Sargasso Sea (John Abercrombie and Ralph Towner album)
| Sargasso Sea | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1976 | |||
| Recorded | May 1976 | |||
| Studio | Talent Oslo, Norway | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 41:08 | |||
| Label | ECM 1080 ST | |||
| Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
| John Abercrombie chronology | ||||
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| Ralph Towner chronology | ||||
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Sargasso Sea is an album by American jazz guitarists John Abercrombie and Ralph Towner, recorded in May 1976 and released on ECM Records later that year.[1]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Penguin Guide to Jazz | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [4] |
The AllMusic review by Michael G. Nastos stated, "An uneven recording for many listeners and critics, Sargasso Sea deserves a second chance, not as an absolutely flawed, imperfect, or unbalanced effort. Like a tale of two cities, it stands as a unique project, perhaps deserving a more refined approach."[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz called it "a winsome, diffident affair on which only the timbral variation of Towner's 12-string and piano figures sustains interest... it's less than representative of Abercrombie's real strengths."[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide said, "The alternately pensive and vibrant electric/acoustic interplay between these two master guitarists makes this a classic album of guitar duets."[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by John Abercrombie except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fable" | 8:41 | |
| 2. | "Avenue" | 5:19 | |
| 3. | "Sargasso Sea" |
| 4:01 |
| 4. | "Over and Gone" | 2:51 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Elbow Room" |
| 5:11 |
| 2. | "Staircase" | Towner | 6:24 |
| 3. | "Romantic Descension" | 3:17 | |
| 4. | "Parasol" | Towner | 5:24 |
Personnel
- John Abercrombie – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
- Ralph Towner – twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano
References
- ^ ECM discography accessed September 7, 2011
- ^ a b Nastos, M. G. Allmusic Review accessed September 6, 2011
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2006) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (8th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-141-02327-4.
- ^ a b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. US: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 3. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
