A number of potent adjectives have been used to describe classical guitarist Eliot Fisk and jazz guitarist Bill Frisell — from “creative” and “adventuresome” to “intelligent and gifted.” While all those terms hold true, what rose to the surface at Gates Concert Hall on Friday was a little thing called chemistry.
After each of the guitar greats wowed a devoted following with solo sets that confirmed the depth and range of their individual talents as performers, composers and arrangers, Frisell and Fisk came together in a mash-up of jazz and classical motifs.
Their first-ever collaboration might as well have been their hundredth, so in tune were they with each other’s subtlest inflections and spontaneous shifts in intonation. Despite coming from seemingly opposite sides of the musical universe, their shared artistic sensibilities and mutual musical perspectives closed the distance and intersected at a natural midpoint.
In a succession of varied works by Robert Beaser, Villa-Lobos, Gershwin and a delightful set of three Bach inventions, neither virtuoso indulged in compromise or deference to the other. Rather, the duo simply and wonderfully came together in an easy, musical conversation.
That said, the collaborative effort — while immensely enjoyable — failed to represent each guitarist’s full potential, perhaps contrary to expectations.
Rather, the most memorable aspects of the program were the brilliant solo sets in the first half. Frisell’s luminous, gentle rendering of the classic “Moon River” was followed by gentle, richly resonant harmonies that evolved as a sort of jazz meditation and culminated in inventive looping effects.
As for Fisk, his fluid, singular technique dazzled throughout with a charming set of Scarlatti sonatas (originally for harpsichord) and a vigorous trio of fleet-fingered dances by Agustin Barrios Mangore.
Arguably the highlight of the evening, however, was Fisk’s arrangement of John Corigliano’s “Red Violin Caprices.” The ambitious, virtuosic set of variations was delivered with tremendous skill, emotion and consummate technique.
