John Abercrombie - The First Quartet: One of the great bands of the era

Guitarist friends are like armpits – everyone has a couple.

Here’s a present that will earn their eternal respect. John Abercrombie may not be as well known as some of his contemporaries, but his unique sound and his impeccable taste for melody place him alongside McLaughlin, Metheny et al as one of the founding fathers of modern jazz guitar.

The three recordings gathered here – Arcade (1978), Abercrombie Quartet (1979) and M (1980) – represent the New York guitarist's flowering as a player and as a composer, moving away from his fusion roots towards a sparer, more chamber-style music.

The quartet, with pianist Richie Bierach, bassist George Mraz and drummer Peter Donald, toured extensively and over these three recordings you hear them developing into one of the great bands of the era.