Nassler & Schneider in Church Gig: High Praise

German guitarist Jorg Nassler says he always dreamed of playing in the United States.

“Well finally, here I am,” he told the audience Friday night during his and partner Silvio Schneider’s American debut concert in San Juan Capistrano.

The acoustic guitarist from Dresden probably didn’t expect the answer to his prayers to take place in a church.

Yet that’s just what Nassler & Schneider did in kicking off the Multicultural Arts Society’s concert series at South Coast Christian Assembly. While the society continues to present world music at the nearby Marco Forster Middle School, programming director Sundarajan Mutialu says the new South Coast Concert Series will serve a slightly different purpose.

“We plan to use the Assembly more as a concert hall . . . a sit-down venue where the focus is on seriously paying attention to the music,” he said before Friday’s performance. “The Marco Forster auditorium is less formal. It has a dance floor, and it’s better for groups with an Afro beat, or Cajun-zydeco bands like Lisa Haley & the Zydekats [who will play there Saturday]. Plus, the Assembly is larger, seating up to 600 people.”

Mutialu had to be disappointed with a turnout of fewer than 75 for Nassler & Schneider. But there was nothing disappointing about the venue, which was well-suited to the duo’s intricate instrumentals, which seamlessly roam between flamenco, jazz, classical and folk idioms. The church is spacious, with comfortable, padded-bench seating and bright, clear-sounding acoustics. (One minor complaint: The stage was too dimly lighted.)

Nassler and Schneider met in 1986 at Dresden’s College of Music, where Schneider was a student of Nassler, an associate professor. Their mutual interest in flamenco guitarists Paco de Lucia and Paco Pena and jazz-fusion guitarist John McLaughlin inspired them to form the Dresden Guitar Duo. Since becoming Nassler & Schneider in 1990, the duo has released four albums in Europe that have helped created a buzz abroad. Their debut U.S. album, “Reflections” (Aunty Records), was released last week.

Friday’s small but appreciative audience witnessed a rich showcase of acoustic guitar virtuosity. For more than two hours, Nassler & Schneider played with considerable skill, flair and drive. Their technical proficiency was a marvel, but more impressive was their ability to tap into emotional currents with a wide range of moods and ideas.

The all-acoustic program began with “A&M;,” a jazzy tune that began gently as Nassler, 37, his head tilted back and eyes closed, generated warm, hearty tones. Before long, though, the song built in intensity as the two guitarists engaged in a ferocious call-and-response exchange of rapid-fire, jagged licks.

Another aggressive selection, the flamenco-flavored “Danza,” was even more compelling as Nassler and Schneider, 29, alternated solos, each filled with fluid lines and an urgent sense of discovery.

The twosome was equally effective when slowing down for more pensive passages. The evening’s high point was a chilling, disquieting number titled “Farewell.” The eerie tune, which Nassler said was inspired by “the death of a 54-year-old woman who lived a strange life,” used Nassler as a makeshift percussionist. Recalling blues man John Hammond, he generated a rhythmic kick by using his thumb and the palm of his right hand to slap the body of his guitar.

The pair offered some lighter moments as well. The up-tempo “Sand Flea” was a silly number that grew out of what they called their obsession with animals and bugs. “Festival de Ritual” was a bouncy, Latin-flavored pop song whose melodic lines were simply irresistible.

At one point, Nassler mentioned that he and Schneider formed their working partnership because “we felt the same musical waves.” It’s that kind of shared vision--and artistic chemistry--that enable them to work so smoothly in a variety of styles.

It also enabled them to impress the audience.

“They could make the guitar do anything they wanted, almost like it was effortless,” Steve Carle, an engineer from San Juan Capistrano, said after the show. “Watching their fingerwork . . . and the body language between the two . . . you could tell they were continually venturing further out.”

Lou and Ruth Billinkoff, a couple from Winnipeg who vacation in Orange County each winter, enjoyed the music and the venue.

“It doesn’t matter what style of music you play, or where you play it, as long as it’s played well and from the heart,” Lou Billinkoff said. “These guys are undoubtedly very passionate . . . and proficient at what they do.”

“This place is just like a theater, really,” Ruth Billinkoff added. “The sound is terrific, and it’s quite comfortable. . . . I’d certainly be willing to see more shows here.”

* The South Coast Concert Series continues Feb. 26 with ex-Shadowfax keyboardist Armen Chakamakian at the South Coast Christian Assembly, 31501 Avenida Los Cerritos, San Juan Capistrano. 8 p.m. $5-$8; then March 19 with jazz keyboardist-composer Dan Seigel. (949) 496-9627.