Wolfgang Muthspiel: Tokyo

Even a mere cursory perusal of Wolfgang Muthspiel's discography reveals how his playing has evolved over the years, populating a body of work that is roundly eclectic, but nonetheless focused. That very summary might well also apply to this third outing with the aforementioned high-profile rhythm section of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade (ECM, 2023) because on Tokyo, the Austrian guitarist sounds as liberated as in this combo context as on Angular Blues (ECM Records, 2020) and Dance of the Elders (ECM Records, 2023).

The atmosphere is hardly less charged than in the solo setting of Etudes/Quietudes (Clap Your Hands, 2024) a title that in itself hearkens to the ensemble outing of The Promise (Antilles/Island Records, 1990) and a duo program with guitarist Mick Goodrick, Live At The Jazz Standard (Material Records, 2010).

In a combined gesture of respect and courage on Tokyo, eight original pieces of Muthspiel's are bookended with compositions by Keith Jarrett ("Lisbon Stomp") and Paul Motian ("Abacus"). The former's is a jubilant stomp of sorts, while the gusto infused in the latter's bespeaks not only the author's uncanny grasp of rhythms in their most detailed form, but the crucial importance of the space(s) between the notes.

Spanning such an expanse of style on a cut of his own like "Pradela," Muthspiel reels out lines from his instrument replete with melody at their most lucid. Interactions and support from Colley as on "Flight" are at once polite but assertive, as is Blade's activity on and around his kit: this trio's highly-intuitive work together is filtered through and expanded by their long-term collaborative experience.

Through it all, however, a palpable sense of play emerges, even when the bandleader uses acoustic and electric guitars to populate certain tracks and thus layer the arrangements. Some nagging resemblance to the playing of Pat Metheny remains in "Roll," but such likenesses are more fleeting than ever and, in fact, evoke favorable comparisons between the two as the former guitarist wields synthesizer-guitar with such a deft yet graceful flourish on "Christa's Dream."

Recorded in October 2024 at Studio Dede, Tokyo, then mixed in Munich in February 2025, this ECM Records studio outing was produced by Manfred Eicher for optimum transparency. That is, the interplay in a number such as "Traversia" is a direct reflection of their individual and collective imaginations, and as a result, the purest expression possible thereof.

The relative quietude of the latter selection gives way to the vigor of the threesome on display during "Strumming." Wolfgang Muthspiel points the way, striking harmonics that resonate through Scott Colley's bowing of his double bass as Brian Blade dances on his drums in time with both: The shared effort applies a prism to the composition, thereby illuminating its structure down to the finest detail.

Provocative and inspiring interplay like that is altogether common within the fifty-some minutes of Tokyo.