Keith Jarrett, a huge fan of the guru-like 20th century spiritual teacher Georges Gurdjieff, rekindled interest in the latter’s visionary musical output with his 1980 album Sacred Hymns – released, as is this very different disc – by ECM. Helmed by Levon Eskenian and featuring a 14-member Armenian ensemble on Eastern folk instruments pertaining to Gurdjieff’s travels and the compositions he dictated to his pupil, Russian pianist Thomas de Hartmann, this beautiful record deftly captures both the improvisational mood and ancient roots of the original pieces. Tracks with titles such as ‘Chant From A Holy Book’ and ‘Assyrian Women Mourners’ are as atmospheric and spacious as anything one might expect from ECM, but despite the delicacy of the duduk woodwind and the tumbling beauty of the kanon harp there’s a depth that anchors and adds weight. The maqams, scales and modes used in Arabic music are at work here too, as are evocative shepherd’s songs and rhythmic village dances. A multilayered, quite precious recording that rewards repeated listening.