Narada Guitar 2: The Best of Two Decades (2-CD Set)

Considering the price, the volume (two hours' worth of music; 28 tracks from 17 acts), the variety (contemporary flamenco; ruminating folk; blues-influenced fingerpicking; smoothly sagacious jazz), and the sustained quality of the tunes, this package is a terrific find for fans of melodic contemporary acoustic guitar. Subtitled "The Best of Two Decades," Narada Guitar 2 is more accurately a showcase for the label's newer acts--20 of the 28 tracks were recorded between 1998 and 2000. Still, highlights abound: the dexterity and imagination displayed by adventurous fingerpicker Don Ross; the subtle tension of "Ray's Passage" from Randy Roos; the growling, whimsical charm of "The Lawnmower Song" by Eric Tingstad; the enticing flamenco filigree of Jesse Cook; the Celtic-tinged promenade of "Candleman" by Billy McLaughlin; and so on. A few flaws do surface. For instance, the fascinating spell cast by the first four tracks on Disc 2 is shattered by an inappropriate samba, a lightweight cream-puff, from Willie & Lobo. Yet the overriding quality of this cherry-picked sampler more than compensates. A fine value. --Terry Wood