New Possibilities
New Possibilities sums up what this music offers to the listener. My training in classical guitar gave me the skill set to hear and perform, as a soloist, multi-layered music. I am used to hearing the different parts, or layers, and how they interconnect, playing off of one another to create something larger than what appears at the first listening.
My love of a wide variety of music has influenced my writing, resulting in the diverse collection of tunes on this CD. Why not program a modern fingerstyle tune (“Low Gear”) with another tune of slide guitar playing a New Orleans 2nd-Line rhythm (“That’s That”)? The 10 Études were written for my students, but they just sound great together, so why not add these? I live in Saint Paul, MN and experienced, in my neighborhood, the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and “Still Here” was my reaction. The music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has influenced me since graduate school when I wrote my master’s thesis on his “Summa,” before he became an international celebrity. Why not record it as a guitar quartet?
Why not? These are all possibilities. And the music is new.
New Possibilities
credits
released April 21, 2022
Music composed by Jerry Kosak, except “Summa” by Arvo Pärt (Universal Edition UE 35 275)
Recorded by Matthew Zimmerman at Wild Sound Studios in Minneapolis, MN
Editing and additional recording by Jerry Kosak at Door 14.
Mixed and Mastered by Matthew Zimmerman at Control Z.
Jerry Kosak – Guitars (acoustic, classical, electric, and resonator), zither, virtual instruments, and vocals
Dave Schmalenberger – drums on “That’s That”
Produced by Jerry Kosak
Photography by Susan Nordbye
Design by Tom Kosak Design
Jerry Kosak is a fiscal year 2021 recipient
of an Artist Initiative grant from the
Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity
is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
