Customer Reviews

In the Moment

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My favorite jazz guitarist (John Abercrombie), my favorite jazz double-bassist (Dave Holland), and my favorite jazz drummer (Jack DeJohnette) on an album that is a worldly free jazz landscape crafted by preternatural interplay and evocative musical dialogue. So yea...how could this not be amazing?

That's enough for me, but perhaps not enough information for other people. And since no one has reviewed this yet I might as well put a little more effort into this. The music is improvised and explores a schema of Eastern and Middle Eastern musical sounds. Sonically it lives up to ECM's very high standards, and most important of all, the sound and playing of this ensemble is breathtaking. "In the Moment" has a disorienting rhythm and east Indian flavor (DeJohnette on Turkish frame drum!) and Turko-Persian guitar lines, but with Abercrombie's silky distortion. Holland nourishes the advance of an improvisational arc that almost seems to be in stasis otherwise, giving the barely noticed momentum of the picturesque piece added exigency and provision. If you could eat it, it would be delicious. Abercrombie's brooding ruminations in the early portion of "Shrubberies" are punctuated by Holland's suggestive pizzicatos and DeJohnette's jingling percussion. The rhythm reforms a little more tightly and becomes more impelling, as the guitar grows more urgent. A brief interlude of liquid sustained guitar hemorrhages into a tumultuous guitar performance with power at once great and delicate. "The Enchanted Forest" sounds how you might think given the title, opening with bowed bass connoting dark, shadowy woods with mischievous forest gnomes causing trouble. DeJohnette's drumming is more insinuating than directly percussive, and the interlacing strokes of bass and guitar grow more tangled and mysterious . . . like moving deeper in to the "forest." The climax during the 7-8 minute point is a biting pointillist tapesty (like haggard branches clawing at the skin) then it disappears into the shadows. "Cinucen" has gorgeous floating guitar sounds, a distinctively melodic and evocative bass anchor that could be no one but Dave Holland, and an earthy, subtly undulating rhythm. "Soft" begins with atmospheric shimmers of DeJohnette on piano, followed by Holland's mournful bowed bass. It carries forward into a beautiful, ethereal piece with Eastern undertones with unparalleled interaction: Holland's bass holds down Abercrombie's somber notes, while sparse, floating piano fills in the gaps.

Needless to say, this is outstanding stuff. I guess I'm going to have to get all the other albums with this ensemble now.

If you are familiar with this trio, known as "Gateway" then this will be a bit different than anything else they have released. These three could be part of the Psychic Network if they wanted,wow! what telepathy,passion and the ability to listen and respond is utilized by these extraordinary gentlemen. Those of us who have seen and followed these master musicians throughout their respective careers are always encouraged when they are featured on a new release. This will not disappoint,though it is more contemplative than their previous outings. Thank you again GateWay Trio, another outstanding job of delivering nothing but the deepest truth.Five Stars across the board.