For the past four years the attention of jazz connoisseurs has been riveted on a small West German label, ECM Records of Munich, and its director, Manfried Eicher. ECM has quietly pioneered the newer frontiers of modern music, fueled by the best of the younger American players. Keith Jarrett has four ECM sides, including the legendary collection of piano songs, Facing You. Chick Corea's Return To Forever is already regarded as one of the major small-group recordings of the Seventies. Corea has also done two solo albums for Eicher, and shared a date with vibist Gary Burton that produced the beautiful Crystal Silence. ECM's main concern is the underheard artist: The catalog includes works by Paul Bley, Stanley Cowell, Dollar Brand, Marion Brown and Paul Motian.

ECM's problem so far has been a lack of distribution in the States, but this has changed with Polydor's recent acquisition of rights to the entire catalog. The first American ECM release contains five albums that do a good job representing the label's strengths and weaknesses. Gary Burton's New Quartet set is by far his best: Burton is aided by a super-tight trio of Boston musicians associated with the Berklee School. Guitarist Mick Goodrick conspires stunningly with Burton on songs by Corea, Jarrett and Carla Bley. The addition of Abe Laboriel on bass makes a sinuous, very intense record, perhaps the most exciting instrumental record yet this year.

Bassist David Holland put together a brilliant one-shot quartet for his Conference of the Birds (ECM 1027ST). The session features avant-reedmen Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton in an inspired fever, splashing sound off each other like a pitched water battle above Barry Altschul's percussion. An adroit, accessible yet uncompromising album of the new music. Also recommended is Chick Corea's Piano Improvisations (ECM 1014ST), a good chance to hear the clarity of Corea's instrumental vision unmarred by frills and bonkers Scientology vibes.

Of lesser interest is Robin Kenyatta's well-played but poorly organized Girl From Martinique (ECM 1008ST) and a scattery Jarrett-Jack DeJohnette piano/drums collaboration, Ruta & Daitya (ECM 1021ST). One assumes that Polydor is saving the cream of the ECM crop for later. Soon we should be seeing Jarrett's solo sessions (the latest was just released in Europe), the rest of Corea's output including Return, Marion Brown's Afternoon of a Georgia Faun, Paul Bley's Open, To Love and the rest. ECM should receive a welcome long overdue in this country. (RS 161)

STEPHEN DAVIS