Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio: Eastern 'Standard' Time

by Josh Jackson, WBGO

The Kurt Rosenwinkel trio prepares for its recording by playing Le Poisson Rouge in New York. Photo Credit: Josh Jackson/WBGO

Today through Saturday, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel will be recording his next project in Brooklyn. Last night, Kurt's trio -- bassist Eric Revis and drummer Eric Harland -- played a warmup performance and sneak preview at Le Poisson Rouge in New York.

The house at LPR was full, even though the show was a 7 p.m. hit, early by jazz standards. So what's in store for all those guitar fanboys who follow Rosenwinkel around wherever he goes? Standards. Yep. Not a single original composition was heard. (Did you see that? The ears of jazz radio tastemakers just perked up!)

Here's the set list from last night:
1. Back Up - a blues from organist Larry Young's Into Somethin' trio recording for Blue Note with Grant Green and Elvin Jones
2. Boplicity - from Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool, with an arrangement that sounds like Neal Hefti during the Atomic Basie period
3. Prelude to a Kiss - Duke Ellington's masterful ballad lets Kurt shine
4. Stablemates - Harland starts solo on one of Benny Golson's many contributions to the jazz canon, with a very uptempo take from the trio
5. You Go to My Head - yes, it "linger[ed] like a haunting refrain" ...
6. Well, You Needn't - The trio's take on the Monk original was definitely the highlight of the night
7. Just One of Those Things (encore) - seriously, who uses gossamer wings anymore?

It will be interesting to hear the results. I'm planning to drop by the studio on Saturday.

11:48 AM ET | 06-18-2009 | permalink

comments |