Krantz Carlock Lefebvre

Every time he puts a guitar in his hands - on stage, in the studio, in informal musical situations and daily practice sessions - Wayne Krantz walks on a musical high wire. Few musicians are capable of handling, or willing to face, the degree of risk Krantz throws himself into so intently. His dangerous, boldly creative music is almost entirely of the moment, and has won him an increasing amount of underground buzz as something of an anti-guitar hero. Krantz Carlock Lefebvre features Krantz as one-third of a longstanding trio that also includes drummer Keith Carlock and bassist Tim Lefebvre, which was first convened in 1997. "Giving this band a voice in the context of a studio is a big deal for us," Krantz says. "Everything we've ever released together has been some kind of live album. Now we have the clarity and concision of the studio along for the ride." The result is Krantz's most personal statement yet, more strongly rooted in composition while still rich with the improvisational nuances that make his live performances so riveting. "In the studio," he says, "the audience dynamic from a concert setting is replaced with something else - a sort of hyper-concentration. Instead of pulling inspiration from the atmosphere of a show, you get it solely the other players and the acoustic space and the machines around you."