Edwin Corne: Spruce and Maple

Guitarist Edwin Corne 's Spruce And Maple features the American Songbook peppered with eastern harmonies, befitting an Australian-Chinese musician raised in Shanghai and based in New York City. Corne's jazz guitar trio recording continues an ensemble tradition that began with Jim Hall and continued through Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, and Pat Metheny. It is alive and well in Spruce And Maple.

Corne is joined by fellow Juilliard graduates Luke Sellick (bass) and Charles Goold (drums) who achieve a rich, woody sound throughout. Corne explained:

Spruce and Maple refers to the woods in my guitar and the acoustic, woody sound I was chasing. For the recording I leaned into a setup that prioritized resonance and natural tone over playability, using a clip-on mic and higher action to really let the guitar breathe. The idea was to capture something warm and organic, closer to how it sounds in the room.

The album begins with "Jubilation" (1959) by the great Junior Mance. Guest singer Kate Kortum's supple voice join in Hoagy Carmichael "Stardust" (1929). "Delilah" (Jerry Livingston and Ray Evans, 1949) features Middle Eastern harmonies inspired by Cecil B. De Mille's movie Samson And Delilah, with Goold adding texture by playing the drums with his hands.

"Butterfly Lovers," (Chen Gang and He Zhaohao, 1959) is a famous Chinese violin concerto. It derives from an ancient love story that culminates in the lovers transforming into butterflies so they can remain together forever. Corne's minimalist arrangement includes a lyrical bass solo. Duke Ellington's iconic "The Mooche" (1929) is followed by "Easy Living" (Ralph Rainger & Leo Robin, 1949) and "In the Still of the Night" (Cole Porter, 1937). The Porter classic contains fingerboard gymnastics, a divergence from Corne's chordal, melodic style.

The album concludes with "Sweet And Lovely" (Gus Arnheim, Charles N. Daniels, and Harry Tobias, 1931) and "Lotus Blossom" Billy Strayhorn, (1956), a charming guitar/bowed bass duet arrangement. 

Spruce and Maple is an auspicious debut.