Will Brahm: Distance to Empty

Distance to Empty is a phrase that carries a familiar feeling—something you might glimpse glowing on the dashboard as you pull away from a final pit stop before a long journey. Will Brahm, metaphorically and musically, poses these questions: How far can you go with what you have? What is left in the tank? What is possible, and what awaits at the edge of it all?

Brahm is a Los Angeles-based guitarist and composer whose music moves fluidly between jazz, rock and Americana. His playing blends Jeff Beck's melodic intensity with the harmonic depth of Pat Metheny, all channeled through his trademark olive green Stratocaster. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Brahm draws from the folk and rock traditions of the Pacific Northwest—elements that are clearly audible in his compositions and his improvisation.

A graduate of Cal State Long Beach, he launched his career with The New West Guitars and later joined Arturo Sandoval's touring band, a role he continues today. His self-produced 2019 release Venture Atlas revealed a more acoustic, ensemble-driven side of his voice and, the same year, he was a semi-finalist in the Herbie Hancock International Guitar Competition. He currently tours with his trio across the U.S.

Distance to Empty is Brahm's third studio album, following a prolific stretch of singles and collaborations between 2019 and 2025. The album showcases Brahm's evolution as a guitarist and composer, blending jazz, rock and Americana influences into a cohesive sonic narrative. The album features Brahm on guitar, Luca Alemanno on bass, and Anthony Fung on drums, forming a power trio that delivers a sound far greater than the sum of its parts.

The eight-track album includes compositions like "Mayweather Beginning," "Tides," and "San Niccolò," each highlighting Brahm's ability to craft emotive melodies and rich harmonic landscapes. His signature green Stratocaster serves as the vessel through which he explores the sonic possibilities of the modern guitar trio, rooted in jazz tradition yet expansive in its contemporary reach. What sets "Distance to Empty" apart is not just Brahm's technical prowess, but his restraint and storytelling.

The tune "Tides" kicks off with a swell, a rim shot and an open-chord Americana melody—simple at first, then up an octave with more grit and a descending arpeggio. Will lays into a clean single-line solo, with acoustic guitar adding subtle color underneath. Before things fully open up, there is a great upright bass solo, and Will comps behind it with chords that lead into the bridge—anchored by that killer descending line and some crunchy chords that land like a chorus. The main solo does not really start until 3:38, but when it does, it hits hard—bluesy and full of bite, with ripping 16th-note runs on the Strat's neck pickup.

In "San Niccolò," Will gives us a dose of nostalgia through a repeating, arpeggiated riff soaked in lush, shimmering reverb—filled with '80s nostalgia, in the best way. The melody channels that Beck-like clarity and drama, with the arpeggios pulling the listener in before the big reveal: a bold, ascending chorus filled with modern chord melody phrasing and rich harmonic choices, leaving space for the drums to explode. The solo starts clean and scalar, then stretches out into wider intervals, building into a strong finish. A gorgeous bass solo follows, leading straight into the outro chorus—this time with the drums in full flight, responding to every phrase with fire.

Brahm can clearly play anything—great rhythm guitar, blistering lines, shifting grooves—but what makes Distance to Empty so effective is how deliberately he holds back. You can hear it in the way he lets melodies breathe, like the clean, spacious phrases that open "Tides" or the bold harmonic turns in "San Niccolò," which still leave space for the drums to stretch. His chord voicings are rich but uncluttered, often sliding into unexpected resolutions without calling attention to themselves. This is a player who knows the material.

The production acts like a fifth member of the band—layered guitars sit just behind the solos, expanding the trio's sound without overpowering it. Every note has intention and the sound feels chosen, not just performed. With Distance to Empty, Brahm adds to the modern jazz guitar canon; his playing pays quiet tribute to the lyricism of Beck and the harmonic language of Metheny and is a statement of identity—grounded in jazz tradition, yet daring in its reach. Distance to Empty rewards close listening. It opens with intimate melodies, grows into wide, cinematic spaces, and carries stories that land with quiet force. It's a record worth spending time with.

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