snobb This collection of acoustic strings duets from two jazz greats, bassist Gary Peacock and guitarist Ralph Towner, was released on the prestigious German ECM label (in Germany, US and Japan) in 1994 and never reissued. As one can expect from an ECM release, it contains quite comfortable chamber jazz, still a bit more lively than the label's regular "atmospheric" albums. Both Peacock and Towner are ECM regulars, (Peacock - most significantly as a Keith Jarrett trio member, Towner - as leader, and partially leading his Oregon band),but they never played as a duo until this recording. Nine duo originals, each written by Peacock or Towner, are meditative, melancholic in moments, but contains some sparks and even groove, and generally are more vibrant than what some might expect from ECM recordings. Still, the main attraction is the virtuosity of both of this duo's members. Towner plays unusual for jazz, a classic guitar, which sounds surprisingly in place here. He even adds some Indian elements in some tunes. Minimalist strings-only duo's slow/mid tempo music can't avoid some lack of variety going from piece to piece, but the album, with no doubt contains lots of pleasure for fans of both artists, as well as fans of ECM label aesthetics.