Gene Bertoncini, Frank Vignola - Meeting Of The Grooves (2002)

This duo meeting of guitarists Gene Bertoncini and Frank Vignola pairs musicians separated by a generation in age, but that's all. Both men have proven themselves as strong soloists in group settings and each of them has made rewarding solo CDs, but they are also very much up to the task of the necessary give and take of guitar duets. They make the most of timeless melodies from the Great American Songbook, including "If I Had You," "Moonlight in Vermont," and "Out of Nowhere." Their vigorous workout of Fats Waller's "The Jitterbug Waltz" and an enticing medley of bossa nova favorites by Antonio Carlos Jobim also prove to be stimulating. It's a shame there isn't also a video of this studio session, which would be of considerable interest to jazz guitarists and fans. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden