Some debut albums announce the arrival of a promising new artist. Others reveal a musician who already sounds fully formed. Joshua Breakstone's Wonderful! belongs firmly in the latter category.
Recorded in 1983 when the acclaimed jazz guitarist was just 27 years old, Wonderful! captured a young artist whose command of melody, swing, and improvisation already reflected the maturity of a seasoned jazz veteran. Although the album quickly became a favorite among jazz enthusiasts, it disappeared from circulation for nearly four decades. That changes on August 21, 2026, when Capri Records reissues the recording, marking its long-awaited debut on CD.
From the opening notes of George Gershwin's "S'Wonderful," Breakstone's quartet establishes an irresistible chemistry. Joining the guitarist are pianist Barry Harris, bassist Earl Sauls, and drummer Leroy Williams, four musicians whose effortless interplay gives every performance warmth, elegance, and undeniable swing. Their collective energy transforms each selection into something vibrant and timeless.
The album also reflects the influences that helped shape Breakstone's musical voice. Around the time of the recording, he was performing regularly with legendary saxophonist Warne Marsh, whose close association with pianist Lennie Tristano inspired Breakstone to include Tristano's "Two Not One." The legendary Django Reinhardt is honored with a spirited reading of "Django's Castle," acknowledging another giant whose artistry helped define jazz guitar.
While the interpretations of classic compositions are exceptional, Wonderful! also highlights Breakstone's gifts as a composer. His originals, "Sevens-Up" and "This Is It!," fit seamlessly alongside standards, demonstrating a composer already capable of writing sophisticated, memorable jazz. Tadd Dameron's expansive "Soultrane" provides one of the album's standout moments, while Vincent Youmans' "Time on My Hands" rounds out the seven-track program with grace and lyricism.
Despite the acclaim the album has earned over the years, Breakstone remains characteristically humble when reflecting on his younger self. "When I hear the young guitar player that I was," he says, "I can't help but think, if I only knew then what I know now."
Listeners, however, are likely to hear something entirely different: the unmistakable sound of an artist destined for greatness. Even at this early stage, the qualities that would define Breakstone's remarkable career are unmistakable. His playing combines technical brilliance with warmth, subtlety, and emotional depth—qualities that prompted the Santa Fe New Mexican to describe his guitar work as "fire in velvet," while DownBeat recognized him as being "among the best" of his generation's young jazz guitarists.
Born on July 22, 1955, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Breakstone's musical journey began in a home filled with Broadway cast recordings, classical music, jazz, and rock. He picked up the guitar at age 14, initially playing in a high school band with the delightfully unconventional lineup of guitar, bass, drums, organ, and flute. It wasn't until he discovered the recordings of Lee Morgan and Charlie Parker that jazz became his lifelong passion.
After studying at the New College of the University of South Florida and Berklee College of Music, Breakstone moved to New York City, where he quickly established himself as both a performer and educator. He worked alongside an impressive roster of jazz greats, including Warne Marsh, Emily Remler, Vinnie Burke, Aaron Bell, Joanne Brackeen, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and Glen Hall before recording Wonderful! His follow-up release, 4/4 = 1, featured pianist Kenny Barron, and his career soon expanded internationally with his first tour of Japan in 1986. Since then, Breakstone has released well over a dozen albums, including acclaimed tributes to Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery, and Bud Powell, cementing his place among today's most respected jazz guitarists.
Looking back, Breakstone views Wonderful! as a snapshot of an artist in the earliest stages of discovering his own musical identity. "This recording documents the germ of musical ideas that were just beginning to flower in my approach to playing jazz," he reflects.
That flowering would continue throughout an extraordinary career, but Wonderful! remains where it all began—a sparkling debut filled with imagination, confidence, and extraordinary musicianship. Seven exceptional performances. Four remarkable musicians. One unforgettable recording. Nearly 40 years after it first appeared, Wonderful! remains every bit as its title promises.
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