With his second Mack Avenue Records release, The Messenger, acclaimed guitarist Kevin Eubanks
continues to explore his own unique musical vision. This vision offers
the listener an opportunity to share a musical journey that truly
exemplifies where Eubanks is at this stage of his illustrious career;
one that, for over three decades, has seen him incorporate into his
creative process a willingness to embrace the broad spectrum of his
musical experience, while continuing to seek out new vistas.
The Messenger
is a project that reflects not only the guitarist’s virtuosity on his
instrument, but also his impressive compositional skills—writing all but
two tracks. Best described simply as a “Kevin Eubanks”
recording—without specific categorization—as his intent with The Messenger
is to communicate the breadth of his artistic influences. “I wanted to
branch out a little bit more on this recording,” Eubanks states. “I
didn’t want to be as concerned with the ‘jazz sound’ as much; I wanted
to let out a little bit more of what I’ve been musically exposed to.”
Eubanks compares this philosophy to sports: “It’s like with professional
athletes; most of those guys can play three or four sports. Society
makes you choose one or the other. But that doesn’t change who you are
inside,” or in Eubanks’ case, preventing him from showcasing his
versatility on this album.
Kevin Eubanks. 31 videos on his youtube Channel.
http://www.kevineubanks.com/