JennJoy's Full Review: Three Guitars by John Abercrombie/Assad/Coryell
I will be the first to admit that I tend to avoid any albums like “Three Guitars” which feature multiple musicians playing together for the first time. Egos often get in the way, styles don’t seem to mesh, and the whole thing usually comes off sounding like a competition to see who can play with the most technical prowess. The result is almost always so rigid that you walk away thinking, sure these people can play extremely well but they can’t seem to produce good music when playing together. Despite my misgivings, “Three Guitars” has shown me once and for all that musicians with very different backgrounds can come together and create some absolutely stunning pieces of music.
The three guitars featured on this album are Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie, and Badi Assad – each a pioneer of sorts with styles ranging from jazz and classical to fusion and Brazilian. All three bring years of experience with them and unique approaches to create a fabulous range of tracks. “Three Guitars” was recorded in a New York church with record company Chesky’s high-tech recording process, giving the album a live performance feel. The recording method – with Coryell on the left, Assad in the middle, and Abercrombie on the right – gives amazing clarity to each instrument so that nothing sounds too blended together. The end result is surprisingly realistic and rich with superb sound quality.
As expected, “Three Guitars” is predominantly an instrumental album. Though the combined background of all three performers is mainly jazz oriented, this is not truly a jazz album. The range of styles is far too great and Badi Assad contributes far more than just her wonderful nylon-stringed guitar work. Although each musician takes a variety of writing credits and Coryell and Abercrombie are certainly not left in the dust by any means, it is Assad that steals the show. She contributes copper flute, vocals, and a variety of body and mouth percussion to a number of the songs. “Metamorphasis” and “No Flight Tonight” are both prime examples of this, although the former was written by Assad and the latter by Larry Coryell. “After the Rain,” another Assad piece, is one instance of her wordless singing which brings an ethereal quality to the song.
It’s Badi Assad’s extra contributions that really keep the album from becoming too repetitive or bogged down by only one instrument. At nearly an hour long there are moments where “Three Guitars” slips into background music territory or nearly noodles its way into something best labeled New Age, but Assad neatly pulls everything back to the foreground with her innovative style. Clever arrangements also keep the album interesting by giving Assad, Abercrombie, and Coryell each a variety of moments in which to shine and they all seem to approach every instant with ease.
Although certainly not an album that just any music fan will enjoy “Three Guitars” is an aural experience that should easily appeal to those interested in jazz, classical guitar, and other related styles. I’ve found this to be a great relaxation accompaniment and I’m consistently amazed at just how amazing Abercrombie, Coryell, and Assad’s performances are. I hope these three are able to record together again farther down the road.
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