John Abercrombie has been teaming with his band of Marc Copland/p, Drew Gress/b and Joey Baron for quite awhile, and the symbiotic telepathy that only long term relationships create is in full force here. The music is subtle, swinging, intuitive and communicative, and each teammate knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.
Abercrombie is in a lyrical and deft mood, communicating with fluid lines with Copland on “Nardis” while displaying elegance with him on “Up and Coming.” During these moments, Joey Baron is a master of selection, as his cymbal pulses along the clean guitar lines of the skipping “Flipside,” brushing along to Gress’ bass on the placid “Sunday School” or applying thoughtful mallets to gray bass pulses on the somber “Tears.” The team can be nimble and funky as on the boppish “Silver Circle” and swing like its in their collective dna on “Jumbles.” Sophisticated but not sterile.
ECM Records