ProJazz.net

Timeless is the debut album by American jazz guitarist John Abercrombie, recorded over two days in June 1974 and released on ECM Records the following year. The album features a trio with Abercrombie alongside organist Jan Hammer and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

Reception.

The ECM website praises the album by remarking that “This evergreen stands tall in the ECM forest. There is no sense of competition, only mutual reveling in a distinctly nuclear sound. One could easily call it fusion, but if anything it is fused with itself, for it has created every element it seeks to combine. Timeless indeed.”

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4.5 stars and stated:” Guitarist John Abercrombie’s first in a long line of recordings for ECM was also his debut as a leader. Teamed up with Jan Hammer (who here plays organ, synthesizer, and piano) and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Abercrombie plays four of his originals, plus two by Hammer. These performances differ from many of the guitarist’s later ECM dates in that Hammer injects a strong dose of fusion into the music, and there is plenty of spirited interplay between those two with fine support by DeJohnette. Thought-provoking and occasionally exciting music that generally defies categorization.”

Track listing:
All tracks are written by John Abercrombie except where noted.

1. “Lungs” Jan Hammer 12:10
2. “Love Song” 4:35
3. “Ralph’s Piano Waltz” 4:55
4. “Red and Orange” Hammer 5:24
5. “Remembering” 4:33
6. “Timeless” 11:57

Personnel:
John Abercrombie – guitar
Jan Hammer – organ, piano, synthesizer
Jack DeJohnette – drums

_________________

Released: 1975
Recorded: June 21–22, 1974
Studio: Generation Sound
New York City
Length: 43:34
Label: ECM 1047 ST
Producer: Manfred Eicher