Nylon string guitarist and educator, Gene Bertoncini keeps things moving at a relaxed pace on Acoustic Romance, a trio date with the crack rhythm team of bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Akira Tana. Residing in the vaults since 1992, the program consists of eleven timeless standards performed in a predicatable, but still inviting manner. Bertoncini is delightfully delicate throughout, both due to his measured delivery and the attraction of this instrument's timbre. No better track highlights Bertoncini's abilities than the opening number, the idyllic "Edelweiss," performed here as a solo feature. As this is a leisurely paced date, good natured Swing carries the day, as emphasized by the breezy "Girl Talk," the happy-go-lucky nature of "Gone With The Wind" and the freewheeling waltz of "Emily." This is Bertoncini's show and that's fine with Tana and Reid, who make a sympathetic team. They coax and assist Bertoncini on almost every track, stirred by Reid's confident basslines and Tana's supple thrythmic flow. Tana, in particular, consistently displays his skilled brushwork. There are several worthy Latinized moments, particularly on the midtempo pulse of "Invitation." A record like this is about subtlety, where the joys are found in the mood and solid technical abilities of the musicians. Whether the title emerges from a producer/marketer's head or from the musicans themselves, their modest goals — merely to provide refreshing, romantic music — are met.

— Jay Collins
© Cadence January 2004, page 109