Since hitting the musical ground running at the turn of the century with albums like The Next Step and highly influential Heartcore, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel has been one of the most important and sine qua non guitarists of this generation. His use of string tones, effects and melding with voice is a fingerprint signature of his sound, and his albums have arranged from his legendary quartets with saxist Mark Turner to his lush solo-multi-instrumental Caipi. This time around, he returns to a semi-familiar format of trio, with drummer Greg Hutchinson and Italian bassist Dario Deidda, showing how far he’s come in his career since his ’96 threesome debut, with the album serving as a musical Ebenezer.
The first thing that is noticed is the wide range of rich tones Rosenwinkel is able to muster out of his guitar, with drone-like echoes on his read of Thelonious Monks’ “Ugly Beauty” and his mix of rock grit riffs and single note searings during his ride over Hutchinson’s sticks on “Simple #2”. He picks out a lithe pulse with chords that last and return on a dancing read of Bill Evans’ “Time Remembered” and is nimble with Deidda as Hutchinson’s hi hat coaxes everyone along on Joe Henderson’s “Punjab”. Deidda almost steals the show, with a hip little solo on the bopping and bouncing piece by bassist Paul Chambers, “East It” and is rich and romantic after taking the baton from Rosenwinkel on Charles Mingus’ “Self Portrait In Three Colors” as his own “Angels Around” is a grunge rocking affair.
Each release by Rosenwinkel reminds me of Tony Bennett’s famous line, “I don’t make albums, I make catalogues.” This release is a great addition.