Blake & Rice (1987)

Stripped of banjo, fiddle and bass, this intimate recording puts two of the greatest flatpicking guitarists of all time in a direct, unvarnished dialogue. Norman Blake's woody, traditional southern melodies and Tony Rice's fluid, jazz-inflected phrasing complement each other with extraordinary subtlety. Rather than competing, they trade rhythm and lead roles with seamless deference, using vocal duets and acoustic headroom to give each tune breathing space. For anyone who appreciates the pure timbre of acoustic wood and steel, this is essential.