“Who Says You Can’t” finds Danish guitar player Michael Vestbo, bandleader of Vestbo Trio, on a solo outing.

Vestbo broke his left hand in early 2023 and had all of his underarm, wrist, ring finger and little finger in a cask. In this situation, he tried to write something that could be played with the index and middle finger. And voilà! What came out was “Who Says You Can’t.”

Vestbo Trio, with drummer Eddi Jarl and bassist Jesper Smalbro, has released music for over a decade. The trio plays instrumental music inspired by an array of genres and their own way of expressing themselves.

“Who Says You Can’t” is a sparse, clean acoustic guitar instrumental track. In this track, Vestbo brings forth something different, something more personal to him. It focuses on the intricacies of Vestbo’s acoustic guitar playing. He masterfully combines tresillo-like fingerpicking and delicate melodic lines.

At first glance, this track might come off as something that offers a minimalistic and atmospheric soundscape. Upon closer inspection, the ingenuity of Vestbo’s acoustic playing reveals itself. For example, the key to the charm of this track comes from Vestbo’s use of dynamics. It never gets too loud, but it keeps on shifting from soft to almost whispering passages or from assertive to more restrained. This evokes the introspective and wistful atmosphere of the track. 

It is hard, if not outright impossible, to put this track under a single genre. But, it does draw elements from jazz and blues. Paired with Vestbo’s sui generis approach to melody and harmony, it sounds more open and reflective in terms of musical ideas. Lovely stuff!