Dueling Guitars 1: Paul Bollenback and John Hart

Little known outside of very dedicated guitar heads, John Hart and Paul Bollenback are two guys from jazz's mainstream. Not as funky as, say, George Benson, original as Wes Montgomery, or forward-thinking as Pat Metheny, Bollenback and Hart are straight-ahead players in the tradition of masters like Joe Pass and Barney Kessel. The pair play fat, hollow-body electric instruments, employ few effects (save for a dose of reverb), and only occasionally indulge in common guitar techniques such as string-bending. This set of duets, recorded in 2006 in an art gallery in Saugerties, NY, finds Bollenback and Hart making their way through a few standards (“Alone Together,” “But Not For Me”), some originals, and a couple of more unusual covers (Thelonious Monk's “I Mean You” and Stevie Wonder's “Superstition”) for a total of nine tracks. Bollenback and Hart have played with some top leaders (the latter with Joey DeFrancesco, among others; the former with Jimmy Smith, Lou Donaldson, and James Moody), and both are clearly no slouches either as improvisers or accompanists. But without a rhythm section, there's nothing happening here but guitars, and those with limited exposure to this playing style are unlikely to be attracted to the ceaseless flurries of notes. Still, this is swinging, sophisticated music from excellent players, nicely filmed in high-def, and beautifully recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1, making it a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (S. Graham)