Marc Johnson

The quartet of double-bassist Marc Johnson, pianist Eliane Elias, drummer Joey Baron and saxophonist Joe Lovano commune over music that is engaging, sensuous, poetic, swinging. Brazilian-born Elias previously joined Baron and Lovano on Johnson’s 2005 ECM album, “Shades of Jade”, which reaped praise far and wide. The New York Times enthused over the “luminescence” created by the close partnership between Johnson and Elias, while The Village Voice said the album was “shimmering” yet “its lusciousness has all sorts of tensile strength.” The same words could apply to “Swept Away”.

The pairing of electric guitarists Bill Frisell and John Scofield had to be one of the most auspicious since John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana. Acoustic bassist Marc Johnson's stroke of genius in bringing the two together on Bass Desires resulted in a sound that demonstrated both compatibility between the guitarists and the distinctiveness of the two when heard in combination. Add drummer Peter Erskine and you had a bona fide supergroup, albeit in retrospect a short-lived one, before Frisell and Scofield would establish their own substantial careers as leaders. The guitarists revealed symmetry, spaciousness, and a soaring stance, buoyed by the simplicity of their rhythm mates. This is immediately achieved on the introductory track, "Samurai Hee-Haw," as hummable, head-swimming, and memorable a melody as there ever has been, and a definite signature sound.

This series of duets featuring bassist Marc Johnson with different guests could be considered a tribute to Bill Evans, because it includes such a number of songs associated with the late pianist (though only one is an Evans composition); Johnson served with distinction as the bassist in Evans' last trio. Harmonica player extraordinaire Toots Thielemans joins Johnson for a beautifully strutting take of "Killer Joe," afollowed by an amazingly soft and subtle take of Alex North's "Spartacus Love Theme," a favorite of Evans that Johnson never got the opportunity to play with him. Also very effective is the very slow arrangement of "Goodbye Porkpie Hat." Vibraphonist Gary Burton also appears on three tracks, with a dreamy take of the melancholy "Gary's Theme" and gorgeous version of Evans' "Time Remembered" meriting special attention…

Oddly enough, this outing signifies British pianist John Taylor's first "ECM Records" issued solo effort, especially when considering the artist's twenty-five year tenure with this notable record label. Here, Taylor employs one-time Bill Evans trio bassist Marc Johnson, and New York City based drummer Joey Baron for a set consisting of Taylor originals, such as the mood evoking, "The Bowl Song," and others. A seminal "ECM" session ace, Taylor has graced recordings by drummer Peter Erskine and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler throughout his distinguished career.

Recorded live at Boston's Nightstage club in 1988 this album found John Abercrombie both pushing sonic boundaries on guitar synthesizer and, on regular jazz guitar, deepening his relationship to the world of standards. In this trio he had exceptional improvisational support from bass and drums.