Gudira

by Steve Loewy Guidera stands for the first two letters of the last names of members of the trio: bassist Barry Guy, flautist Robert Dick, and zitherist Randy Raine-Reusch. The music is a true collective effort at abstract group improvisation performed by three masters of the trade. While Guy and Dick are familiar names and accustomed to this kind of free improv, it is Raine-Reusch who gives the recording its special edge. His zithers substitute for keyboards, and when he adds Asian and Middle Eastern winds, he transforms the music into something fresh. When he arm wrestles Guy, the sparks fly, but in an entirely appealingly way. The occasionally slow pace weakens the whole, but these moments are relatively rare. The focus is largely on colors and shapes, nuances and shades: tasteful, yet invigorating.