Home » Jazz Musicians » Rik Wright

Rik Wright

A graph of Rik Wright’s influences would read like a wave, running a gamut from jazz to rock and back again. As a guitarist he has taken on influences—often subconsciously—as varied as Andy Summers of The Police and John Abercrombie. Compositionally speaking, Wright hangs with a different crowd altogether, mingling instead with the spirits of Mingus, Monk, and Miles. Of this alliterative trio, Miles has been a decidedly conscious influence in terms of process. And in fact, as becomes obvious once you acclimate to its flow, Wright’s improvising strikes more of an affinity with horn players than guitarists. As a relatively intervallic, melodic player he prefers his wheat brewed, not shredded.

Growing up with Jeff Beck on one shoulder and Jim Hall on the other, Wright bears the mark of a generation that burned bridges between genres. His latest recordings, Blue in 2013 and Red in 2014, build new bridges in their place. Together, they mark the first time in a decades- long career that he has made music purely for its own sake. And for good reason. Several years ago, Wright suffered an injury that stopped him from gigging altogether. He realized that if he were ever going to get back into the game, then it would have to be on his terms and his alone. He was inspired to write fearlessly. In that interim, came the assembly of Rik Wright’s Fundamental Forces, a stunning collective of like-minded musicians that boldly follow him into haunting and often beautiful soundscapes.

Fundamental Forces has since become the primary stage for its leader’s compositions, taking his sound to a deeper and, yes, more fundamental level. Fundamental, too, are the tunes themselves. Blending forward thinking arrangements with a core groove that listeners can tap their toe to, the music allures at every turn. That allure propelled Blue to #21 on the CMJ Jazz radio charts. Wright has stepped outside of himself. He has gotten out of his own way to let the music speak for itself.

Tags

10
Take Five With...

Take Five With Rik Wright

Read "Take Five With Rik Wright" reviewed by Rik Wright


Meet Rik Wright: A graph of Rik Wright's influences would read like a wave, running a gamut from jazz to rock and back again. As a guitarist he has taken on influences, often subconsciously, as varied as Andy Summers of The Police and John Abercrombie. Compositionally speaking, Wright hangs with a different crowd altogether, mingling instead with the spirits of Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis. Of this alliterative trio, Miles has been a decidedly conscious influence in ...

137
Album Review

Rik Wright's Zen Tornado: Zen Tornado

Read "Zen Tornado" reviewed by Eric J. Iannelli


Zen Tornado, as the name alone might imply, is a tempestuous brew of jazz fusion with moments of almost transcendental tranquility. The eponymous ensemble, a semi-conventional five-piece unit, is led by guitarist Rik Wright, and the resulting debut full-length has a distinct thrust and direction that suggests Wright was able to get precisely what he wanted out of the group (some performers, like drummer Simon Grant, are longtime friends and collaborators of his) without suppressing individual initiative or spontaneity.

Wright ...

321
Live Review

Polymorphism: Sound Is What You Shape It

Read "Polymorphism: Sound Is What You Shape It" reviewed by Jason West


Originally from Winchester, Virginia, a small town in the north Shenandoah Mountains, guitarist and composer Rik Wright studied jazz in a program led by Ellis Marsalis at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. As a professional musician he’s lived in Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, New Orleans and San Francisco. Wright ended up in Seattle in 1994, and a few years later founded HipSync Records. Polymorphism is the third release from Wright on the HipSync label. The recording ...

Read more articles
“Rik Wright is a stellar jazz guitarist with a real slant on the future of the genre.” – Music Morsels

“Wright can fool you into thinking world one minute, rock the next, a touch of new age and back to the core of jazz… Nicely done, this set has a nice magic that works throughout.” – Midwest Record Review

“If you haven’t checked out his work yet, you have some catch-up ball to play.” – Jazz Now

“A plethora of instruments are channeled through song structures allowing the improvisation and musicianship to flat knock you out.” – Music Morsels

Throughout the entire album, bandleader Wright’s guitar playing is creative and impeccable, without being flashy. Wright isn’t a speed freak, nor does his ego seem to demand that he is always out front in the sound, which is refreshing. His understated guitar anchors all the pieces without playing all over the other musicians, giving the sound excellent balance. – Aural Innovations

Read more

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Rik Wright's...

HipSync Records
2014

buy

Rik Wright's...

HipSync Records
2013

buy

Zen Tornado

HipSync Records
2005

buy

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.