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- Date Released: January 1, 1971
- Genre: Country/Folk
- Style: Contemporary Folk
- Label: Fantasy / Takoma
A great guitarist's legend begins here.
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We Say...
John Fahey was more groundbreaking, Robbie Basho more spiritual and Peter Lang more of a traditionalist, but Kottke's dazzling fingerstyle technique and composing ability have made him the true titan of Takoma Records. His armadillo-covered, all-instrumental label debut went on to sell a half-million copies and continues to astound and baffle players today. The dexterity required to play the frenzied opening cut, "The Driving of the Year Nail," is enough to make you want to hang up the guitar forever but the infectious latter tracks will undoubtedly inspire you to pick it back up and practice, practice, practice. Compositions such as "The Fisherman" and "Busted Bicycle" are moving instrumental narratives rooted in the blues, yet thoroughly modern; his take on "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire" is meditative and stunning. Kottke himself no longer plays many of these lightning-fast pieces, but they're still a high-water mark for what two hands can do with a six and 12-string guitar.
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They Say...
Leo Kottke's debut came about after he sent a cassette to John Fahey's Takoma label. Not surprisingly, it recalls Fahey's work in a number of respects: the synthesis of numerous influences from blues, pop, classical, and folk styles, the weirdly titled instrumentals, even the tongue-in-cheek liner notes. Kottke's brand of virtuosity, however, is more soothing and easy on the ear than Fahey's. It's far from sappy, though, the rich and resonant picking intimating some underlying restlessness, like peaceful open fields after a storm. Establishing much of the territory Kottke was to explore throughout his career, this release was also one of his most popular, eventually selling over 500,000 copies.
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| 01. |  |
The Driving of the Year Nail |
1:57 |
|
| 02. | |
The Last Of The Arkansas Greyhounds |
3:17 |
|
| 03. | |
Ojo |
2:15 |
|
| 04. | |
Crow River Waltz |
3:21 |
|
| 05. | |
The Sailor's Grave On The Prairie |
2:33 |
|
| 06. | |
Vaseline Machine Gun |
3:12 |
|
| 07. | |
Jack Fig |
2:16 |
|
| 08. | |
Watermelon |
3:10 |
|
| 09. | |
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring |
2:24 |
|
| 10. | |
The Fisherman |
2:32 |
|
| 11. | |
The Tennessee Toad |
2:40 |
|
| 12. | |
Busted Bicycle |
2:48 |
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| 13. | |
The Brain Of The Purple Mountain |
2:11 |
|
| 14. | |
Coolidge Rising |
2:47 |
|
14 Total Tracks, 37:23 Total Length
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Credits
- Leo Kottke - Guitar // Leo Kottke - Guitar // Leo Kottke - Arranger // Leo Kottke - Arranger // Leo Kottke - Composer // Leo Kottke - Composer // Leo Kottke - Main Performer // Leo Kottke - Main Performer // Leo Kottke - Annotation // Leo Kottke - Annotation // Leo Kottke - Song Notes // Leo Kottke - Song Notes // Johann Sebastian Bach - Composer // Mark A. Humphrey - Liner Notes // Joe Tarantino - Mastering // Joe Tarantino - Remastering // Annie Elliott - Cover Design // Annie Elliott - Cover Art // Mark Humphrey - Liner Notes
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