This is a deceptively straightforward disc, intended primarily as the debut recording of this husband-and-wife duo. It even opens with a gentle and light Suite by James McGuire (b1944), commissioned by guitarist LaQuatra in 2016 for his ‘then-future wife and duo partner’. It was originally in four movements but in 2019 McGuire added two more (the second and sixth), and this is the version given here.

Also in six movements, Painted Music (2017) by Bryan Johanson (b1951) is built on a larger scale, nearly twice as long as McGuire’s Suite. Styled – not entirely convincingly – a sonata by its composer, the inspiration comes from Paul Klee, with whom Johanson shares a birthday, and the music matches a specific musical form to a Klee artwork: a toccata for the opening ‘Senecio’, a nocturne for ‘Strong Dream’ and so on. It is effectively done even if Johanson’s compositional ingenuity is stretched to the limit by Klee’s imagery.

Of an altogether different level of invention is Osvaldo Golijov’s Fish Tale (1998), a beguiling, alternately lively and contemplative work that Golijov (b1960) himself likened to a ‘watercolor’. In form it is best thought of as a tone poem describing how the composer might have been a ‘hallucinated fish’ in a past life! By contrast, the inspiration behind Philip Houghton’s triptych From the Dreaming (1991, rev 1997) was a prolonged sojourn in the ‘central and northern outback’ of his native Australia. In the opening ‘Cave Painting’, Houghton (1954-2017) has the guitar emulate (at several removes) a didjeridoo; the ensuing ‘Wildflower’ is surprisingly changeable (to reflect the climate, perhaps), while ‘Gecko’ makes for a splendid scherzo finale.

The performances throughout are immaculate – LaQuatra and Stanley are first-rate players individually but have great ensemble and mutual understanding – and Navona’s close-miked sound is bright and clear. A rewarding listen.