John Abercrombie Quartet, Up and Coming

As we proceed through our lived experience of important and influential jazz giants of our times, we come to realize that many artists, taken as a whole, have had more than one artistic period. John Abercrombie is no exception. There has been more than one way for him. His initial emergence as a fusionist culminated in the Gateway Trio with Holland and DeJohnette, then there were the progressive years where he was extroverted yet spacey, and finally there is the period he has occupied for the last 15 years, give or take. Once he jettisoned his pick, he remained the consummately brilliant  line and chord improviser, yet there was a new coolness that by now has become subtly brilliant. His tone has been burnished so that it is not that far from a Jim Hall, yet nonetheless he blazes his own trail in the adventurous journeys from A to B.

You can hear that beautifully in his latest quartet album Up and Coming (ECM 2528). The excellent foursome of John plus Marc Copland (piano), Drew Gress (bass) and Joey Baron (drums) is deliberately understated in its quietude, yet capable of monstrously exceptional improvisations in realms where we might not have expected them to dwell a decade ago.

Miles' "Nardis" centers the program of what is otherwise five Abercrombie and two Copland originals, sprawling long form improvisational vehicles where great things happen so quietly you have to focus and dig into the excellent details of what is going on to fully appreciate it all.

Once you do, there are some incredible performances that come into your experience, wonderful things.

Do not overlook this one. John is doing some of his best work and the quartet is a breathing improvisational entity one must experience in focus to appreciate.

A bit of a milestone, this. Bravo!

Allan Holdsworth, None Too Soon, 1996, Reissue

Guitar master Allan Holdsworth's ninth album, None Too Soon, focuses in jazz standards and familiar covers, done the Holdsworth way. It has been reissued (MoonJune 043) after a spell where it has not been around, and I for one am glad it is back.

Gordon Beck the late English keyboardist and periodic musical running partner of Allan puts in some very nice work here. Bassist Gary Willis and drummer Kirk Covington round out the picture with all the right moves.

As Barry Cleveland points out in the liners, though it's a standards project it is primarily a Holdsworthian kind of symposium. He plays in his usual brilliant manner here no matter what the song. The band may swing more than rock much of the time and that's where everything contrasts. Yes, there are familiar head melodies, there is good driving post-mainstream jazz from the trio, and there is sterling Holdsworth from Holdsworth.

So that's where this one distinguishes itself. Another gem from the plectral master. But not just another. It's a little different but no less brilliant. Dig on it without fear.