Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar); Dario Deidda (bass
guitar); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).
The last album of standards by a Kurt Rosenwinkel
trio was Relections in 2009. It featured an A-list bass and drums team
of Eric Revis and Eric Harland. Angels Around is on his own record label
Heartcore Records and features another fantastic band which features bass
guitarist Dario Deidda and Gregory Hutchinson on drums.
The album opens with the Thelonious Monk
composition Ugly Beauty which grooves with a double time feel from the
rhythm section. It’s immediately apparent why Kurt is the most important jazz guitarist
of his generation, demonstrating his flawless technique, an endless flow of
ideas and a singularly unique sound.
Track two ups the pace with a lesser known blues
by legendary bass player Paul Chambers (Miles Davis, John Coltrane) called Ease
it, which illustrates how the band can really swing. This is the real deal,
‘Hutch’ and Deidda in support of Kurt wherever he takes it. Kurt’s ferocious
solo is followed by a bass solo with Deidda showing what a great changes player
he is. At the climax, Kurt trades choruses with Hutch before they head out.
The next track, a well-known Charles Mingus ballad
Self Portrait in Three Colors, features more great bass playing from
Deidda, with support from Kurt’s always appropriate and sometimes ambient
comping. The track builds wonderfully during Kurt’s solo.
Simple #2 is the first of two originals on
the album, this one by Kurt, and illustrates his rock influence and shows what
a great writer he is, as well as being an astonishing guitarist. The rock
influence is emphatic in his composition, sound and playing style on this cut.
Next up is Punjab, a Joe Henderson
composition from the album In 'n Out. Another chance to hear some great
ensemble playing topped off with Hutch on top form during trades.
The penultimate track is the trio’s take on the
Bill Evans classic Time Remembered and this is followed by the title
track, written by Deidda. It reminds me of Hope from the Mahavishnu
Orchestra album Birds of Fire, which may be deliberate as this was around
the time McLaughlin and Devadip Carlos Santana were under the influence of a
guru who claimed the constant presence of angels.
The digital album ends with Passarim by
Antonio Carlos Jobim as an additional track, featuring more impossibly fast
runs from Kurt, but without ever feeling like he’s simply showing off.
The accompanying notes sum the album up nicely: “Angels
Around traverses new musical frontiers in the standard jazz idiom. While
Rosenwinkel, Hutchinson and Deidda embody and emote the rich traditions of jazz
at its purest form, make no mistake, the music is thoroughly contemporary,
focused, and for the here and now.”
It’s a given that it should be of interest to any
guitarists or guitar enthusiasts, including his use of delay, overdrive and
reverb, but it should also appeal to anyone interested in current and future
developments in jazz.
It’s available now on digital platforms with a CD
and vinyl’s date of June 12.
Steve T
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