Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - Labyrinth (1995)

Not my favorite LAGQ CD. The performances are brilliant, as always, but the selection of works is weak and disjointed. Of the 9 works here, 5 are original works, then there's some Aaron Copland, Count Basie, and John Philip Sousa. You get the point. Taken by themselves, most of the pieces are enjoyable, but they don't make a very coherent album although I imagine it would make for a very entertaining live show. That's the risk you run with a crossover group. Here's what group member/composer Andrew York says about the album on his website:

Labyrinth was potentially one of the most interesting CDs we had conceived. Unfortunately, the mix of music was too eclectic and did not blend well, making for a scattered listening experience, even though there was some very creative music on this disc by a number of excellent composers.

Tracks: Of the original pieces, I like the first track, Quiccan. The Ian Krouse piece, Labyrinth (on a theme of Led Zeppelin), would probably be interesting to analyze, but isn't the most interesting thing to listen to. That could be because I'm not really wild about Zeppelin. Labyrinth is actually an appropriate title since it meanders for about 20 minutes.

Of the transcriptions, the Basie number, Jumpin' At The Woodside is always a treat, no matter the instrumentation. I had high hopes for the transcription of Sousa's Black Horse Troop, but meh.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:
For Thy Pleasure (1996)
Evening in Granada (1993)