Ralf Illenberger – The Kiss: Five Waves Of Bliss
Ralf Illenberger returns for his third post-Narada effort on indie label In Joy Records, and this time he’s got another winner…and an unusual concept.
The Kiss: Five Waves Of Bliss takes the form of a long, instrumental suite, subtle at times, but too involved to ever become mere background music, as with most of Illenberger’s guitar jazz pieces. The music kicks in with his unmistakable style in the second movement, Love Flow, but the real aural treat here is “Symphonique”, the third movement of The Kiss, which contains textures so complex that it takes a couple of listening to truly get all of what’s going on in the background with its echoplexed acoustic guitars and different parts playing on either side of the stereo image. “Beyond The Clouds” chases that down with some atypical electric guitar solo work that rivals anyone strutting around on a rock concert stage right now. Illenberger’s really starting to join the “studio-as-instrument” crowd with impressive results.
The only conceivable drawback to Illenberger’s stylistic experimentation on The Kiss is that the entire album, being a single, connected work, maintains a somewhat similar tone throughout. For those 
accustomed to more variety on Illenberger’s albums, this might throw them for a loop. But others may appreciate the audacious attempt at a modern-day crack at a classical structure.
Overall, another outstanding work from an underappreciated – and most undeservedly obscure – master of his art.
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- First Touch (8:21)
- Love Flow (6:50)
- Symphonique (7:14)
- Beyond The Clouds (6:31)
- Fields Of Love (7:29)
- Afterglow (3:53)
Released by: in joy music
Release date: 1999
Total running time: 40:18
The latest from Ralf Illenberger is a stunning change in pace from the serenity of Sedona, his previous entry. Though still experimenting with unusual harmonies, this album ramps up the intensity with a little more emphasis on rhythm and percussion, and even some electric guitar and keyboard touches. It’s easily his most exotic-sounding work since his solo debut on Narada ten years ago, and in my opinion, his best since 1993’s Soleil. Some of this material features the kind of complexity that most of us would expect to hear in a 
This long-overdue album by my favorite jazz guitarist is just now surfacing in some parts of the country. Ralf’s latest release, surprisingly, sees him popping up on a label other than new age powerhouse Narada, and his material also shifts into a different direction, with harmonies which are more abstract and dissonant than his previous work. Illenberger still maintains his style of building a nearly hypnotic, cyclical sound underlying the melody, which keeps his music complex and interesting enough to 
avoid being thought of as background music. The experimentation on this album makes one wonder if Ralf has any plans for another release anytime soon…and just how different will his next album be?
After his 1990 album veered away in a very different direction from Circle, Ralf thankfully drifted somewhat closer to the styles he explored in his debut album with his latest release to date. There is a greater emphasis on jazz elements than the second album’s rockier feel, which is as it should be – Illenberger’s music is much more suited to jazz. If anything, this album offers quite a few surprises, including the addition of vocalist Susan Osborn and more keyboards and piano than previous albums. The 
Though this album was my introduction to Ralf Illenberger, it pales in comparison to his other works. There seemed to be a conscious attempt with Heart & Beat to veer toward a more rock-influenced sound, and while Ralf can manage that style of playing as deftly as he can jazz, it’s such a disappointment to hear him trying to step into that genre. Still, there are good tunes on here.
If you haven’t heard of this guy, you’re in a sadly deprived majority. Illenberger’s probably the best white jazz guitarist working today, and his style is truly unique. Whatever it is he does, it achieves wonderfully listenable results. His agility with a good riff salvages most of this album from ever being background music. And it’s still probably his best overall album to date. The album’s title track is a wonder of multi-tracked guitars which wander in a sort of musical circle, a theme which pops up throughout the album