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John Fahey / Leo Kottke


Shawn

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I heard these albums years ago, but never owned them until recently. I'm too much of a novice in this genre to be critical, I can only say that both of these records blow me away. I'm in need of some recommendations for other albums by these guys, or other artists you think I should check out. Thanks in advance.

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I've really liked that Leo Kottke album since it was first released on LP. They played stuff from it very often on KPFK back then. I finally purchased the CD last year.

Nothing else in that Fahey-Kottke sub-genre connects with me quite as well. For me, it evokes a rough-but-delicate beauty and a rush of nostalgia. "Six & Twelve String Guitar" goes well with "Embryonic Journey" from the Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow".

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For Kottke, check out a live recording, "My Feet Are Smiling" (Capitol). I used to play it for my friends, and they couldn't believe there was only one guitar playing until they heard the applause.

For later Kottke, check out "Greetings From Chuck Pink" (Private Music), but this is more music-, as opposed to guitar-, centric.

For Fahey, a good introduction is the 2-CD Rhino compilation, "Return of the Repressed." It spans his entire career, and has excellent liner notes by Fahey's friend Barry Hansen (aka Dr. Demento).

I also love this later Fahey work: "God, Time and Causality" (Shanachie).

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  • 8 months later...

I just started listening to Fahey, too. eMusic has a pretty good selection and I downloaded "Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death" and "God, Time and Causality". Fascinating music. I never gave him a chance before, but the variety of music he pours into his songs is astounding.

I'm thinking I will next get "Legend of Blind Joe Death", "Dance of Death & Other Plantation Favorites" and "Live in Tasmania".

I was a Loe Kottke fan ... WAY back. Started with "Mudlark" and picked up most of his Capitol albums through "Chewing Pine". Started slowing down on him when he switched to Chrysalis. Haven't listened to any of them in a long time, but great stuff.

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A couple of contemporary guys working in something like this same vein...

Ben Chasny (aka Six Organs Of Admittance)

Jack Rose (formerly of Pelt)

My favorite Fahey record remains this one...

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"On The Banks Of The Owchita", yea... plus a fantastically eccentric reading of "Days Of Wine And Roses".

Also, it looks like a lot of the Davy Graham 60's releases are finally making it back to CD, with bonus material. Less well known than Bert Jansch or John Renbourn, Graham was sort of the Fahey of English folk music. Incredible technician with some serious jazz smarts, too. Seems like he recorded for Kicking Mule in the late 70's.

http://www.daveygraham.moonfruit.com/

http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-fr-ct.html

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Also, it looks like a lot of the Davy Graham 60's releases are finally making it back to CD, with bonus material. Less well known than Bert Jansch or John Renbourn, Graham was sort of the Fahey of English folk music. Incredible technician with some serious jazz smarts, too. Seems like he recorded for Kicking Mule in the late 70's.

http://www.daveygraham.moonfruit.com/

http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-fr-ct.html

Where to start with these? Any one a clear best? I heard a live track on a magazine comp roots of Led Zep and loved it...

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Also, it looks like a lot of the Davy Graham 60's releases are finally making it back to CD, with bonus material. Less well known than Bert Jansch or John Renbourn, Graham was sort of the Fahey of English folk music. Incredible technician with some serious jazz smarts, too. Seems like he recorded for Kicking Mule in the late 70's.

http://www.daveygraham.moonfruit.com/

http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-fr-ct.html

Where to start with these? Any one a clear best? I heard a live track on a magazine comp roots of Led Zep and loved it...

I have GUITAR PLAYER, which is actually a bit easier to get here in the States. (Nice Castle reissue.) His first LP? Sorry, I can't recall, though, though he seems much more a "jazz"-er at this stage of his career.

CD Universe link

AMG link

I think the critical consensus is that Graham's most important dates are the Folk, Blues & Beyond... solo date and the Folk Roots, New Routes collaboration with vocalist Shirley Collins. Sadly, the copy of the re-issued Folk, Blues & Beyond... I ordered in October is still on back-order.

Oh yeah... nice intro to Graham in Richie Unterberger's UNKNOWN LEGENDS OF ROCK 'N ROLL...

Amazon link

Edited by Joe
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  • 2 years later...

I dont think you can go too far wrong if you stick to what has been reissued on the Takoma label ( Except perhaps the Christmas albums.)

One Takoma I would love to see out is the Lawrence Hammond ( ex Mad River)Coyotes Dream. Nothing to do with this thread tho!

I think that Fahey's Christmas albums are among his best.

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Does anyone have info on these 3 Fahey albums currently available on eMusic?

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Americana Masters, vol. 1

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Americana Masters, vol. 2

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Americana Masters, vol. 3

On one of those no-name labels, but they don't seem to be taken from existing albums. Outtakes? Legit or not? Who knows? They look good, though...

They're Internet only albums. 1 and 2 are all taken from his previous releases. 3 has some outtakes and alternate titles for songs from his album Railroad. If you don't have any Fahey, all 3 would be good and represent a variety of styles.

1. Songs from Live from Tasmania; Vol. 2 Death Chants, Breakdowns, and Military Waltzes; and Old Fashioned Love. Boodle Am Shake and Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning are with an old New Orleans-style jazz band.

2. Songs from Vol. 1 Blind Joe Death, Vol. 3 Dance of Death and Other Plantation Favorites, and Old Fashioned Love.

His stuff can be hard to find.

ETA: I got this information from a member of the "International Fahey Committee" on the Yahoo Group John Fahey Guitar

Edited by It Should be You
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They're Internet only albums. 1 and 2 are all taken from his previous releases. 3 has some outtakes and alternate titles for songs from his album Railroad. If you don't have any Fahey, all 3 would be good and represent a variety of styles.

1. Songs from Live from Tasmania; Vol. 2 Death Chants, Breakdowns, and Military Waltzes; and Old Fashioned Love. Boodle Am Shake and Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning are with an old New Orleans-style jazz band.

2. Songs from Vol. 1 Blind Joe Death, Vol. 3 Dance of Death and Other Plantation Favorites, and Old Fashioned Love.

His stuff can be hard to find.

ETA: I got this information from a member of the "International Fahey Committee" on the Yahoo Group John Fahey Guitar

Thanks. That would make all of these illegal bootlegs, since it's all still copywrited material. But what an odd selection of songs... I wonder what was the thought process behind these. Also, if you're just trying to rip off Fahey, why stuff these discs with 70+ minutes of music?

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The only Leo Kottke I've ever picked up was Greenhouse, and after trying it in my teens, twenties, thirties and forties, I've decided there's just no connection for me. I couldn't understand what the buzz was about; just sounded lame to me. Was this LP an abberation, or am I just not cut out to enjoy Kottke?

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Great music. Back to the original post...

Excellent intro & history of "guitar raga" style

http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/RAGAGUITAR.html

sites for similar style promoting newer musicians/Cd's:

CANdyRAT records

http://www.candyrat.com/default.aspx

Tompkins Square Label, releasing a new James Blackshaw CD June 17th

http://www.tompkinssquare.com/

note- I'm not connected to any of these folks other than as a musicophile customer.

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The only Leo Kottke I've ever picked up was Greenhouse, and after trying it in my teens, twenties, thirties and forties, I've decided there's just no connection for me. I couldn't understand what the buzz was about; just sounded lame to me. Was this LP an abberation, or am I just not cut out to enjoy Kottke?

I have never liked "Greenhouse" that much. I don't find it "lame", but I don't find it totally engaging either.

I like Kottke's "6 and 12 String Guitar" a lot more. You might try "6 and 12 String Guitar" before making a final judgment.

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