Abercrombie/Wall/Nussbaum: Tactics

While the instrumentation suggests a straight-ahead organ trio outing, the players-John Abercrombie on guitar, Dan Wall on Hammond B-3, and Adam Nussbaum on drums-offer up an uncommon combination of progressive improvisation frequently supported by lush grooves.

After a spacey introduction, Abercrombie’s “Sweet Sixteen” swings lightly, his extended, melodic solo buoyed by Nussbaum’s and Wall’s open, interactive support. Wall’s compositional contributions include “Bo Diddy,” a funky paean to Bo Diddley that soon veers off into the unknown, led by Abercrombie’s sonic musings, rife with volume swells, over- driven bends, and aggressive blues-based lines. In turn, Nussbaum gets his two cents in by providing “Chumbida,” which starts with a subtle percussion-driven groove and gradually grows into a frantic sound mass. Rounding out the set, “You And The Night And The Music” and “Long Ago And Far Away,” although standards, dovetail with the rest of the music in approach, as they evolve in terms of mood, tempo, and dynamics. Creativity tempered by fine musicianship at every turn.

Originally Published May 1, 1997