John Abercrombie Interview by Monk Rowe - 4/19/2001 - Clinton, NY

[@jaybreen1010]

Thanks for putting this up! What a wealth of knowledge John commanded! So articulate and wryly funny too. John will be missed but never forgotten. His massive catalogue will afford us the ability to digest his great breadth and depth, range, and expansive tonal palette that comprise his musical voice for years to come.

[@brötzmannsax]

Great interview as always with excellent questions. Another huge loss, John was pioneering guitarist who's music will remain Timeless.

[@mononoaware1960]

John has such a unique style, really inspiring player. I can’t get enough of his Characters album. The atmosphere he creates with the acoustic is gorgeous.

[@steverickenbacher7110]

Thanks for uploading this. One of the better and most informative interviews I've seen in a long while. John was truly one of the greats who will forever be missed. I ran into him in my local supermarket about a year after this interview took place (turns out he lived not that far from me). He invited me to a free gig he was doing that night at a local Episcopal Church that turned out to be a wonderful experience. Not so much for my then 5 year old son, who fell asleep almost instantly in one of the church pews, though. LOL.

[@postatility9703]

For years, I would see John's face on album covers, and in Down Beat and Jazz Times magazines. With his distinctive look, mustache and all, I always wondered how this guy's voice sounded. What a pleasant surprise--one of many I have found in this incredible treasure trove of interviews--to have encountered this. It was a gem. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting John, I feel like I knew him. What a great, engaging man and musician. Monk, you are a national treasure for the jazz community!

[@BurnsTennis]

Very enjoyable interview.

[@pontusmalmstrom1055]

Such a nice person. I regret not discovering his music until after he had passed. The Gateway Trio and the Abercrombie Trio with Dan Wall and Adam Nussbaum just blow me away. Tender and Beauty are words that spring to mind thinking about his style.

[@BurnsTennis]

I got into John's music way back in 1990, I started getting into jazz the year before. Saw him in London playing with Charles Lloyd. Carol's Carol from While We're Young is a great track. Also Furs on Ice written by Marc Johnson.

[@resipj4]

The best of all, simply!

[@reidwhitton6248]

I've now listened to the entire interview. What a pleasure. It was a wonderful conversation. Thanks!

[@henrygarciga]

I find viewing this several times months apart reveals the animated musician recounting his timetable of maturity and development as a player. The interview comes to life each successive time around. To serve as an apprentice with Johnny Hammond , later recommended by Brecker Brothers to a fusion band called Dreams , one sees the enthusiasm John displays in appreciating his path getting there .. Playing 6 nights a week in town paid $90 , on the road paid $110, pay your own hotel . Talking late 60's where you could rent by the week in hotels. Went back to Boston to play in Stark Reality . One record of kid's tunes resulted with that group. I get the sense he struggled to convey to his family the profession of being a rock-jazz performer on guitar as a 'legitimate career , even though he never finished at Berklee. Word of mouth put John into a circle of jazz players where he entered permanently into that loop , starting with Jack Dejohnette .

[@filliusjazzarchive]

Thanks for your insightful comments.

[@babalonworking6]

Insightful!!!

[@jamesfarrington9030]

JA is still my fav "modern" jazz player. He sounded like no one.

[@tonyedwards4067]

this innovative player always draw me back to discover new things, JA is always inspiring.

[@BenPrevo]

I think he was referring to the Collins kids

[@reidwhitton6248]

Clinton, NY? Some how I missed this performance. Also regret missing Dave Holland in Clinton about ten years back or so.

[@filliusjazzarchive]

The Abercrombie Trio gig was at Hamilton College, probably advertised to the public very well.

[@reidwhitton6248]

I had just started a new job at the time so I guess I wasn't paying attention. Anyway, I started listening to John on the Current Events album in '86.