Cool Friction,
Tony Cox' first album after five years, marked a new beginning for him and summed up his musical craftsmanship on the steel-string guitar. The material on this CD consists of compositions and ideas accumulated during the long years of live touring and virtual non-presence on record (an exception was his now deleted debut album In-To-Nation from 1991), and it is a delightful collection. Songs such as the haunting "You Asked For It," the absolute highlight of the album, or the nimble fingered, jazzy "Lekker Gerook," speak for themselves. Consequently, this album was nominated for a South African Musical Award (SAMA) for best instrumental/contemporary jazz record in 1997. ~ Frank Eisenhuth