Andrew Maginley cuts a striking figure in the placid world of lute playing. He towers well over six feet, even without his height-enhancing cowboy boots. Often leather-clad, his curly black locks loosely frame a complexion that conveys his Afro-Caribbean, Celtic and Native American ancestry, his probing dark eyes deep in thought. An imposing presence to be sure, but beneath is a gentle giant. With a lute in his generous hands, Andrew is a soulful, intensely communicative and intelligent artist, a natural at his chosen discipline in the intricate and refined world of 17th- and 18th-century Europe. Andrew focuses primarily on repertoire for the D minor baroque lute which benefited from contributions by the three composers on his new CD. The centrepiece is the magnificent D minor Sonata by Sylvius Leopold Weiss, who was a friend of J S Bach, whose First Cello Suite Maginley has masterfully transcribed. Finishing the CD is a delightful rococo F major Sonata by their slightly younger contemporary Adam Falckenhagen. Andrew has given solo performances at the Bachhaus in Eisenach, Germany, the New York City Early Music Series, Bloomington (Indiana) Early Music and Oude Musiek Utrecht Festivals, and has appeared in opera productions in New York, Los Angeles, Munich, and Stuttgart. He previously appeared on Avie as director of period-instrument ensemble The Frolick on Calliope: English Songbooks of the 1700s, with contralto Emma Curtis (AV 2102). Recorded 22, 24 June, 26, 28 July and 4 October 2004. Evangelische Kirche, Horn, Bremen.