Swiss pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch and his band Ronin grabbed the attention of the international jazz world with four acclaimed ECM recordings between 2006 and 2012. The group's trademark sound lies in minimal, interlocking, contrapuntal, polyrhythmic grooves that Bärtsch defines as "zen funk," played on piano, percussion, and electric bass. It is not only listenable, but at times, actually danceable. But Ronin's roots lie in Mobile, an earlier Bärtsch ensemble that cut two albums -- Ritual Groove Music in 2004 and Aer in 2006 -- before this one. The composer's approach to rhythm, skeletal harmony, counterpoint, and repetition is different but holistic -- everywhere evident in both. The pianist's Mobile features bassist Kaspar Rast (on acoustic upright), and reed multi-instrumentalist Sha (both Ronin regulars), as well as percussionist Nicholas Stocker. Sha plays clarinets exclusively. His function, in direct contrast to his frontline role in Ronin, is as a tonal center and rhythmic collaborator. The music on Continuum is more deliberate, ritualistic -- it's still anchored in grooves but they're less obvious. The discipline of this band is legendary in Switzerland: its earliest incarnation could perform Bärtsch's hypnotic compositions for 36 hours straight.

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