Kurt Rosenwinkel solo, Berlin in 2020

joelf · 10-01-2023, 01:32 PM

I'm a fan. Caught him in Philly 4 or 5 years ago in quartet with Pete Bernstein and a rhythm section I wish I could recall. He blew me away that night. He was something! Just kept inventing, and there didn't seem to be an end to it.

Most know he's an innovator. I'm drawn in this solo concert to his looseness, utter trust in his muse and endless stream of ideas. And his concepts have opened my ears.

**ccroft** · 10-01-2023, 02:40 PM

He's one of my current faves. Man... I really admire a guy that has what it takes to play solo like this. I like finger style solo but I'm no good at that, so I guess I'm more easily blown away by someone doing it mostly flat pick. Like Miles Okazaki on those Monk tunes. I like the naked truth in it.

Kurt's innovator with deep roots in the tradition, and that comes through strongly in several places here.

joelf · 10-01-2023, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by ccroft

He's one of my current faves. Man... I really admire a guy that has what it takes to play solo like this. I like finger style solo but I'm no good at that, so I guess I'm more easily blown away by someone doing it mostly flat pick.

I feel you---not the greatest fingerstyle player myself.

I usually tend not to focus on technique, zeroing in more on content that attracts me (regardless of instrument). Having said this, I couldn't help but notice that he picks sparingly. There's a lot of LH in play, which gives it a nice legato flow. Jazz guitarists who pick every note down and up, up and down---never glissing---are not usually my favorites. Sort of un-hornlike IMO, though it's certainly cool and coin of the realm for country and many other genres.

But I'll let other comments come in, and I hope some will focus on content. Especially harmonically it's fresh and fascinating to me. Maybe some analysis?

joelf · 10-01-2023, 07:36 PM

And now for something completely different: With the HR big band, of whom I was unaware. (I'd heard a recording of Kurt with a big band made in Spain).

The tune is Kurt's Star of Jupiter, the chart by Mike Holober (who IIRC used to teach at and possibly chair the jazz department of City College). It moves along apace. Very nice theme, arrangement, playing and interplay. And it builds.

Does anyone have knowledge of this band? Evidently they're well-known in Europe...

**Bop Head** · 10-01-2023, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by joelf

[...] Does anyone have knowledge of this band? Evidently they're well-known in Europe... [...]

The hr Bigband [sic] is the big band of Hessischer Rundfunk, the German state of Hesse's public broadcasting corporation, member of the national consortium of German public broadcasting corporations, ARD. Hessischer Rundfunk is one of the few members of ARD that still afford a steadily employed jazz big band. There are also the (best known worldwide) WDR Big Band (Westdeutscher Rundfunk), the SWR Big Band (Südwestrundfunk), and the NDR Bigband (Norddeutscher Rundfunk).

**ccroft** · 10-02-2023, 02:33 AM

Rundfunk! I don't know what it means but I like the sound of it!

Joel: sorry if my post sounded like it was about technique. To me Kurt's musicality is a given. I just have a special place in my heart for guys who'll go out there with their little piece of plastic and not try to do lap piano. Just letting their playing be what it is. I admire the bravery and enjoy the spareness.

I also have ultimate respect for the guys that can do the other thing. I would love to get better at that since I don't have a band these days, but it's a little late in the game for me.

As for analysis, I can't really do it. There's some fairly in-depth stuff about Kurt playing on a particular standard here if you haven't seen it: Inner Urge bridge

joelf · 10-02-2023, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by ccroft

Joel: sorry if my post sounded like it was about technique.

No need to apologize, brother. And your humility is appreciated and refreshing.

To further clarify, my larger point is that jazz musicians who only stay in the 'ghetto' of their respective instruments, be they guitarists, tenor players---whoever---are not the most interesting to me. I'm speaking of both technique and licks. It can be too easy and too obvious to do that, though I admire and respect the accomplishment when really well done. If it's jazz I like to hear the vocabulary of jazz, and that means listening to and learning from whoever is playing (or singing) jazz...

**Flat** · 10-03-2023, 02:13 AM

Kurt gets a great tone out of that Yamaha SBG200, doesn't he? Very impressive, especially for such a relatively modest priced instrument. Brilliant playing transcends gear. Good lesson for me, lol.

Thanks for the link, joelf. I enjoyed that clip!