Two of the greatest Jazz Guitarists on the scene today – Peter Bernstein and Kurt Rosenwinkel – tearing it up.
Rosenwinkel and Bernstein are showcasing their distinctive voices on guitar – whether comping or improvising – nicely with very little stylistic divide. Bernstein’s fat, round tone fills the room as his more modern approach to both harmony and melody honors those who came before him while Rosenwinkel’s expressive sing-song quality – fueled by a few tone altering effects – does the same, but in a more contemporary fashion. It is obvious though that both players do share the same lineage and musical vocabulary, putting in the work to reach a high level of musical insight and integrity, which is obviously quite prevalent throughout their performance.
When Rosenwinkel opens a tune with a gorgeous chordal intro that matches the essence of the song’s title so beautifully, Bernstein’s affecting solo also digs deep into the soul catalog of feel and taste. Then if all that isn’t enough, Bernstein and Rosenwinkel are playing simultaneously, while bringing the tune into another musical space altogether.
Of course, it would be remiss not to mention Farnsworth’s explosive drum solos and Claffy’s also is shining on his spots with taste, tone and thoughtfulness. Definitely a rhythm section you want in your corner!
Now, in all honesty, with a group of players such as this, you can’t go wrong. If you are familiar with either of these Jazz Guitar Greats, then you pretty much know what you’ll be in for beforehand. The delight though is wondering – and hearing – how they balance each other while still maintaining their own individual approaches. Not an easy task given their respective stylistic differences but one that they handle quite nicely.
