Timeless (John Abercrombie album)

Timeless is jazz guitarist John Abercrombie's debut album as leader, recorded in 1974. Critically acclaimed at the time, the album has since come to be regarded as a seminal work of jazz fusion, although the music itself is original enough to defy such categorisation.

Overview

In Abercrombie's own words: "The original intent was to do something that reflected my origins, playing with organ groups in the late 60's". The album partnered Abercrombie with Jack DeJohnette and East European keyboardist Jan Hammer on Hammond organ. Both had strongly established fusion credentials, Hammer on the keyboard and synths for the Mahavishnu Orchestra and on Billy Cobham's classic 1973 Spectrum, and DeJohnette, amongst others, on the Miles Davis Bitches Brew album. Musically, Timeless takes its cues from all of these sources, and is especially interesting for the input of creative players of the class of Hammer and DeJohnette. However, Abercrombie's touch is present throughout, resulting in a mood closer to In A Silent Way than Bitches Brew, and a subtler and more restrained sound than much of the virtuoso fusion being played at the time.

Four Abercrombie originals are played with two written by Hammer, 'Lungs' and 'Red and Orange'. Lungs begins as a high octane organ/guitar workout, which subsides and then shifts into a Billy Cobham esque RnB groove. Red and Orange is similarly aggressive, with Abercrombie's lead underpinned by deep percussive organ from Hammer. 'Love Song' and 'Remembering' are acoustic guitar ballads from Abercrombie, and both are rare showcases for Hammer on the acoustic piano . Love Song, as its title implies, is slow and soulful, while Remembering is a more complex and unsettling piece. 'Ralph's Piano Waltz' is a low key, swinging piece, with perfectly balanced phrasework from both guitar and organ.

Although the album is far more than a showcase for one track, the title song 'Timeless' is by some way the most memorable on the record. The key to the song, which was one of Abercrombie's first, is its simple composition. A low drone lends the song's beginning an otherworldly, spacey feel, before subsiding and moving into the simple four chord descending sequence. Through this, background organ, synth effects and drums build the intensity and pace as Abercrombie's phased guitar moves from the core melody into lightning fast solo. The playing on all sides is immaculate, as is the texture and layering of the piece. The song possesses a gravity and beauty which make it worthy of its ambitious title.

Track listing

1: Lungs -12.11 (Jan Hammer)

2: Love Song -4.35 (John Abercrombie)

3: Ralph's Piano Waltz -4.55 (John Abercrombie)

4: Red And Orange -5.24 (Jan Hammer)

5: Remembering -4.33 (John Abercrombie)

6: Timeless -11.58 (John Abercrombie)

References

cduniverse.com Timeless CD link
Sleeve notes for John Abercrombie: Rarum, ECM, by John Abercrombie