Just before taking 2005 off to pursue individual projects, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet recorded the new CD, Spin, a showcase for the ensemble’s dazzling technique, impeccable ensemble work, and ability to coax a stunning array of sonic effects from the nylon-string guitars of John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant, and Andrew York. The repertoire comes from the crossroads of contemporary classical styles (especially minimalism) and jazz. As LAGQ’s most prolific composer, York penned more than a third of the music, including the title track. His piece “Quiccan” is a standout, with its minimalist ostinato figures, fleet-fingered jazzy lines, and flamenco inflections. His rhythmic yet melodic three-part suite, Night Furniture, is given additional drive by Scottish percussionist Colin Currie, who plays marimba on the first and last movements and adds hand drum to the middle segment. (Currie also plays vibes on Joe Duddell’s “Freaky Dancer.”) “Catwalk,” by Bryan Johanson, effectively evokes the image of soft feline footsteps with accompaniment figures almost exclusively played as muted pizzicato notes. Other pieces include jazz composer Vince Mendoza’s attractive, five-movement Solstice Poem, and LAGQ founder Bill Kanengiser’s lovely and lyrical “Turn to the Sea,” which opens and closes this outstanding disc. (Telarc, www.telarc.com)

A must-have for LAGQ fans, the DVD LAGQ Live documents a concert performance in St. Louis, Missouri. With a program that includes classical selections by Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Liszt, as well as bluegrass-, Celtic-, Andean-, and African-flavored cuts, it captures the excitement, virtuosity, stylistic breadth, and sense of humor that have earned LAGQ a large and loyal following. (Mel Bay Publications, www.melbay.com)