There is something to be said about an artist who, despite their own skills on an instrument, often puts their performance into the background to allow a band as a whole to excel.
That was the initial impression with WHOAMI, the third effort from guitarist Michael Kalinsky Schutz. While he has ample time to show his prowess, he passes by the opportunity to make this all about his talent and, wisely, shows off the skills of his fellow artists.
I'll admit, this threw me for a loop listening to the title track; for an album promising solid jazz/fusion guitar, its absence was confusing. But, it did bring trumpeteer Maayan Gladstone, trombonist Yonatan Voltzok, bassist Yaniv Bar and others into the spotlight (and, after several listens, one could hear Schutz's guitar lines faintly in the background).
Schutz gets his first real opportunity to make his skills known on "Bluez" - and, despite being in his early 20s, taps deep into the veins of George Benson, John Scofield, and other greats of the guitar who have walked before him. Yet his style also has touches of New Age in his arranging and the band's playing - not that this is a bad thing, mind you. If anything, Schutz and his band are able to merge the two worlds into one workable style.
Schutz could have easily made WHOAMI all about himself. But, like so many other leaders of great jazz groups, he recognizes that the overall success is in the sum of the band's parts. So, when he does lead a song like "Song For Everyone," it feels natural in the whole scheme of things, and not like he's simply taking charge because it's his name on the record. This is further proof that Schutz is wise well beyond his young age.
The one area I'm not 100 percent convinced on is the inclusion of vocals on two tracks. It's not that Yael Elany lacks talent; this is most definitely not in question. However, one has to wonder if "Winter Song" and "Rejected" (the latter featuring backing vocals from Schutz) really needed vocals to get their message across. Still, this is a minor objection.
I'm not quite certain just where in the jazz world Schutz and his band fit in; often, it sounds like he's trying to carve his own niche in the genre. What is certain, though, is that WHOIAM is a fairly powerful statement that he's here, and he's not going away any time soon. For that, we should be grateful.