Unexceptionable MALCOLM TATTERSALL reviews music from Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina Fleur de Son    FDS 57981

Nathan Kolosko's second CD presents the lighter side of the classical guitarists' core repertoire, South American pieces well known to all who enjoy the sound of the instrument. Bossa nova, sambas, Venezuelan waltzes, choros and character pieces make up his very attractive programme of some fifty three minutes, just a little short by today's standards but ideal for a relaxed evening.

Kolosko demonstrates his mastery of the material from the beginning [listen -- track 1, 0:01-1:10]. His playing is technically clean and makes expressive but never excessive use of rubato.

He is joined by flautist Carl Dimow, a fluent player with a background in world music (particularly klezmer) and jazz as well as classical music. Flute and guitar is always a lovely combination and it is extended here by Dimow's occasional use of bass flute. He plays just one unaccompanied item on the disc, Piazzolla's Lento meditativo, and has chosen bass flute for it [listen -- track 8, 0:00-1:12].

The ambiance generally reflects the title, 'a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition', to quote the dictionary definition helpfully provided by the art director, but lifts often enough for variety [listen -- track 13, 0:00-1:10].

The recorded sound is excellent and the minimalist packaging is pleasant. One might wish for a little more detail on the track listing (how do you find 'that nice piece with the flute' when the track list doesn't say which tracks the flute appears on?) but nos.tal.gia is otherwise unexceptionable.

The only difficulty it faces is that it is also unexceptional: it may stay too close to the centre of the mainstream for its own commercial good. Anyone who likes this style of music will be perfectly happy with this disc, and it deserves to do well, but neither performances nor selections are extraordinary enough to lift it above the host of similar recordings.

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Record Box is Music & Vision's regular series of shorter CD reviews