Gig Preview: Blake Wilner Group

I got a MySpace friend request from this lot a few days ago. I hadn't heard of them before, but they seem well worth checking out if you like jazz guitar in the John Scofield and Kurt Rosenwinkel stylee. They're playing at Matt and Phreds this Thursday the 27th Oct, though I can't actually make it down myself. Some might say their vibe is a little derivative but it's well executed. The first MySpace track 'Mo Mo' is clearly going for that slurry sassy Sco groove and succeeds admirably. 'Interloper' starts off contemplative before kicking into a precise angular but still quite melodic line over a fast swing backing. 'Stormy Friday' sounds like classic introspective Sco again with maybe a nod to a Rosenwinkel chord voicing here and there. Looks like he plays the same Ibanez AS200 that Scofield uses to complete the references. See http://www.myspace.com/blakewilnergroup to hear the tracks and get more info.