Wolfgang Muthspiel

Wolfgang Muthspiel (born 2 March 1965) is an Austrian jazz guitarist and record label owner. He is the brother of musician Christian Muthspiel.

Wolfgang Muthspiel
Muthspiel at INNtöne Jazzfestival, 2006
Background information
Born(1965-03-02)2 March 1965
Judenburg, Austria
GenresJazz, contemporary classical
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1985–present
LabelsPolygram, Material, ECM
Associated actsChristian Muthspiel, Rebekka Bakken, Quintron, Brian Blade, Larry Grenadier
Websitewww.materialrecords.com
Wolfgang Muthspiel at Norwegian Music Festival, Canal Street, 2015

Music career

When he was six, he began playing violin, and at fourteen he moved on to classical guitar. He went to the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. Beginning in 1985, he recorded three albums with his brother Christian. He released his first solo album, Timezones, in 1989. For two years, he toured with Gary Burton and guitarist Mick Goodrick, one of his teachers at Berklee.[1]

During the 1990s, Muthspiel lived in New York City and recorded more solo albums. His sidemen included Don Alias, Larry Grenadier, Tom Harrell, and Kenny Wollesen. He appeared as a guest on albums by Patricia Barber, Marc Johnson, Paul Motian, and Gary Peacock. He was the given the award for Austrian Jazz Musician of the Year in 1997. He founded his own label, Material Records, in 2000, and recorded again with his brother Christian and with Norwegian singer Rebekka Bakken.[1]

He formed the MGT trio with Slava Grigoryan and Ralph Towner, another trio with Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, and one with Brad Mehldau and Ambrose Akinmusire.[2]

He has composed for the Austrian Esterházy Foundation, the Austrian Ministry of Arts, Benjamin Schmid, the Hugo Wolf Quartet, and the Klangforum Wien.,[1] is one of the ambassadors of Music Traveler, together with Billy Joel, Hans Zimmer, John Malkovich, Sean Lennon, Adrien Brody.

Discography

As leader
  • Timezones (Amadeo, 1989)
  • The Promise (Amadeo, 1990)
  • Black & Blue (Amadeo, 1992)
  • In & Out (Amadeo, 1993)
  • Loaded Like New (Amadeo, 1995)
  • Perspective (Amadeo, 1996)
  • Real Book Stories (Quinton, 2001)
  • Bearing Fruit (Material, 2003)
  • Steinhaus (Material, 2003)
  • Solo (Material, 2004)
  • Air, Love & Vitamins (Quinton, 2004)
  • Bright Side (Material, 2005)
  • Friendly Travelers (Material, 2006)
  • Friendly Travelers Live (Material, 2008)
  • Earth Mountain (Material, 2008)
  • From a Dream (Which Way Music, 2008)
  • Live at the Jazz Standard (Material, 2010)
  • Drumfree (Material, 2011)
  • Vienna Naked (Material, 2012)
  • Driftwood (ECM, 2014)
  • Rising Grace (ECM, 2016)
  • Where the River Goes (ECM, 2018)
  • Angular Blues (ECM, 2020)

As sideman

With Christian Muthspiel

  • Muthspiel/Peacock/Muthspiel/Motian (Amadeo, 1993)
  • CY (Lotus, 1998)
  • Play Parts of a Shattered Love Story (Lotus, 1999)
  • Echoes of Techno (Material, 2001)

With Vienna Art Orchestra

  • American Rhapsody (RCA Victor, 1998)
  • Duke Ellington's Sound of Love (TCB, 1999)
  • Artistry in Rhythm: A European Suite (TCB, 2000)

With others

References
  1. Jurek, Thom. "Wolfgang Muthspiel | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  2. Sullivan, Mark (28 October 2016). "Wolfgang Muthspiel: Rising Grace". All About Jazz. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

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