Cat 'n' Mouse John Abercrombie

Cat 'n' Mouse

1	A Nice Idea / John Taylor 10:55
2	Convolution / John Taylor 5:31
3	String Thing / John Taylor 3:58
4	Soundtrack / John Taylor 8:03
5	Third Stream Samba / John Taylor 8:41
6	On the Loose / John Taylor 5:58
7	Stop and Go / John Taylor 6:59
8	Show of Hands / John Taylor 9:18

Barnes & Noble

This CD pairs guitarist John Abercrombie with violinist Mark Feldman and rounds out the quartet with the redoubtable rhythm section of Joey Baron on drums and Marc Johnson on bass. The focus here is on the sound of strings -- bass, violin, and guitar, bowed and plucked. Abercrombie has over the past two decades made himself one of the most recognizable voices on the guitar, and he is in fine form here, with his trademark subdued intensity, fleet filigreed lines, and the ability to open up into a searing rock-style solo with a single distorted note or phrase, only to recede back into silence with a wistful shred of melody. Feldman tries just about everything available to him on his instrument, from romantic passages with heavy vibrato reminiscent of European salon music to biting, astringent double-stops on the high register. The mood on the disc varies from “String Thing” -- a dreamy collage of bowed notes, plucked bass, and acoustic guitar set amid a wash of brushed cymbals -- to “On the Loose,” which opens with a funky, shuffling beat on Baron’s drum set for an immaculate solo by Abercrombie, then switches to a double-time swing rhythm for Feldman’s fast-paced, intense response. In general, the feeling is loose and improvisatory, whether the music is wistful and understated or fast, bright, and driving. This is an ambitious set, with moments of transcendental beauty and some standout solo work by Abercrombie and Feldman. Will Meyerhofer

Entertainment Weekly

Abercrombie has cooked up an unpredictable quartet session that darts skillfully from chamber-music delicacy to probing free-jazz.