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Guitarist Robert Branch Goes Solo With Courage To Be
- Artist(s):
- Genre: Jazz - Fusion
- Personnel:
Robert Branch - guitar, David Gonzalez - bass, Tim Zhorne - drums
- Tracks:
Courage To Be, North Of Center, Letting Go, Rhythm Schism, Exodus of Discipline, The Veil Within, Ne’ver Do Well, Backyard Hallucination, Delirium, Lullaby For D
Robert Branch’s guitar work demonstrates a complexity relatable to Pat Metheny with a bluesy temperament reminiscent of B.B. King and the graceful mannerism of Paco de Lucia. A veritable newcomer to mainstream jazz, Branch’s music teeters between two worlds that of classic rock and that of jazz fusion. Branch merges technical difficulty with individual expressionisms on his new CD, Courage To Be. Produced by Branch, the tracks balance traditional jazz elements with dazzling improvisations that set off a chain reaction of events from tautly bowed riffs to luxuriating phrases.
The flaccid wiggles made by his pickings through “Letting Go” resonate a romantic lure, while the incisions of soaring spirals along the title track produce a trail of blazing flurries. The clipped edges and echoing channels of “Rhythm Schism” brandish avant cuts and vibrating squiggles that move in a crazed and excited manner, and then recline into a succession of cindering sparks along “Exodus of Discipline.”
Every guitarist seems to strive for individuality in their craftsmanship and Branch has certainly succeeded in surpassing that bar. His entwining patterns and glistening palisades of tightly knotted pickings are truly hand-crafted and artfully done. The exotic sensations stirred by his twisting chords and undulating swells along “The Veil Within” evoke a Spanish flare, and the throbbing pulse of “Ne‘er Do Well“ has a classic rock vibe that segues into the mutable sequences of “Backyard Hallucination” which shifts from torpedoed spirals and pounding froths to gentle caresses. Branch switches the mood with seamless transitions and displays a breadth of playing that exudes confidence as he travels from the craggy riffs of “Delirium” to the calming surf of “Lullaby For D.”
Born in Fort Worth, Texas and based in Minneapolis, Robert Branch comes off as being very decisive in his craftsmanship. He knows where he wants to take the music once he sets out on the trail. He lets an abstract force guide his way, and he listens to that voice with rapt attention. The audience may not be in the know, but be assured that Branch is. It is quite an experience to hear Branch play. It is impossible to imitate but destined to inspire.
www.robertbranchmusic.com
