Wolfgang Muthspiel

Wolfgang Muthspiel is an Austrian guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In addition, he has been a first-call sideman since the 1980s. He's worked with Gary Burton, Youssou N'Dour, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian, and dozens more, pursuing everything from straight-ahead jazz to pop to electronic to world music. Muthspiel's sound, whether he is playing electric or nylon-string acoustic guitar, is notable for its soft touch and elegant chord voicings interspersed with fluid, single-string runs. His unaccompanied album Solo (2004) revealed Ornette Coleman's influence adapted for guitar. Muthspiel's trio dates From a Dream (2009) and Travel Guide (2013), with guitarists Slava Grigoryan and Ralph Towner, as well as large-group outings such as Rising Grace (2016) reveal a complex yet accessible melodic approach to harmony that is indelible. He formed a trio with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, and they released Angular Blues in 2020 and Dance of the Elders in 2023.