Wolfgang Muthspiel / Andy Scherrer /
Larry Grenadier: drumfree
The newest chapter in Wolfgang Muthspiel’s musical journey is a jazz trio without drums. This opens a new playing field for his continuous research into harmonic and compositional possibilities. Not only on his instrument, the guitar, but also in a contemporary musical setting featuring seasoned improvisers who have left a big mark on jazz music in the past decade.
Based on Muthspiel’s compositions the trio plays a partly improvised, song-oriented kind of chamber music, rhythmically deeply rooted in Jazz, whilst also harmonically lucid and free. Every note counts and every rest speaks.
About the drumfree personnel - Muthspiel uses an acoustic guitar on this recording more than ever before; a newly made instrument by the Australian luthier Jim Redgate. He uses it to great effect, effortlessly combining the virtues of classical music and jazz improvisation. Larry Grenadier’s bouncing and elegant bass lines have graced the sound of the Brad Mehldau Trio since its formation, in “drumfree” a lesser-known aspect of his abilities can also be heard, the arco playing with bow.
Swiss saxophone master Andy Scherrer’s touching sound brings a melancholic and poetic expanse to the music. The complex changes of the compositions (all of them by Muthspiel) inspire expressive solos throughout the album. |
