180-gram vinyl

"Wolfgang Muthspiel is a shining light of the contemporary jazz-guitar generation." — The New Yorker

Wolfgang Muthspiel made his ECM leader debut in 2014 with the trio disc Driftwood, featuring him alongside two long-time colleagues, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade.

All About Jazz declared the album — sublime — while JazzTimes praised its — rapt atmospheres — calling Driftwood haunting. For his follow-up Rising Grace the Austrian guitarist has convened a very special quintet, adding jazz luminary Brad Mehldau on piano and a star among young trumpeters, Ambrose Akinmusire, to the subtly virtuosic Grenadier/Blade rhythm section.

Muthspiel moves between electric guitar and classically tinged acoustic six-string, his playing by turns grooving ("Boogaloo") and enchanting ("Rising Grace.")

The lyrical flights of Akinmusires trumpet and the probing improvisations of Mehldau run through Muthspiels rich set of compositions like golden threads, the tracks including a warm tribute to a late, great ECM artist, Kenny Wheeler (Den Wheeler, Den Kenny).

Rising Grace also includes a deeply melodious piece that Mehldau composed especially for the album, Wolfgang's Waltz.  

Track Listing
Rising Grace
Intensive Care
Triad Song
Father And Sun
Wolfgang's Waltz
Superonny
Boogaloo
Den Wheeler, Den Kenny
Ending Music
Oak