John Abercombie Trio: Tactics
Tactics, (ECM), a live album from John Abercrombie’s working Trio circa the mid nineties exemplifies all that is best about this guitarist. It sounds easy on the ears at first, so easy in fact it is takes some time before you realise just how good it is.
Recorded at Visiones, NYC in 1996, and featuring Dan Wall on Hammond B-3, Adam Nussbaum, on drums as well as John Abercrombie on guitars it sticks close to the work of the Trio’s two studio albums, While We Were Young and Speak of the Devil. Noteworthy in the light of the trend by other guitarists to use multiple overdubs and studio technique to enhance their play, this recording sounds as tightly woven and pristine as anything produced in the studio, in fact but for the occasional outbreak of applause you could be forgiven for thinking it was a studio album.
A collection of three compositions by John Abercrombie, two by Dan Wall, one from Adam Nussbaum and two standards, it sets out the work they were doing at the time. Investigating the possibilities of the guitar, organ, drums trio. A collection of reflective and intelligently played numbers. John’s finger picked fret-work central yet with excellent organ play from Wall, and drum and brush work from Nussbaum. As with the Trio’s studio albums of this period the emphasis is on subtly and harmonic exploration within a conventional jazz framework.
Notable tracks are ‘Last Waltz’, (John does love a waltz), ‘You and the Night and the Music’, ‘Dear Rain’ (the drum and brush work here as good anything by that master of drum and brush work – Paul Motian), and a great version of Jerome Kern’s ‘Long Ago and Far Away’.
This is perhaps an album for those familiar with the studio work who want some idea of how the Trio sounded live. If that is your reason for listening you will not be disappointed. However such is the standard of play here it can be recommended for anyone who simply loves good jazz.
A full seventy-six minutes of music, the aesthetic of which is admirably expressed by John’s taut crediting of the band as the final track plays out, then signing of with a succinct, ‘thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience’. It’s always a pleasure John.
Copyright (C) Peter Hodgins Nov 2007
Tactics: John Abercrombie Trio. BUY
Recorded at Visiones, NYC in 1996, and featuring Dan Wall on Hammond B-3, Adam Nussbaum, on drums as well as John Abercrombie on guitars it sticks close to the work of the Trio’s two studio albums, While We Were Young and Speak of the Devil. Noteworthy in the light of the trend by other guitarists to use multiple overdubs and studio technique to enhance their play, this recording sounds as tightly woven and pristine as anything produced in the studio, in fact but for the occasional outbreak of applause you could be forgiven for thinking it was a studio album.
A collection of three compositions by John Abercrombie, two by Dan Wall, one from Adam Nussbaum and two standards, it sets out the work they were doing at the time. Investigating the possibilities of the guitar, organ, drums trio. A collection of reflective and intelligently played numbers. John’s finger picked fret-work central yet with excellent organ play from Wall, and drum and brush work from Nussbaum. As with the Trio’s studio albums of this period the emphasis is on subtly and harmonic exploration within a conventional jazz framework.
Notable tracks are ‘Last Waltz’, (John does love a waltz), ‘You and the Night and the Music’, ‘Dear Rain’ (the drum and brush work here as good anything by that master of drum and brush work – Paul Motian), and a great version of Jerome Kern’s ‘Long Ago and Far Away’.
This is perhaps an album for those familiar with the studio work who want some idea of how the Trio sounded live. If that is your reason for listening you will not be disappointed. However such is the standard of play here it can be recommended for anyone who simply loves good jazz.
A full seventy-six minutes of music, the aesthetic of which is admirably expressed by John’s taut crediting of the band as the final track plays out, then signing of with a succinct, ‘thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience’. It’s always a pleasure John.
Copyright (C) Peter Hodgins Nov 2007
Tactics: John Abercrombie Trio. BUY
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