A duo is the smallest type of band. There are many kinds of duos, such as a wind instrument with piano, a wind instrument with bass, or a string instrument with piano. Despite these options, piano-and-guitar duos remain uncommon. Since both instruments can play chords, their harmonies can sometimes clash, which may be one reason they don’t often perform together. With this in mind, I’ve selected three albums that spotlight piano-guitar duos. The duo format reveals each musician’s individuality, so I hope you’ll enjoy the distinct qualities of these performers.
#319 Intellectually Sophisticated and SPECIAL Duo Album
Undercurrent / Bill Evans & Jim Hall
(Esoteric ESSJ-90317)
When it comes to piano and guitar duos, this album, recorded in 1962, is the first thing that comes to mind. The album captures Evans and Hall’s exceptional talents: delicate musical sensibility alongside overflowing romantic lyricism. This is a “special” duo work in which intellectually refined improvisation is elevated to magnificent interplay.
First up is the spirit of adventure embodied in the opening track, ＜My Funny Valentine.＞ With bold, up-tempo interplay, this thrilling performance almost overturns the typical image this piece conveys. It’s impressive how they inspire each other with free-flowing improvisation, making the most of the melody and harmony and keeping the tension alive the whole time. Most of the other tracks are ballads; each one is beautifully played and filled with poetic feeling. As its name suggests, ＜Dream Gypsy＞ is brimming with dreamlike, romantic emotion. Then follows ＜Romain＞, which conceals a burning melancholy within its tranquility. The album cover is striking, featuring a photograph by Toni Frissell. She was a female photographer who worked for LIFE magazine and other publications at that time. The original LP had six tracks, but after some unreleased pieces and alternate takes were found, the standard CD version now has ten tracks. Released last December on the Esoteric label, this album offers a rich musical dialogue between Evans and Hall, well worth savoring.
#320 Duo Work of New Generation Recorded 40 Years after “Undercurrent”
Timeline / John Abercrombie ~ Andy La Verne
(Steeplechase LP G-1538)
Guitarist John Abercrombie (December 1944 to August 2017) and pianist Andy La Verne (born December 1947) were known for their versatility and sometimes played together. The two of them loved Bill Evans’ music and played several of his pieces. Furthermore, Abercrombie had said, “Jim Hall was a major influence on me.”
Inspired by the aforementioned “Undercurrent” (#319), the two recorded this album for SteepleChase in the fall of 2002. Just listen to the opening track, ＜My Funny Valentine,＞ and you’ll clearly see that while the duo drew inspiration from Evans and Hall’s playing, they developed their own unique approach. Rather than a dialogue, their duo style is more like a flowing interplay where each musician complements the other’s solo performances. In addition to tracks from “Undercurrent” such as ＜Darn That Dream＞ and ＜Skating in Central Park,＞ the album features richly textured duos on La Verne’s original compositions, including ＜Inner Voice＞ and ＜Adagio.＞ Recorded 40 years after “Undercurrent,” this new generation duo’s work was released in the summer of 2025 as part of SteepleChase’s high-quality LP “Audiophile Edition” series on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. Originally released on CD in 2003, this recording is now available on LP for the first time.
#321 Fresh Duo Album that Shows Untapped Potential of Duo Performances
AMI OGAERI & MAY INOUE II
(ReBorn Wood RBW-0039)
May Inoue, a leading guitarist on the Japanese music scene, and Ami Ogaeri, a pianist whose playing evokes dazzling flashes of inspiration, are both 34. Having explored a wide range of musical genres, including not only jazz but also rock, pop, and classical, the two musicians’ performance possesses a fresh sound unlike anything heard from a duo before.
They recorded their first duo album in 2022. This second album features eight original pieces by Ogaeri and three by Inoue. As seen in titles like ＜Yura-yura (Swaying),＞ ＜Kage-no-tsuzuki (Following the Shadows),＞ and ＜Hizashi (Sunlight),＞ each composition paints vivid snapshots of everyday life and glimmers of future hope, inviting listeners to glimpse the artists’ inner worlds through natural musical expressions. As if expressing their mutual sympathies for the works, the two instruments come together, blending and merging, and, while asserting their individuality, bring each piece’s unique world view to life. This work, born of youthful sensibilities, offers a unique exploration of duo performance, revealing many untapped possibilities within the form.
About the Author
Masamichi Okazaki
Surrounded by various kinds of music from his childhood, Masamichi Okazaki joined Waseda University Modern Jazz Club. He started contributing articles to music magazines when he was a student. He covers wide range of music not only trad, modern and contemporary jazz, but also from pops to classics. He writes liner notes for CDs and LPs, and is a regular contributor to “JAZZ JAPAN,” “STEREO,” and others. He joined a big band, “Shiny Stockings,” as a saxophone player. He is a director of The Music Pen Club Japan (MPCJ).
