Artist: John Abercrombie
Album: Rarum XIV Selected Recordings
Genre: Modern Creative
Label: ECM
Released: 2004
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
- Timeless (John Abercrombie) from: John Abercrombie,Timeless / rec. June 1974, New York
- Sorcery I (Jack DeJohnette) from: Gateway / rec. March 1975, Ludwigsburg
- Avenue (John Abercrombie) from: John Abercrombie & Ralph Towner, Sargasso Sea / rec. May 1976, Oslo
- Memoir (John Abercrombie) from: John Abercrombie, Characters / rec. November 1977, Oslo
- Stray (Richard Beirach) from: Aberorombie Quartet / rec. November 1979, Oslo
- Big Music (John Abercrombie) from: John Abercrombie, November / rec. November 1992, Oslo
- Ma Belle Helene (Kenny Wheeler) from; Kenny Wheeler Quintet, The Widow In The Window / rec. February 1990, Oslo
- Carol's Carol (Dan Wall) from: John Abercrombie. While We're Young / rec. June 1992, New York
- Homecoming (Dave Holland) from: Gateway, Homecoming / rec. December 1994, New York
- Convolution (John Abercrombie) from: John Abercrombie, Cat'n'Mouse / rec. December 2000, New York
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- Personnel:
- John Abercrombie - electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin guitar
- Jan Hammer - organ, synthesizer Jack DeJohnette drums
- Dave Holland - double-bass
- Ralph Towner - classical guitar
- Richard Beirach - piano
- George Mraz - double-bass
- Peter Donald - drums
- Marc Johnson - double-bass
- Peter Erskine - drums
- Kenny Wheeler - trumpet
- John Taylor - piano
- Dan Wall - organ
- Adam Nussbaum - drums
- Mark Feldman - violin
- Joey Baron - drums
Making the choices for this retrospective was quite difficult for me. After 30 years of recording for ECM, you can imagine how many different options I had to deal with. There were recordings as a leader, as a sideman, and with co-operative, ongoing groups. It was necessary to listen again to many tracks, as my memory, coupled with some senior moments, made it mandatory! This meant listening to myself over the years, which was both interesting and a bit frightening. Like looking at a photo album, and seeing all those changes that have taken place, as well as memories that were rekindled. (Ahh, sweet hair!!) While the selections that I have chosen contain some of my favorite moments, they are by no means the only ones. Due to the length of some of the tracks, together with the time constraint of a single CD, it was necessary to make decisions and delete some pieces that I wish I could have included; like "Margueritte" from the "Cloud Dance" recording with Collin Walcott, or "Requiem" with Charles Lloyd from "Voice In The Night", as well as projects with Enrico Rava, and Vince Mendoza, and Jan Garbarek.
I decided to choose from my own bands over the years, as well as ongoing collectives such as the duo with Ralph Towner, the Gateway trio with Jack DeJohnette and Dave Holland, and the Kenny Wheeler Quintet. I also was looking at this in a chronological way, as it seemed to put things in a perspective for me, and hopefully for the listener, that would trace some development in terms of performance, and concept.The first piece/Timeless", recorded in 1974, was actually one of my very first songs, and my first recording as a leader. The original intent was to do something that reflected my origins, playing with organ groups in the late 60's, but using creative players like DeJohnette and Jan Hammer, the results were anything but ordinary!
"Sorcery I", recorded with Jack and Dave, is really an intense piece, that harkens back to the days when testosterone was a powerful force indeed! "Avenue" is a gentle waltz that highlights the genuine rapport that exists with my old friend and partner in guitar crime, Ralph Towner. "Memoir" was written on a Revox tape recorder that was given to me by Manfred Eicher and proved to be an invaluable tool for writing not only that tune, but all the pieces on "Characters'7'Stray", written by Richie Beirach, is a good example of my first band, which was together for about five years, and gave me my first opportunity to play and write with the same musicians on a more consistent level."Big Music" is an open piece for my second band, with Marc Johnson and Peter Erskine. While that trio played everything from standards to rock-influenced pieces, I always liked this piece for its gentle swing feel and lovely guitar sound."Ma Belle Helene", recorded with Kenny Wheeler's quintet in 1990, is such a beautiful song that was played for the first time in the studio and captures the spontaneity of a first take. I also think that the recording of the guitar here is exceptional. "Carol's Carol", written by Dan Wall, is really more of a return to early organ trio playing of the late 60's,but with a slightly more 90's take on that genre. It's also a good representation of my third band, with Dan and Adam Nussbaum. The final piece,"Convolution", completes the cycle for now. This is from the most recent recording, "Cat'n' Mouse", and points toward a real change in direction; more free improvisation, but in a real chamber-like setting, due in large part to Mark Feldman's violin.
Over these past 30 years of recording for ECM, I've had the wonderful opportunity to record with musicians from all over the globe; not just American jazz players. It's opened me, as well as the listeners, to a wealth of music and musicians that might not ever have been heard otherwise. Manfred's vision, dedication, and integrity should be applauded, and valued, and I look forward to 30 more years of working with him. God only knows what shape my hair will be in by then!
John Abercrombie