Album Notes

One of the fundamental attributes of the art form of jazz is that the future and the past is encompassed in the same vision. We look to the great players of the past for inspiration, and to the music that they played for our foundation. This CD is our homage to these great jazz standards. Each generation of players brings their own musical and cultural sensibilities to the bandstand. We hope to convey the continuing vitality of the music as it is tempered by our experiences.

In this CD we've tried to capture the feeling of our live performance. Most of the recording was done in one take, with a minimum of studio enhancements. Our goal was to create intimate portraits of the music we love, and believe this to be the essense of jazz.

The duo offers a format for the musician that is unique in music. It gives the player a level of freedom that is not possible in larger groups and provides the backing that is missing in solo performance. It opens the music up and provides room for interaction and a dialog that at times can be astonishing to both the player and the listener.

In his review of this CD, renowned guitarist Dale Bruning writes:

"Howard and Doug's treatment of these wonderful jazz standards is their own, but the significant influence of performer's who've preceded them is nicely evident throughout ... Howard and Doug have different styles that commendably compliment one another. It is difficult to sustain musical interest over an entire CD with just two guitars, but these two men acquit themselves admirably. The results are most appealing ... Congratulations, Howard and Doug."