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Wolfgang Muthspiel
Rising Grace

ECM Records

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$55.00 SGD
Regular price
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$55.00 SGD

About

Wolfgang Muthspiel – whom The New Yorker has called “a shining light” among today’s jazz guitarists – made his ECM leader debut in 2014 with the trio disc Driftwood, featuring him alongside two longtime colleagues, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade. For his follow-up – Rising Grace – the Austrian guitarist has convened a very special quintet, adding jazz luminary Brad Mehldau on piano and the outstanding young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire to the subtly virtuosic Grenadier/Blade rhythm section. Muthspiel moves between electric guitar and classically tinged acoustic six-string, his playing by turns grooving (“Boogaloo”) and enchanting (“Rising Grace”). The lyrical flights of Akinmusire’s trumpet and the probing improvisations of Mehldau run through Muthspiel’s rich set of compositions like golden threads, the tracks including a warm tribute to a late, great ECM artist, Kenny Wheeler (“Den Wheeler, Den Kenny”). Rising Grace also includes a deeply melodious piece that Mehldau composed especially for the album, “Wolfgang’s Waltz.” – Press Release

“There’s an unstated theme of being ‘together again for the first time’to Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel’s beautifully realized sophomore album as a bandleader for ECM. […] As a unit, these musicians enjoy  a five-way interplay on  a tranquil, sometimes subtly shimmering canvas. Akinmusire’s long, polished notes glide over Muthspiel’s flowing arpeggios and Mehldau’s carefully constructed chords to create an acoustic soundscape on the title track which is gently propelled by  Grenadier and Blade’s pulsing foundation.” - Yoshi Kato, Downbeat (Five Stars)

“Muthspiel made his ECM debut with that trio on 2013's ‘Travel Guide’, followed by his leader debut in 2014 with the trio album ‘Driftwood’ (with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade). ‘Rising Grace’ adds to that winning combination with now-veteran pianist Brad Mehldau and young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. That's a lot of potential virtuosic firepower, but the group is characterized by lyricism and a conversational style. […] Good as Muthspiel's previous recorded work has been, he really takes things to a new level here. His playing and composing have grown in richness and subtlety, and these excellent musicians are all at the top of their game, individually and collectively. They sound like they were always meant to play together.” - Mark Sullivan, All About Jazz

Item description:

Artist:

Wolfgang Muthspiel

Title:

Rising Grace

Label:

ECM Records

Format:

2 × Vinyl, LP, Gatefold

Pressing:

Germany

Release Date:

2016

Genre:

Jazz

Style:

Contemporary Jazz, Guitar

Catalog No:

ECM 2515 | 479 9787

Condition:

New