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Leo Kottke - One Guitar, No Vocals Audio CD

A fair review of the Leo Kottke "One Guitar, No Vocals" 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: One Guitar, No Vocals
Rating:
Release Date: 1999-06-29
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Snorkel 2: Morning Is the Long Way Home 3: Too Fast 4: Three/Quarter North 5: Retrograde 6: Chamber of Commerce 7: From "Little Treasure" 8: Bigger Situation 9: Accordion Bells 10: Peckerwood 11: Blimp 12: Even His Feet Look Sad

Terrific playing, some great songs
His imaginative mind creates some beautiful and excellent music (Three/Quarter North, Accordion Bells, Snorkel) but sometimes is quirky enough to make some pieces not very accessible to a casual listener. Leo Kottke is such a virtuoso and is wildly creative. But in all cases, his playing is spectacular.


Sensational!
I have seen many albums of his and his name pops up among certain Summer circles. After, finally, finding this gem, I am so captured by the elegance and complexity of Leo's style. This Cd is my start, and after one listen, has become one of my many favorite, admired, and surprising, CDs. A "Must have," you won't go wrong! The title is truthful. . . finally. .


Dull
The real title should be 'One Guitar, No Music. Despite its pseudo profound title, there isn't much here. '.


Best example of Kottke's mature playing style


After being laid low with chronic tendonitis in the mid-80's, I didn't think Leo would ever approach the level of playing he had on his Takoma debut, `6 and 12 String Guitar' (see my review). If you see Kottke perform today, like his style, and want to pick up one of his discs, 'One Guitar, No Vocals' is a good start for your Kottke collection.

`One Guitar, No Vocals' was a real surprise. I rank this and `Standing in My Shoes' as the best of his recordings in the last ten or so years.

On `6&12 String', he blew you away with speed and power, a falling-down-the-hill-head-over-heels kind of sound. On `OGNV'. Leo reinvented his style of playing. It may be a slower, more mature style, but he replaces the speed and power with finesse and intricate fingerpicking.

Each piece evokes a mood, whether it be a romantic walk in the woods on a cool autumn day (Three/Quarter North), whimsicality (Snorkel), instrumental storytelling (Morning is a Long way Home), or several versions of one melody(Accordion Bells).

Veteran Kottke fans will appreciate Leo's `riff recycling', a thing he typically does in his music. In `Snorkel` a bit of `Mona Ray' (Dreams and All that Stuff )leaks in. Leo gives us a new acoustic version of `Morning is a Long Way Home' (`Ice Water'). I even think I might have heard a bit of `Monkey Lust' (`Mudlark') drifting through `Too Fast'.

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Just One Guitar?
I am not a guitar player and I don't know if he employs many technical tricks with effects and such, but he really seems to master the instrument. Obviously, there are no vocals on this album but the sounds that Kottke can make come out of a single guitar is truly amazing.

I don't own any other Kottke albums but when I heard this one, I had to get it. The themes in the music are fully fleshed out in each song, giving each one a unique personality. It fits many moods and even without the vocals, it does seem like the songs are saying something, much like a classical or jazz piece. And it also works whether you want to listen to it all the way through or mix it in with other music on a shuffle.

I definitely keep an ear open for other Kottke music because of this album.


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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