John Abercrombie

Having only listened to the jazz queens of the '30s, '40s, and '50s, including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and of course Billie Holiday, I was skeptical when I popped John Abercrombie's Open Land into my stereo. I wasn't sure if I could handle jazz without a sultry female voice dipping and wailing to familiar songs like "Minnie the Moocher." I also wasn't sure if I would enjoy any sort of music without lyrics. John Abercrombie's album changed my perception of instrumental music completely.\nOpen Land, Abercrombie's follow-up to 1997's live Tactics, combines the talents of several of the greatest instrumentalists in the United States. With Abercrombie on guitar are Mark Feldman on the violin, Kenny Wheeler on the trumpet and flugelhorn, Joe Lovano on tenor saxophone, Dan Wall on the organ and Adam Nussbaum on drums. \nThe album starts out strong with "Just In Tune." Wheeler melodiously carries the piece in the beginning, providing a smooth transition into Abercrombie's guitar, all the while kept in rhythm by Nussbaum's drums.\nA beautiful duet between Feldman on violin and Abercrombie makes "Open Land" a truly magnificent piece. With the song's tempo changing with every heartbeat, this song surprises you all the way through.\n"Spring Song" starts out with a sort of Oriental flare with the high-pitched screams of the violin sounding similar to a Japanese koto. Soon enough the piece slips into traditional jazz fare. The violin highlights this song with its highs while the tenor sax colors it in with its brassy tone. \n"Speak Easy" floats from the speakers with ease, while "Free Piece Suit(e)" takes you by surprise, with the high-pitched wail of the violin. "Remember When" accentuates the brass sound, while the album's last track, "That's For Sure," is a little heavier on the organ.\nAbercrombie combines instruments and electronics I never would have expected in a jazz album, giving his fellow musicians plenty of chances to shine. The nine original tracks help to create a masterpiece that would provide the perfect atmosphere for any party.