Press Quotes / What the Critics Say

Review of Dos Américas Concert 2007, Tom Stringer, Editor, Colorado Springs Guitar Society Newsletter Dos Américas (Argentine virtuoso guitarist, Alejandro Dávila, and Cańon City, Colorado guitarist and composer, Jim Bosse) performed in concert, Feb. 23, 2007 at All Souls Unitarian Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The concert was presented by the Colorado Springs Guitar Society. They performed last year, and in previous years, and have become a favorite throughout the state that all guitar music lovers look forward to hearing every year. As usual, they did not disappoint us...the crowd was large, extremely enthusiastic throughout the concert, and gave them a standing ovation at the end of the concert. The first half started off with a suite composed by duo member Bosse, called the "Wedding Suite", and is a collection of pieces he wrote to perform at each of his three children's weddings. The first piece in the suite is an arrangement Jim had done for his own wedding, "I Can't Help Falling In Love", made famous, of course, by Elvis Presley's rendition of this beautiful tune. Jim and Alejandro had placed an easel on stage with photographs of each couple as the suite progressed, which made for a most interesting visual experience to accompany the music. The pieces in the suite are most ingenious, replete with a good many creative and dramatic flourishes such as harmonics, golpes (tapping on the top of the guitar), drumming, and many colorful chords and harmonies. One of the most exciting pieces in the first half of the program was "Point Counterpoint", by Steve Morse, a piece which recalled a Bachian two-part construct. Then, the gorgeous Bosse arrangement of Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon" followed. This is a real tearjerker, and was performed beautifully by the duo. The second half consisted of music largely from Argentina and featured Argentine composers Jorge Cardoso and José Paredes. A pair of pieces by Paredes, called "Vidala" and "Cancion del Litoral" were the anchor pieces of the second half, and were spellbindingly beautiful. The duo announced the great news that the composer has started composing music again, after several year's absence, based on becoming inspired after hearing Dos Américas perform his works. A suite of three highly effective works by Cardoso brought the regular portion of the program to a close. The encores were also very memorable, and the audience could simply not get enough of the duo: the first was Bosse's wonderful arrangement of the Beatle's "Blackbird", surely one of the most hauntingly beautiful melodies in the rock and roll repertory, and it works so perfectly on two guitars that it seems like it must have been written with that combination in mind. To close, Alejandro performed a composition by one of Argentina's most famous composers, Eduardo Falú. This piece brought the house down, and was an amazing display of musicality and virtuosity by Alejandro. Hopefully we can look forward to Dos Américas returning next year and for many years after that. Cańon City Daily Record, Monica Hinson He paints pictures with the scores, especially in playing his own compositions and arrangements, evoking colors and moods, and feelings. Audiences love Bosse's concerts! Colorado Springs Gazette, Rosemary Harris If you can imagine the sound of souls laughing and crying. If you can imagine the soundtrack of culture and tradition. Imagine a father's unspoken hope for his son. Or, a mother's whispered prayer for her daughter. Then, you can imagine what happens when Alejandro Dávila plays the guitar. Pueblo Chieftan, Charles Ricillo Dávila stretches the imagination and broadens what we think guitar can do...the audience was completely seduced.