If Twin Cities guitarist Paul Renz went Beyond Blues on his last release, his new Rebop takes us well beyond bop, revisiting, reimagining, running circles around it. A reprise of his CD release held in May, Renz returns to the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis on August 27th with his eclectic sets of largely original fare, moving from bop to funk, from blues to fusion and even a side trip to Brazil. He will be joined by flautist Anders Bostrom from New Jersey and local cohorts Jonathan Thomas on bass and Nathan Fryett on drums. Bostrom and Fryett appear on Rebop (Gabwalk Records). Following the Dakota gig, Renz and company head out on tour, to Chicago and on to the east coast. 

 

A native of Washington, DC, Paul Renz earned degrees from the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music. His academic resume includes developing jazz curriculum at an arts magnet high school in Norfolk, VA and teaching jazz at Tidewater Community College before coming to Minneapolis in 1994 to direct jazz studies at the West Bank School of Music. He’s also resident guitar instructor at the MacPhail Center for Music. Renz wasted no time becoming an integral part of the Twin Cities jazz scene in the mid 90s, continuing his roles as composer and bandleader as well as performer on guitar and electric bass. His five previous recordings earned such accolades as “neatly balancing taut and tuneful charts with spontaneous solos” (Tom Surowicz re Everlasting), “a challenging guitarist who keeps the pot boiling” (Frank Robolino re Dish It Up), “impressive compositional and instrumental chops” (Dan Emerson re Hubbub), and “serious fun for everyone” (Jim Meyer re Beyond Blues). 

Drummer Nathan Fryett plays with such diverse bands as 13 Hertz, The State Champs, Sketch Engine, The Sweet Science and Paul Cherba Quartet. The addition of Anders Bostrom on Rebop reunites Renz with his Berklee College classmate. Originally from Nykvara, Sweden, Bostrom now lives in New Jersey, playing for Broadway productions; his resume includes recording or touring with such giants as McCoy Tyner and Gary Burton. 

Rebop features six original compositions from Paul Renz and a dazzling reworking of Bud Powell’s “Un Poco Loco,” all tracks arranged by Renz. One piece, the closing “Dish It Up,” previously appeared as the title track on one of Renz’s early releases. (Click here for a Jazz Police review).