Saturday Morning in Boston

The fluidity, sonic beauty and musical interplay exhibited on this record leaves little to suggest that this album was recorded in one day (in Boston to be geographically precise) with cellist Mike Block having never previously heard any of the pieces. It is a testament to the extraordinary musicianship of Block and classical guitarist Derek Gripper. Although this album is only just recently available on streaming platforms, it was released before Gripper's latest solo album A Year of Swimming. All of the pieces here appear on that album, which was perhaps the original destination. As an alternative interpretation of that material, the impelling single-minded direction of Gripper's solo work bringing African works to the classical guitar is somewhat taken away. Added is a wondrous opening of sonic potentiality and the fruits of a spontaneous meeting of minds.

Gripper drives the pieces forward with relentlessly inventive, kora-inspired finger work, while Block's cello is left room to respond and double, to dive and soar over and under the guitar. While there are occasional droops into jam territory, much of the album comes together gloriously with exemplar moments of what improvisation can and should be. What never lets up, however, is the sheer beauty and transportive sound of this classical infused take on African music – wood, nylon, gut, bows and fingertips warmly and sensuously caressing the ears throughout.