Composer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, Kurt Rosenwinkel is acclaimed as one of the finest jazz guitarists of his generation, but many might not know that he is also an accomplished pianist. Kurt Rosenwinkel Plays Piano is an album of original compositions written and performed by him.
The influence of Kurt Rosenwinkel's music can be readily observed on a global scale. Whether in concert halls, basement jazz club wee-hours jam sessions, conservatory practice rooms, or radio station airwaves, Rosenwinkel's distinctive voice as a composer and guitarist has had an undeniable impact on music in the 21st century.
Here we have the composer playing his original songs on the instrument they were written on, the piano. Many people will discover that Kurt Rosenwinkel is just as much a pianist as he is a guitarist and is able to conjure deep and beautiful realms of music on this instrument as well.
Some songs have been recorded and performed before, and will be familiar to fans of Kurt's music. They are presented here as solo piano pieces, with the melodies, chord voicings, and rhythmic structures of these pieces intact and unadorned by the interpretation of bandmates. Listeners are afforded a glimpse into Kurt Rosenwinkel's long relationship with the piano, as well as rare insight into his probing compositional mind.