PERFORMERS

Wolfgang Muthspiel is a very distinguished name in the world of jazz music. At the age of six he started classical training on the violin, and at 14 he discovered his love for the classical guitar. He studied at the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston on a scholarship. Since 1985, he has recorded three albums with his brother Christian, and in 1989 he released his first solo album, Timezones. For two years he toured with Gary Burton and guitarist Mick Goodrick (one of his Berklee teachers), both of whom are among the greatest jazz legends. From the 1990s, Muthspiel lived in New York and recorded several solo albums, collaborating with top world jazz musicians Don Alias, Larry Grenadier, Tom Harrell and Kenny Wollesen. He appeared on albums by Patricia Barber, Marc Johnson, Paul Motian and Gary Peacock. In 1997 he was awarded the Austrian Jazz Musician of the Year award. In 2000, he started his own record label, Material Records, and resumed his collaboration with his brother Christian and Norwegian singer Rebekka Bakken. He is well known for his great duet with the famous drummer Brian Blade. He founded the MGT trio with Slava Grigoryan and Ralph Towner (which we had the opportunity to hear at the 2019 festival), another trio with Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, and duets with legendary pianist Brad Mehldau and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. He has recorded over 50 records with the world’s biggest names, of which we mentioned only a few. Muthspiel is one of the most interesting guitarists today and will surely be a fantastic experience for our audience.