Alto Flute, ‘Alto Guitar’ and the Beauties of Civilization

“Civilized” was the word that kept coming to mind Monday night during the performance by Ali Ryerson and Joe Beck at Rocco’s in Bel-Air. Civilized in style, content and setting. The music of the duo--with Ryerson on alto flute and Beck on what he describes as an alto guitar--was crafted with a balance between technical detail and emotional expression that sounded perfectly appropriate in the restaurant’s warm elegance.

This is not to say that there was any absence of jazz swing and drive in the pair’s efforts. Beck’s guitar work was energetic enough to serve as a complete rhythm section, and his chordal playing, filled with tight, moving clusters, added lush, supportive harmonies.

The remarkable effectiveness of his playing was supported by his unusual instrument tuning, in which the bottom two strings of his guitar, tuned down a fifth, provide walking bass lines. The middle two strings, tuned up an octave, offered the potential for close, sometimes sweetly dissonant harmonies. The total effect was almost orchestral, and there were times when one had to look twice to make sure no one else had joined the ensemble.

Ryerson’s alto flute, one of the loveliest-sounding instruments in the entire orchestral lexicon, was played with an impressive mixture of dark sensuality and surging swing. On such pieces as “Norwegian Wood” and a briskly propelled rendering of “Autumn Leaves,” she soloed in a style that effectively emphasized her ability to create melodic paraphrases.

And on “When I Fall in Love,” which opened with a gorgeous harmonic introduction from Beck, Ryerson used the tawny, vocalized sound of her instrument to touch the inner meaning of the song.

Capping off the set, the already superb duo became an equally impressive trio when John Pisano, who conducts the always entertaining Monday night guitar sessions at Rocco’s, joined Ryerson and Beck for a few numbers. “Green Dolphin Street” and “Song for My Father” were delivered in craftsman-like fashion. But the performance of “Manha De Carnaval” was a highlight, a stunning combination of a lovely song, a gifted trio of players and a highly civilized setting.