Martin Kolbe and Ralf Illenberger were considered the dream couple of the German acoustic guitar scene in the 70s and 80s. The label "Best German Guitar Duo" was slapped on them in their first year of collaboration and stuck with them until the duo's demise in 1987 – even though they always rejected this label. "Superlatives like 'the best,' 'the fastest,' or 'the strongest' can perhaps be used in sports. They have no place in art," they said in an interview.

Nevertheless, they can't deny that their music was unique and remains so to this day; neither before nor after them has there been a comparable sound or a similar approach to the concept of a "guitar duo." When two guitarists play together, they usually play solo/accompanist, often alternating roles. And—don't ask why this is the case with this instrument in particular—it often comes down to a competitive "faster, higher, further" approach, with one trying to outdo the other. Not so with Kolbe and Illenberger. "Our goal was always to create the most orchestral sound possible with two guitars. Who played what was rather secondary."

In the studio, they sometimes layered numerous guitar tracks on top of each other and generally utilized everything studio technology of the day had to offer. Whether it was chasing individual melodic lines through the rotating speakers of a Leslie cabinet, recording certain tracks at half or double speed, or using reverse sounds – the two approached their work with an unmistakable joy of playing and experimenting, never using individual effects for their own sake, but always employing them in a way that served the arrangement and composition. They maintained a surprisingly secure sense of style and taste. Speaking of style: How should we describe this music, what genre does it belong to? "This question has been with us from the beginning, and we never knew the answer. It's neither jazz nor folk, neither rock nor classical, although there's a bit of everything in it. At some point, we just said: It's simply music."

The duo's critically acclaimed recordings were out of print for a long time, although they still maintain a loyal fan base. It's all the more gratifying that, after a few rather lackluster compilations, "Essentials" is now available as a double CD compiled by the musicians themselves. They carefully selected and remastered the tracks. Even though the duo's entire oeuvre isn't represented, these are the recordings they consider the most important. "The selection wasn't easy for us, because we still stand behind every single song we released back then, and each of our compositions has a very special meaning for us. Fortunately, we didn't have to forgo much, because the long playing time of two CDs allows us to document almost all of our collaborative studio work." The essentials, as the title suggests—and even a little more: The bonus track "Mittags im Hotel" is a previously unreleased recording from the sessions for the second album, "Colouring the Leaves."

Detailed information at: www.kolbe-illenberger.com