Anyone who loves guitar music and appreciates virtuosity times four–in the form of the impressive mastery of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet–will love this CD, whose program features works and arrangements that capitalize on the instrument’s associations with and natural compatibility for Spanish and Latin American musical styles. The opening–an arrangement of Sting’s “Fragile”–is a perfect attention-getter, its gentle, distant riff growing with steady insistence until we’re completely drawn into the heart of the song, whose atmosphere is enhanced by subtle interjections of percussion. Astor Piazzolla’s Fuga y Misterio is–as are most of these selections–a real tour de force that requires the highest levels of technique, energy, and ensemble precision. Brouwer’s Cuban Landscape with Rain gets the rain effects right, but at nearly seven minutes begins to wear out its welcome long before the piece is over. This also is the problem with LAGQ-member Andrew York’s own Syzygy, where he uses up his ideas before he’s willing to let go of them. Along the way, however, the playing is phenomenal, and you easily can understand why it’s such a treat to hear this ensemble live.
And speaking of treats, the duet Sevillanas–a traditional flamenco piece played by Scott Tennant and John Dearman, with their ensemble-mates providing excellent rhythmic hand-clapping (“palmas”)–is a definite highlight, along with the ever-popular concert favorite Carmen Suite (arranged by the LAGQ’s William Kannengiser). My only real question-mark comes with the sound perspective. Although you can’t argue with the clarity nor with many of the spatial (antiphonal and distance) effects–certainly conscious production decisions in this studio-made effort–I found the instruments generally too close for comfortable extended listening and wished for more depth to the stage. However, I realize that many listeners will appreciate the sound for these very reasons and will especially enjoy the sonic illusion of two guitarists sitting in the space between the speakers.