On 6 November 2025, the Basement Jazz Café in Glasgow played host to a duo performance that felt less like a gig and more like a rare alignment of musical forces. Guitarists Joe Robson and Kyle Irwin, both rightly regarded as among Britain’s finest, shared the stage for an intimate concert that revealed just how expansive, imaginative, and deeply communicative two guitars can be in the right hands. From the first notes, it was clear this was not about technical display for its own sake, but about creating a shared language — one that was expressive, spacious, and quietly virtuosic.
As a listener, it was impossible not to feel honoured to witness what unfolded. There was a profound sense of connection between the two musicians, a kind of wordless conversation that drew the room into a richly textured soundscape. Irwin’s playing, informed by his studies with Bill McHenry in Barcelona and rooted firmly in the lineage of modern jazz guitarists such as Lage Lund, brought a sharp, harmonically adventurous edge. Robson, by contrast, leaned into his folk influences and his identity as a neo-classical composer, offering melodic clarity and a visionary sense of form. Together, their voices intertwined effortlessly, each leaving space for the other while pushing the music into unexpected, luminous territory.
Both players share clear influences from Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau, and more than a few audience members were reminded of the pair’s celebrated duo performances — not in imitation, but in spirit. There was the same sense of risk, openness, and emotional intelligence, the feeling that the music was being discovered in real time. Underpinning the beauty of the evening, however, was a quiet sadness: this project may never be heard again. With Kyle Irwin preparing to move to Australia — where he will almost certainly become one of the country’s leading jazz guitarists in short order — this duo already feels like a fleeting moment in British jazz history. Those who were there will remember it not just as a concert, but as a rare and meaningful encounter with two artists at the height of their creative powers.
Max Millar Music 