The death is reported of the US guitarist and composer John Abercrombie, an understated niche legend who made two dozen albums for the boutique Munich label, ECM. He was 72.
His debut album Timeless is an epic of progressive jazz.
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One of my favorites. Thanks for posting this. It’s a good reminder that life is short…we’re next…let’s indulge in what we love…let’s be nice to other people we meet along the road.
1: ECM is not a boutique label.
2: Was it necessary to use the backhanded insult “niche legend” when describing the recently deceased? He was definitely a legend, and far from being “niche”.
“Niche legend”? I guess so, if you accept jazz as a niche music. Within jazz John Abercrombie was a giant.
Similarly, if selling hundreds of thousands of copies of some releases, releasing hundreds of records over almost five decades, and documenting scads of influential performers and composers in contemporary jazz, contemporary classical music, experimental music, and assorted other genres earns “boutique” status, we need more boutique labels.
Next time you should call one of those “major” record companies discounter label.
ECM is awesome.
John ,
Thank you for the great times… Your clean, improv , & radical parts helped make this world a lot better……
Will be sure to catch your next show…
Bruce Haughin
Bellevue , Pa.