JOHN ABERCROMBIE

Hard to believe that we're going on six years following Mr. Abercrombie's death (Aug. 22, 2017). John Abercrombie was one of those figures in Jazz Fusion specifically that I found myself latching onto easily. His approach is fantastic and he played with many fellow greats. Here on his first album he is joined by keyboardist Jan Hammer (Mahavishnu Orchestra) and drummer Jack DeJohnette. For John's solo work, Timeless and Sargasso Sea (1976) proved favorable in the least, and I wanted to be sure I also recommended the '76 debut Gateway album (exchange Hammer from this lineup with bassist Dave Holland for that band). Other recommendations I'd give from just before Timeless include Lookout Farm (1974) and Drum Ode (1975) by Dave Liebman, and Abercrombie also featured on Billy Cobham's Crosswinds and Total Eclipse (both from 1974).

No time is wasted whatsoever with the blazing fast start of "Lungs", the album opener and first of our two 12-minute bookends. All while DeJohnette lays down hasty Post-Bop on the drums, Abercrombie and Hammer (on Hammond and synth) change hands, exchanging every few bars for soloing, ramping up approaching minute 2. Abercrombie definitely proved to me to be of a similar caliber to John McLaughlin or Larry Coryell. While the others create wonderful atmosphere, Jack does things [although also consistently] that you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere; a unique and expressive player, to me unmatched. Get your noggin' scratched in this middle section, why don't'cha? Right at the 7 minute mark, Jan leads us off with a cool, alien-Funk bassline, followed by a smooth, smoky soloing from him and John. Abercombie and DeJohnette together but separately occasionally unravel as the soloing continues and intensifies. I just realized, in my excitement to be seriously listening through this once more, that this whole paragraph is about just that opener haha.

Unsurprisingly similar to the start of the perfect Mahavishnu song, "Open Country Joy"--or, also from Birds Of Fire, the bright acoustic track "Thousand Island Park"--"Love Song" features acoustic piano for the first time married with John's full-chorded strums and solo. Really gorgeous track, it's simultaneously crushingly sad and longing, by my estimation. Regardless, goes to show their knack and ability to conjure up any number of complex emotions. Up next is a track one might expect from contemporary Pat Metheny, "Ralph's Piano Waltz", with a smooth groove and beautiful, ever-flowing lead-play from John. Full steam ahead, regardless of the mood. And in this, once more, we get a few different feelings, from what I would consider joyous fun to pressing tension, the latter brought on most, to me, by Jan Hammer's Hammond return. This song has it; another near-essential.

We keep the speed at a 10 for "Red And Orange", a volcanic number with an apt title. I'm not sure what else to say here; just trying to keep up. This was the first time on the album where I truly felt that Abercrombie sounded like McLaughlin in tone. Wild stuff. Fiery Fusion Phenom. Up next, with a beginning to really hook you, we have the truly nostalgic "Remembering". This is, unsurprising to me, another acoustic number, though slower paced than "Love Song". The interplay of keys and guitar is really wonderful, with staccato and call-and-response and plenty of purty. Despite its quietness, "Remembering" certainly has its strengths abundant.

Finally, our title track, "Timeless". It begins out of nothingness, with a deep, sci-fi-perfect drone. John Abercrombie joins in, much like a singular Raga. Is it Rush's "La Villa Strangiato" that's coming to mind for me? Something off of Exit Stage Left. [Probably "Jacob's Ladder".] The drone continues, and the guitar slips and slides, now matched by light, distant organ and the softest cymbal strikes you've ever heard. To great effect, all this up till this point lasts for over 4 minutes. This track, in its quietness, is perfectly understated, so to speak. Nearing minute 8, the drums build and shift into a sort of trot. Really very lovely. All in all, a great closer to a great album.

True Rate: 4.25/5.00

Despite falling in love with the phenomenal guitar work of the late, great John Abercrombie, I let a whole lot of material of his slip out from under me. Some standards I once had! haha. Thanks is due in great part to Mr. Dereck Higgins for directing me specifically here. And although this is clearly a significantly later era for Abercrombie, I am likewise drawn by this lineup. On tenor sax, the wonderful, emotive Michael Brecker, the drumming of the inspired Jack DeJohnette, and the fiery, most excellent Jan Hammer on keys. Masters all.

Funny hearing a very-80s Reggae jam with these still-exemplary, worldclass jazz musicians, but that's what our opener has to offer, "Ethereggae". A bit of corny, but it works well enough and is a decent showcase of our performers. Strongest of them all here, in my mind, is John. His guitar effects feel a tad unlike him; more like he's trying to be Pat Metheny... a bit too hard to sound like Pat Metheny...

Our title track, "Night", is low and slow, yet super moving, starting with a solo from Brecker. Hammer comes in with piano, and all the while Jack is showin' his cymbal game. Off to a much better, more interesting start is the chill, sleuth-reminiscent "3 East". The blaze is constant yet low. John then has a pretty wicked extended solo regardless. Low and slow still is "Look Around", though with way more interest than one might expect. Around minute 4 things pick up... and really intensify, but only for a minute. Definitely the highlight thus far.

"Believe You Me", which comes as no surprise to me, being Abercrombie with Hammer, sounds like an early Mahavishnu number. This then was the best you'll hear on the album, to this point. Certainly an arena in which they all excel, in its lowness and slowness, it's still tense as hell, Michael coming in hot with a blaze of a solo. What I also love about this track is Jan's embrace of organ. It sounds perfect here. Once again, so tense. We are being pulled to and fro on this one, all while pretty consistently holding onto the main theme.

Finally, we have the ever descriptive "Four On One", starting off with wild, but light drumming and wild, but front-and-center organ. Another fiery solo from John here, then matched once more by Michael. They break out into an even wilder blaze. Perhaps the most straightforward Jazz track, and yet one of the most appealing, exciting tracks of the lot.

True Rate: 3.5/5.0

3.5 stars. I really like John Abercrombie and highly recommend his "Timeless" and first "Gateway" albums. An ECM staple this would be Abercrombie's first studio album of seven under the name JOHN ABERCROMBIE QUARTET. We get besides John's guitar and mandolin, bass, drums and piano. And in the ECM tradition this is a classy and mellow release with the bass and piano being acoustic. I'm just not big on this style but I have to mention that title track because it bumps up my rating and appreciation of this one. It's fairly similar to the other songs early on with the relaxed piano and guitar but it's the drumming that is so loose that has my attention. So good! Then we get some intensity which will come and go that is so enjoyable and really only appears on this song. Classy music from one of the greats.

First a citation from All Music Guide: "John Abercrombie's tying together of jazz's many threads made him one of the most influential acoustic and electric guitarists of the 1970s and early '80s; his recordings for ECM have helped define that label's progressive chamber jazz reputation. (...) Abercrombie's style draws upon all manner of contemporary improvised music; his style is essentially jazz-based, but he also displays a more-than-passing familiarity with forms that range from folk and rock to Eastern and Western art musics."

That's a good summation and an introduction to Abecrombie's music. On 39 Steps his quartet features pianist Marc Copland who makes his ECM debut. Several track titles come from the classic Alfred Hitchcock suspense films, but the general mood is pretty harmless and harmonic in its tidy impressionism. 'Vertigo' is a low-key and relatively quiet tune; the intimate thoughtfulness is doubtlessly coloured by the listener's memories of the film. 'LST' is happier and brighter but stays quite unspectacular. PAT METHENY sometimes sounds like this, at his most boring. Does 'Bacharach' capture the spirit of that evergreen songwriter maestro? Hard to say, at least it lacks the emotionally strong melodicism of Burt Bacharach. Pretty and enjoyable music it is, like the whole album, but somewhat sleepy.

And so on. This is nice and peaceful chamber jazz to listen to when you're not in need of something more energetic or exciting. But really, if a track refers to a film such as Spellbound, it should have some more edge in it. It's quite hard to tell all the ten tracks from each other. It all stays so spineless and over-careful. The final tune 'Melancholy Baby' has a bit more memorable melodies, and it's the only track not composed by the performers. The playing of the quartet is very democratic, and on some tracks sounding like the final minutes of a long jam session with the attitude "let's not disturb the neighbours... and we're tired ourselves too". This album could function as music to put you into sleep at night, as it contains no notable contrasts or unexpected turns.

I've been enjoying guitarist extraordinaire John Abercrombie's "Gateway" album for years now, so to finally get my hands on his debut has been nothing short of outstanding. "Gateway" was John's second album and featured Jack DeJohnette (drums) and Dave Holland (bass) while "Timeless" also featured a trio with DeJohnette, but instead of Holland we get Jan Hammer on a variety of keyboards. So yes there's a different feel to this one when compared to "Gateway" but both are incredible.

Up first is the over 12 minute "Lungs" which is a real trip. At first everything is very uptempo with Hammer and DeJohnette leading the way then Abercrombie comes in with some fast paced soloing. This continues for almost 3 1/2 minutes then it calms right down to a whisper. Things stay laid back as different sounds come and go right to the end. Such a cool track. "Love Song" as you might imagine is a mellow track with the tasteful guitar and piano standing out. "Ralph's Piano Waltz" opens with jazzy drumming from DeJohnette as guitar and keyboards help out in this tasteful composition. Hammer comes in around 2 1/2 minutes on his Hammond to spice things up the rest of the way.

"Red And Orange" sounds great early on with the guitar, organ and drums setting a brisk pace. Hammer is so impressive here, but then they all are. Abercrombie comes and goes ripping it up. "Remembering" is a ballad-like instrumental. "Timeless" ends things on a high. At almost 12 minutes this beast starts off in an atmospheric manner, almost spacey really. Guitar sounds rise out of the mist. This is really good. The atmosphere fades out after 4 minutes as gentle guitar notes continue soon to be joined by intricate drumming and keyboards. This is all so laid back and beautiful. My favourite track on the album right here.

A very solid 4 stars and a must have along with "Gateway" for all you Jazz / Fusion fans out there.

As fuxi says, John Abercrombie is a great jazz guitarist but with a relatively low profile. His vast dicogrpahy is very varied, much of it being Post-Bop. This album is an unmistakable ECM product, featuring the familiar spacey sound, courtesy of Manfred Eicher, and top musicians from the ECM label. On top of the cover Abercrombie's name is equally followed by "Marc Johnson Peter Erskine w/ John Surman". Erskine is drummer-composer, Johnson plays bass. John Surman is a British modern jazz legend, a unique composer who plays bass clarinet and saxes, and on this album his contribution is very central. Indeed bass clarinet is not too often heard, also I adore its nocturnal sound here. And of course the rhythm section is absolute first rate. All members are credited for compositions, Abercrombie slightly more than others.

John Abercrombie's output is not very familiar to me this far but seems to be worth more exploration. This album is nearly 70 minutes, and for the most part really keeps the listener's attention. There's plenty of strong atmospheres and some raw, proggish edge that suitably is softened by the Eicher production. Warmly recommended to listeners of guitar jazz/ fusion, John Surman or ECM jazz in general.

A very interesting Jazz album from three extraordinary talents. Abercrombie on guitar, DeJohnette on drums and Holland on bass. This is quite different from the Rypdal, DeJohnette and Vitous album also released by ECM. Abercrombie and Rypdal have very different styles and that changes the overall sound between the two.

"Gateway" begins with three fairly laid back tunes that are quite intricate as the bass, guitar and drums seem to do their own thing. "Waiting" puts the spotlight on Holland as he leads the way with some cymbals added in. "May Dance" is where we get some passion from Abercrombie after 5 minutes then Holland solos once again. "Unshielded Desire" sounds so good mainly because up until now it's been fairly mellow and intricate. This song is very dynamic with DeJohnette offering up a great drum intro as Abercrombie comes in soloing over top. This continues as the guitar lights it up while the drums pound away. "Jamala" is mellow with cymbals, guitar and bass. "Sorcery I" will challenge your mind. After all that's gone before which I must say requires some patience,we are hit with an experimental intro before the guitar and drums start to wield their might before 2 minutes. It settles to a Jazzy mode a minute later then Abercrombie starts to set the soundscape ablaze. My God ! He's ripping it up 5 1/2 minutes in. I'm laughing at this section because of the joy I feel. DeJohnette not to be left out starts to dominte before 9 1/2 minutes to the end. I don't have an I-Pod yet but if I did this 11 minute tour de force would be on it. Killer track.

A special album that is an honour to own. 4 solid stars.

Excellent album of electric jazz/fusion guitar veteran John Abercrombie. In the first decade of new century he plays very aerial, extremely elegant and tasteful contemporary jazz. His electric guitar is only electric instrument on all recording, it's supported by acoustic rhythm section and violin.

John's collaborators on this album are really great: drummer Joey Baron and violinist Mark Feldman both are known by collaborations with John Zorn, and were long-time Masada members as well.

Interplay between electric guitar and acoustic violin are fantastic: if you remember Masada's violin sound, played by Feldman, you can easily imagine, how much warm and melancholic elements his violin can produce! Recording sound is very acoustic, in minimalistic production tradition of ECM recordings.

Rhythm section is ascetic, but very competent. You will hardly find such a great balance between high art and accessibility in contemporary jazz. For sure, there are no fusion at all, so this album is a real gem, but for highest class jazz lovers only.

Part of orthodox and acoustic part. And, it is methodological of the performance that has already been established. This John Abercrombie is always paid to attention as one of the guitar players who keep reforming always in Jazz/Fusion continuing the original performance.

The work that informed the world of his name was to have appointed to the recording of "Total Eclipse" that Billy Cobham had announced in 1974 though he had competing with various musicians before this album of the debut. Eminence might have gone up enough for the performance of him with whom an original interpretation and the intellect for music overflowed. And, it competes with Johnny"Hammond" Smith. Performance from Dreams of Rock group with Chico Hamilton. Because Abercrombie formed the base of music, these situations will have been elements enough. And, his involved young power his greeting and at that time is reflected enough in the album in this debut album. And, I will be able to ask the performance by Trio of this irregular organ enough for the zeal of Abercrombie.

"Lungs" is composed of some parts as the entire composition. An overwhelming opening speed and power show a complete technology. Ensemble of Trio is overwhelming. And, the performance of John Abercrombie might construct the music character with the angle besides the performance of the guitar players such as John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell. The tune advances with the development of Improvisation gradually. A good tension for the composition of the tune is given by as many as two people (Jan Hammer and Jack De Johnette) and it is continued. And, the flow that the synthesizer twines round the part of Bass by Jan Hammer might be indeed unique. A heavy part in close relation to a constant rhythm feels the area of the width of this Trio. It is a tune of which the element as Jazz Rock went out strongly very much. Because Jan Hammer composed, this tune might have the element of Mahavishnu Orchestra a little.

As for "Love Song", the melody of the piano and the guitar with the anacatesthesia is impressive. The progress of beautiful Chord might remarkably reflect the title of the tune in the tune. It talks about the piano and the guitar by music.

Playing the guitar with originality in the flow of Waltz exactly twines round "Ralph's Piano Waltz" well. The performance of Abercrombie will have an element original as for the method of settlement of the sound in which it lands when also thinking about progress and Ad-Rib of the tune because originality has gone out strongly. The tune gradually receives the top while making the theme cross each other to Ad-Rib by the organ. The sound of the guitar that uses the method of the volume is also impressive.

As for "Red And Orange", a complex, intermittent melody twines round the line of Bass by Jan Hammer. Because Jan Hammer composed as well as "Lungs" this tune, it is ..very high-quality Jazz Rock.. finished. And, the guitar and the drum answer the idea of Jan Hammer enough. The dash feeling of this tune might be also overwhelming. The tension is always continued.

"Remembering" shifts from the start of the guitar that gives the impression of uneasiness and the piano to a beautiful flow. The technology that Abercrombie cultivated listens to the impression not staying in simple Jazz/Fusion in this tune. Manfred Eicher that collects the tune in such a part, the feature as ECM might be added enough. It listens to the parts of a few avant-gardes.

"Timeless" starts from the flow of the float in the space. The melody of the guitar with the flow and the anacatesthesia of the synthesizer creates one space. A few, ambient flows progress quietly attended with the rhythm. Enough power might be exactly involved to the creation of Abercrombie with the performance.

This debut album might exist as overwhelming Jazz Rock in the work of John Abercrombie.

During the mid-nineteen eighties, ECM was focusing on light, but usually interesting electric jazz. Think Pat Metheny for a reference point for what they were looking for. This album is exactly in that Metheny zone. Light, but mostly unmemorable guitar based fusion.

The opening track, Clint, could actually be a nice prog song if it had a stronger arrangement. Here, Abercrombie's guitar synth remains light (damn, that work keeps coming up) and bouncy throughout. Notable on this track is Erskine's energetic drumming. Alice In Wonderland, and Lisa are all primarily guitar solo pieces, with some acoustic bass soloing as well, so soft that you hardly notice them. Abercrombie is a great player, but some more dynamics would be nice.

Hippityville picks things up, just a bit, with Abercrombie back on the guitar synth, and Erskine's drums pushing the beat up a notch. Killing Time is a nice, free form guitar synth solo piece. Still is moody and atmospheric.

So the main description for the album: you guessed it, light!

2.5 stars, Erskine's drums rounds it up.