Every now and then there comes a release you purchase without giving a second thought. John Abercrombie has long had my respect. His lyrical style and, it would seem, propensity for exploring music not popularity have perhaps deprived him of the celebrity status of a Pat Metheny or John Scofield. He is, nevertheless, an excellent and innovative guitarist and is a wonderful and imaginative musician to boot.
Open Land released in 1999 on ECM, is one of those works that grows on the listener. With an impressive line-up, Kenny Wheeler, (flugelhorn), Joe Lovano, (tenor sax), Mark Feldman, (violin) added to John’s usual sidemen, Adam Nussbaum, (percussion) and Dan Wall, (organ), Open Land is a feast of musical ideas and contemporary jazz. From the opening bars of “Just in Tune” the scene is set. Guitar, drums and organ step in with the grace of a cat, putting in place a laid-back rhythm over which the trumpet finds a warm and burnished melody.
The album grows from there, exploring free jazz, (“Open Land” and “Free Piece Suite (E)”), Stax soul, albeit with a jazz flavour (“Little Booker”) and some fine lyrical pieces, notably “Spring Song”. The playing is excellent throughout. Thoughtful and never overbearing, each musician contributing ideas, warming the texture, providing support, improvising when called on and generally lifting the quality of musicianship. Yet the real force is John Abercrombie himself. Something not immediately apparent.
At times he stands back in the mix. His fret-playing, it would seem, content just to suggest ideas, avenues to explore. But it is this very subtlety that gives the album its strength, for the guitar is always there, working away and never letting the music flag.
On “Spring Song” my first impressions were that violin of Mark Feldman was showboating a little, playing long and plaintive lines; wringing as much feeling as possible from his instrument. Yet the guitar is ever present, adding touches and direction. Its fingered tone commands attention when soloing, bringing the melody back to ground, back to where it should be. On “Speak Easy” John provides a wonderful commentary on Kenny Wheeler’s climbing and dipping trumpet lines. On “Gimme Five”, he combines with the organ to set the swing, playing off, first the violin, then the trumpet, then leading both before coming back to play an almost percussive role. And on ‘That’s for Sure’ his guitar drives the music from below, pushing the other instruments on. Giving them the freedom to play. He finishes with some string bending and nicely plucked chords.
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