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Saxophonist, Sonic Explorer Casey Benjamin Dies at 45
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
Kurt Rosenwinkel will release Caipi, his debut album on Heartcore Records & Razdaz Records, on March 10.
(Photo: Osamu Kurihara)Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel signals a new musical direction with the March 10 release of Caipi, the long-awaited debut album on his new label, Heartcore Records.
Ten years in the making, Caipi features Rosenwinkel playing all the instruments (drums, bass, piano, synthesizers and percussion) and showcases his vocals on a bevy of deeply personal tunes, such as the ballad “Ezra,” named for his youngest son, and “Little B,” a tribute to his elder son, Silas, who was nicknamed Little Bear as a toddler. Nine other original compositions round out this 11-track program.
On Caipi—the title takes its name from a Brazilian cocktail similar to a mojito—elements of rock and jazz co-exist with all the recognizable features of Rosenwinkel’s lucid modern-jazz style. Brazilian music features prominently as well, to some extent symbolizing Rosenwinkel’s natural inclination toward melodies that are instantly accessible yet emotionally impactful.
Although most of the instruments on the album were played by Rosenwinkel, there are some notable guests: Amanda Brecker (daughter of vocalist Eliane Elias and trumpeter Randy Brecker) provides Portuguese lyrics on “Kama” and contributes layered backing vocals throughout the album. Special guest Eric Clapton contributes his signature guitar sound to the upbeat pop number “Little Dream.” And Rosenwinkel’s former musical partner Mark Turner delivers potent tenor saxophone 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,” said Rosenwinkel. Caipi also features the participation of a new young Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and singer Pedro Martins.
Regarding his new role as a frontman lyricist, Rosenwinkel said, “Writing songs with lyrics has always been very much a part of my musical world, but they’ve usually stayed in my private sphere. With Caipi, I realized that these were also lyric songs and that ultimately I would sing them as well. It’s definitely something different from my other albums, but it’s a familiar place for me and it was just a matter of doing what the music needed.” DB
Benjamin possessed a fluid, round sound on the alto saxophone, and he was often most recognizable by the layers of electronic effects that he put onto the instrument.
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