Having initially made his name as a jazz guitarist and keyboardist, Kurt Rosenwinkel – appearing in the Miner Auditorium at SFJAZZ this weekend – has also made his name as a player, composer and bandleader over his 25-year career.
He made his debut recording for a major label (Verve) in 2000 with the album The Enemies of Energy, and since then he has collaborated with some of the world’s great saxophonists, and released a further 12 albums, including the “bracingly beautiful” (SFJAZZ) Star of Jupiter which he produced, and for which he composed all the music. He was joined for this recording by keyboardist Aaron Parks, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner.
This year, Kurt Rosenwinkel has released the first album on his own label, Heartcore Records, and has branched out into some highly creative compositions with a heavy Brazilian flavor. Entitled Caipi, it features the music which he performs at SFJAZZ this weekend.
The album has taken him 10 years to complete, and is described by AllMusic as “an utterly alluring, captivatingly realized production” – which features guest slots by Eric Clapton and saxophonist Mark Turner. On the album, Rosenwinkel plays almost all of the instruments, and, backed by an ensemble, also sings – his voice, according to AllMusic, being perfectly suited to the Brazilian sound.
Kurt Rosenwinkel is in the Miner Auditorium at SFJAZZ for four performances, on Saturday and Sunday, November 11 and 12. For further information and tickets, visit the SFJAZZ website.
Making a return visit to SFJAZZ this weekend, and appearing in the Joe Henderson Lab, is the Guilia Valle Trio. Composer and bass virtuoso, Italian-born Giulia grew up in Barcelona where she became part of that city’s highly creative jazz scene, further developing her style – which reflects Spanish, Brazilian and Argentine influences – in both Paris and New York City.
Barcelona daily Avui/El Punt describes Giulia Valle as “pure passion on the strings and maximum intensity in composition”, and Revista Enderrock writes that she is “one of the most promising and interesting emerging artists from the European scene”.
She also leads the Giulia Valle Quintet, and a more recently formed group, ‘Líbera’. She has appeared on at least 15 albums and won a number of awards, mainly for her compositions. As leader of her quintet, Giulia has performed at international festivals and in clubs, and has recorded several shows for Catalan Television with both the quintet and also with Libera. She also manages to find the time to teach bass and combo at the escola de Música de Badalona and at the Escola superior de Música de Catalunya.
Giulia Valle, with pianist Aruan Ortiz and drummer Kush Abbadey, is in the Joe Henderson Lab for two performances on Friday, November 10. More detail, and information on tickets, can be found on the SFJAZZ website.
Sources of information:
SFJAZZ program notes
AllMusic
Artists’ websites: