ECM is now streaming its catalog through the big services

[Gone Fission]

So what to listen to?
What I already would recommend from prior exposure:
David Torn's Only Sky
Nils Petter Molvaer's Khmer
Steve Tibbetts' Yr and The Fall of Us All

Anything you find essential or just cool?

[dubkitty]

"Conference of the Birds" by Dave Holland; "Music for 18 Musicians" by Steve Reich.

[Chankgeez]

Just go through the entire catalog. Lots of great music there.

a lot of the Keith Jarrett stuff is really nice
Old And New Dreams (Ornette's band w/o Ornette)
John Abercrombie Timeless
Mal Waldron The Call
Marion Brown Afternoon of a Georgia Faun
Wolfgang Dauner Output
much of the Dave Holland stuff
Circle/Chick Corea
Stanley Cowell Illusion Suite
Bennie Maupin The Jewel in the Lotus

that should be enough to start with.

(dubkitty's picks are also essential)

[voerking]

the two GATEWAY (Abercrombie, DeJohnette, Holland) records for sure.

the early Terje Rypdal albums are awesome, too.

Pat Metheny's 'Bright Size Life' is an all time favorite.

ECM has a LOT of awesome albums in their catalog! up to the new ones - the new Vijay Iyer Sextet record rules.

[bacegchsbis]

So much great music. I've been listening to Jarrett's Hymns/Sphere & the Koln Concert for the past couple of days.

[ognoy]

This is great news! Now I've got a lot of listening to do!

Here is a newer tip:
Lumen Drones - S/T

Local band with great musicians.
Harding fiddle(traditional Norwegian folk fiddle with drone strings), guitar and drums.

[retinal orbita]

My top ECM:
Dave Holland "Conference of the Birds"
Terje Rypdal "Odyssey"
Circle "Paris Concert"
Roscoe Mitchell "Composition/Improvisation 1, 2, 3
Steve Reich " Music for 18 Musicians"

Still a whole bunch I'm looking for though

[dubkitty]

i should have added the Circle disc as well.

[Gone Fission]

Here is a newer tip:
Lumen Drones - S/T

Local band with great musicians.
Harding fiddle(traditional Norwegian folk fiddle with drone strings), guitar and drums.

Excellent tip. Sofa King good.

[Dandolin]

Jack Dejohnette's Special Edition(s)

[noddles]

terje rypdal / miroslav vitous / jack dejohnette

[Dandolin]

terje rypdal / miroslav vitous / jack dejohnette

[noddles]

terje rypdal / miroslav vitous / jack dejohnette

one of my favorite jazz albums, really nice atmosphere that reminds me of Talk Talk's last two LPs

[Dandolin]

I can hear that similarity....

[Tristan]

From the top of my head:
John Abercrombie
Anouar Brahem
Bill Frisell