{{Infobox album | name = Rising Grace | type = studio | artist = Wolfgang Muthspiel | cover = Rising Grace - cover.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = 28 October 2016 | recorded = January 2016 | studio = Studios la Buissonne<br>Pernes-les-Fontaines | genre = Jazz | length = 01:08:33 | label = ECM 2515 | producer = Manfred Eicher | prev_title = Vienna, World | prev_year = 2015 | next_title = Where the River Goes | next_year = 2018 }}
'''''Rising Grace''''' is a studio album by guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, recorded in January 2016 and released by ECM in October that year. His quintet contained trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade.<ref name="DB" /><ref name="ECM">[https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1473679047/rising-grace-wolfgang-muthspiel-ambrose-akinmusire-brad-mehldau-larry-grenadier-brian-blade "Rising Grace"]. ECM Records. Retrieved 4 December 2016.</ref>
==Background== Muthspiel's first album for ECM was ''Driftwood'' in 2014, a trio recording with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade.<ref name="ECM">[https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1473679047/rising-grace-wolfgang-muthspiel-ambrose-akinmusire-brad-mehldau-larry-grenadier-brian-blade "Rising Grace"]. ECM Records. Retrieved 4 December 2016.</ref> For ''Rising Grace'', trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and pianist Brad Mehldau were added.<ref name="ECM" />
==Music and recording== Muthspiel wrote all of the tracks, except for "Wolfgang's Waltz", which was composed by Mehldau.<ref name="Fordham" /> The recordings were made over three days in south-eastern France.<ref name="DB" />
The music does not follow the typical rhythm section plus soloists division, and "while some songs feature a conventional sequence of soloists, it's also common for Muthspiel, Akinmusire and Mehldau to share the soloing space as they weave melodies together."<ref name="OC">Hum, Peter (7 November 2016) [https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/jazzblog/wolfgang "Wolfgang Muthspiel CD reviewed"]. ''Ottawa Citizen''.</ref>
The album was released by ECM on CD and two LPs on 28 October 2016.<ref name="ECM" />
==Reception== {{Album ratings | rev1 = ''All About Jazz'' | rev1score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rising-grace-wolfgang-muthspiel-ecm-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php|title = Wolfgang Muthspiel: Rising Grace album review @ All About Jazz}}</ref> | rev2 = AllMusic | rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jurek|first1=Thom|title=Wolfgang Muthspiel Rising Grace|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rising-grace-mw0002981546|website=Allmusic|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=11 January 2017}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Down Beat'' | rev3Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name="DB">Kato, Yoshi (December 2016) "Wolfgang Muthspiel – Rising Grace". ''DownBeat''. p. 66.</ref> | rev4 = ''The Guardian'' | rev4Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Fordham" /> | rev5 = ''Jazz Forum'' | rev5score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jazzforum.com.pl/main/cd/rising-grace|title = Rising Grace | Jazz Forum}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Musica Jazz'' | rev6score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicajazz.it/wolfgang-muthspiel-rising-grace/|title = Wolfgang Muthspiel "Rising Grace"|date = 16 June 2017}}</ref> | rev7 = ''{{ill|Rondo (magazine)|lt=Rondo|de|Rondo (Musikmagazin)}}'' | rev7score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rondomagazin.de/kritiken.php?kritiken_id=9817|title=– Rising Grace – Wolfgang Muthspiel}}</ref> | rev8 = RTÉ | rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/music-reviews/2017/0112/844439-wolfgang-muthspiel-rising-grace/|title=Wolfgang Muthspiel - Rising Grace|website=RTÉ.ie|date=12 January 2017}}</ref> | rev9 = ''The Times'' | rev9score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/jazz-wolfgang-muthspiel-rising-grace-pjwkg26n6|title=Jazz: Wolfgang Muthspiel: Rising Grace|last1=Pearson|first1=Chris}}</ref> }} Critic John Fordham suggested that "the music mingles echoes of Kenny Wheeler, the classical guitar sound of Ralph Towner and the songlike one of Pat Metheny, plus the quickwittedness of the mid-60s Miles Davis group".<ref name="Fordham">Fordham, John (3 November 2016) [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/nov/03/wolfgang-muthspiel-rising-grace-review "Wolfgang Muthspiel: Rising Grace Review – Oblique Music That Grows On You"]. ''The Guardian''.</ref> The ''Ottawa Citizen'' reviewer wrote: "Sonically ravishing and filled with profound, singular music that speaks beautifully of communion, ''Rising Grace'' will reward your full attention, over and over."<ref name="OC" />
==Track listing== {{tracklist | all_writing = Wolfgang Muthspiel, except where noted | title1 = Rising Grace | length1 = 5:56 | title2 = Intensive Care" | length2 = 10:17 | title3 = Triad Song | length3 = 8:04 | title4 = Father and Sun | length4 = 8:14 | title5 = Wolfgang's Waltz | writer5 = Brad Mehldau | length5 = 8:01 | title6 = Superonny | length6 = 6:44 | title7 = Boogaloo | length7 = 7:33 | title8 = Den Wheeler, Den Kenny | length8 = 7:50 | title9 = Ending Music | length9 = 1:23 | title10 = Oak | length10 = 4:34 }}
==Personnel== * Wolfgang Muthspiel – guitar * Ambrose Akinmusire – trumpet * Brad Mehldau – piano * Larry Grenadier – double bass * Brian Blade – drums
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Discogs master|1103780|Wolfgang Muthspiel – Rising Grace}}
Category:ECM Records albums