John Abercrombie Quartet: 39 Steps

This American guitarist may not enjoy the profile of some of his contemporaries, but his influence has been far reaching – and as he approaches 70, his powers are clearly undiminished. Abercrombie's sound runs the gamut from soft acoustics to loud distortion, but always with the restraint of a player who is too intelligent to show off. This new quartet includes pianist Marc Copland, of whom similar praises could be sung; the two have played together for years in a variety of settings, but this is pianist's first outing for ECM. Their instruments may occupy similar registers, but far from crowding each other out, the two explore Abercrombie's harmonies like dancers on eggshells. With impeccable support from bassist Drew Gress and drummer Joey Barron, this is a quiet but intense set from four masters of post-Coltrane American jazz. ecmrecords.com