Kurt Rosenwinkel

With the reputation as an innovative and influential guitarist and bandleader, Kurt Rosenwinkel has been a boundary-pushing creative force in the world of modern jazz since first emerging in the early 1990s. Born in Philadelphia, he started playing piano and guitar at an early age and after discovering jazz through High School friends, he joined jam sessions at local bars and picked up tips from older musicians.

After graduating from the Berklee College of Music, he moved to New York and learned his trade as a sideman to vibraphonist/composer Gary Burton, as well as the groups Human Feel and Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, going on to lead his own band at a late-night club in New York's Greenwich Village. He played on albums by Seamus Blake, Mark Turner and Perico Sambeat before releasing his debut record 'East Coast Love Affair' in 1996. His improvisational technique and use of alternative tunings created a signature sound that landed him a deal with the iconic Verve Records, and his eminence as a composer grew further on albums 'The Enemies of Energy', 'Heart Core' and 'Deep Song'.

He moved to Berlin to teach in the late 2000s, but continued to release the acclaimed albums 'Reflections', 'Our Secret World' and 'Star of Jupiter' and also worked with Steely Dan founder Donald Fagan, fusion artist Jason Linder and rapper Q-Tip. Moving on from his typical modern jazz style, he absorbed influences from Brazil on his 2017 album 'Caipi', which featured guest appearances from Amanda Brecker, Pedro Martins and Eric Clapton.