Steve Cardenas and Jim Campilongo have been taking part in guitar collectively for a very long time, although the constellations solely lately aligned so they may document.

Captured on three nights in September of 2022, New Yr showcases harmonic personalities merging by ambiance, reverb, and historic acoustic guitars. It’s additionally a meditation on the sweetness and power of restraint. Minus a rhythm part, the 2 virtuosos used shared musical idiosyncrasies to decorate time-honored classics and originals.

 What have been the mechanics behind how New Yr happened?
 Steve Cardenas: I referred to as and instructed Jim, “I believe we gotta do it now, or it’s not going to occur ever!” (laughs)
Jim Campilongo: I used to be pressured from shifting 3,000 miles when Steve referred to as to ask. On the time, I had containers as much as the ceiling and felt like I didn’t even play guitar anymore. However, as soon as we bought within the groove, it felt good. Steve and I’ve at all times had a factor, and it returned immediately.

SC: There’s by no means been any resistance from both of us. It’s extra that I do far more sideman stuff than Jim does; he does principally chief gigs. I’m in a number of bands I like. Our engineer, Matt Martinelli, lives downstairs, so it was straightforward to get going.

You guys have been taking part in collectively for some time.
SC: Since 2005…
JC: However very sporadically. We’d do a few gigs then not play. We went on a roll for some time and truly recorded an album, nevertheless it didn’t see the sunshine of day resulting from disagreements with the producer who financed it. It haunted us as a result of we liked it, and since it by no means bought launched, Steve got here up with this plan that we should always attempt to higher it, which was a load off my thoughts although I used to be pondering, “I’m rusty.”

SC: We went in with no intention. We thought, “We’ll do that, and if we don’t be ok with it, that’s tremendous. We are able to say we tried.” Subsequent factor , we have been in the midst of it, pondering, “That is cool” (laughs).

JC: The opposite good factor was the unique was simply acoustic; I performed steel-string, Steve performed nylon-string. The primary time we performed electrical, we didn’t prefer it, however then we did it once more, and it was enjoyable. It appeared like us, and in a variety of ways in which contributed to the final tune we recorded – the Duke Ellington tune “Fleurette Africaine.” I believe the album has a pleasant mixture of acoustic and electrical.

How did you select songs?
SC: “Cherokee,” “What’ll I Do,” “Caravan,” “As a result of You Like Trombone,” and “Residence On The Vary” all return to once we began. Previously, we modeled “Caravan” after the Chester & Lester model, however within the studio we determined to do one thing totally different.
JC: “Fleurette Africaine” was the primary tune Steve despatched me to do particularly for this document. “As a result of You Like Trombone” was a tune I did on Orange and needed to do once more; I’ve at all times felt it was underrated. I realized it once more and noticed new crevices. We at all times preferred doing “Residence On The Vary” and “What’ll I Do.”

“New Yr,” which I wrote, was new, “Blue Language” was a tune we did as soon as earlier than, and Steve wrote “Campin’ In” for the album. “Miss Venezuela” was a tune I assumed we may do very properly. Nothing was vetoed.

How did you determine who performed what?
JC: It occurred naturally. Typically, if it was my tune, I’d play the pinnacle, however I used to be acutely aware sufficient to ask Steve, “Do you wish to take the B part or the second melody?” Steve is a good artist, however I didn’t wish to give him extra homework. On “Cherokee,” we play the melody in unison. I instructed Steve to play the bridge and he stated, “I like the way in which you play the bridge.” So I stated, “Okay, I’ll take it.” There was a component the place I urged, “Why don’t I play the melody and also you do a chord solo.” It was nearly like we’d produce one another.
SC: On the Duke Ellington tune, I instructed Jim, “I’ll play the ostinato by the C part, then hand it off to you, and we’ll play the shape backward – C, B, A.” It labored nice. That was a primary take.

“Cherokee” was Jim’s thought. Everyone at all times performs it with the macho jazz factor at breakneck tempos, however his thought was to play it with a piece, chunk, however double-up the chords so it nonetheless strikes. It sounded cool however nonetheless references that Chester & Lester vibe. Jim got here up with us doing the melody collectively. Once we hit the bridge, he’d play the melody and I’d begin chunking chords. The association that occurred shortly and labored properly. We’ve at all times carried out it like that.

On “What’ll I Do,” we commerce sections. Jim performs the primary melody, I play the second, he performs the bridge melody, and I play the very last thing. Then, we every take an A piece and take it out to the bridge. We maintain it brief.

You guys instinctively play to your strengths.
JC: Steve wrote the transcriptions for the Thelonious Monk Pretend Ebook, but he needs to play “Residence On The Vary” with me (laughs). He’s an incredible man and the other of a jazz snob. I wouldn’t name what he does jazz. It’s like saying Invoice Frisell is jazz. He’s kinda not as a result of he’s simply so musical (laughs).
SC: Jim and I each method the music like that. Yeah, I’m going to play some solos, however I need you to dig the tune. I need you to dig the entire bundle. “Venezuela” is one we determined to do on acoustic, and we get a variety of feedback on it. It’s bought a factor.

“Caravan” turned this avant-garde funky factor with a heavy, blues-laced aspect (laughs), and “As a result of You Like Trombone” is Jim’s tune that we performed a very long time in the past. I got here up with a component behind it that he preferred – we’d by no means improvised on it earlier than. We had performed it acoustically and simply performed the pinnacle.

There are three tunes the place we’re simply taking part in the tune and never improvising. Even “Residence On The Vary” may be very brief. We improvise on the verse and are available collectively on the refrain to take it out. “Campin’ In” is likely one of the tunes I wrote that I assumed was very Jim-like in some respects. I additionally had “Blue Language,” which I assumed Jim would eat up – and he did. We determined to solo collectively as a substitute of separate, which labored out nice. We don’t speak that a lot about what we do; we begin taking part in after which perform a little nip and tuck.

JC: Usually, I’ll over-prepare, however a variety of this album was conceived within the studio, and as soon as I heard it, I assumed we had a extremely good vibe, very actual.

 Most guitar-duo information are about blowing onerous. New Yr is extra about ambiance and restraint.
 JC: That’s what I hoped for. Typically, Steve would say, “Campy, take one other one!” That tickled me as a result of we each don’t wish to try this. We don’t wish to neglect the tune. I’m glad it’s a musical document. Some guitar duo information are fairly dense, like Chet Atkins and Lenny Breau. Steve and I’ve an depth that I’m happy with.
 SC: It’s not about how virtuosic we’re, as a result of we all know we might fail (laughs). Extra to the purpose is we needed to make music that might deliver individuals in and wrap round them, not make it a show of guitar taking part in.

What was your gear?
JC: I performed my ’59 Telecaster by a ’70s Princeton with a Celestion G10. My acoustic is a ’58 00-15 I’ve used on quite a few information. It actually cuts by and has a character. I’ve a D-35 and it’s much more impartial. The 00-15 is sassy, and I like that it has a small physique. I wish to dominate my guitars, so if I’ve to place my arm up tremendous excessive on an enormous physique, I really feel prefer it’s a mismatch.
SC: My guitar was made by Pablo Valle, who used to work for Roger Sadowsky, doing repairs and serving to construct devices. He can play properly, and a lot of the jazz guitarists in New York took guitars to him as a result of he instinctively knew how we needed them arrange. He did a re-fret on my 335 that was simply superb. Then he requested, “Would you like me to construct you a Tele?” I instructed him, “I’m not a Tele participant. I like them, however I’m such a Gibson man.” He stated, “I’ll make it with a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, and an alder physique as a result of it’ll be somewhat lighter. I’ll put a chamber beneath the highest. You’ll get somewhat semi-hollow physique vibe.” I had these previous Tim Shaw pickups from an previous 335. He did an incredible job, and it performs nice. As I become old, I like a lighter load. It sounds actually good, and I’m snug on it. These are the 2 stuff you need. I used it as a result of I assumed the 335 can be too darkish and thick. Though the Valle is sort of a Gibson in Fender clothes, it’s somewhat thinner-sounding due to the bolt-on neck, which supplies it a cool high quality.

How did you mic the amps?
SC: Matt recorded us with a mic on every amp, however he additionally had room mics. He stated, “Any modifying that entails a punch, you each should play and the opposite man has to transcribe what they did (laughs).” We solely did that one or two instances. We stated, “That is all so within the second. Jazz information have errors, they usually’re typically cooler than the conventional s**t (laughs).”
JC: We recorded with whole leakage; we confronted one another and our amps confronted one another. I do know there was an in depth mic and a room mic, however I wasn’t paying consideration (laughs). I simply thought it appeared like our guitars. It wasn’t a huge room by any means – very vibey. We created essentially the most snug atmosphere potential.

SC: Jim has at all times been capable of dial in his factor. He makes use of fairly a little bit of reverb. Whenever you take heed to all his influences, they did too. And he makes use of it in that lovely means that all of them did.

Steve, what’s the take care of your amp?
SC: Panaramic was a subsidiary of Magnatone within the ’60s and I believe it was for accordions as a result of the A channel says “Accordion.” It’s says “Voice” on the opposite channel. I bought it from a pal and don’t use it for every thing, nevertheless it’s funky and I assumed it could be cool for this as a result of Jim is taking part in a Tele by a Princeton. My guitar is formed like a Tele however screams Gibson, so I wanted an amp that’s not Fendery however nonetheless has a phenomenal sound. The Panaramic was good. It doesn’t have reverb, so I used a Zoom MS-50G MultiStomp and Matt picked a reverb that labored. Jim makes use of amp reverb. Matt ran all of it by us, and there was by no means any query. It was, “That sounds superb. Let’s maintain doing that.” A whole lot of it was a devil-may-care angle – let’s have enjoyable and never mission that that is going to be something aside from what we’re doing proper now.

Matt helped with my sound as a result of once we began, he stated, “You’re somewhat darkish. Do you thoughts if I brighten you up somewhat?” I stated, “Go forward. I need us to mix.” It was cool as a result of I won’t go that brilliant alone, nevertheless it’s a pleasant mix between us.

Steve, what about your acoustic?
SC: It’s a ’59 000-28 that performs nice, sounds stunning, and suits our theme. It’s my accomplice’s household guitar – her mother purchased it utilized in 1960 and performed it by the ’60s earlier than it ended up in a closet. It had been left so lengthy that it had a bow within the neck. Her brother had any individual in Seattle re-set the neck and substitute the pickguard, which had deteriorated. It’s balanced and sounds superb. It’s a particular instrument.

What’s subsequent?
JC: I’m enthusiastic about a document with my quartet, a West Coast tour, and I’m going to Argentina.
SC: I’ve demoed a bunch of stuff and pondering of doing a solo document. I’ve performed it for a number of associates, and the suggestions is, “That is simply tremendous the way in which it’s.” There’s no agenda in thoughts.

 Any likelihood of a tour collectively?
 JC: If historical past proves something, it’s that Steve and I’ll play once more.
 SC: It will be straightforward. We’re each so joyful we lastly did an album

This text initially appeared in VG’s February 2024 situation. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.