John Abercrombie è stato un chitarrista musicalmente versatile ma strettamente ancorato alla tradizione jazz di cui ha esteso i confini seguendo il suo istinto di fine improvvisatore, creatore di ampie ed emozionanti melodie, ma anche di malinconiche, spigolose e argute composizioni.
A quattordici anni imbraccia la chitarra, studia i maestri del jazz e nel 1962 frequenta la Berklee School of Music di Boston. Nel 1967 si unisce all'organista Johnny "Hammond" Smith e, a New York, ai Brecker Brothers. Negli anni settanta arrivano le collaborazioni importanti: Chico Hamilton, Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri. Da leader registra il suo primo album Timeless e poi Gateway, con Dave Holland e Jack DeJohnette, duetta con il chitarrista Ralph Towner e con il gruppo di Kenny Wheeler.
Seguono prestigiose partecipazioni: Charles Lloyd, Enrico Rava, John Surman; alternate sino a oggi a lavori con il suo trio e quartetto, reso particolare dalla presenza del violinista Mark Feldman, come nei dischi Cat 'n' Mouse e Class Trip.
Discografia
Leader AnnoTitolo AlbumEtichetta Discografica1974TimelessECM1974WorksECM1975Gateway w/ Jack DeJohnette & Dave HollandECM1977Gateway 2ECM1977CharactersECM1978ArcadeECM1979Straight FlightJAM1979Abercrombie QuartetECM1980MECM1982Solar w/ John ScofieldPalo Alto1984NightECM1985Current EventsECM1987Getting ThereECM1988John Abercrombie / Marc Johnson / Peter Erskine [live]ECM1989AnimatoECM1989Upon a Time an Album of Duets NewAlbion1992While We're YoungECM1992John Abercrombie/Dan Wall/Adam NussbaumEcm1992NovemberECM1993Speak of the DevilECM1994Nosmo KingSteeple Chase1994Gateway: HomecomingECM1994In the Moment (Gateway)ECM1996Tactics [live]ECM1999Open LandECM2000The Hudson Project w/ Peter Erskine, John Patitucci & Bob MintzerStretch2001John Abercrombie, Marc Johnson & Peter ErskineECM2001ArcadeECM2002Cat 'n' MouseECM2004Class TripECM2006StructuresChesky Records2007The Third QuartetECM2008CoincidenceWhaling City Sound2008TopicsChallenge2009Wait till you see herECM2012Within a SongECM201339 stepsECM2017Up and comingECM
Collaborazioni AnnoArtista PrincipaleTitolo Album1968Johnny "Hammond" SmithNasty1970The Stark RealityDiscovers Hoagy Carmicheal's Music Shop1971Friends w/Marc CohenOblivion1971Gato BarbieriGato1971Gato BarbieriUnder Fire1971Barry MilesWhite Heat1973Dave LiebmanLookout Farm1973Enrico RavaQuotation Marks1974Billy CobhamShabazz1974Horace ArnoldTales of the Exonerated Flea1974Billy CobhamCrosswinds1974Billy CobhamTotal Eclipse1974Jack DeJohnetteSorcery1974Gil EvansGil Evans' Orchestra Plays the...1974Dave LiebmanDrum Ode1974Clive StevensAtmospheres1974Clive StevensVoyage to Uranus1975Jack DeJohnetteCosmic Chicken1975Jack DeJohnetteWorks1975Charles EarlandOdyssey1975David LiebmanSweet Hands1975Enrico RavaPilgrim and the Stars1975Michal UrbaniakFusion III1975Collin WalcottCloud Dance1975Collin WalcottWorks1976Enrico RavaPilgrim and the Stars1976Jack DeJohnetteDirections1976Ralph TownerSargasso Sea1976Jack DeJohnette's...Untitled1976Jack DeJohnettePictures1976Barre PhillipsMountainscapes1976Enrico RavaPlot1976Ralph TownerSargasso Sea1977Jack DeJohnette's...New Rags1977Johnny "Hammond" SmithStorm Warning1977Collin Walcott with Don...Grazing Dreams1978Jack DeJohnetteNew Directions1978Clint HoustonWatership Down1978Terry PlumeriOngoing1979Urszula DudziakFuture Talk1979Jack DeJohnetteNew Directions in Europe1979Bobby HutchersonUn Poco Loco1979George Mraz With John...Direct Flight1979Mike NockClimbing (check)1980McCoy TynerFour Times Four1980McCoy Tyner Quartet4 X 41981Ralph TownerFive Years Later1982Goerge MarshDrum Strum 17501984Andy LaVerneLiquid Silver1984Don Thompson QuartetBeautiful Friendship1986Don TompsonWitchcraft1986Peter ErskineTransition1987Richie Beirach with John...Emerald City1987Tom HarrellVisions1987Jeff Palmer/David Liebman...Abracadabra1987Michel PetruccianiMichel Plays Petrucciani1988Paul BleyLive at Sweet Basil1988Peter ErskineMotion Poet1988Henry KaiserRe-Marrying for Money1988Henri TexierColonel Skopje1989Andy LaVerne & John...Natural Living1989John D'earthOne Bright Glance1989Danny GottliebWhirlwind1990Niels Lan DokyFriendship1990Danny GottliebBrooklyn Blues1990Jim Hall & FriendsLive at Town Hall Vol. 21990Joe LovanoLandmarks1990Charles MingusEpitaph1990Bob MintzerHymn1991Bob BrookmeyerElectricity1991Harvie SwartzArrival1991Gust William Tsilis...Heritage1992Niels Lan DokyThe Toronto Concert [live]1992DreamsDreams1992Bruce GertzThird Eye1992Jeff PalmerEase on1992Johnny "Hammond" SmithForever Taurus1992Hans UlrikDay After Day1993Vassar ClementsOnce in a While1993Tim HagansNo Words1993Lonnie Smith/John...Afro Blue1994Bruce DitmasWhat If1994Bruce Gertz 5etDiscovery Zone1994Jeff PalmerShades of the Pine1994Jeff PalmerIsland Universe1994Lonnie SmithFoxy Lady: A Tribute to Hendrix1995Andy LaverneNow It Can Be Played1995Andy LaverneFarewell1995Les ArbuckleBush Crew1995Base LineWhy Really1995Bruce GertzBlueprint1995Tom HarrellSail Away [Musidisc]1995Jacek KochanGrey Angel1995Lonnie Smith TrioPurple Haze: A Tribute to Jimi...1996BaselineStandards1996Marc CoplandSecond Look1996Sigi FinkelSweet Sue1996GatewayIn the Moment1996Andy LaVerneWhere We Were1996Little Magic In A Noisy...Little Magic in a Noisy World1997BaselineReturns1998Franco AmbrosettiLight Breeze1998Ethel EnnisIf Women Ruled the World1998Mark SoskinFive Lands (Cinqueterre)1999Gato BarbieriBest of the Early Years1999Bruce GertzRed Handed1999Charles LloydVoice in the Night1999Vince Mendoza & London...Epiphany1999Lars Moller GroupColours1999Brooke SoffermanModesty's Odyssey2000Charles LloydWater Is Wide2000Lee KonitzSound of Surprise2000Rudy LinkaLive It Up2000Johnny "Hammond" SmithSoulful Blues2001Ed ByrneTwo Shades of Blue2001Billy CobhamRudiments: The Billy Cobham...2001Chuck Owen & The Jazz...Madcap
Altri progetti
Collegamenti esterni Un estratto del concerto filmato al Skopje Jazz Festival - Macedonia - il 13 ottobre 2013 per il canale web Arte Concert - Regia Giuseppe De Vecchi
Categoria:Chitarristi jazz