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With his blond hair, David Russell certainly doesn't look Spanish, but when his fingers touch the fretboard of his guitar, any question of whether he has authentic Spanish roots vanishes immediately. Russell was born in Scotland, but raised on the little Spanish island of Minorca. 

"In some countries," he says, "when you tell people you're a classical guitarist they say, 'Yeah, but what do you do for a living?'" 

In Spain the guitar is the national instrument, which is one reason Russell still lives there. Russell released his first recording in 1995 and has made additional discs just about every year since. His latest is a collection of pieces he just hasn't had time to record until now. 

David Russell emulates one of the greatest of all Spanish guitarists, Andres Segovia. Russell first met Segovia when he was just a teen. Even though Segovia was a grandfatherly figure who tried to put young, talented guitarists at ease, Russell got nervous at their first meeting. But it went well enough for Russell to have two more opportunities to play for Segovia. After each session, he felt even more inspired to practice. All that practice resulted in several recordings and numerous awards, including a Grammy in 2005. 

On his tenth release, "Art of the Guitar," Russell remains true to his Spanish upbringing by including several works by Spanish composers. My favorite is a fantasia by 19th-century guitar virtuoso Julian Arcas, but it has Italian origins. Arcas fashioned his piece on four familiar themes from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata." It was only ten years old at the time, yet already beloved across Europe and America. 

The opera emphasizes the close relationships between the principal characters rather than large choruses. That chamber music quality translates especially well to guitar. David Russell capitalizes on that intimate element in the opening prelude, gently strumming quiet arpeggios to set the mood for this touching story of a fallen woman who's redeemed after sacrificing everything for love. Like his mentor, Segovia, Russell plucks the guitar strings with both the nail and the fingertip, giving a brighter, more joyous sound to Violetta's dazzling aria, "Sempre Libera," which closes out this fantasia.

In addition to traditional Spanish pieces, this recording travels through works by composers from Latin America, Hungary and England, as well as arrangements of works by France's Claude Debussy and Norway's Edvard Grieg. These pieces have all been part of Russell's repertoire for years and he says he's thrilled that he's finally found a home for them on "Art of the Guitar." 

I've always had a soft spot for Grieg's Lyric Pieces, which are rooted in the songs, the dances and the spirit of the composer's homeland. David Russell features five of those delightful works on this recording. "Spring Song," from Grieg's Opus 38 collection is a short dance piece in triple time that begins with a drone bass. Russell manages to tap into many different sounds when he plays guitar. In "Spring Song," he coaxes a light, warm quality from his instrument. On Grieg's "Norwegian Melody," from his Op. 12 set of Lyric Pieces, Russell's guitar glows with a bright, radiant tone.

Russell seems to enjoy finding and sharing new works, which may be why he included Vicente Emilio Sojo's Five Pieces from Venezuela at the end of this recording. Sojo was a 20th-century Venezuelan musician, teacher and composer. He also founded the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra, which became a catalyst for performing new works and nurturing Venezuelan musical culture. The Five Pieces are Sojo's arrangements of traditional songs. "Galeron" is the final song in the set, and it catches my ear because it's bold and full of sparkling character.
 
As I listen to guitarist David Russell interpret these varied pieces from the around the globe, I'm glad he finally found the time to record them. Russell is such a polished performer I almost take his gifts for granted. His phrasing is so expressive, his technique so impeccable and his feel for the music so natural, it's clear that "Art of the Guitar" is the perfect title for his new recording.

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Julie Amacher

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With his blond hair, David Russell certainly doesn't look Spanish, but when his fingers touch the fretboard of his guitar, any question of whether he has authentic Spanish roots vanishes immediately.

Segovia's heir has blond hair

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