Search - Mick Goodrick :: In Passing

Hard to believe this is Goodrick's debut as a leader.

Steve Beck | Bethlehem, PA United States | 04/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By the time he recorded this album, Mick Goodrick had played on three albums by Gary Burton (The New Gary Burton Quartet, 1973; Ring, 1974; Dreams So Real, 1975). Goodrick was markedly affected by Jim Hall's playing, and his style owes a debt to the latter's harmonic ingenuity, use of space, and playing up and down one string (an attribute noticeable even on recordings, especially to those familiar with the guitar). This album consists of 4 originals by Goodrick and one collectively improvised track (the "In a Silent Way"-ish title tune). Generally, the tunes are subtle without being snoozy, and the instrumental interplay is frighteningly good. Specifically, there is a moment halfway through "In the Tavern of Ruin" (track 2) when Goodrick and saxophonist/bass clarinetist John Surman trade short rhythmic phrases in a perfect example of subtle intensity. What particularly makes this recording so great is Goodrick's insistence on playing only what he hears and not resorting to licks or stock phrases. This is, in all probability, the motivating factor behind his tendancy not to "burn" (although, as he would surely assert, there's more than one way to do that). Bassist Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette are wonderful in support, the latter demonstrating the orchestral sense of dynamics that he must have learned from Tony Williams. Of the three remaining tunes on the album, the first and fourth are medium-tempo and feature the sort of folk and country inspired playing (use of double stops and hammer-ons) also employed by Goodrick peers Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, John Abercrombie, and John Scofield; the third tune is the only one up-tempo. Primarily making his living as an educator, (he did not record this, his debut album as a leader, until he was already 33), Goodrick has not recorded very often during his career. All the more reason to purchase this, one of the absolutely essential jazz guitar recordings.P.S. As another reviewer has stated, the soundbites provided by Amazon.com are NOT from this album. Ironically enough, they are from a recording of traditional Indian music, an important influence on Goodrick's jazz guitar concept."

A Goodrick Special for ECM Lovers

Rares P. | Rm. Valcea, Romania | 03/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mick Goodrick enters the ECM building as band leader with "In Pas(s)ing", alongside a host of first-hand musicians, like Eddie Gomez (b.), John Surman (sax.) and Jack DeJohnette (dms.) Although featured for the same label with Gary Burton Quintet or Charlie Haden's MLO, his musical profile asked for a customized "Mick-style" album. Goodrick comes on this CD with a suite of original compositions, all to the delight of long-time Goodrick fans. And, in confirmation of public's expectation, this album hits the top of collective appreciation with its subtle, sensitive approach to improvisation. Goodrick's unique musicality and paraphrastic sugestivity meets Gomez's velocity and DeJohnette's multi-faced rythmicity. At intervals, Surman points with a dash of "ECMish" reflexive connotations. A "must" for jazzers who are not only after norms."