JOHN ABERCROMBIE - chitarra

Indiscusso specialista di primissimo piano della chitarra jazz da almeno tre decenni, John Abercrombie è nato nel 1944 a Port Chester, nello Stato di N.Y. Dopo aver suonato in band studentesche, studia al Berklee College of Music di Boston, ottenendo la prima scrittura professionale nel gruppo dell'organista Johnny "Hammond" Smith. In seguito milita in uno dei gruppi seminali del jazz-rock, i Dreams, trovandosi fianco a fianco dei fratelli Brecker e del batterista Billy Cobham.
Negli anni Settanta suona con l'orchestra di Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri, Chico Hamilton ed Enrico Rava. Nello stesso decennio entra in contatto con il produttore Manfred Eicher, diventando uno degli artisti di punta della ECM, alla quale è tuttora legato. Per l'etichetta tedesca registra quindi dischi importanti come Timeless e Sargasso Sea (in duo con Ralph Towner), significativi documenti del suo stile del periodo, così come lo sono gli album realizzati con Dave Holland e Jack DeJohnette, ovvero il trio Gateway, supergruppo ricostituito negli anni Novanta.
Negli anni Ottanta, Abercrombie forma un altro trio di grande valore, con Marc Johnson al contrabbasso e Peter Erskine alla batteria; più recente è invece il gruppo con Dan Wall all'hammond e Adam Nussbaum alla batteria. Anche la nuovissima formazione del chitarrista ha tutte le caratteristiche della all stars band; la compongono infatti oltre all'autorevole leader, il violinista Mark Feldman, figura di spicco della scena newyorkese, Marc Johnson, noto per essere stato uno degli ultimi collaboratori di Bill Evans, e uno dei più fantasiosi batteristi attualmente in circolazione, Joey Baron; insieme a loro Abercrombie ha registrato il suo ultimo album dal titolo Cat'n' Mouse.
Solista raffinato, il cui stile è una compiuta sintesi tra la moderna scuola della chitarra jazz ed elementi presi dal rock, Abercrombie ha anche all'attivo una proficua collaborazione con il sassofonista Charles Lloyd, insieme al quale ha registrato gli album Voice in the night, The water is wide e Hyperion with higgins.

Born 1944 in Port Chester, NY, John Abercrombie grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and began playing the guitar at the age of fourteen. By the time he was out of high school, he was ready to veer away from imitative Chuck Berry licks in favor of learning to play the instrument more seriously. While enrolled at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Abercrombie worked with other students and played local clubs and bars. "it was pretty much your standard guitar-organ-drums set up."

An offer to tour with organist Johnny Hammond led to his going on the road for weeks at a time, playing such spots as Count Basie's Lounge and the Club Baron in Harlem. During that same period, Abercrombie met the Brecker Brothers who were in the process of forming Dreams. They invited Abercrombie to play with them, and he was heard on Dreams' debut album on Columbia.

In 1969, following graduation from Berklee, Abercrombie decided to head south in hopes of breaking into the New York music scene. In the next few years he developed into one of New York's most in-demand session musicians. He recorded with Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri, Barry Miles and many other artists, and also became a regular with Chico Hamilton's group.

It was as the guitarist in Billy Cobham's band that Abercrombie first began attracting widespread attention among the general public. This ensemble was something of a Dreams reunion since it also featured the Brecker Brothers. Abercrombie is heard on Cobham's Crosswinds, Total Eclipse and Shabazz albums. He found himself playing large concert halls and arenas, on bills with such top rock attractions as the Doobie Brothers. "One night we appeared at the Spectrum in Philadelphia and I thought, what am I doing here?"

A short time later, at the Montreux Festival, Abercrombie ran into Manfred Eicher who invited him to record an album for ECM, The result was Timeless, on which he was joined by Jan Hammer and Jack DeJohnette. It received virtually unanimous critical acclaim. Gateway was released in November 1975; it marked the first collaborative effort of Abercrombie with DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland. A second Gateway recording was released in June 1978. In 1979, Abercrombie formed his own quartet, which included pianist Richie Beirach, bassist George Mraz and drummer Peter Donald. The group has made three recordings: Arcade, Abercrombie Quartet, and M.

Abercrombie has also recorded with many other ECM artists; the most significant collaborations must surely be with drummer Jack DeJohnette (Abercrombie appears on all of DeJohnotte's Directions and Now Directions albums) and with fellow guitarist Ralph Towner. Abercrombie and Towners Sargasso Sea was released in 1976 and Five Years Later in 1982.

Abercrombie's touring trio with Mark Johnson and Peter Erskine is heard on Current Events, Getting There (with frequent guest Michael Brecker) and John Abercrombie/Marc Johnson/Peter Erskine. Critic, Chuck Berg has described the group as "solidified ... to the point where its sixth-sense interactions create a singleness of vision associated only with Olympian ensembles such as the trios of pianists Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson". On Current Events, released in 1988, John used guitar synthesizer for the first time on record. John Abercrombie/Marc Johnson/Peter Erskine, released in 1989, was recorded in Boston on April 21, 1988 and documents this innovative trio, live. Repertoire from their four-year association is presented, and standards often linked with Bill Evans are given resplendent treatment. On the 1990 release Animato, John collaborates with composer/synthesist, Vince Mendoza and drummer John Christenesen, and presents eight original compositions.

John's affinity for jazz standards complements his role as an active clinician and teacher. While preparing for a Harvard lecture, where John surveyed the history of jazz guitar, he explained 'When I'm playing tunes like Autumn Leaves or Stella By Starlight, as much as I've played those tunes over the years, I still enjoy playing them. And because I know them so well, I'm very free with them. I'm just as free with them as when I'm playing no chords at all. That, to me, is free jazz,"

John Abercrombie possesses a unique voice as a jazz guitarist combining evolving technologies with a tradition well represented by jazz standards. Further insight from a 1988 Jazziz interview:

Carrying on the tradition of jazz guitar from Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt to the present day is a very important aspect of my music… I'd like people to perceive me as having a direct connection to the history of jazz guitar, while expanding some musical boundaries which may not always involve the guitar itself.'

Since the 1992 recording While We're Young with organist Dan Wall and drummer Adam Nussbaum, John has continued to work with the trio releasing Speak of the Devil" in 1993 and Tactics in 1997, On his most recent album Open Land, the trio is joined by violinist Mark Feldman, trumpeter/flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler and Joe Lovano on tenor saxophone.

CONTATTI: www.johnabercrombie.com

Discografia

1974
 Timeless
 ECM
 
1974
 Works
 ECM
 
1975
 Gateway w/ Jack DeJohnette & Dave Holland
 ECM
 
1977
 Gateway 2
 ECM
 
1977
 Characters
 ECM
 
1978
 Arcade
 ECM
 
1979
 Straight Flight
 JAM
 
1979
 Abercrombie Quartet [live]
 ECM
 
1980
 M
 ECM
 
1982
 Solar w/ John Scofield
 Palo Alto
 
1984
 Night
 ECM
 
1985
 Current Events
 ECM
 
1987
 Getting There
 ECM
 
1988
 John Abercrombie Marc Johnson & Peter... [live]
 ECM
 
1989
 Animato
 ECM
 
1989
 Upon a Time an Album of Duets New
 Albion
 
1992
 While We're Young
 ECM
 
1992
 John Abercrombie/Dan Wall/Adam Nussbaum
 Ecm
 
1992
 November
 ECM
 
1993
 Speak of the Devil
 ECM
 
1994
 Nosmo King
 Steeple Chase
 
1994
 Gateway: Homecoming
 ECM
 
1994
 In the Moment (Gateway)
 ECM
 
1996
 Tactics [live]
 ECM
 
1999
 Open Land
 ECM
 
2000
 The Hudson Project w/ Peter Erskine, John Pattatucci & Bob Mintzer
 Stretch
 

 
APPEARS ON... 
1968
 Johnny "Hammond" Smith
 Nasty
 
1971
 Friends w/Marc Cohen
 Oblivion
 
1971
 Gato Barbieri
 Gato
 
1971
 Gato Barbieri
 Under Fire
 
1971
 Barry Miles
 White Heat
 
1973
 Dave Liebman
 Lookout Farm
 
1973
 Enrico Rava
 Quotation Marks
 
1974
 Billy Cobham
 Shabazz
 
1974
 Horace Arnold
 Tales of the Exonerated Flea
 
1974
 Billy Cobham
 Crosswinds
 
1974
 Billy Cobham
 Total Eclipse
 
1974
 Jack DeJohnette
 Sorcery
 
1974
 Gil Evans
 Gil Evans' Orchestra Plays the...
 
1974
 Dave Liebman
 Drum Ode
 
1974
 Clive Stevens
 Atmospheres
 
1974
 Clive Stevens
 Voyage to Uranus
 
1975
 Jack DeJohnette
 Cosmic Chicken
 
1975
 Jack DeJohnette
 Works
 
1975
 Charles Earland
 Odyssey
 
1975
 David Liebman
 Sweet Hands
 
1975
 Enrico Rava
 Pilgrim and the Stars
 
1975
 Michal Urbaniak
 Fusion III
 
1975
 Collin Walcott
 Cloud Dance
 
1975
 Collin Walcott
 Works
 
1976
 Enrico Rava
 Pilgrim and the Stars
 
1976
 Jack DeJohnette
 Directions
 
1976
 Ralph Towner
 Sargasso Sea
 
1976
 Jack DeJohnette's...
 Untitled
 
1976
 Jack DeJohnette
 Pictures
 
1976
 Barre Phillips
 Mountainscapes
 
1976
 Enrico Rava
 Plot
 
1976
 Ralph Towner
 Sargasso Sea
 
1977
 Jack DeJohnette's...
 New Rags
 
1977
 Johnny "Hammond" Smith
 Storm Warning
 
1977
 Collin Walcott with Don...
 Grazing Dreams
 
1978
 Jack DeJohnette
 New Directions
 
1978
 Clint Houston
 Watership Down
 
1978
 Terry Plumeri
 Ongoing
 
1979
 Urszula Dudziak
 Future Talk
 
1979
 Jack DeJohnette
 New Directions in Europe
 
1979
 Bobby Hutcherson
 Un Poco Loco
 
1979
 George Mraz With John...
 Direct Flight
 
1979
 Mike Nock
 Climbing (check)
 
1980
 McCoy Tyner
 Four Times Four
 
1980
 McCoy Tyner Quartet
 4 X 4
 
1981
 Ralph Towner
 Five Years Later
 
1982
 Goerge Marsh
 Drum Strum 1750
 
1984
 Andy LaVerne
 Liquid Silver
 
1984
 Don Thompson Quartet
 Beautiful Friendship
 
1986
 Don Tompson
 Witchcraft
 
1986
 Peter Erskine
 Transition
 
1987
 Richie Beirach with John...
 Emerald City
 
1987
 Tom Harrell
 Visions
 
1987
 Jeff Palmer/David Liebman...
 Abracadabra
 
1987
 Michel Petrucciani
 Michel Plays Petrucciani
 
1988
 Paul Bley
 Live at Sweet Basil
 
1988
 Peter Erskine
 Motion Poet
 
1988
 Henry Kaiser
 Re-Marrying for Money
 
1988
 Henri Texier
 Colonel Skopje
 
1989
 Andy LaVerne & John...
 Natural Living
 
1989
 John D'earth
 One Bright Glance
 
1989
 Danny Gottlieb
 Whirlwind
 
1990
 Niels Lan Doky
 Friendship
 
1990
 Danny Gottlieb
 Brooklyn Blues
 
1990
 Jim Hall & Friends
 Live at Town Hall Vol. 2
 
1990
 Joe Lovano
 Landmarks
 
1990
 Charles Mingus
 Epitaph
 
1990
 Bob Mintzer
 Hymn
 
1991
 Bob Brookmeyer
 Electricity
 
1991
 Harvie Swartz
 Arrival
 
1991
 Gust William Tsilis...
 Heritage
 
1992
 Niels Lan Doky
 The Toronto Concert [live]
 
1992
 Dreams
 Dreams
 
1992
 Bruce Gertz
 Third Eye
 
1992
 Jeff Palmer
 Ease on
 
1992
 Johnny "Hammond" Smith
 Forever Taurus
 
1992
 Hans Ulrik
 Day After Day
 
1993
 Vassar Clements
 Once in a While
 
1993
 Tim Hagans
 No Words
 
1993
 Lonnie Smith/John...
 Afro Blue
 
1994
 Bruce Ditmas
 What If
 
1994
 Bruce Gertz 5et
 Discovery Zone
 
1994
 Jeff Palmer
 Shades of the Pine
 
1994
 Jeff Palmer
 Island Universe
 
1994
 Lonnie Smith
 Foxy Lady: A Tribute to Hendrix
 
1995
 Andy Laverne
 Now It Can Be Played
 
1995
 Andy Laverne
 Farewell
 
1995
 Les Arbuckle
 Bush Crew
 
1995
 Base Line
 Why Really
 
1995
 Bruce Gertz
 Blueprint
 
1995
 Tom Harrell
 Sail Away [Musidisc]
 
1995
 Jacek Kochan
 Grey Angel
 
1995
 Lonnie Smith Trio
 Purple Haze: A Tribute to Jimi...
 
1996
 Baseline
 Standards
 
1996
 Marc Copland
 Second Look
 
1996
 Sigi Finkel
 Sweet Sue
 
1996
 Gateway
 In the Moment
 
1996
 Andy LaVerne
 Where We Were
 
1996
 Little Magic In A Noisy...
 Little Magic in a Noisy World
 
1997
 Baseline
 Returns
 
1998
 Franco Ambrosetti
 Light Breeze
 
1998
 Ethel Ennis
 If Women Ruled the World
 
1998
 Mark Soskin
 Five Lands (Cinqueterre)
 
1999
 Gato Barbieri
 Best of the Early Years
 
1999
 Bruce Gertz
 Red Handed
 
1999
 Charles Lloyd
 Voice in the Night
 
1999
 Vince Mendoza & London...
 Epiphany
 
1999
 Lars Moller Group
 Colours
 
1999
 Brooke Sofferman
 Modesty's Odyssey
 
2000
 Charles Lloyd
 Water Is Wide
 
2000
 Lee Konitz
 Sound of Surprise
 
2000
 Rudy Linka
 Live It Up
 
2000
 Johnny "Hammond" Smith
 Soulful Blues
 
2001
 Ed Byrne
 Two Shades of Blue
 
2001
 Billy Cobham
 Rudiments: The Billy Cobham...
 
2001
 Chuck Owen & The Jazz...
 Madcap