Paul Renz

Paul Renz: Rebop

by John Barron
November 12, 2008

Minneapolis-based guitarist/educator Paul Renz gets a surprisingly fat, hollow-body tone out of his Fender Stratocaster. Although the instrument may seem like an unlikely choice for a guitarist performing mainstream jazz, Renz is able to coax a tone that is serene and warm. For Rebop the Strat-wielding Renz teams up with flautist Anders Bostrom, pianist Brian Ziemniak, bassist Eric Graham and drummer Nathan Fryett.

With the exception of Bud Powell's “Un Poco Loco," the disc consists of Renz's lively and lyrical ...