Here’s a ear-friendly collection of duets between guitarist Alex Machacek and pianist Gary Husband. All of the tunes are written by the two gents and they mix intricate interplay with accessible melodies. Most of the time, the material is cozy and relaxed, such as on “Gently” and “Cinema Lullaby.” Some of the material has them coaxing eachother like on “Austrian Bluegrass” and the intriguing “BlaBlaBla.” Machacek’s picking is crystal clear and precise; his solos as on “City Nights 2013” are cleverly conceived, and Husband knows when to be the background support and when to slide onto center stage. I’m a sucker for duos, so this is a keeper.
Manifold Records