ECM Records’ Luminescence series continues to delight with another vintage selection that deftly illustrates why the label founded by Manfred Eicher in 1969 has been so hugely important in developing contemporary jazz’s emotional vocabulary. Originally released in 1975, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland and Jack Dejohnette’s Gateway’s joyful interplay between Abercrombie’s serpentine guitar, Dejohnette’s sprightly drums and Holland’s earthy bass remains just as vital and engaging today as it did nearly half a century ago. Abercrombie, who died in 2017, wields raw tones and subtle colours against the receptive backdrop weaved by his colleagues. The conversational album trades wry flashes of boppish blues, explosive Mahavishnu-style rock-outs, and thrillingly intricate flurries as they plunge into their pooled ideas.
Jon Durant’s Momentarily (Alchemy Records) finds the American guitarist in the company of Swiss…
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Prog Italia (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 151