David Russell - Spanish Legends (2005)

Any guitarist who surveys the music and performance styles of his virtuoso predecessors either must be extraordinarily confident in his imitative abilities or every bit their equal in prowess, passion, and personality. That David Russell belongs in the latter category is evident on this 2005 release from Telarc; his performances of colorful works by Regino Sainz de la Maza, Miguel Llobet, Andrés Segovia, and Emilio Pujol are technically brilliant, lyrically expressive, and imbued with an intimate character that feels authentic, not copied. Russell is noted for his exceptional guitar timbres, and here provides several examples of his bell-like harmonics, controlled vibrato, secco plucking, and varied shadings of lines. Often, as in Llobet's Plany and El Mestre, Segovia's Estudio Sin Luz, and Pujol's Festivola, Russell conveys a melodic intensity that suggests both the human voice and the flamenco quality of duende, acquired by the guitarist from his studies in Spain and nurtured still through his continued relationships there. It may be difficult to tell where Russell's tributes to the masters end and his own expressiveness begins, but this is a sign of his well-rounded musicianship; mannerisms that a guitar aficionado may discern are perhaps less important than the spirit of the interpretations, which Russell communicates convincingly. Telarc's sound quality is clear and vibrant.

Review by Blair Sanderson