Macrocosm by Joe Morris and Do Yeon Kim

Do Yeon Kim is a masterful performer on the gayageum or kayagum, a kind of zither or harp from Korea. Joe Morris is the better-known performer here, playing guitar on this album. Their duo is an impressive and captivating example of incredible skill and a diversity of approaches from both players, including pointillistic improv, rich rivers of chords, languid moments of beauty, and moments where it's difficult to discern who's playing what. It may take several listens to embrace the "space" they occupy in performance, but the mix of exotic interplay and the fascinating challenge of hearing a unique combination of instruments that yields unexpected results draws in the listener. Morris and Kim are clearly captivated by their own playing, and their focus and flow in their dialogs keeps this album interesting from start to finish.