To have a unique voice on an instrument is the goal of every artist.  The ability to identify a musician by how they manipulate their instrument is something you don’t need inherent musical talent to be able to do.  You just need to have an emotional connection to a certain sound that triggers something in your mind.  When I began to seriously study jazz guitar I made sure to check out all the great players that everyone told me I should hear.  Jim Hall, Grant Green, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessel all contributed to my early education in jazz guitar.  After investigating the styles and history of those players, I did what most serious music students did, I started to look for new and intersting musicians.

Kurt Rosenwinkel was the first jazz guitarist I heard that made me think that it was ok to use non-jazz influences in a jazz style.  The first album I heard from Kurt was “The Next Step“. This album (unknown to me at the time) was a pretty big departure from his previous album on Criss Cross Records called “Intuit”.  “Intuit” was a collection of bebop tunes and standards performed in a straight ahead style with Michael Kanan on piano, Joe Martin on bass and Tim Pleasant on drums.

“The Next Step” opened my ears to different influences in a jazz setting.

Not everything has to swing.

Later on when I discovered Dave Holland’s music, I went though a phase where I did listen to any jazz with a swing feel.  The straight eighth feel spoke to my rock influences and Kurt’s tone used distortion, delay, chorus, and many other effects that were normally reserved for artists who played much fewer chords.

I have a recording from a workshop Kurt did in ‘06 where he discusses his tone and then proceeds to play a blues for about 15 minutes and with each chorus exploits a different sound from his arsenal of pedals.  Not only does Kurt have a mastery of harmonic and melodic devices, but he knows how his instrument works in an intimate way that allows him to further express himself.

Many young jazz guitarists are becoming a part of Kurt’s tribe the same way they flocked to Metheny in the 80’s.  Here is a new, young, fresh voice on the instrument who not only knows the historical lineage of his instrument but is open to influences of his generation and beyond.

Here are some more links to learn more about Kurt

Offical Home Page – Kurt Rosenwinkel

Wikipedia – Kurt Rosenwinkel

Interview and Performance on NPR

Kurt Rosenwinkel Offical Group on Facebook

Interview on Jazz.com

Interview at State of Mind Music

A Rosenwinkel by Any Other Name

Please leave a comment or link to any other valuable link I might have missed.