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Leo Kottke - A Shout Toward Noon Audio CD

A fair review of the Leo Kottke "A Shout Toward Noon" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Leo Kottke reviews here, or go back to the Leo Kottke tabs.

Leo Kottke Band: Leo Kottke
Title: A Shout Toward Noon
Rating:
Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Little Beaver 2: Trout Toward Noon 3: Little Martha 4: Easter Again 5: Piece 17 6: Three Quarter North 7: Echoing Gilewitz 8: Air Proofing Two 9: Virtuoso Is His Own Reward 10: Four Four North 11: Ice Field 12: First to Go

One of the finest albums
The accompaniment is tasteful, the compositions beautifully varied, and the playing sublime.
If you like acoustic steel string guitar, this is a beautiful and gentle set, one of Leo Kottke's finest recordings.

The album is not so funny and fast-paced as much of Leo Kottke's work. (He's admitted he tends to hurry his pace a bit. ) Here the work as a slightly more refined and gentle than his better known bluegrass style. This recording is a gem.

Oh, there's the nod to Duane Allman, with a version of his classic "Little Martha. " Enjoy. .


The best Leo ever recorded
I never tire of this collection of small gems, so delicate, intelligent and inventive to stand out even in a rich production like Leo's. I have many of Kottke's CDs, but most of the time this is the one I happen to want to play. As far as the synthesizers and the other instruments are concerned, they are far in the background: his guitar is king. If you don't know Leo Kottke and want to buy one of his records, let it be this one. .


The Virtuoso Is His Own Reward
I suddenly realized that all the finger-picking I had just heard was being done on a 12 string guitar, which is no mean feat. My first encounter with Leo Kottke was at a performance, where a sudden burst of pyrotechnics drew my attention from my date to the guitarist on stage. Worse, there seems to be moment whan Kottke was picking all 12 strings. I nearly died of envy.

If Kottke's roots are in folk, albums such as this demonstrates that his skills are far more wide ranging. Jazz, blues, folk and even new age are well within his span of control. He builds a strong, architected effect where every not is dead on, even when he is indulging in a bit of invention, and A Shout Toward Noon is no exception. This makes his playing as unique as other modern masters of the instrument like Ackermann and DeGrassi. And every bit as enjoyable as well.

This album encapsulates both his playing and compositional talents. On several tracks I was surprised to find the presence of other instruments (cello and synthesizer) that provide some unexpected dimensionality (try Little Martha). Even though this album is 15 years old, it contains surprises (like the things he does with string harmonics in Easter Again), and sounds surprisingly fresh. The engineering is beautifully balances, with a simple, guitar-focused sound that seems to fill the room.

If you are looking for an outstanding conceptual album that is representative of the best in folk instrumentalists, look into A Shout Toward Noon. You are bound to like it.


An experiment gone wrong?
It is mellower, more New Age than, say, 6 & 12 String Guitar. This album seems to mess with the tried and true Kottke formula. On several songs you also hear Kottke using a synthesizer to make other instrumental sounds. If you happen to like that, great. If you're buying this because you liked 6 & 12 String Guitar, you might be disappointed.


The Ultimate Kottke---No Doubt About It
Ever since then I cannot get enough of this guy. One day I returned to my college apartment from a weekend at my parents to discover that my roommate had video-taped this amazing guitar player off of the PBS show, "Austin City Limits". Six years later, my collection of Leo Kottke CDs is almost complete. When I try to choose my favorite one, "A Shout Towards Noon" always pops in my head. Such a beautifully written album---such emotion and energy. For anyone that has not listened to a Kottke CD, do yourself a favor: buy two--one for you and one for anyone that has a passion for works of art.


You can see a complete list of all Leo Kottke discography, or go back to the Leo Kottke tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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