The John Abercrombie Interview

For quite some time half a century ago only two schools in this country had jazz programs. One was N. Texas State and the other was the Berkeley School of Music in Boston.

My guest today is one of the earliest alumni's of a school that has produced the likes of Alan Broadbent, Ernie Watts, Gene Perla and Dick Berk and TOSHIKO Akiyoshi. When my guest went there it was a brotherhood of 300 men and woman who studied under the masters like Herb Pomeroy, Ray Santizzi, Alan Dawson and Jaki Byard and had opportunities to play live and get loose at venues like The Jazz Workshop, Lennie's on the Turnpike and Latin Salsa Dance Halls. In fact even if you didn't go to Berklee you could still sit in on lectures and jams.

My guest today is a guitar player who is prolific in melodic sequencing and ferocious output. He plays the electric guitar, mandolin and piano strumming his way to sublimation with Jack Dejohnette, Billy Cobham, Colin Walcott and George Marsh, Joe Beck, Tom Knific, Dave Holland Jan Hammer and Johnny Hammond Smith.

He plays music without regard to barriers. His generation makes music that feels good because they understand the balance between mathematics and soul. They also played live for weeks at a time at the same venue performing complex Gil Evans tunes developing their own sound and individuality that created their identities.

Still blazing new trails with his axe, JAbercrombie