1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mutual Understanding, December 26, 2011
This review is from: Mutual Street (Audio CD)
"Mutual Street" presents two outstanding musicians who obviously have established an intimate understanding of each other through years of playing together. Bickert has played in numerous ensembles with Rob McConnell including the 22-member Boss Brass, in quintet setting, in trio setting, and with this CD in duo setting. The idea of a trombone - guitar duo is novel, and at first sounds like it may not work. However, these two manage to pull it off - you will not miss the pulse that drums would provide or the bottom that a bass would provide. Bickert and McConnell provide everything that is need for swinging, melodic, soulful jazz.
~ Each player gets plenty of solo space. In most selections, McConnell states the opening theme before making room for Bickert to solo. When Bickert solos, McConnell usually adds little complementary phrases in the lower register of the trombone. When McConnell solos, Bickert shows that he is perhaps the best guitarist in all of jazz at the art of supporting the soloist with tasteful artistic comping. Often the two players solo simultaneously with interwoven counter melodies that could only have resulted of playing together all those years. It is like listening to two old friends having a musical conversation.
~ This hard-to-find CD is highly recommended to anyone who is open to listening to a unique combination of instruments (are there any other trombone - guitar duo recordings out there?), anyone who loves solo trombone and solo guitar, and to anyone who wants to learn how to support a fellow artist's solos. If you are not familiar with either of these artists, there is no better introduction than this CD.
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