With all of the jazz guitarists around these days, it’s easy to forget how important John Abercrombie has been, and therefore still is, on the vaulted status of the six strings. This 3 cd set features his albums with his original quartet of Richie Beirach/p, George Mraz/g and Peter Donald from 1978-80, and there is not only a LOT of music here, but a lot of excellent music.
The first thing that impresses here is that Abercrombie was not a hog for the spotlight. Almost a third of the pieces have Beirach delivering long intros that almost make you think that it’s a solo track, but eventually, as on “Alchemy” and “Neptune,” the band slides in with a gentle and fragrant groove. Mraz also gets as chance in the front lines, with wondrous and spacious sounds during “Dear Rain.” But, after all, this is still Abercrombie’s band, but he feels like a servant/leader here, with tasty delights that never overshadow anyone else as on the pastoral ”Blue Wolf” or more aggressive “Riddles.” Always underrated on acoustic guitar, he does wonders on the glowing “Foolish Dog” and thoughtful “To Be.” The whole mood created by these 3+ hours is one of subtle sophistication; it wins you over by charm and deft craft. Excellent!
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com