John Abercrombie - Night

It starts with a cluster of dirge like notes, almost Depeche Mode in character, but then traverses some ECM filter and becomes some kind of floaty jazz chords inflected with kind of a strange Reggae structure, which i guess is why the cut is called Ethereggae. It is actually the weakest track here, and the sole songwriting credit by Jan Hammer. It simply gets a little too off into the cheesy keyboard sounds (this was after all, recorded in 1984, right around when he was getting rady to score the Miami Vice theme). Oddly enough, the rest of his playing on the album is subdued and much more tasteful and supportive of the material.

The title track is appropriately named. The whole vibe is nocturnal, and this carries throughout much of the rest of the tracks. Quiet without being lightweight, there is a bounce in Jack DeJohnette's drumming and Abercrombie just plays every note with a mature aplomb. His tone is not apeing Wes Montgomery, nor is it cloying in the way Pat Matheny gets on some of his more straightahead releases. It is often sparse in terms of notes, but the space is filled with the resonance and ringing clarity of his rather distinct tone. The album closes with the one Abercrombie uptempo composition, 4 On 1, which is just a bunch of horses bolting out the gate. Bebop frenzy timekeeping with scalar runs by Ambercrombie and bursts of bth clean and contorted notes by saxman Michael Brecker and Hammer on organ (or a synth organ that sounds respectable).

This is not the best thing John Abercrombie has done, but it has some inspired moments worth investigating for both the jazz guitarist muso and the casual laid back jazz listener.