Tomoya Hara and Mark Tourian “Window”

(Panormo Music) 2004

Tomoya Hara - acoustic and electric guitars

Mark Tourian - acoustic bass

Overall, Hara and Tourian's newly released recording is a striking piece of work. Recorded with great acoustics, the tunes have a stately elegance to them, that isn't afraid to swing and bounce at times, either. As delicate as the song titles "Sunrise," "Falling Grace," or "Bali Time," this fine selection of a dozen guitar/bass duets is an instant pleaser. From the first notes, Hara and Tourian are in sync, flowing endlessly in and out and around each other's melodic creations. The two work in the open spaces of the tempo as well as together in the harmony for a lush, fully realized work of crisp, open beauty.

They are not afraid of moving into meatier territory, though, either. On "Greasy," a low-down blues, they let loose with the musical equivalent of comfort food. Digging into deep notes and letting fly with high ones, the blues gets down to the fun of the intense exchange of a duet format. Later in the CD, they really pile it on with "Big Booty," a driving electric blues. On "Hamon," they stretch into a comfortably free meter that fits them both like a pair of well-worn slacks, while "Witchcraft" plucks into tight swing. The change-around of arrangements is nicely done, and nicely ordered.

"Polka Dots and Moonbeams" gives Tourian the melody line with beautiful arco bass work. The way his classical technique draws out notes and articulates each and every nuance is especially lovely. Hara, not wanting to be outdone, answers with particularly fine fretwork. "Why You Always…," though moves into tougher, forceful territory. Here, Tourian's bow sounds more like a tough country fiddler than a string quartet, reeling off blues notes with sharpness and intensity. And again, Hara answers with the most rock-ish electric guitar of the session, fuzzing and bending for a raw, edgy sound.

The CD closes out with the elegant "Sunset," written, like "Bali Time," about the beauty of that island. The unhurried tempo reflects not only life on Bali, but rather two talents who do not need to speed along or overcrowd their songs. They play with a relaxed attentiveness that deserves careful and repeated listening.