Jazz Articles about John Abercrombie

John Abercrombie: Open Land

by Glenn Astarita
December 1, 1999

One of the true treasures of Modern Jazz, guitarist John Abercrombie’s impressive and somewhat legendary recorded legacy continues with Open Land. Here, Abercrombie expands his longtime “organ trio” group consisting of organist Dan Wall and drummer Adam Nussbaum while garnering the rather estimable support of special guests, saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and violinist Mark Feldman.

On Open Land the great guitarist offers the listener a panoramic view via wide-open and expansive compositions that leave plenty of room for ...

John Abercrombie: Open Land

by David Adler
December 1, 1999

John Abercrombie’s guitar tone has changed a lot over the years. I am particularly fond of his late 70s quartet with Richard Beirach, George Mraz, and Peter Donald. Back then his sound was extremely dark—nearly underwater in fact, with no treble to speak of. Lately it’s developed a lot more flesh and attack. On this new record, Open Land, he gravitates toward a nasal tone more along the lines of John Scofield. “Spring Song," a haunting waltz, and “Gimme Five," ...

Bruce Ditmas: What If

by Glenn Astarita
November 1, 1999

Drummer Bruce Ditmas’ wish list comes to fruition on the 1995 “Postcards” release titled, What If. Among the noteworthy crop of re-releases from Arkadia Records who now own the Postcards catalogue is this mind boggling work featuring a who’s who of modern jazz stylists such as pianist Paul Bley, bassist Dominic Richards, saxophonist Sam Rivers and guitarist John Abercrombie. According to the liners, Ditmas handed Postcards something similar to a Christmas want-list as they proceeded to round up these consummate ...

John Abercrombie: Open Land

by C. Andrew Hovan
November 1, 1999

Truth be told, John Abercrombie has always been one of the more neglected players of his generation. He's never done the more commercial types of things that have brought fellow guitarists like Pat Metheny a broader audience base, and yet the irony is that his adventurous style and sound was the forerunner of such current underground favorites as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bill Frisell, and Ben Monder. Several years ago, however, he chose to work in the context of an organ trio. ...

Charles Lloyd: Voice in the Night

by Larry Koenigsberg
May 1, 1999

Although Voice in the Night marks Charles Lloyd's return after over three decades to recording with guitar rather than piano as the chordal instrument, the most notable feature of his new CD is his return to form, as opposed to merely a return to format. He sounds the best he has since he left his Big Sur retreat to perform and record for ECM with Michel Petrucciani and Bobo Stenson. Indeed, the whole band sounds on, in this sequence of ...

Charles Lloyd: Voice In The Night

by Douglas Payne
April 1, 1999

Voice in the Night is a welcome homecoming for reedman Charles Lloyd. He hasn't recorded in a guitar-based group since his two tremendously underrated (and rockish) albums for A&M in 1972-73. Here, he also pleasingly revisits a good deal of his earlier (and still his most personable) material: “Forest Flower," from the famed quartet days of the late 60s, “Voice in the Night" and in the “Pocket Full of Blues" medley, “Island Blues" and “Little Sister's Dance."With the ...

Abercrombie / Wall / Nussbaum: Tactics

by Douglas Payne
May 1, 1997

Despite their popularity, organ trios have a bad reputation in jazz. Perhaps it's the greasy grooves, or the domination of too many heavy-handed B-3 players. Guitarist John Abercrombie got his start three decades ago in Johnny “Hammond" Smith's organ combo. But since then, he's shown he's anything but a stereotypical chord cruncher or fatback slinger. He's traversed modal and bop, waxed lyrical and ethereal, gone all-out free and dug deep in rock and he seems sincere about each and every ...