Two Master Guitarists + 18 tracks = Acoustic Improv Heaven Dusan Bogdanovic and Bruce Arnold wring all the possibilities out of twelve strings in Aspiration (MSK 129). “...Bogdanovic’s playing simply acts as a vehicle for his luminous, multicultural compositions. But what playing! Wielding a solo classical guitar, Dusan handles tricky polymeters, Balkan melodies, startling counterpoint, and oud- inspired improvised lines with nuance and sinewy grace. The depth of ideas and clarity of his playing borders on spooky. If you love guitar, you must investigate this jewel.” --Guitar Player, “Jazz guitarist and composer Bruce Arnold teaches at Princeton University and stubbornly experiments with musical matter that was found almost hopeless to deal with by the so called “third stream” of the 50s. Mr. Arnold’s experiments, which combine contemporary classical methods - 12-tone system, Hildegarde von Bingen, Indian shamen have been unexpectedly well received even by the rather conservative Down Beat. --Newsweek The improvised duet is a singularly revealing format. Two players enter into a temporary relationship, bonding on the most profound levels of intellectual curiosity and risk taking. Technical and artistic facility is a given. Trust is essential. In “Aspiration” two virtuosos enter into that relationship and give us 18 short pieces, filled with delicacy and darkness, ambience and adventure. Both musicians are accomplished in their own right, with an impressive list of accomplishments and critical praise. Both have played with the best in the field. Both are considered innovators. Upon meeting they immediately sensed affinities, and decided to document several sessions. The only structure agreed upon was that the pieces would be brief. Close listening reveals the degree to which these two guitarists are able to express themselves on their instruments and to communicate with each other at lightening speed. But no matter how accomplished the artist, there is always another level of achievement to strive for. The music on “Aspiration” quite literally breaks new ground; documenting an aesthetic adventure from medieval sounds to the intricacies of cutting edge contemporary jazz and classical music. Bruce Arnold and Dusan Bogdanovic here aspire and conspire to meet the challenge of creating spontaneous and breathing musical spaces. For more information on Dusan Bogdanovic, please visit: dusanbogdanovic.com For more information on Bruce Arnold, please visit: http://brucearnold.com/ For further information, interviews or photos, contact: Muse-eek Publishing at 212-473-7030 toll free at 1-866-415-8960 info@muse-eek.com For further information, interviews or photos, contact: Muse-eek Publishing at 212-473-7030 or toll free at 1-866-415-8960 info@muse-eek.com *To explain further, the chord progressions are based on four groups of three notes, these same four groups are used in every tune except “Snap Crackle Bop,” which uses another three-note structure that is divided into 4 parallel chord structures. Although this system would appear to have strict limitations, the variety within the music is remarkable. More information about Mr. Arnold’s serial based hexatonic system can be found in his book: “MY MUSIC: Explorations in the Application of 12 Tone Techniques to Jazz Composition and Improvisation.”