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"Over the last decade, the large guitar ensemble has become a crowd favorite at guitar festivals. The shortfall of these guitar orchestras is the limitation in variety of timbre. The Pacific Guitar Ensemble which is comprised of alumni and distinguished faculty from the world-renowned San Francisco Conservatory of Music solve this problem in a delightful and rewarding way. Ensemble members, who include David Tanenbaum, Peppino D'Agostino, Lawrence Ferrara, Jon Mendle, Michael Bautista, Marc Teicholz, Paul Psarras and Antoniy Kakamakov, fill their ensemble not just with the traditional instrumentation of classical guitars, but with a varied palette which includes steel string guitars, electric bass, electric guitar, arch lute, theorbo, and baroque guitar for a truly unique tonal experience. Opening with the premiere recording of Sergio Assad's "Wednesdays at Sugar" the listener is drawn into an intricate and elaborate musical experience. A wonderful arrangement of Fernando Sor's "Gran Solo, Op. 14" follows. Terry Riley's "Y Bolanzero," Belinda Reynolds' "Begin," and Peppino D'Agostino's "Jump Rope" are wonderful musical offerings with wit and charm. The setting of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg "Concerto No. 6" (BWV 1051) is a treat. The varied instrumentation captures the beauty of the original orchestration while offering the listener something truly new and wonderful." - Philip Hemmo, Minor 7th