The Allmusic review past times Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars calling it "Thought-provoking in addition to occasionally exciting music that mostly defies categorization". The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 4 stars noting "There's to a greater extent than filigree than flash on the early on Timeless in addition to it's left to DeJohnette in addition to the underrated Hammer to give the gear upwards the propulsion it calls for... this is a session that has grown inwards stature amongst familiarity, an altogether tougher in addition to to a greater extent than resilient label debut than anyone remembers". The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide said "Hammer peculiarly plays amongst astounding burn downward in addition to grace on this session, about of the finest organ playing he's recorded"
On Timeless, guitarist John Abercrombie spearheads a session amongst keyboardist January Hammer in addition to drummer Jack DeJohnette for a melding of minds inwards the kickoff degree.
Guitarist John Abercrombie has frequently been associated amongst organists, from his formative years inwards the 1960s amongst the deep funk of Johnny "Hammond" Smith to the subtle orchestral underpinnings that Dan Wall provides for Abercrombie's 1990s-era bands. This 1974 recording was Abercrombie's kickoff equally a leader, in addition to he's joined past times January Hammer on organ, piano, in addition to synthesizer in addition to Jack DeJohnette on drums. The high-speed exchanges on Hammer's extended "Lungs" at i time invoke John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, spell his "Red in addition to Orange" recalls Tony Williams's Lifetime band. But Abercrombie makes his ain vocalism apparent fifty-fifty inwards the fusion idiom, amongst angular solos that discovery their ain paths through the electrical storms. His compositions induce got varied approaches, invoking the to a greater extent than traditional organ trio on "Ralph's Piano Waltz" in addition to emphasizing tune in addition to infinite on the championship tune. The guitarist likewise engages Hammer's pianoforte on 2 reflective duets, "Love Song" in addition to "Remembering," that emphasize his roots inwards the lyrical fashion of Jim Hall.
The trio kicks things off inwards high gear amongst “Lungs,” a heaping pile of kindling gear upwards ablaze past times Hammer’s high-octane staccato, DeJohnette’s explosive hi-hat, in addition to Abercrombie’s unusually frenetic fretwork. H5N1 sublime unloose energy is maintained throughout in addition to the wages is supremely satisfying—all the to a greater extent than in addition to thus for its brevity, equally the music all of a abrupt changes avenues only a few minutes in. Hammer relays betwixt organ in addition to synth, keeping the measuring (and the funk) through trailing guitar solos that mail notes similar cosmic fingers flicking galaxies into outer space. The organ smolders quietly inwards the background earlier clinching a novel groove, which Abercrombie laces amongst lines flanged only correct for the mix. It all ends inwards a game of musical jump rope, amongst Abercrombie skipping over the alternation of drums in addition to organ. “Love Song” is truthful to its mention in addition to is the kickoff of 2 exquisite conversations betwixt pianoforte in addition to acoustic guitar. Just equally the organ trailed long rows inwards the soil of our attention, the pianoforte comes equally a welcome pelting for our crop in addition to the guitar similar the Sun that infuses it. This brings us to “Ralph’s Piano Waltz,” a highlight of these half-dozen fine offerings. Like the album equally a whole, this rails is a superlative balancing act. It’s a build in addition to thus seamless that if yous don’t discovery your human foot tapping during this one, yous mightiness desire to brand certain it’s withal attached. The electrical leads verbalize inwards their respective languages, but likewise mimic each other along the way. “Red And Orange” is what mightiness lawsuit if Bach had survived into the 1970s equally a closeted jazz musician, in addition to is about other standout inwards a gear upwards of many. “Remembering” is an alluring chain of tableux in addition to the 2d of the 2 duets. Abercrombie sustains details the pianoforte seems content to ignore, loosening those threads from their weave. We halt amongst the championship track, which builds slow from a synth drone peppered amongst guitar musings to a full-on encompass of space.
This evergreen stands tall inwards the ECM forest. There is no feel of competition, solely usual reveling inwards a distinctly nuclear sound. One could easily telephone hollo upwards it fusion, but if anything it is fused amongst itself, for it has created every chemical constituent it seeks to combine. Timeless indeed.
Track listing
- "Lungs" – 12:10 (Hammer)
- "Love Song" – 4:35 (Abercrombie)
- "Ralph's Piano Waltz" – 4:55 (Abercrombie)
- "Red in addition to Orange" – 5:24 (Hammer)
- "Remembering" – 4:33 (Abercrombie)
- "Timeless" – 11:57 (Abercrombie)
Personnel
- John Abercrombie - Guitar
- Jack DeJohnette - Drums
- Jan Hammer - Organ, piano, synthesizer
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