Album Notes

The San Francisco Guitar Quartet are David Dueñas, Patrick Francis, Christopher Hanford, and Mark Simons - four Bay Area guitarists presenting an expansive and vibrant repertoire of newly composed works as well as time-tested classics. Exploring the many and varied possibilities of four guitars playing together, an SFGQ program is a veritable guitar lover’s Wonderland, offering at once an abundant, engaging, and delightfully eclectic listening experience. From the infectious rhythms of Brazil to the whirling dances of the Balkans, from the passion of the tango to the hypnotic textures of minimalism, the SFGQ manifests a modern yet all-embracing approach to chamber music for classical guitar - with deference the guitar's deep roots in the folk and ethnic traditions. Through their national and international touring, ground-breaking recordings, and featured performances at major guitar festivals, the SFGQ has established itself as an enduring presence in the classical guitar world.

Praise for the San Francisco Guitar Quartet's "Compadres":

" . . . strong performances throughout in this particularly interesting programme" - Classical Guitar Magazine (UK)

"My wife and I play your CD ALL THE TIME - everyone who hears it, loves it" - Steve Adams, Florida

" . . . a top CD of 2003" - Acoustic Guitar Magazine


. . . and on their live shows:

". . . the SFGQ's performance was an outstanding highlight of our festival" - Reed Gilchrist, Director, Guitarra California Festival

". . . this group has found a path to expressing its most powerful musical impulses" - Marc Teicholz, SF Conservatory

The SFGQ play with a fresh enthusiasm and life force which one rarely experiences in even the most seasoned performers"
- Scott Tennant

" . . . listening to them was a deep, almost surreal experience"
- The Pacific Daily News

If you like guitar music, you will love the SFGQ's latin-infused 2003 recording, "Compadres." It features never-heard-before works and was described by composer Dusan Bogdanovic as, "heartwarming . . . not just another guitar cd."

You can also check out the quartet's first CD, "Black Opal" at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sfgq2