Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel is a chameleon, an original thinker, and possibly a procrastinator. Rosenwinkel's sleepy, cerebral logic informs every song on The Enemies Of Energy, a record whose quirky melodies and unhurried performances remain after the lights are off. Whether plying the gypsy romance of "Dream Of The Old," time tripping the funk fantastic on "Synthetics," high-flying the Latin grooves of "Cubism," or aping his obvious influence Wayne Shorter on "Number Ten," Rosenwinkel composes music with airy, eerie weight. Recorded over five years ago, Rosenwinkel (a veteran of bands led by Paul Motian and Gary Burton) is accompanied by players who are currently reaping rewards in the jazz world, including drummer Jeff Ballard (Chick Corea), keyboardist Scott Kinsey (Tribal Tech), bassist Ben Street, and popular tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. A welcome nonconformist, Rosenwinkel sings in a Neil Young squeal on the all-acoustic "Polish Song," then just as quickly switches gears for the free-flying Spanish-guitar-meets-Weather-Report seance "Point of View." But it all works, connected by Rosenwinkel's understated guitar and coolheaded direction.
All recordings written by K. Rosenwinkel, courtesy of Verve Records and Zbigniew (SESAC).
