Encuentro is a fine encounter between two maestros from different countries and generations, but whose artistry with the Spanish guitar is brought together beautifully. The fourteen tracks on the album feature four with Falú as sole or part composer and three that feature his rich, evocative vocalizations. These latter seemed clearly sequenced to provide breaks amid the instrumental pieces and they do that job quite well.
There are times when liner notes provide great background information on the performers, pieces, instruments and musical traditions and there are others in which they are well-intended, but not particularly informative and can be paeans to the performers that lay it on a bit a too thick.
That is the case with Félix Grande's tribute to Falú and Peña--the words "mankind" and "arts" are capitalized; musical instruments "affirm human and divine truths"; and we are entreated to listen to the music "as if it were the mysterious turns of the wheels of our destiny." There's much more, but the examples give plenty of an indication of Grande's expansive (get it?) essay's thrust.
Falú who had a distinguished career spanning some sixty years died in Buenos Aires five years ago at age 90, while Peña, now in his mid-seventies, released his last album four years ago but is still active with upcoming shows in London, Hong Kong and Pudong, China. Encuentro is a gorgeous album, melding approaches from a common background with signature personal touches.
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