Search - John Abercrombie :: Tactics

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Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 07/03/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a quite interesting experiment. Finally someone is trying to say something new in an old type of setting. Organ/guitar trio has always been used as a vehicle for blues expression and there's nothing wrong with it. I treasure a lot of records of this kind. Anyway I feel that musicians of this caliber can break the boundaries of the organ/guitar trio and explore new grounds in jazz and improvisational music. Aebercrombie, Wall, Nussbaum all together they have this kind of potential. Here we can find a fine example of such an intent. Aebercrombie is a fantastic jazz player and so are Wall and Nussbaum. Anyway this is an experiment, a step in the right direction but not the perfect album. Interaction is really good, solos are adventurous, but it still lacks a little bit of magic for what I am concerned. I, as a jazz player myself, would have played different material. A couple of swinger more, a dreamy ipnotic ballad like Blue'n'green or Naima for example, and a couple of more adventurous experiment. In order to find a stronger equilibrium in the expression, in the communication with people: something old, something new. Anyway the musicianship all along this album is top quality. I appreciate this album but I think its setting has still a lot of unexpressed potentials from these three. Hope for the future."

Way too tame

THX1138b | NY USA | 04/22/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a live performance by a working band. An organ trio with all members on equal footing. I know these guys can kick but for me there is no spark here. Maybe it's Dan Wall's pensive use of the B3 (I've never heard anyone else use it the way he does). Oh, the guys get in a groove and there is some give and take. If you like the intellectual side of jazz, this is probably for you. If you're looking for some heat, well ... maybe not."

A fresh take on the organ trio

Stalwart Kreinblaster | Xanadu | 04/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Abercrombie's guitar playing is never short of interesting - his melodic ideas seem to just effortlessley drip from his guitar in a beautiful and quite musical fashion. Once an innovator in fushion music, John now seems content just to play and have a good time in these smaller group settings, playing a lower key contemplative jazz style firmly rooted in jazz tradition and yet new and startling enough to give him about as much attention as any jazz guitarist gets these days.

Abercrombie's cd 'tactics' captures him in a very unusual setting - the organ trio. Don't be fooled this is not your average Jimmy Smith style organ trio. Dan Wall, who also plays in a subtle melodic style, is an original artist who seems to have an understanding of what direction to take. Adam Nussbam, likewise, is completely responsive and equally subtle. The track listing contains two standards as well as some nice originals - this is one of Abercrombie's most successful outings as far as I am concerned - not tame in the least!"