1. A Walk For Ethel
2. I Know You Know
3. Doce Presenca
4. Sambrosia
5. Chimera
6. 1937
7. Justin Case
8. Blues For The J Man
9. But Beautiful
10. Madrugadora
George Cotsirilos – Guitra
Robb Fisher – Bass
Ron Marabuto – Drums
The piano trio is a well-known format but the guitar
trio is less familiar and perhaps less easy to succeed with. George
Cotsirilos is a guitarist based in San Francisco who is equally at
home on electric or acoustic guitar. This gives his album a built-in
variety which is matched with a spaciousness of sound that leaves
plenty of air for the music to breathe. George is a master of chords
and single notes, and he fills enough spaces that one never feels
the lack of a piano. His technique is not impeccable: he sometimes
has difficulty negotiating fast passages.
He is well backed by bassist Robb Fisher and drummer Ron Marabuto, although I wish the drummer’s rimshot clicks were more orderly and less spasmodic. It
seems that many drummers have got the idea that the only accompaniment for a bossa nova like Doce Presenca is a series of clicks but it would
usually be better if drummers played a gentle samba rhythm without that incessant ticking noise.
George composed all but three of the ten tunes here. His upbringing in Chicago is reflected in Blues for The J Man. He has a restrained, modest
sound that never imposes itself on the listener. This culminates in a beautiful unaccompanied version of But Beautiful which is seductive in its
understatement.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
0A2 Records 0A2 22104
