Perhaps no single player's sound is more associated with ECM recordings -- with the possible exception of
Jan Garbarek's -- than guitarist John Abercrombie's. His dulcet, multivalent tones have been gracing ECM titles since 1974 and his landmark recording as a leader,
Timeless, with keyboardist
Jan Hammer and drummer
Jack DeJohnette. Abercrombie has remained with the label since that time, and has issued no less than 22 recordings as a leader, and has appeared on at least two dozen others. On his
Rarum volume, Abercrombie selects ten tracks from his tenure with ECM as both a leader and a sideman. Some tracks are givens, such as "Timeless," "Sorcery I," form
Gateway, and "Big Music," from
November; both others are surprises such as "Ma Belle Hélène," from
Kenny Wheeler's
The Widow in the Window, and "Carol's Carol," from the trio album
While We're Young set from 1992. Abercrombie's notes explicating his choices and his career are warm and insightful, making this a fine package for the price.
