(RAZDAZ Records/Heartcore Records, VÖ: 10.02.2017)

The most influential and strikingly original guitarist-composer of his generation makes a radical leap in his musical direction on Caipi, the debut release on his new label Heartcore Records. Ten years in the making, this ambitious project features Rosenwinkel playing all the instruments (drums, bass, piano, synthesizers, percussion) and showcases him prominently on vocals on tunes like the hard rocking “Hold On,” the ethereal “Summer Song” and the slow ballad “Ezra,” named for his son. The lilting “Little B” is named for his other son Silas, who was nicknamed Little Bear as a toddler. “My sons are 10 and 12 now so they’ve been living their whole lives with this music,” says Rosenwinkel, who resides in Berlin. “For years they’d say, ‘When is Caipi coming out? When, when?’ And I’d always tell them, ‘It’s coming, it’s coming!’ And now it’s actually here and it’s wonderful to see how that is affecting them and what that means for them in their lives.”

Amanda Brecker (daughter of Eliane Elias and Randy Brecker) provides lead vocals and Portuguese lyrics on “Kama” and contributes layered backing vocals throughout Caipi. Special guest Eric Clapton offers a subtle touch of signature string-bending on the upbeat pop number “Little Dream.” And Rosenwinkel’s former musical partner Mark Turner delivers potent tenor sax performances on “Ezra” and “Casio Escher.” “I had to bring Mark in because it was very important to me to have that close friendship and collaboration represented on the album.”

Regarding his new role as a frontman singing his own thoughtful, metaphysical lyrics, Rosenwinkel says, “Writing songs with lyrics has been very much a part of my upbringing. With Caipi, the music asked for that, and so you gotta step up to the plate to do what the music asks you to do. And yeah, it’s definitely something different from my other albums, but for me it was just a matter of doing what the music needed.”

Born in Philadelphia on October 28, 1970, Rosenwinkel attended the Berklee College of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with the legendary vibraphonist-composer-educator Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time. Subsequently, Rosenwinkel moved to Brooklyn, where he continued to develop his skills performing with the groups Human Feel, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, the Joe Henderson group and the Brian Blade Fellowship. He left for Europe in 2003, and has spent the past nine years in East Berlin, Germany, where he accepted a professorship at the Jazz Institute. Until recently, that is. “After twelve years I realised it was time to retire from teaching”, he says. “I needed to return fully to making music, not explaining it. I have started my own label, Heartcore Records, to work in partnership with bassist and composer Avishai Cohen’s label, Razdaz Recordz. “Above all, I want to be free to follow my intuition and aspirations, and to enable others to do the same. Caipi is the first manifestation of these principles. It’s like building a new community.”

With Caipi Kurt Rosenwinkel presents eleven tantalising, effervescent compositions. It is the most uplifting album he has ever made. It is an ode to resilience, a call not to give in to negativity. Deeper songs from an even deeper well.

‘Caipi, it’s all about kindred spirits and working for the light’
(Kurt Rosenwinkel, Oct 2016)

‘Music to heal the soul’
(Eric Clapton, Nov 2016)

Lineup
Kurt Rosenwinkel: acoustic & electric guitars, electric bass, piano, drums, percussion, synth, Casio, voice
Pedro Martins: voice, drums, keyboards, percussion | Eric Clapton: guitar | Alex Kozmidi: baritone guitar | Mark Turner: tenor saxophone | Kyra Garéy: voice | Antonio Loureiro: voice | Zola Mennenöh: voice | Amanda Brecker: voice | Frederika Krier: violin | Chris Komer: french horn | Andi Haberl: drums

Webseite:www.kurtrosenwinkel.com

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