Wolfgang Muthspiel Angular Blues

Wolfgang Muthspiel

Angular Blues

ECM

Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel leads an exceptional trio of Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on this new ECM recording. Recorded in Japan during a tour by the trio, "Angular Blues"

showcases Muthspiel's craft as a composer as well as a guitarist of considerable interest. With scintillating runs mixed with carefully placed chords, he is complemented by Colley's bass anchoring this trio as well as taking his melodic solos while Blade, perhaps this writer's favorite drummer, accenting the drums with a deft touch.

Performances include the opening "Wondering" with its free-flowing dreamy structure, the title track with its quirky theme and use of stop-time, and the pensive "Hüttengriffe," where he plays acoustic guitar. Muthspiel's austere playing here is complemented by Colley's spare bass lines and Blade's light touch with the brushes. "Camino" is another performance in a reflective vein with Muthspiel's light, deliberate improvisation, which subtly builds in intensity with Blade deftly adding his rhythmic coloring. "Ride" is a spirited, effervescent bop-inflected performance with energetic solos from Colley and Blade. There are marvelous renditions of the standards "Everything I Love" and "I Remember April" (the latter number has an exceptional bass solo with his display of a marvelous technique, imaginative construction of his solos, and a splendid sense of dynamics and of tone. 

Then there are the two renditions of 'Kanon." A trio version is done in 6/8 time, while a solo version is in 5/4 time. The solo performance comes off as a captivating free-flowing improvisation where Muthspiel's use of electronic delay creates a sense of this performance being a guitar duet. Like the rest of this recording, it showcases Wolfgang Muthspiel's imaginative and adept playing that is enhanced by the splendid contributions of Colley and Blade. The result is a superb modern jazz guitar album.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is Wolfgang Muthspiel with a slightly different trio.

Chick Corea Trilogy 2

Chick Corea
Trilogy 2
Concord Jazz

The first "Trilogy" album was a three-CD collection of performances of the stellar trio of pianist Corea, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade from two tours by the trio. About "Trilogy," I wrote in 2014 that Corea displayed "his continued combination of intelligence, imagination, technique, and passion. Collaborating with McBride and Blade, and the quests, his brilliance shines here." This can be said about the present double CD collection of twelve compositions performed during a 2016 tour.

The program on this double-CD release includes standards, classic jazz compositions and three of Corea's compositions. Corea unaccompanied opens "How Deep Is the Ocean" before McBride and Blade make their presence heard in on a terrific performance of this standard. It is followed by a spectacular performance of Corea's "5 Miles High" from his first Return to Forever recording. Listening to the three is listening equivalent to watching the Harlem Globetrotters do their basketball warmups. Corea's interpretation of Monk's Thelonious Monk's "Crepuscule With Nellie," is full of invention and surprise. After another wonderful ballad, "But Beautiful," with excellent brushwork from Blade and there is an animated rendition of "La Fiesta." Other standout selections include a stellar performance of Steve Swallow's "Eidertown" with stunning interplay between Corea and Blade and a superb McBride solo and a briskly-paced treatment of Miles Davis' "All Blues" with Corea dazzling.

"Now He Sings, Now He Sobs," was the title track of Corea's first trio album with Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes. McBride and Blade requested it for the tour, and the performance is its first official performance since 1968. Blade opens in with a parade-like groove before Corea enters on another lively performance with a lengthy, impressive Blade solo.  There are also terrific renditions of tunes from Stevie Wonder, Joe Henderson, and Kenny Dorham on another outstanding recording from Corea, McBride, and Blade. Whether this latest recording wins a Grammy or not, "Trilogy 2" is terrific.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the November-December 2019  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 387. Here is the trio performing Bud Powell's "Tempus Fugit."