels.
ECM has not published a statement confirming the stamper claim, so it rests on owner reports rather than the label's own description.
Buyer's guide by budget
$$: A 1976 or 1977 German reissue, identified by the rim text.
$$$: The 2017 ECM 180g reissue, for quiet surfaces and, per owner reports, the original mastering.
$$$$: A clean 1973 ECM 1027 original, priced on condition.
Pressing tier summary
| Tier ⇅ | Pressing | Cat# | Year ⇅ | Format | Source / Mastering | Notes | Market ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | ECM reissue | ECM 1027 | 2017 | Stereo, 33⅓, 180g | Owner reports say the 1973 stampers, not a new cut | Described by several owners as dead quiet. Not confirmed by ECM | – |
| A | ECM original | ECM 1027 ST | 1973 | Stereo, 33⅓ | Tony May / ECM. Pressed in Germany | First pressing. Yellow cover, green labels | $71VG+ $92NM $103M |
| B | German reissue | ECM 1027 | 1976–77 | Stereo, 33⅓ | Not credited | "Urheber- Und..." rim text and label code | $96VG+ $126NM $140M |
| – | US pressing, Polydor distribution | ECM 1027 | 1973 | Stereo, 33⅓ | Not credited | Not rated. Printed in the USA. No published comparison | $55VG+ $72NM $81M |
References
- Discogs (master, all versions): https://www.discogs.com/master/71747
- Wikipedia, "Conference of the Birds (Dave Holland album)": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_the_Birds_(Dave_Holland_album)
- Jazz History Online, "Dave Holland: 'Conference of the Birds' (ECM 1027)": https://jazzhistoryonline.com/dave-holland-conference-of-the-birds-ecm-1027/
- ECM Records, official product page: https://ecmrecords.com/product/conference-of-the-birds-david-holland-quartet/