John Abercrombie and
Andy LaVerne had worked together on a number of occasions with each other, and with bassist
Steve LaSpina and drummer
Jeff Hirschfield, though
Now It Can Be Played marked the first occasion for all four musicians to work together on a recording session. The standard "I Wish I Knew" is a sparkling example of their listening to one another, while the influence of the late
Bill Evans is obvious in
LaVerne's solo. Their setting of "Yesterdays" is a bit unconventional, taking an angular post-pop approach that opens up new possibilities within this decades-old standard.
LaVerne contributed several originals, including the intricate "Shadows and Fog" and the exotic "Waltz King."
Abercrombie penned the mid-tempo cooker "Labour Day" and "John's Waltz," the latter previously recorded by the composer with
LaVerne for their duo CD
Natural Living. This is a fine date that is filled with many interesting twists.