R.I.P. John Abercrombie

[CJ Shearn]

Really sad.  I love the different tones,  textures, he was able to come up with to  redefine his sound.  Like the textures on the opening of "Boat Song" from "M".  I think after his first three quartet albums he switched to a more Hendrix inspired distorted sound.  "Arcade" is such a great album, and I was just listening to him on Lonnie Smith's "Afro Blue" the other day.  My review of the Abercrombie Quartet box from 2015. http://bit.ly/1k70VMK

Edited August 24, 2017 by CJ Shearn

[GA Russell]

My email from ECM is the same text as Roger's post, and adds the following line:

"John died peacefully at Hudson Valley Hospital outside of Peekskill, NY, in the presence of his family."

My introduction to his work was on the first Dreams album in 1971.  That was also my introduction to Michael Brecker and Billy Cobham.

[ejp626]

RIP.

I have enjoyed many of his recordings.  My two faves (at the moment at least) are Gateway and Class Trip.  I'll have to spin them today.

[Milestones]

The first Gateway is a classic.  But just as good, I think, is Homecoming from the mid-1990s.

 

[Milestones]

John Abercrombie and Keith Jarrett must be the two Americans with the longest and most impressive runs on ECM. I did read on the website that Jack DeJohnette is the most recorded musician on the label.  I suppose so, but it's helped by his many appearances with Abercrombie and Jarrett.

[GA Russell]

Peter Erskine
https://jazztimes.com/departments/farewells/peter-erskine-remembers-john-abercrombie/

DownBeat
http://downbeat.com/news/detail/guitarist-john-abercrombie-dies-at-72

WaPo
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/john-abercrombie-influential-jazz-guitarist-of-the-70s-fusion-scene-dies-at-72/2017/08/23/af0970e2-8814-11e7-a50f-e0d4e6ec070a_story.html?utm_term=.574e25815571

NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/arts/music/john-abercrombie-lyrical-jazz-guitarist-dies-at-72.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170823&nlid=57793556&tntemail0=y&_r=0

Nate Chinen/NPR
http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/08/23/545611872/john-abercrombie-wry-and-exploratory-jazz-guitarist-dies-at-72

*****

My ECM contact mentions that the text of Roger's post contains an error.  It was the New Directions band, not the Special Edition band.

[BFrank]

I thought the New Directions band was an excellent combination of personalities. Unfortunate that they only recorded 2 albums (AFAIK).

[sidewinder]

Whenever I think of John Abercrombie I reminded of this LP, which was one of the first jazz LPs I ever saw in the racks and heard bits of on the radio.

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

My buddy Bob Festa takes pictures at most of the shows he attends. He took a bunch during Abercrombie's 2015 swing through the Cambridge MA Regattabar. Here are a couple from his Google+ page:

[BFrank]

10 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

My buddy Bob Festa takes pictures at most of the shows he attends. He took a bunch during Abercrombie's 2015 swing through the Cambridge MA Regattabar. Here are a couple from his Google+ page:

VERY nice!

[Ted O'Reilly]

Great guitarist, and a nice guy.  In 1991 I taped a Toronto concert by Niels Lan Doky for radio, with John on guitar.  It was John's first performance of the music, and he shone!  Doky got it released as 'The Toronto Concert' (Maracatu MAC 940 003) and it starts with me introducing the band, and John noodles a bit in the background, so I like to think I had John Abercrombie as my accompanist...

[mjzee]

Abercrombie, Mick Goodrick, Emily Remler and John Scofield @ Berklee 3/24/88:

 

[Ed S]

I loved John Abercrombie's music.  Back when I was a lot younger and first delving in jazz in the early to mid 70's, Abercrombie was one of the guitarists that I really came to appreciate.  At the same time, were Scofield, Towner, and Metheny.  All these years later, I have followed each one of these guys. Abercrombie has always been my favorite.  I have enjoyed him in all his settings - Gateway, the Organ trio albums, his various ensembles for ECM.  Great stuff that I will continue to enjoy.  I wish I could have thanked him personally for the enjoyment he has brought to me but that never happened.

On a side note, back in the 70s, there was a jazz festival at a local venue called Artpark in Niagara Falls area. I took my then first wife  there to see the John Abercrombie Quartet. Oregon was also playing.  Oregon opened. At intermission, I asked my wife how she liked it so far.  Her words were -  "get me the fuck out of here".  I drove her home, turned around and got back in time to catch Abercrombie's show.  A couple of years later, we were divorced. There were many reasons, but that always stuck with me.

I am so sad to hear of his death.  Last week, when I was in Grand Rapids for the Organissimo performance, I googled Abercrombie to see if he was performing anywhere.  I read about his ill health and recent stroke, so it was with a great deal of trepidation that I decided to check this site.  Needless to say, this news is tough to take.

RIP John and thanks so much for the years of great music.

 

As an aside, the John Abercrombie channel is my number one on Pandora, If that means anything.

 

 

[Carl Baugher]

RIP, JA. Very fine player with an original voice.

[7/4]

I wasn't surprised at all, since I knew he'd had a stroke, but it's sad news anyway.

 

 

 

.

[Milestones]

One wonders what may be in the vaults at ECM.  Abercrombie did spend 4+ decades with the label.  Maybe some live recordings.  I was able to find a few live Abercrombie and Towner tracks on the Internet, and they sound even more sublime and wonderful than the studio recordings. 

[mjzee]

1 hour ago, Milestones said:

One wonders what may be in the vaults at ECM.  Abercrombie did spend 4+ decades with the label.  Maybe some live recordings.  I was able to find a few live Abercrombie and Towner tracks on the Internet, and they sound even more sublime and wonderful than the studio recordings. 

Has ECM ever released a recording by an artist posthumously?

[Milestones]

Not sure about that, but they have released some many, many years after they were recorded: Sleeper by Jarrett's European quartet, Hamburg '72 by Jarrett trio (Haden had recently passed), and Carta de Amor by Magico.

For that matter, how many big-name ECM artists are deceased?  The only ones that come to my mind now (besides Abercrombie) are Lester Bowie and Charlie Haden.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2017 by Milestones

[mjzee]

Paul Bley, Nana Vasconcelos, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian, based on a quick web search.

[Milestones]

Yes, quite true,  I gave this only a few seconds' thought.

But consider all the major ones among us, though many have not been with ECM for years/decades--Ralph Towner, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Keith Jarrett, Dave Holland, Gary Burton, Jan Garbarek, Charles Lloyd, Chris Potter, Eberhard Weber.  And that's just sticking mostly to American musicians.  

Edited September 2, 2017 by Milestones

[Robert Middleton]

Very sad to hear this evening that John had passed away. He was one of my all-time favorite jazz musicians and I always anticipated his next album. 

I own 55 albums that feature John as a leader, collaborator, or as a sideman.

My very favorite song of his is from Open Land. "Gimmie Five." I may have played that more than any other song in my life! I once cut a CD with nothing but that song on it!

But my very favorite album with John is by Mark Egan (electric bass) - "As We Speak." Also with Dan Gottlieb on drums. The serpentine lines John and Mark spin out on this album are wondrous to behold. A true masterpiece. Check it out if you haven't heard it.

R.I.P. John, you will be missed immensely. 

[Milestones]

Listening to John's last ECM record, Up and Coming.  The opening track is oddly melancholy for having the title "Joy."

[Justin V]

I had hoped to see John Abercrombie at the 2016 Detroit Jazz Fest, but I instead caught Stanley Cowell with Charles Tolliver, BIlly Harper, Jay Anderson and Carl Allen at another stage.  Attending multi-stage events sometimes involves making difficult decisions.  I had never seen Abercrombie, Cowell or Tolliver, so I made the decision to catch a powerful set by Cowell and his incredible band.  I had purchased a 'Get Well' card when Abercrombie was hospitalized earlier in the summer, but he was released before I could figure out what I should write. 

I would like to check out some Gateway material and more of Abercrombie's leader work in the future.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Abercrombie, and rest in peace.

[Eric]

Wow - missed this until I saw today’s Jazz Times.  Too bad - what a great artist.  His ECM work is tremendous.

[7/4]

On 9/2/2017 at 4:52 PM, mjzee said:

Has ECM ever released a recording by an artist posthumously?

Of course. The last Kenny Wheeler was already recorded when he passed.