Abercrombie’s 2013 ECM release, "39 Steps," is a guitar trio outing featuring long-time collaborators Thomas Morgan on bass and Marc Ducret on guitar. The album showcases Abercrombie’s signature melodicism and a willingness to engage in open-ended improvisation within a sparse, acoustic framework.
- The album was recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway, a frequent haunt for ECM artists.
- The 39 Steps was Abercrombie's first album for ECM since 2009's 'Twilight' and his first with a guitar trio configuration in over a decade.
- The trio of Abercrombie, Morgan, and Ducret would go on to record two more albums for ECM after 39 Steps.
John Abercrombie was an American jazz guitarist known for his work in the ECM Records stable, moving through fusion, post-bop, and chamber jazz idioms. 39 Steps was released late in his career, following a series of trio recordings for the label.
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