Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola
Album: Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola
Label: Daisy
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.sarah-janeummers.com

This self titled album from Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola, reflects a couple of tends that have been establishing themselves in recent years, namely the collaborative projects between Scottish and Scandinavian musicians, in this case Norway and an increase in the number of fiddle-guitar duos.

Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola first played together in Mala Fama, a band that release on Norway's NorCD label and in some ways, this album distils that essence further down to the raw spirit. Silvola is also a much sort after record producer back home and on this outing, I can see why.

Sparse is one of those code words that reviewers often use instead of bleak, but it can also be used instead of minimalist and to a degree, both parts can apply to this album, there are times when the silence is almost as noticeable as the note that descended you into to it and the note that pulled you out. This is an album where very little goes to waste, almost every chord and phrase has form and function.

That may make the album sound a little cold, almost a little inhospitable, but generally that is not the case, rather this is an album that allows you to feel the shapes and ideas. Whilst the ideas are almost abstract they come with structure rather than being right out there in a way free form jazz might be.

The two musicians interlock and interact with a sound that can only be described by its intimacy, something that may be a product of the duo being a couple, but there are points on the album where you feel you are listening to a connection that could best be described as foreplay with instruments such is the passion of the song, "Outlaws Don't Dance Waltzes" being a prime example.

"Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola" is an instrumental album, but such is the intuitive way the duo feel their way into the tunes, you find yourself forgetting that there aren't any words and in all honesty, I'll leave that as all the recommendation you should need to seek this one out.

Neil King