Open Land [Import]

Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 19, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Ecm Import
• ASIN: B000025AF8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,908 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of jazz's most inventive guitarists and imaginative composers, John Abercrombie expands the organ trio format on Open Land, his first release since 1997's live session Tactics. The CD's nine atmospheric originals showcase Abercrombie's masterful technique, creative use of electronics, and formidable writing skills in quartet and quintet performances. Featured are trumpeter/flügelhornist Kenny Wheeler, tenor sax ace Joe Lovano (in his ECM debut), and violinist Mark Feldman in various combinations. Organist Dan Wall delivers soulful solo and ensemble playing, and drummer Adam Nussbaum provides tasteful cymbal and brushwork--performances in line with their work on Abercrombie's three previous albums. Given Abercrombie's acclaimed contributions to Charles Lloyd's 1999 release Voice in the Night and his having replaced Bill Frisell in Wheeler's Angel Song ensemble, it's not surprising Abercrombie was inspired to stretch out on this album. The only disappointment with Open Land is that it doesn't include a sextet track featuring the guitarist's core trio and its three guests throwing fire at once. --Mitchell Feldman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Melody Unbounded, December 9, 1999

By 

Dennis M. Clark (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open Land (Audio CD)

Since most of John Abercrombie's recent albums as a leader have featured his trio (with Adam Nussbaum and Dan Wall), it's really delightful to see him get a chance as a composer and leader for a more colorful ensemble. Abercrombie's gift for long, sinuous, adventurous melodies, supported by a very distinctive harmonic sense and punctuated by superbly tasteful electrical bursts, blooms in the company of various other strong soloists. This album is not just a blowing session; there's a definite feel of very creative interplay among all the musicians. Highly recommended, and I hope that ECM continues to provide opportunities to Abercrombie to stretch his horizons. If you're interested in hearing his more intimate trio music, you should also check out the album Tactics from a couple of years ago, which got a well deserved 5-star review in Downbeat magazine.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A peerless jazz masterpiece - immaculate., September 13, 2000

By 

Joe O'Connell (Cork Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open Land (Audio CD)

For the musical explorer, Open Land is one of those rare and precious prizes - an absolutely perfect album. The sound is excellent (as you'd expect from an ECM recording) and the instrumental palette is perfect - rich and varied, but never cluttered (only four of the six musicians play at any time). Abercrombie provides spine-tingling thrills when he gets into his strident, evocative trips, but his guitar is mostly an omnicient, discreet presence, augmenting but never intruding on his virtuosi guests. In particular, Kenny Wheeler provides magesterial flugelhorn statements throughout, understated yet confident, providing a gorgeous, "breathy" brass texture to the overall sound; Joe Lovano exudes soul on the tenor sax, and Mark Feldman's brilliant flourishes beg re-evaluation of the violin as a lyrical, even psychedelic sound in jazz. Abercrombie's graciousness in leaving the best themes and solos for his guests to perform repays handsomely in the end, since it results in a richly textured soundscape. But the "regulars" deserve enormous credit too, excelling in their roles and certainly far from being outshone, even by the stellar performances of the guests: Adam Nussbaum's percussion is subtle, shimmering and colourful; Dan Wall's organ is always restlessly probing, providing an undercurrent of mystery and intrigue. Above all, the themes are magnificent - engaging and unforgettable, often hauntingly so (especially the slightly chilling and desolate lines stated on Wheeler's muted trumpets), marking Abercrombie as an exceptional composer of wonderful tunes. The album's calm pace, cool rythyms and pellucid sounds evoke bright winter sunshine - it has a crystal sheen to it, and an air of mystery and wonder. Open Land is a triumph of genuine musical alchemy, and one of the outstanding records of any idiom, any time. Immaculate.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New twists on a familiar style., November 26, 1999

By 

D. J. Sapen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Open Land (Audio CD)

This CD contains the kind of open, lyrical music hinted at by the title and fits right in with lots of Abercrombie's older stuff and with the so-called typical ECM sound (although ECM has released every flavor under the sun short of speed metal), and builds nicely on Abercrombie's organ trio albums. The use of Feldman's violin here is inspired - its a rich and accomplished violin sound, yet as unfettered as any saxophonist - he sounds as at- home with Lovano as Redman or Osby did. Wheeler does his thing, sounding like no other trumpeter, Wall's organ is eerie and cool and telepathic with the guitarist - they're a real team - and Nussbaum swings, pulses, splashes the open moments with color and surprise. It leans more toward the spare and atmospheric, but there's heat and swing in there too.