Jonathan Kreisberg brings a Latin rhythmic sensibility to Kurt Weill's "September Song" on his 2008 album Night Songs, performing on acoustic guitar with a rhumba feel at approximately 83 beats per minute. The two-chorus guitar solo navigates the 32-bar AABA form in C major with the harmonic sophistication that has become Kreisberg's signature, his acoustic tone warm and resonant as he builds melodic ideas with patient logic. Gary Versace follows with a single piano chorus that matches the guitarist's level of invention, his improvisations weaving through the Weill changes with a mix of lyrical beauty and harmonic adventure. The rhumba feel gives the performance a gentle rhythmic pulse distinct from the straight swing or ballad treatments heard on most of the album, adding textural variety to the program. Weill composed "September Song" for the 1938 musical Knickerbocker Holiday, and the melody's bittersweet quality is well served by Kreisberg's intimate acoustic approach. Matt Penman on bass and Mark Ferber on drums provide a flexible rhythmic framework that breathes with the soloists. Night Songs captures Kreisberg at a moment of artistic maturity, and this track demonstrates his ability to reimagine familiar standards through creative rhythmic and timbral choices.
