Historical ECM Jazz Album Reissued On 180g Vinyl & Mastered From Original Analog Source!
"Something special happens when they play together," observed Robert Palmer in the New York Times, and the participants concurred. "Playing with John is one of my favorite things to do," said Ralph Towner. "I can play as much as when playing solo, and still get to play my skills as accompanist. John is such an amazing person to play with that, even when he's playing intensely or aggressively, we somehow fit together and there's really no way that we could collide."
On Five Years Later, the follow-up to their debut duo disc Sargasso Sea, their improvisations draw on a wider sonic palette, to telling effect.
Musical innovation is no easy feat. It not only requires an innate talent, but also a devotion to the art that is not blinded by the commercial glare of the popular culture. Ralph Towner is such an innovator on the modern musical landscape, his ideas ever fresh, though they span a career of more than thirty years. Best known as the lead composer, guitarist, and keyboardist for the acoustic jazz ensemble "Oregon", Towner has also had a rich and varied solo career that has seen fruitful and memorable musical collaboration with such great modern musicians as Gary Burton, John Abercrombie, Egberto Gismonti, Larry Coryell, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, and Gary Peacock.
Over a career spanning more than 40 years and nearly 50 albums, John Abercrombie has established himself as one the masters of jazz guitar. Favoring unusual sounds (he played electronic mandolin on McCoy Tyner's 1993 album 4x4) and nontraditional ensembles (recent quartet recordings have included violinist Mark Feldman), Abercrombie is a restless experimenter, working firmly in the jazz tradition while pushing the boundaries of meter and harmony." Throughout the 1990s and into 2000 and beyond, Abercrombie has continued to pluck from the ranks of jazz royalty--and be plucked for guest appearances on other artists' recordings. One propitious relationship was with guitarist, pianist, and composer Ralph Towner, with whom Abercrombie has worked in a duet setting. (Abercrombie has also worked in guitar duos with John Scofield, for 1993's Solar and with Joe Beck in Coincidence, released in 2007). Abercrombie has also recorded with saxophonist Jan Garbarek and bassist Eddie Gomez.
"One can easily tell the two guitarists apart, since Abercrombie mostly plays electric and has a more forceful sound, while Towner's solos are usually more introverted. They perform three of Towner's songs, a pair of Abercrombie originals, and three collaborations. Although the interaction tends to be fairly quiet, there is a lot of subtle passion." -Scott Yanow, allmusic.com
Features:
Historical Album Reissued On 180g Vinyl
Mastered From Original Analog Source
Musicians:
John Abercrombie, acoustic and electric guitars, electric 12-string guitar, mandolin guitar
Ralph Towner,12-string and classical guitars
Selections:
Side 1:
1. Late Night Passenger
2. Isla
3. Half Past Two
4. Microtheme
Side 2:
1. Caminata
2. The Juggler's Etude
3. Bumabia
4. Child's Play
"Something special happens when they play together," observed Robert Palmer in the New York Times, and the participants concurred. "Playing with John is one of my favorite things to do," said Ralph Towner. "I can play as much as when playing solo, and still get to play my skills as accompanist. John is such an amazing person to play with that, even when he's playing intensely or aggressively, we somehow fit together and there's really no way that we could collide."
On Five Years Later, the follow-up to their debut duo disc Sargasso Sea, their improvisations draw on a wider sonic palette, to telling effect.
Musical innovation is no easy feat. It not only requires an innate talent, but also a devotion to the art that is not blinded by the commercial glare of the popular culture. Ralph Towner is such an innovator on the modern musical landscape, his ideas ever fresh, though they span a career of more than thirty years. Best known as the lead composer, guitarist, and keyboardist for the acoustic jazz ensemble "Oregon", Towner has also had a rich and varied solo career that has seen fruitful and memorable musical collaboration with such great modern musicians as Gary Burton, John Abercrombie, Egberto Gismonti, Larry Coryell, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, and Gary Peacock.
Over a career spanning more than 40 years and nearly 50 albums, John Abercrombie has established himself as one the masters of jazz guitar. Favoring unusual sounds (he played electronic mandolin on McCoy Tyner's 1993 album 4x4) and nontraditional ensembles (recent quartet recordings have included violinist Mark Feldman), Abercrombie is a restless experimenter, working firmly in the jazz tradition while pushing the boundaries of meter and harmony." Throughout the 1990s and into 2000 and beyond, Abercrombie has continued to pluck from the ranks of jazz royalty--and be plucked for guest appearances on other artists' recordings. One propitious relationship was with guitarist, pianist, and composer Ralph Towner, with whom Abercrombie has worked in a duet setting. (Abercrombie has also worked in guitar duos with John Scofield, for 1993's Solar and with Joe Beck in Coincidence, released in 2007). Abercrombie has also recorded with saxophonist Jan Garbarek and bassist Eddie Gomez.
"One can easily tell the two guitarists apart, since Abercrombie mostly plays electric and has a more forceful sound, while Towner's solos are usually more introverted. They perform three of Towner's songs, a pair of Abercrombie originals, and three collaborations. Although the interaction tends to be fairly quiet, there is a lot of subtle passion." -Scott Yanow, allmusic.com
Features:
Historical Album Reissued On 180g Vinyl
Mastered From Original Analog Source
Musicians:
John Abercrombie, acoustic and electric guitars, electric 12-string guitar, mandolin guitar
Ralph Towner,12-string and classical guitars
Selections:
Side 1:
1. Late Night Passenger
2. Isla
3. Half Past Two
4. Microtheme
Side 2:
1. Caminata
2. The Juggler's Etude
3. Bumabia
4. Child's Play
