Genre(s): Mainstream Jazz; Guitar Instrumental
URL: http://jazzguitarduo.client.jp

Two hearts beat as one in the interlocking grooves of Jazz Guitar Duo. Featuring Japanese guitarists Yasuhisa Kogawa and Yuichi Tanaka, Jazz Guitar Duo offers a different take on instrumental albums. The format is usually one guitar setting the tone and tempo, but Kogawa and Tanaka play tag team in crafting soothing textures and layers of mood and atmosphere, not to mention improvisational experimentation. The overall effect is not nearly as cerebral or sterile as that sounds; on the contrary, Kogawa and Tanaka are skilled in the art of rhythm and melody. Although the set-up is progressive, the music is actually quite retro at times, recalling the spellbinding work of Bill Frisell.

Jazz Guitar Duo could have been a duel; however, Kogawa and Tanaka play with each other more than they play off with one another. That sense of brotherhood keeps the music calm and relaxing, especially on “Down at the Dinghy,” in which the two provide the highs and lows of a rolling river. (For those who don’t know, a dinghy is a small boat, and it’s to Jazz Guitar Duo’s credit that one can make that interpretation from the music alone.) But it’s not all smooth sailing. “Derek” takes a darker turn, especially in its intro, echoing psychedelic sensibilities. Of all the tracks on "Chronicle," “Derek” has the sharpest claws in its hooks; the ominous, swirling throb of the duo’s guitars has a seductive pull. “Just Before the War” is pretty with its sentimental colors; there’s a sense of loss conveyed in its introspective riffs.

Jazz Guitar Duo expresses their wit on “The Robots (Puts Away Saturday),” which has the kind of bachelor-pad vibe made for 21st century living. “The Robots” swings in a cool fashion, presenting the lads as the sort of jazz hipsters that became extinct once robots were no longer science fiction. Jazz Guitar Duo may be ahead of their time as far as their arrangement goes; however, their music is the sound of today.