Talk about Playing and Technique...

[gennation]

I'm going to see Leo Kottke next week! If you aren't familiar with him do yourself a favor and look him up. He's one of those guys you can consider Mr. Playing and Technique.

He is the master of the 12-string. I saw him back in 1978. He's one of those players who was ALWAYS in his prime. While he's very unique I always thought of him as a mix of Steve Howe, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Page, and Doc Watson. He's very folksy and was Americana decades before there was such a thing.

He's as a very good storyteller too and his shows are a mix of brilliant playing and great stories. He is friends with MANY famous musicians and has played so many shows for probably 50+ years and he has got some stories!

Anyways...he's slowed down a bit in years but is still playing very good...this is him a few years ago...


This is him back in the day, he's was always such a great player:

 

[Manny Scott]

I like him but so much of his material sounds the same.........

 

[Royce McCutcheon]

Wife and I were fortunate enough to see him live a few years ago. One of my perennial faves. Such a monster player and a hilarious storyteller.

I love so many of his records, but the "One Guitar, No Vocals" album and the song "Morning is the Long Way Home" from that record is one of my faves.

 

[Clifford-D]

Vaseline Machine Gun is the first difficult tune I ever transcribed.

 

[gennation]

Vaseline Machine Gun is the first difficult tune I ever transcribed.

That's cool Cliff.

I can see where some would say some of his stuff sounds a like. It's all acoustic finger style and folk music. He's always had something special on top of it though.

 

[great-case.com]

I watched Leo play from the front row once... a close study, so to speak. The man is not human. That said, it's the funny stories that I remember most. Leo claims to be the only man ever arrested for smuggling something into Mexico. Can you tell me what it was he allegedly smuggled?

Spoiler: Leo's Criminal Record

Coors Beer, or so he claims in a joke he likes to tell

 

[Phletch]

Water you can actually drink and NOT get Montezuma's Revenge?