Wayne Krantz Trio, Support: The Ronnie Scotts All Stars Monday 3rd May - Tuesday 4th May

Wayne Krantz: guitar, Gary Novak on drums, Tim Lefebvre on bass.

As a guitarist, Krantz is known for being a relentless individualist, which is evidenced in his improvisational style.  Krantz's improvisation is known for its spontaneity, and he makes a distinction between this form of improvisation and "composition," the latter of which may include any musical idea that is preconceived on the instrument. While many guitarists rely on other music as a model for their own playing, Krantz is highly committed to realizing his own voice on the instrument and claims not to derive a great deal of inspiration from other music. Though Krantz has studied other players in the past, he does not consider himself a stylist

In addition to its concern for melody and harmony, Krantz's music demonstrates a high rhythmic awareness, often incorporating polyrhythms, odd metric groupings and displaced beats.

FULL BIO:

New York: The boldly inventive improvisations of guitarist Wayne Krantz have long held a fascination for fans of dynamic, uncompromised music. 

Ex-Sideman with Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Michael Brecker , Chris Potter, Billy Cobham and many others, Krantz is about to embark on his first European tour in many years. With the launch of  Krantz Carlock Lefebvre, his first album for Abstract Logix,  Wayne has gathered critical acclaim from all over the world.

Moving to the East Coast from his hometown of Corvallis, Oregon, Krantz attended Boston's Berklee College of Music before heading to New York City. "With that move," he recalls, "I purged myself of everything and everyone that may have influenced me and started over. " Krantz arrived at a sound that was incisive and direct, refreshingly free of effects and affectations, more often than not just a Strat plugged directly into an amp. That purity of tone was matched with a formidable rhythmic intelligence and an unflinching willingness to take chances, and was a starting point for the significant sonic invention that has marked his music since then.

In 1996 he toured around the world with the revived Steely Dan, which he regards as an improvisational challenge that further sharpened his time-feel and sense of groove. "I loved it," he said of the experience, "but at the end of the day it's a sideman gig, and as great as it was, it still can't compare to what I have with my own band."

That thrill - the sound of three musicians both in synch and unafraid to challenge one another - is captured with gripping immediacy on Krantz Carlock Lefebvre, an album that handily defies categorization.

Following a very successful Asian tour that included stops in Japan, South Korea and India, and a series of spectacular performances in New York, Toronto and Montreal, Wayne Krantz brings his brand of uncompromising music to Europe on May 2 with stops at Ronnie Scotts in London, Berlin, Rotterdam, Vienna, Zurch and more.

Wayne Krantz will be joined by acclaimed bassist Tim Lefebvre (Chris Botti, Rudder) and the magnificent Gary Novak (Chick Corea, Allan Holdsworth, Alanis Morisette) on Drums . .

Reviews

John Fordham at The Guardian: "Joins the impact of a heavy rock power-trio to the harmonic sleight-of-hand and melodic slipperiness of a contemporary jazz band. Krantz is an unflinching adventurer who dislikes repeating himself or imitating others."

Cormac Larkin at Ireland's Tribune: "Wayne Krantz is about as hip as guitar playing gets. Though he's usually lumped in with other jazz guitarists, he is one of the most unique voices in music, straddling jazz, rock, funk and various more abstract genres."

Ian Patterson at All About Jazz: "Krantz is in top form, conjuring up imaginative lines at will, and gliding between grungy, hard-driving riffs and string-caressing melodism."

Henry Kaiser at Guitar Player: "Wayne Krantz is a true innovator in nearly every aspect of guitar playing, yet his rather deep music is immediately fun and accessible."

Jazz Magazine/France: "One of the top 10 best releases of 2009 in any genre."