praise
Wulf’s Music + BloG
“This self-titled debut album by Mike and his group is a cool mixture of originals and covers, as he says, ‘an exploration of a 21st century songbook’. The Witherbees are Mike on guitar, Jacqui Armbruster on vocals and viola, Justin Sekelewski on bass and Zach Martin on drums and the covers they recorded include ‘Are You Here’ by Corinne Bailey Rae, ‘Waterfalls’ by Paul McCartney and a wonderful version of Sonny Sharrock’s ‘Blind Willie’. Armbruster’s voice is hauntingly beautiful and her vocal performance impressive, so is the guitar playing of Lorenz. A surprising record with tons of variety and quality. Check this out.”
WXPN’s The Key
“The musicians bring traditional jazz aplomb and an intrepid sense of musicianship to each of their efforts on the new album, and the results prove both accessible and surprising.” Read more
All about jazz
"A first impression: Guitarist Mike Lorenz has created, on Speak Between, a sound that runs in a parallel to some of the albums released by drummer Paul Motian, in his teamings with guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano—It Should Have Happened A Long Time Ago (ECM Records, 1984) and Jack Of Clubs (Soul Note, 1984). These are sets that allowed the same freedom Frisell applied in his early albums under his own name, in the creation soundscapes and luminescent atmospheres for Motian's concepts..." Read more
bird is the worm
"Guitarist Mike Lorenz is currently one of a small handful of guitarists I go to when I’m craving some of the 1980s Bill Frisell sound. Back then, Frisell was working with a mix of potent ambient drone and a hard precision as if he were wielding the melody like a blade. Albums like 1983’s In Line and the excellent comp of that period, Works, were two staples of my early-morning listening routine. I loved how they could lull me into an abiding sense of serenity even when the music rose up and attacked. The music was massively contemplative, even when it surged up and roared. From his digs in Bethlehem, PA, Mike Lorenz has been doing the same for on his latest recordings. You should know about his music..." Read more
