The lanky guitarist Tal Farlow was completely self-taught: he learned no trade except sign painting, and there was a time when he made his living from that, too. After the war, he played on the club circuit on the East Coast. In '49, Red Norvo, the famous vibraphonist, hired him for his band, where his playing caused a sensation. For his first record as a leader, released in '54, he invited rhythm guitarist Don Arnone to accompany him. Farlow often plucked the two lower strings with his thumb while playing chords and melody on the top four strings, employing sweeping tempos and winding melodic lines. Although we hear two guitarists, the music is not intended to be a mere showcase of technical virtuosity; the interpretation is always subordinate to the mood of the tune and the narrative of the given song.