Kurt Rosenwinkel, a Mt. Airy native and world-class jazz guitarist, and other musicians performed Sunday night to benefit the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club in a concert, “Jazz in the Great Northwest,” at the Commodore Barry Club in Mt Airy.[/caption]

by Len Lear

Jazz aficionados regard Kurt Rosenwinkel, 47, who grew up on Wellesley Road in Mt. Airy, as one of the greatest jazz guitarists in the world. Kurt, who was profiled in Local Life last week, brought down the house last Sunday at the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club-sponsored concert, “Jazz in the Great Northwest,” at the Commodore Barry Club, 6815 Emlen St. in Mt Airy.

Kurt, who traveled all the way to Mt. Airy from his home in Berlin, Germany, for this concert, has been the lead musician on 13 albums and a sideman on an almost unbelievable 74 albums. Due to limited editorial space, last week’s article on Kurt was not able to include our entire interview with him, so here is the part we could not fit in:

• You have played with a zillion different musicians. Who were your favorites? Why?

“Joe Henderson for obvious reasons — sooo deep. And Paul Motian for standing next to his deep swinging ride cymbal for 10 years.”

• What is your favorite recording where you were either a leader or collaborator? Why?

“My favorite recording is my most recent album, ‘Caipi.’ I put all of myself into this, and it represents a rebirth of sorts for me. I made it in the spirit of another favorite album of mine, ‘Heartcore.’ I let my imagination run free and developed music in my creative oasis in Berlin, enjoying the creative process with no considerations other than following the music with intuition and all other faculties of art.”

• What was your favorite live gig of all time? Why?

“Last night we absolutely rocked Berlin with my ‘Caipi’ band. It was epic. I love this band.”

• When and why did you move to Germany?

“I moved to Berlin in 2007 after accepting a professorship at the Jazz Institut Berlin.”

• Did you speak any German when you first went there?

“Nope. Still struggling.”

• Why are you coming back to Philly — it is a long trip — for the April 29 concert?

“In the past couple years of his retirement, my dad has begun a kind of concert promoting career, helping to create benefit concerts for Settlement Music School and now the Rotary Club. It’s always a joy to work for a good cause, and it gives my dad and me things to do together, which is so valuable, especially since I live on the other side of the pond and am so busy. So I put a quartet together for it. It’s going to be a blast!”

• Do you plan to stay in Germany for the rest of your life?

“One never knows. I move where my intuition takes me. For now Berlin is a wonderful place, and my kids are growing up in a good environment.”

• What do you miss most about Philly (if anything)?

“I miss my family … and hoagies.”

• How are audiences different in Europe from here, if at all?

“They have more respect for jazz, maybe. Maybe they value it more than America in general. If the business is any indication, then this is true.”

• What is the worst thing that ever happened to you during a concert?

“I was playing with John Scofield’s quartet in Timisoara, Romania, in an outdoor festival in the woods when the generators broke, and all the electricity and lights went out. John yelled to Bill Stewart (drums) and Ben Street (acoustic bass) to keep playing. Then he yelled out to the audience, ‘This is what music sounded like BEFORE electricity!!’"

• What is the best advice you ever received?

“My mom told me to keep an open mind and listen to everything, then make up your own mind.”

• What would be your own advice to young musicians?

“There’s no substitute for practical experience when it comes to growing as a jazz musician. Get out there and PLAY. Go deep into the music, have faith, and work as hard as you can!”

• What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

“Working in a rotisserie chicken joint in center city for a week. The owner finally took me aside and said, ‘Kurt, you’re never gonna make it in the chicken business if you don’t give it 110 percent!”

• If you could meet and chat with anyone on earth, who would it be?

“Charlie Parker and Jesus.”

For more information, visit www.kurtrosenwinkel.com.