Raised up in Graz/Austria at only 28 years old Wressnig has already established himself as one of Europe’s top and most explosive jazz & funk organists. With this CD, he not only cements that reputation on the international jazz scene, but he is well on his way to creating a sound and an approach to the instrument that is particularly fresh, edgy and penetrating. Raphaael’s main influences have come from the great traditional jazz organists Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and some modern interpreters John Medeski, Larry Goldings and Billy Preston. Wressnig palyed already with stars like Louisina Red, Sugar Blue, Hoarcio “El negro” Hernandez (grammy winner, ex-Carlos Santana, McCoy Tyner), Pete York (Spencer Davis Group, Helge Schneider) any many more. With Cut Deeper on the Funk, Wressnig shows he is interested in not only challenging himself and the music, but that he is open minded and ready to explore. This recording is a panoply of all original songs that go from straight-up swing blues to more avant-garde material. The different songs and sounds work wonderfully off each other, and when the group takes it outside, they always come back to the basics keeping it cohesive—always emphasizing that the blues is not far behind.
Raphael Wressnig (Hammond B3 organ)
Georg Jantscher (guitar)
Lukas Knöfler (drums)
Special guests: Craig Handy (sax #6), Sax Gordon (sax #1, 9),
Eric Bloom (trumpet #1, 9), Christian Bachner (sax #8)
Luis Ribeiro (percussion #6, 7)