| Jazz guitarists rarely record complete albums
of unaccompanied solos. It's the ultimate challenge, and few
are equal to it; most such albums meander, or dissolve into
showers of pointless virtuosity, as guitarists are wont to do.
Not this one. "Body and Soul" stays firmly on message from beginning
to end, and the message is one of beauty, tenderness, and above
all grace. Alas, I cannot tell you how exquisitely beautiful
this album is - I don't have the words. But, then that's the
nice thing about a recording; you can hear for yourself. So
please put these notes aside and let Gene Bertoncini play for
you alone. Unlike me, he doesn't need mere words to speak his
mind and heart. It's all in the music. |
