Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
Classical guitar lovers looking for a jazzier change of pace shouldn't be disappointed by Nylon & Steel, Manuel Barrueco's album of duets with Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, and Andy Summers. But ironically enough, it's the two solo tunes that bookend this disc, Barrueco's 'Odeon' and his solo guitar arrangement of Aaron Copland's 'Rodeo,' that are the real highlights. His three cuts with Di Meola are a mixed affair, but the interplay between the duo seems to gel on the longer 'Azzurra.' Steve Morse's electric guitar is loaded with Bill Frisell-like effects, but on 'Wolvesville,' he and Barrueco create an inspired and unleashed fusion between rock and classical music (the inspiration for the piece is a Villa-Lobos étude). Three mellow collaborations with Summers round out this set of intriguing guitar instrumentals. --Jason Verlinde









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Disc 1:

1. Odeon - Manuel Barrueco, Nazareth, Ernesto
2. Beyond the Mirage - Manuel Barrueco, DiMeola, Al
3. Azzurra - Manuel Barrueco, DiMeola, Al
4. The Grand Passion - Manuel Barrueco, DiMeola, Al
5. Wolvesville (Improvisation on Etude No. 1) - Manuel Barrueco, Villa-Lobos, Heitor
6. Cavatina - Manuel Barrueco, Myers, Stanley
7. Without Sunglasses (Sense Ulleres de Sol) - Manuel Barrueco, Valls, Victor
8. Northern Lights - Manuel Barrueco, Morse, Steve
9. Up in the Air - Manuel Barrueco, Morse, Steve
10. Mysteries of the Slow River (Misterios Do Rio Lento) - Manuel Barrueco, Machado, Celso
11. I Remember - Manuel Barrueco, Summers, Andy
12. Crow at Midnight - Manuel Barrueco, Summers, Andy
13. Hoedown - Manuel Barrueco,

Rating: - * An Oasis of quality music. ... The tracks on this recording vary from exuberant latin-american jazz - like 'Beyond The Mirage'- to more introspective music like 'The Grand Passion'. 'Northern Lights'is very sensitive as well, it makes you a little bit melancholic. Between all the noisy dance-music we have nowadays, 'Nylon & Steel'is an oasis of quality and high standard.(Though there is no classical music played on this cd - apart from Villa-Lobos - don't let that spoil the fun). Something about this music reminds me of the piano-music of Brad Mehldau: it sounds familiar and at the same time it's something new. Rating: - * Wonderful CD ... I didn't think I would like this CD. However, after the first listen, I had to admit this is a fantastic CD! Rating: - * cool classical/rock/jazz fusion ... This is a very interesting combination of the classical and rock/jazz worlds of guitar playing. All four guitarists have amazing chops and they're all quite tasteful on this recording. If you're a fan of Barrueco, DiMeola, Morse, or Summers, check out this CD. I had heard Barrueco and Summers before, and knew of DiMeola and Morse by reputation, so I had an idea of what to expect...but "Nylon & Steel" surpassed those expectations. Very cool, indeed. Rating: - * cool classical/rock/jazz fusion ... This is a very interesting combination of the classical and rock/jazz worlds of guitar playing. All four guitarists have amazing chops and they're all quite tasteful on this recording. If you're a fan of Barrueco, DiMeola, Morse, or Summers, check out this CD. I had heard Barrueco and Summers before, and knew of DiMeola and Morse by reputation, so I had an idea of what to expect...but "Nylon & Steel" surpassed those expectations. Very cool, indeed. Rating: - * A Disaster ... Except for the two Barrueco solos, this CD made me nauseous!!!Listening to it reminded me why I stopped listening to most improvised music. Throughout tracks 2 to 4, DiMeola struggles futilely to come up with anything but comical latin cliches. DiMeola's mindless noodling is an affront to Barrueco's musicality. Summers playing on the other hand, while somewhat musical, is mostly syrup. Villa-Lobos' Etude 1 duet hurt the most. I have played this piece for years and, though an etude, I find it quite entertaining (as do most classical guitarists I think). During most of the piece, Morse simply plays scale-exercise filler and obliterates all the musical ideas in the piece. Listen, Villa-Lobos was one of the most original and masterful composers of this century. It is criminal to think that playing this electronic fluff over Villa-Lobos' etude does it justice. A word to the uninitiated - buy Sergio and Odair Assad's "Latin Music for Two Guitars" and learn something about the depth and beauty of serious latin guitar music.