When pianist Marc Copland formally joined the John Abercrombie Quartet
for 2013's wonderful 39 Steps, he brought with him the fruit of the
musical relationship between himself and the guitarist that had been
established some four decades earlier with Chico Hamilton, and in the
fusion band Dreams. Their evolution continued the guitarist's
participation on several of the pianist's albums, and as sidemen playing
in the same bands with Kenny Wheeler and David Liebman. Bassist Drew
Gress, who has worked with both men separately over the years, is a
further link in the chain, while drummer Joey Baron has played with the
guitarist often enough to be intimately familiar with his compositional
and improvisational processes.
Abercrombie wrote five of these eight
tunes, Copland contributed a pair, and the group offers a startling read
of Miles Davis' nugget "Nardis." It's in the reinvention of the latter
number where this band showcases its greatest strengths. While they
remain faithful to the song's harmony and spirit, they open up its inner
space a moment at a time, almost imperceptibly at first. Abercrombie
parses his phrases, albeit fluidly, to reveal the hidden magic in Davis'
nuances, as Copland follows through and around them to crystallize its
striking chorus. There's a great deal of magic in the originals as well.
Opener "Joy" commences with a poignant minor-lyric statement, picked up
by Copland before the pair stagger the melody and begin a gradual yet
emotive and inquisitive interplay. Gress accents the changes while Baron
adds dimension and texture with his whispering cymbal work. The
pianist's solo highlights each melodic fragment with canny lyricism. The
guitarist's "Flipside" is brief, but its swinging tempo and tight
changes spotlight the band breezing through post-bop with zest, humor,
and chops to spare. A more complex side of that nature is expounded upon
in Copland's "Silver Circle," providing an opportunity for Abercrombie
to underscore the edges in a rounded yet knotty solo. The pianist's
"Tears," with its processional yet lithe chord voicings, hushed cymbals,
and muted tom-toms, is initially so gentle and tender, it momentarily
distracts from the darkness within. Abercrombie's break caresses the
melody's haunting frame; Gress picks apart its elements and exposes its
spine reinforced subtly by Baron, and Copland opens the seam to expose
drama, vulnerability, and loss. The set concludes with the guitarist's
"Jumbles," a jocular, midtempo workout that juxtaposes angles and breezy
harmony with a varying rhythmic palette. Up and Coming clocks in at
under 50 minutes. Its compositional and improvisational economy is
countered by the quartet's disciplined ability to colorfully and
authoritatively illustrate an abundance of creative ideas without
hinting at compromise. by Thom Jurek
Tracklist :
1 Joy 4:12
John Abercrombie
2 Flipside 2:53
John Abercrombie
3 Sunday School 7:18
John Abercrombie
4 Up and Coming 5:50
John Abercrombie
5 Tears 7:34
Marc Copland
6 Silver Circle 7:06
Marc Copland
7 Nardis 6:21
Miles Davis
8 Jumbles 5:57
John Abercrombie
Credits :
Double Bass – Drew Gress
Drums – Joey Baron
Guitar – John Abercrombie
Piano – Marc Copland
quinta-feira, 17 de fevereiro de 2022
JOHN ABERCROMBIE QUARTET - Up and Coming (2017) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
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