This surprising 1984 endeavour from John Abercrombie finds the guitarist inwards conversation alongside January Hammer, Jack DeJohnette, together with Mike Brecker. The lack of a bassist on this session is non felt; the spaciousness of the music together with the masterful playing of all parties involved locomote along the focus clearly on the melodies, both scripted together with improvised. This tin lav best endure heard on the championship track, a lovely, tear-wrenching ballad. On or then of the to a greater extent than up-tempo tracks, Hammer covers the bass destination alongside his keyboards almost similar he is taking part inwards an organ trio. Unlike the high-velocity fusion that Hammer is best known for inwards his function alongside the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Al DiMeola, together with elsewhere, his function on Night is highly subdued. In fact, his playing is i of the most pleasant things virtually this record. It's squeamish to bespeak heed him doing something other than blaring away at a meg miles a minute. He actually is an first-class keyboardist, together with his arrive at is ofttimes underappreciated. However, the first-class compositions past times Hammer together with Abercrombie are the strongest affair virtually Night. One of the best is the opener, "Ethereggae," which features an incredible guitar solo over a sparse, haunting synth figure together with DeJohnette's incomparable comping. When Brecker adds his pointed, searching tenor, the despair together with loneliness of the music are almost also much to bear. This tape is the sort of album that i would similar to bespeak heed piece enjoying a late-night cigarette on the roof of a Manhattan apartment. Moody, atmospheric, together with beautiful.
As its encompass indicates, Night gives us a colorful, collage-like portrait of John Abercrombie, who jumps hither into the urban deep destination alongside smoky social club atmospheres together with tight jams. It’s a joy to run across the guitarist working alongside January Hammer again, together with the inclusion of Mike Brecker on tenor together with Jack DeJohnette on drums brand for a winning formula. Hammer adds a particular spike to this sonic punch, competently filling the session’s lack of bass piece also fleshing out the production alongside an evocative sweep. Between the idiomatic blend of “Ethereggae” together with the Timeless oestrus distortion of “3 East,” his billowing keys give Brecker to a greater extent than than plenty room to exhibit off his chops (he has hardly sounded better). This appointment isn’t all fun together with games, however, for the rain-slicked streets of “Look Around” give us suspension for reflection. Hammer reignites things inwards “Believe You Me,” which despite beingness the most straightforward runway compositionally sports Brecker’s most uninhibited solo yet. The band saves the best for terminal alongside “Four On One,” which draws or then other band of give the axe inwards an enthralling closer. DeJohnette gets his minute inwards the Sun hither equally well.
Great combination of musicians! The whole album has an interesting sound. The Hammond organ is a fight of a departure from the typical January Hammer sound. Amazing playing from Michael Brecker, (as always) together with the compositions are interesting alongside Abercrombie together with DeJohnette's distinct styles. All musicians a featured to a groovy extent. If you're a fan of whatever of these players, you lot won't endure disappointed.
This is i of my favourite records of all fourth dimension & the opener "Etherreggae" i of my favourite tracks of all time. This album also marks (I believe) alone Abercrombie's 2nd experimentation alongside an organ largely replacing other keyboards (the foremost beingness "Timeless" inwards 1974) & personally I intend the results are inspired (& for certain induced Abercrombie to repeat the "experiment" on 2 futurity albums, alongside Dan Wall stepping inwards for January Hammer). The other musicians on this disc are Mike Brecker (ts) & Jack de Johnette (d).
Take the aforesaid opener - outset alongside a groovy 6-time repeated augmented B Minor chord alongside reverb past times Abercrombie this runway develops into a wonderfully irksome reggae musical rhythm inwards major scale(s) alongside overdubbed guitar, a squeamish Brecker saxophone solo inwards the middle & a wonderful, uplifting closing electrical guitar solo (joined inwards a wonderful burning determination past times Brecker) featured. The 2nd runway "Night" encapsulates the mood of a reflective belatedly even out at domicile lonely perfectly & features vivid soulful sax from Brecker addition squeamish acoustic pianoforte from Hammer. Finally on Track three (Three East") Hammer's organ gets a decent workout merely again, despite to a greater extent than groovy guitar function from Abercrombie, it's Brecker who steals the slice - ditto on "Look Around" which also features vivid function from de Johnette (hitherto a tad understated).
Throughout the album the organ plays mainly an underlying supporting purpose & actually sets a largely reflective & occasionally melancholic musical note (although the stride noticeably picks upwardly on the terminal 2 tracks). The album also displays Abercrombie's versatility & willingness to experiment equally good equally what a vivid saxophonist Brecker was. Enjoy!!
Though something of an blip inwards the Abercrombie dorsum catalogue, Night is far from benign. Aside from the effusive music, what actually distinguishes this album is its sound. Another slam-dunk for engineer January Erik Kongshaug.
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Track listing:
1. "Ethereggae" (Jan Hammer) - 8:28
2. "Night" - 5:02
3. "3 East" - 4:33
4. "Look Around" - 9:02
5. "Believe You Me" - 7:42
6. "Four On One" - 6:42
Personnel:
John Abercrombie – guitar
Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
January Hammer – keyboards
Jack DeJohnette – drums
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