Description

Writes jazz critic Chris Kelsey in his liner notes, "The art of northern California-based guitarist/composer Bill Horvitz acknowledges and incorporates elements from every musical form that's penetrated his soul. In Bill's music we hear an obvious love and understanding of most types of 20th-century music one could name–from jazz, funk, and blues, to classical and most of what else lies under the sun. While coming distinctly and decisively from a jazz background, Horvitz nevertheless excludes no creative facet that's contributed to his artistry. If that means juxtaposing funk and swing, or atonality with the blues, so be it. If he were to ignore any of those elements he would be doing himself a disservice. In the extended tradition of composer/performers of Western art music, including in our time Anthony Braxton and reaching back at least as far as J.S. Bach, Bill's music is about honesty of intent, and while I am quite more than happy to call it jazz, it is ultimately of little consequence what it's labeled. What matters is the quantity and quality of his ability and inspiration, and in both areas Bill Horvitz checks out admirably.

As a guitarist, Bill constantly challenges himself, fusing traditional and extended techniques in an eminently original manner, but it is no secret that the ability to compose on a high level is more rarefied in jazz than is the ability to improvise. Consequently, despite his undeniable talents as an instrumentalist, it's his substantial skills as a writer that make Bill especially unique. His experience in the realms of jazz, rock, classical, and folk musics has combined to give him an original compositional voice–one that's forceful and innovative, yet intelligently accessible. Bill's lucky to have found an ideal pair of collaborators. Both drummer Joseph Sabella and saxophonist Steve Adams are leading lights on the San Francisco-area creative music scene today."