John Abercrombie - Cat 'n' Mouse

BlueMiles · August-5th-2003, 09:49 PM

I recall some posts on this one back before the site overhaul. I don't see anything right here, so hope to start a bit of discussion on it.

I find "Cat 'n Mouse" to be quite a fascinating album. The CD begins and ends very quietly, but in between there seems no end to the range of dynamics—all kinds of shifts in tempo and tone, all kinds of creative sounds. Titles like “Stop and Go” and “On the Loose” do a good job of defining what goes on. Mark Feldman has shifted from a strong role on “Open Land” to the dominant voice on “Cat & Mouse.” He goes a long way toward creating the chamber music quality found on some tracks, with an avant garde edge (jazz and/or classical). Feldman goes for several piercing screeches, but he can sure play low as well—in some passages it sounds like he’s piping on a flute. I saw Feldman live with the Abercrombie/Wall/Nussbaum group. He was quite good, but his playing on this CD is much more varied and subtle.

The group takes on something of the quality of the Mahavishu Orchestra from time to time, but these are certainly completely individualistic players doing their thing. This group dives into an occasional maelstrom and John simply thrashes the guitar more than once—and yet in every moment he proves that he is among the most subtle of all guitarists.

As you would expect, Marc Johnson and Joey Baron offer sterling support—more than support!

I just don’t hear other music like this. The range of mood, of thought, of techniques is astonishing. Just 8 tunes and a running time of 1 hour. Yet I feel like I’m journeying through…I don’t know, a long Faulkner novel?

Go out and get this. Abercrombie is one of our under-recognized greats of this era. What a roll with “Homecoming,” “Open Land,” and “Cat ‘n Mouse.” And then too plenty of fine work lately with Charles Lloyd, Lee Konitz, and Marc Copland.

Tanager · August-5th-2003, 10:12 PM

I don't have Cat 'n' Mouse, but I'm a fan of a number of Abercrombie recordings from earlier in his career (and doesn't this sorta belong in Speak Out?)...

Among my favorites are Arcade and Night.

BlueMiles · August-5th-2003, 10:18 PM

I've put up a thread withe the proper title for just this CD!

Abercrombie remains extremely vital and creative deep into his jazz career.

john williams · August-6th-2003, 08:30 AM

BlueMiles: Cat 'n' Mouse was one of my favorite releases of '02. I am fairly new to Abercombie's work and only have C'n'M and Open Land, which is also very good. I agree about Feldman too and have read in reviews that he can resort to histrionics, which I think you may have hinted at in your first post?

Quote:

He was quite good, but his playing on this CD is much more varied and subtle.

Much better than on Open Land. Cat 'n' Mouse has Feldman in much better form than I have heard on some releases. However, I am a big fan of him, particularly on any of the Masada String Trio recordings.

Cat 'n' Mouse really deserves more attention IMO, and second the you in the recommendation to just go and get it. I might just give it a spin after listening to "Grains of Paradise", which is just about finished.

Tanager · August-6th-2003, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JBW
BlueMiles: Cat 'n' Mouse was one of my favorite releases of '02. I am fairly new to Abercombie's work and only have C'n'M and Open Land, which is also very good.

I'd strongly suggest perusing some of his older work - I mentioned Arcade and Night above, but I'd also look for Timeless and the two Gateway (Gateway and Gateway 2) disks, which feature Abercrombie in an outstanding trio with Holland and DeJohnette (on the Gateway sides) or Hammer and DeJohnette (on Timeless). Lots of great music all the way around.

Vince Kargatis · August-6th-2003, 10:12 AM

For those interested in hearing something from this album, there's a link to an mp3 from issue 218 of the Wire Audio Companion.

john williams · August-7th-2003, 01:45 AM

Cheers Tanager I will check them out.

Reid · August-7th-2003, 01:53 PM

There's an album he did with Lloyd (I think Dave Holland and Billy Higgins rounded out the group) where he just stole the show, particularly with his accompaniment. It was on the Jim Hall kind of level.

Having said that, I was really underwhelmed by the Gatway recordings. I had high expectations because of the line-up, and maybe my expectations of hearing rocking music sort of got in the way.

Anyway, the thing that sort of keeps me away from *Cat N' Mouse* is the presence of the violin. You're saying it plays a prominent role doesn't help either. Besides in older swing settings, I don't think I've heard a time when I've enjoyed the violin in a jazz context.

Pete C · August-7th-2003, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
Besides in older swing settings, I don't think I've heard a time when I've enjoyed the violin in a jazz context.

Is that because Billy Bang, Leroy Jenkins and Mark Feldman aren't innovative enough for you?

And have you heard Michael White with John Handy or Pharoah Sanders?

Reid · August-7th-2003, 02:34 PM

I haven't heard Bang or Jenkins (not that I remember anyway).

Never heard Micheal White with or without Sanders or Handy.

Pete C · August-7th-2003, 02:39 PM

For someone who makes a lot of pronouncements about what isn't happening in the music, you've got a lot of catching up to do.

BlueMiles · August-7th-2003, 03:06 PM

Reid,

It's true that violin is not common in jazz, and that it may SEEM tremendoulsy out of place.

True too that Mark Feldman is no ordinary violinist. I think it's worth your while to check out what he does.

I have not heard the Gateway albums from the 1970's, but I regard "Homecoming" (from mid-90's) to be a genuine classic.

Reid · August-7th-2003, 04:21 PM

I've heard Feldman before, but not on this album. I'll keep my ears open for him. Part of it is just a preference thing. I just don't care for the sound and way it's usually employed. It's kinda like how I don't like the flute.

Squaredancecalling Steve · August-7th-2003, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
I haven't heard Bang or Jenkins (not that I remember anyway).

Reid: I think you'd really enjoy them both! Especially Billy Bang. Listen to some samples if you have a chance. For Bang, I'd recommend to you his most recent, "Vietnam: The Aftermath" & "Bang On!" and for Jenkins you should check out "Equal Interest" with Myra Melford and Joseph Jarman and "Out Of The Mist" by the same trio. Bang's solo album "Commandment" is awesome.

I'm also a huge fan of the old-timer, Stuff Smith, but I'm not sure if your tastes include the swing era. The best of the bunch is the earliest of the Chronological Classics albums, the one with the Onyx Club Boys featuring Jonah Jones (before Jonah's doctor told him that the drunk&stoned lifestyle of Stuff's band was going to kill him, and he left Stuff to join Cab Calloway).

Tanager · August-7th-2003, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
Having said that, I was really underwhelmed by the Gatway recordings. I had high expectations because of the line-up, and maybe my expectations of hearing rocking music sort of got in the way.

Hrm...that is the exact opposite of my listening experience with those sides.

Reid · August-7th-2003, 05:06 PM

You mean, the Gateway albums are rocking?

Thanks for the description, square. I've always wanted to check out, Stuff.

Tanager · August-7th-2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
You mean, the Gateway albums are rocking?

No, I mean I wasn't underwhelmed by them - I loved them. I have no idea what you mean by rocking (or what you expected).

Pete C · August-7th-2003, 11:53 PM

Reid · August-8th-2003, 05:43 AM

By "rocking", I mean like the aggressive moments on Live-Evil or Black Beauty.

Sand · August-8th-2003, 07:17 AM

Marc Johnson uses arco
technique on his big violin on some of his he collaborations with Abercrombie. Be warned!

Tanager · August-8th-2003, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
By "rocking", I mean like the aggressive moments on Live-Evil or Black Beauty.

Hrm, then I suppose I could see your disappointment - but that's not the kind of stuff for whch Abercrombie's ever really been known, although I think his playing is often quite intense.

Reid · August-9th-2003, 05:43 AM

I've heard him get pretty agressive in a rocking way, though. (I'm thinking of his playing on Enrico Rava's *The Pilgrim and the Stars* and moments on Kenny Wheeler's *Deer wan*) In any event, I just need to put aside my expectations, and listen to the album. There are times when the impact of an album only hits me after I've given up any my original expectations of it.

steve(thelil) · August-10th-2003, 12:48 PM

I thought Billy Bang was a porn actor.

Uli · August-10th-2003, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reid
By "rocking", I mean like the aggressive moments on Live-Evil or Black Beauty.

reid, if you're looking for some "rocking" Abercrombie check out Jeff Palmer (organ) : Ease On! That's some rockish funky greasie bluesie stuff. Killer quartet with Arthur Blythe and Victor Lewis.

I am not really versed in Abercrombie but he sure can rock too.

Capt. W./TX. · August-18th-2003, 08:40 PM

Re:

Mark Feldman

Anybody here ever checked his work on the Dave Douglas Soul Note CDs ("Five", "Convergence" &
"Parallel Worlds")?

The full band for all three releases is Douglas (trumpet); Feldman (violin); Eric Friedlander (a truly remarkable cellist); Drew Gress (bass) & Michael Sarin (drums).

Some of the most accomplished 'post 80's new-thing' stuff you'll ever hear. The collective musicianship
here is just mind-blowing. The quality of the string playing on the ensembles (by Feldman, Gress & Friedlander) is unlike anything I've ever heard in a jazz or creative improvised music context.

BTW: last time I checked, ALL 3 CDs were available fron www.cybermusicsurplus.com for only $7.59 each, plus s/h!

Better hurry!