by Richard S. Ginell
The quiet man of Toronto's jazz scene finds himself teamed with a younger Canadian acolyte, Lorne Lofsky, on another of those Concord Jazz mainstream guitar discs that go down like honey butter. Lofsky is no clone, for his tone is brighter and his attack is sharper than the ultra-mellow Bickert, but they speak a similar sophisticated language and are thus totally compatible. They do a golden-hued, fleet-fingered rendition of Wes Montgomery's &Twisted Blues,& the two guitars conversing animatedly on a refined plane. The nicely swinging &Ecaroh& and &Ah-Leu Cha& and the bossa-flavored &Estate& (Lofsky plays acoustic on the latter) are also standouts. Fellow Torontans Neil Swainson (bass) and Jerry Fuller (drums) complement Bickert and Lofsky deftly and seamlessly; &Namely You& dispenses with the rhythm section entirely as the two guitarists carry on without a hitch.