Eberhard Weber's debut album for ECM, released in 1974, has been hailed as a "near-perfect album" by an "artist with a fully developed creative vision." The German double bassist, born in Stuttgart in 1940, made a bold musical statement with this work, heralding a new voice in the contemporary jazz scene. "The Colours of Chloë" is often considered an early example of "European chamber jazz" and thus an "emancipation" from the American mainstream. On this recording, Weber showcased his distinctive compositional style, influenced as much by European classical music and contemporary minimalism as by swing and improvisation. Particularly noteworthy was his introduction of a custom-made five-string electric double bass, which sounded like a cross between a double bass and a fretless electric bass and became his instrument of choice from 1974 onward. The music had an ethereal quality that, through its attention to space and nuances, clearly differed from the fusion music of the time.
