 
Nylon string guitarist and educator, Gene Bertoncini
keeps things moving at a relaxed pace on Acoustic
Romance, a trio date with the crack
rhythm team of
bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Akira Tana. Residing
in the vaults since 1992, the program consists
of eleven timeless standards performed
in a predicatable, but still inviting manner. Bertoncini
is delightfully delicate throughout, both due to
his measured delivery and the attraction of this
instrument's timbre.
No better track highlights Bertoncini's abilities
than the opening number, the idyllic "Edelweiss,"
performed here as a solo feature. As this is a
leisurely paced date, good
natured Swing carries the day, as emphasized
by the breezy "Girl Talk," the happy-go-lucky nature
of "Gone With The Wind" and the freewheeling waltz
of "Emily." This is Bertoncini's show and that's
fine with Tana and Reid, who make a sympathetic
team. They coax and assist Bertoncini on almost
every track, stirred by Reid's confident basslines
and Tana's supple thrythmic flow. Tana,
in particular, consistently displays his skilled
brushwork. There
are several worthy Latinized moments, particularly
on the midtempo pulse of "Invitation." A
record like this is about subtlety, where the joys
are found in the mood and solid technical abilities
of the musicians. Whether the title emerges
from a producer/marketer's head or from the musicans
themselves, their modest goals — merely to
provide refreshing, romantic music — are
met.
— Jay Collins
© Cadence January
2004, page 109
|
