Release Date: September 4, 2026
An Eclectic, Vibrant Journey Through Instrumental World Fusion
Dance of Two Souls from 2019 was the last recording from Perpetual Motion that I had the pleasure of covering. Go With The Flow is the most recent release from Josie Quick (violin) and Tom Carleno (acoustic guitar), the instrumental world-fusion duo that makes this musical motion machine run.
“Water, Light, and Love” kicks off the colorful festivities. The cover art says it all, and the music's “flow” is key. The light plucking of Josie’s violin starts things off, then Tom’s six-string comes into play with rhythm and nicely placed notes. The interplay between the two instruments is a beautiful exchange, with additional orchestration adding texture and atmosphere to complete the composition.
“Go With The Flow” kicks off with a definitive Latin jazz feel. The world-instrumental fusion they are so adept at comes into full focus for the listener. Light percussive elements add rhythm as the violin takes flight. The strumming acoustic guitar serves as the perfect partner, enhancing the violin’s lovely transitory path.
“Rum Point” is light and airy, with the guitar picking and colorful violin strings filling the air. The instrument sounds happy, and the guitar lays down the path to that feeling nicely. A steady backbeat (from tapping the guitar) adds some rhythm to follow. Simple, organic percussion lets the guitar and violin stand out.
“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” is a Beatles classic (in fact, what song isn’t at this point?). You must be brave to cover a Beatles song, and this duo has the talent to represent their music well. It is undoubtedly hitting the mark. The rhythmic flourishes of the acoustic guitar and the precise violin playing create the imagery I expected, with a little extra excitement in some improvisations. Excellent!
“It’s Amazing” has a definitive Latin inflection with both instruments. In fact, it felt like being transported to Europe rather quickly. This is a dance for the duo, a personal introspection on discovering each other. The guitar strumming and lead playing are superlative as the violin stretches out with colorful bursts and transitions.
“Josie’s Blues” takes things in a different direction, changing the flow of the previous tracks. The blues comes at you in a much slower tempo with both instruments. At times, it sounds like the violin is talking to you as the lead guitar notes are woven carefully. A reflective piece with some good finger plucking from the violin, which creates such a different sound. A good example of how a violin can step out and be a lead instrument (After all, look at what Jean-Luc Ponty did). This runs nearly seven minutes, and Josie is impressive, with excellent passages that highlight the violin’s range.
“Broken Elbow Cha-Cha” changes the flow entirely once again with a mellow jazz-like flair. The guitar pulls out some Latin-influenced notes as the violin answers with its own special style. It's like a gypsy dance by fire, and the interplay between the two instruments is the fuel that keeps the flame burning.
“From The Beginning” is a classic Emerson, Lake, and Palmer track. I could hear Greg Lake’s voice in my consciousness. This is another cover you would need to nail down, including all the details to represent it properly; again, they succeed. I had never heard it like this before and really enjoyed it. Breathing new life into a legendary tune is a challenge. Towards the end, the violin uses some very cool wah-wah effect to give it the proggy edge.
“The Tide” of music has a continuity and flow that is simply magical, leading up to this track. This one is cinematic, and I could feel the grandeur and awe of the ocean's waves, but in a laid-back, appreciative way. Here, the classical influences come through beautifully. A lovely melody, soothing to the soul.
“Chimichangaranga” brings back that European gypsy vibe with both instruments intermingling to evoke a sense of adventure and anticipation. The pace picks up into a dance, morphing into more complexities as you move along. That Latin influence is one of their strongest foundations, particularly with the guitar. It is the perfect ending to their musical story.
Go With The Flow is as eclectic, entertaining, and vibrant as instrumental music can be. The seamless interplay between acoustic guitar and violin remains inventive and invigorating from start to finish. Across ten diverse tracks, the album takes listeners on a journey full of unexpected twists that keep your attention. It’s a standout example of world fusion instrumental music at its finest.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-MuzikMan.net Founder
September 4, 2026