by Pico
A couple of months ago, Robert Branch self-released an appealing little guitar fusion record that you just might to pay attention to if guitar fusion is your thing. But first, a short introduction to the man behind the album.
Robert Branch grew up in Ft. Worth TX, but he pursued a music degree at USC, taught at West New Mexico University and since last year, makes his home in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Throughout his childhood and travels as an adult, he’s been an intense student of the guitar from the age of nine, transcribing solos note for note and soaking in all the right influences, like Miles, Coltrane, Frisell, Metheny, Montgomery and even Stravinsky. While still at New Mexico, Branch headed up a trio, The Conduit Trio, and they released an album a couple of years ago. Now settled way up north in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Branch’s newest album comes under his own name, and he calls it Courage To Be.
Though he draws comparisons to Joe Satriani, Allan Holdsworth and Greg Howe, Branch to me recalls the jazzy chordings of Eric Johnson and the punchy funk of Oz Noy. Some guitar virtuosos get so caught up in flashy technique that they forget that they are playing for the song, and the quality of material suffers accordingly. That’s not Branch; he’s been composing since the age of eleven, and has over the years learned the composing style of many of his influences. As a result, he strikes the right balance between the intensity and immediacy of the performance and the wholesome soul goodness of a good tune, giving listeners real melodies that’s likely to linger in the mind as long as the licks will.
For Courage To Be, Branch maintains the trio format, going with David Gonzalez on bass and Tim Zhorne on drums. In Branch’s music, the devil—and the delights—are in the details. “Courage To Be” might be one of his more straightforward compositions, but the a strategically placed note bend here,a certain phrasing there, makes his melody sing with human emotion. “North Of Center” pits a menacing rock stance against a more mellifluous counterpoint. “The Veil Within” deftly blends Middle-Eastern chord changes with guitar-prog, while “Rhythm Schism” is propulsed by a in-the-pocket, syncopated beat. “Backyard Hallucination” demonstrates Branch’s ability to write extended forms that hold attention. “Ne’er Do Well” has the catchiest hook of them all, and some snazzy riffs in-between.
There are plenty of other fusion axe-slingers out there; some run too hot and others too cold. Robert Branch’s mix of passion and virtuosity displayed in Courage To Be is just right.
Visit Robert Branch’s website here.
Purchase: The Conduit Trio – Beyond Liquid Glass
- Christian Marien Quartett – ‘How Long Is Now’ (2024) - April 18, 2024
- Dave Douglas, feat. James Brandon Lewis – ‘Gifts’ (2024) - April 11, 2024
- Thollem – ‘Worlds In A Life, Two’ (2024) - April 8, 2024
