L.A. Guitar Quartet Plays Little Something for Everyone

Programming to please is an art the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet has mastered, as witness the group’s latest local appearance before a happy crowd at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Monday night. The players’ instrumental skills were clearly exhibited in a wide-ranging agenda, with new and old repertory mixed, balanced and contrasted.

And the entertainment factor wasn’t forgotten in the equation. A little talking, mostly about the music, some pleasant word-byplay between the members and good-humored asides during a lot of tuning kept the listeners’ extra-musical attention.

Now deeply into its second decade, this assemblage of virtuosos--John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant and Andrew York--only failed to deliver when it comes to longer works, and truly ear-opening new pieces. There wasn’t much in the way of substantive innovation, and nothing that allowed them to really stretch out and run with their considerable talents, and that would stretch the audience as well.

The program instead emphasized the pleasures of mostly familiar excerpts and brief pieces. The opening suite came from Falla’s “El Amor Brujo,” with a closing selection of seven “Carmen” snippets (the quartet might consider switching that order for a stronger finale). There was a little Bach, an American suite honoring Sousa, Basie and Copland, three African-flavored items, two pieces from Chile and a short klezmer medley.

It was all handsomely, impeccably and stylishly performed. Now they need a long-term relationship with a living composer.