JOHN ABERCROMBIE TRIO: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

Granted, most progsters won't take to this, another of the Abercromboe, Wall and Nussbaum sessions, and it does have a lot of the slow ruminations that the three are so fond of. But if you like the Hammond B3 and have a taste for John Abercrombie's shimmering swells of tone and attack, this is a real good little record. Fortunately, the slower moody stuff is accented by a few cuts of higher energy and jazz- rock heat. 'Angel Food', 'Mahat', and especially the closer 'Hell's Gate' are marvelous examples of Wall's rich organ and Abercrombie's subtle chimes of color. Warranting perhaps only three stars in a prog rock context, it is a solid fusion statement full of great stuff and deserves the extra medal on its chest.