DESCRIPTION:
• Miroslav Vitous (bass)
• John Surman (soprano sax, bass clarinet)
• Kenny Kirkland (piano)
• Jon Christensen (drums)
• Released in 1980

Leader Miroslav Vitous is the rare bassist who can negotiate both pizzicato and arco techniques with comparable finesse, bringing the latter to bear upon much of what we hear on First Meeting.

The dramatic "Silver Lake" begins the disc with rubato filigree and evolves into a driving yet impressionistic feel. The contours of the 11-minute "Silver Lake" epitomize the creative span of the ECM label and its ability to bring together complementary talents that might otherwise never have crossed paths. From its frayed beginnings to the fine braid into which it weaves, Vitous's passionate anchorage finds perfect foils in Kenny Kirkland's gorgeous arpeggios, Jon Christensen's ever-delicate cymbals, and the buoyant stylings of John Surman's soprano.