Jan Lundgren & Yamandu Costa: Inner Spirits

They are probably not the most obvious pairing, but pianist Jan Lundgren from Sweden and guitarist Yamandu Costa from Brazil comprehensively prove that the obvious is not always the best. Their album, Inner Spirits, displays a rare kind of chemistry and mutual understanding that defines the concept of musical partnership.

It is often the case that piano-guitar duets do not work too well; both instruments seem to compete for the same space. When it works well, the results can be memorable: Bill Evans and Jim Hall, Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau and more recently, Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel, have proved that in the right hands, the format can work exceptionally well.

Costa is a Latin Grammy-winning specialist on the seven-string guitar. He has worked with symphony orchestras and collaborated with artists such as Gilberto Gil, Richard Galliano and Bobby McFerrin. Lundgren, a major name in European jazz with around 50 albums released, is no stranger to unusual international collaborations; he is perhaps best known for his three Mare Nostrum albums, where he collaborated with trumpeter Paolo Fresu and accordionist Richard Galliano. This album has 14 tracks, five each from Lundgren and Costa, together with four covers. Lundgren has dedicated one track each to his previous collaborators in Mare Nostrum and one to his wife (always a wise move).

The seventh string on a guitar provides an extended range that Costa takes full advantage of by using the lowest string to take the lead in his composition, "Para Aprender a Amar." The rhythm has some similarities to a waltz. Lundgren and Costa delight in curling inventively around the melody, sometimes echoing each other or changing leads and directions.

Costa's other compositions explore Brazilian music. "Diplomata" is bright and brisk. The melancholy and tender nostalgia of "A Legrand" is a delicate dance between the two instruments. "Nina" is a standout, a gentle folky lament with an almost Celtic melody, the duo playing is exceptional and Costa is at his most expressive on the uplifting and swaying "Choro Para Paquito" with Lundgren being the perfect foil.

"Galliano," Lundgren's relaxing tribute to his former band mate, flows gently with fine keyboard work as the duo combine, creating rhythms for each other. The slow dance-like gentle swing of "Fresu," his other band mate tribute, is another highlight. "Hannah," the song dedicated to his wife, singer Hannah Svensson, builds from a gentle beginning to a dance rhythm as the musicians mesh together with Lundgren at his best. Svensson co-composed the excellent, if bittersweet, "Summer Kind Of Love." Lundgren's final composer contribution is the Cuban tango-esque "Habanera."

Unsurprisingly, one of the four covers was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. "Garoto," one of Jobim's lesser-known tunes, has a memorable cascading rhythmic melody. The piano moves in a bluesy direction as it builds into mesmerising combinations with the guitar. The duo end the album with Luiz Bonfa's well-known "Bossa Nova Manhã De Carnaval."

The duo's chemistry shines through on this recording. The lead voice constantly changes, with both instruments being involved at nearly all times. There are no indulgent solos and they never take each other's spotlight. The album offers exceptional interplay and musicianship, which, combined with their delicacy of touch and melodic flair, makes for an addictive delight.

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