Guitarist and composer Kevin Brunkhorst demonstrates the full breadth of his melodic sensibility on After the Fire, a collection of seven original compositions that reflect on recent global and personal challenges with surprising warmth and optimism. While many artists turned to more abstract or chaotic expressions during the tumultuous events of recent years, Brunkhorst has crafted a suite of pieces that offer solace, joy, and as he puts it, “wonderment.”
Brunkhorst’s musical journey began as a child watching the Beatles play ‘Hey Jude’ on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1970; that same Christmas he received his first guitar. His early influences expanded from there to Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Genesis, Miles Davis, Weather Report, and Pat Metheny—a diverse foundation that informs his approach to composition and improvisation today.