First CD by young NY guitarist-composer encompasses the classic jazz virtues while sounding fresh and contemporary.

Ryan Blotnick is a young NY-based guitarist-composer and this is his first CD, about which John Abercrombie says: '...not only beautiful compositions, but really some deep, and honest improvising. I enjoyed it very much, and recommend it highly.'

The compositions are all originals by Ryan plus a touching ballad by Pete Robbins. The group's aesthetic encompasses all the classic jazz virtues while sounding fresh and contemporary. In much of the music there seems to be a lyrical, almost nostalgic tone reminiscent perhaps of the west coast sound, and a bittersweet emotional resonance one might associate with jazz standards of the Ellington/Cole Porter era. The band consists of Pete Robbins (alto sax), Albert Sanz (piano), Perry Wortman (bass) and Joe Smith (drums).

Ryan, who cites Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, and Joe Pass as early guitar influences, writes: 'I'm naturally drawn to some of the rich harmonies that only really come about when they are planned ahead of time. In this music I'm combining jazz harmony (chords with lots of extensions), rock harmony (simple chords), and classical counterpoint-based harmony where harmonies are created by superimposed melodic lines... I'm trying to go for that sound that you hear a lot in classical music from the turn of the last century where the chords are moving fast and in such a smooth way that you get kind of lost in them. The great thing about this band is that you can bring in a chart with those Wayne Shorter-type harmonies and everyone's approach works over that - then you play something free or groove-based and the same qualities are still there. I think if you can get a group sound playing over forms and changes, it really opens up possibilities for other kinds of improv.'

Track Listing

• Winter Melt
• Thinning Air
• Music Needs You
• The Quiet Space Left Behind
• Barceloneta
• Liberty
• You Can Talk During This
• Wrong Turns
• Tired House

Additional Details

Label: Songlines

Genre: Jazz

Run Time: 54 mins

Release Date: 02/12/08

UPC: 774355157022