Customer Reviews

Animato

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The music of John Abecrombie is very diverse. If you liked John/Marc Johnson & Peter Erskine live in Boston, and expect this to be similar, then this music is not for you. The CD builds and becomes more complex as it gets on. Of particular interest is Mr. Mendoza and his percussion. Ubtypical Abecrombie, but a good listen (after you've listed to it a few times).

I don't quite know what "scared" the reviewer below, but this is a fine album by Abercrombie and Vince Mendoza, an ambitious NY musician who managed to write the orchestral scores for Joni Mitchell's new album and *stll* not get his named mentioned in the thousands of articles written on the album and the tour. Here he sticks to synthesizers, and because Abercrombie is also often playing synths, they combine to form One Mind, especially on the last three songs, with are quiet, ruminative, delicate meditations, perfect for a rainy day. If you loved the title track of Abercrombie's "Timeless," you should pick this up.

John Abercrombie is a jazz guitarist whose had the eyes and ears of many great musicians since his early beginning in the late 60s. His style is unlike any other guitarist out there today. You can his influence in players like Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Bill Frisell. He's been all over the jazz scene and is a virtuoso player and fantastic composer. If any of you have heard of him then do yourself a favor and pick up an Abercrombie album in particular his work with Dan Wall (organist) is of notable mention.

"Animato" is a very spacey album unlike anything I've heard him do. It's got layers of synthesizers, which gives the music alot of air and body. If you don't like keyboards and synthesizers don't buy this album, because this album is drenched in synth pads and symphonic backdrops in particular is the song "Single Moon," which is an amazingly beauiful tune. The musicians are all top notch as well Jon Christensen on drums and percussion and Vince Mendoza on synthesizers and who composed alot of these songs and of course John Abercrombie on guitar and guitar synthesizer. I would recommend this album only to those who have an open-mind about jazz and who enjoy guitar playing and keyboards and synthesizers. This isn't standard John Abercrombie either so don't expect to hear him play something that he might play with a jazz trio or quartet, because "Animato" breaks all the rules and is really something different that will hopefully move you in some way.

Recorded in 1989 at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway.

John Abercrombie - guitar, guitar synthesizer

Jon Christensen - drums, percussion

Vince Mendoza - composer, keyboards

I own many albums by this artist, so am used to him ranging through diverse jazz guitar styles. He appears to be just as comfortable in a traditional small combo setting playing more traditional mellow guitar jazz as he does, in this instance, reaching out for harder synth and guitar realms where he can get sparse, develop his themes, and really step out with the aid of superb musicians running alongside. This is incredibly atmospheric material, and for me recaptures the end of a decade in which I had been through a number of life adventures where this album, perhaps, could provide the soundtrack. The recording is typically transparent ECM with lots of detail across the stereo spectrum. In an extensive album collection, this is one album which offers solace, support and empathy from a guy who can happily travel to most places in the music universe.

This CD is not a typical John Abercrombie effort.... but it is AWESOME! And to be quite honest, adventuresome, expressive, leaning percussive yet still clearly Abercrombie and Mendosa's synthetic excursion. There is some free style jazz licks and some well executed composition on this WONDERFUL CD! Played by the Masters. Awesome spin!