Sam Moss - Neighbors

I'm really liking Desert Dogs on this new release by Sam Moss.  These sparse tunes are really showcasing his singing talents.  It's almost a shame he released those early solo acoustic instrumentals.  Just kidding, those were good works that shamefully never hit the blog due to some scheduling conflicts.  That's an angular way of saying I'm lazy sometimes.  Anyway, those were guitar, this latest work is focused on the banjo.

Take a listen to this cut recently posted on his site.
Whooee!  Let me get some more whiskey in my jar and contemplate that beauty.

Read an interview with Sam Moss by No Depression.

Want more?  Check out his other recent release, ALL CAPS.  Moss is clearly in the zone with his playing and writing.




So why don't you go check him out live?  TOUR SCHEDULE:


Solo
5.17.12 Easthampton, MA- Healy Guitars, 8 pm
5.18.12 Hudson, NY- Spotty Dog, 8 pm
5.19.12 Bennington, VT- Bennington College, 9:30 pm

The Howling Kettles
5.27.12 Putney, VT- Farmer’s Market, 12-3 pm
6.02.12 Brattleboro, VT- Strolling of the Heifers
6.09.12 Granby, CT- Lost Acres Vineyard, 7 pm
6.10.12 West Hartford, CT- Backstage Pizza, 6:30-9 pm
6.17.12 Putney, VT- Farmer’s Market, 12-3 pm
7.07.12 Grafton, VT- Private Event
7.12.12 Sheffield, MA- Down County Social Club*
7.14.12 Brattleboro, VT- Farmer’s Market, 11-1 pm
7.14.12 Brattleboro, VT- Headroom Stages*
7.15.12 Putney, VT- Farmer’s Market, 12-3 pm
7.15.12 Hudson, NY- Spotty Dog, 8 pm*
7.16.12 Brooklyn, NY- Red Hook Bait & Tackle, 9 pm*
7.20.12 Bradford, NH- Bradford Meetinghouse, 7 pm
7.22.12 Putney, VT- Farmer’s Market, 12-3 pm
8.16.12 Morrisville, VT- The Bee's Knees@
8.17.12 Montpelier, VT- The Black Door@
8.18.12 Brookline, VT- Wedding
8.25.12 Alstead, NH- Mole Hill Theatre, 8 pm^
1.19.13 Bellows Falls, VT- Stone Church Arts, 7:30 %

*With Evan Levine
@With Katie Trautz
^With Bradford Bog People
%With Hot Mustard

Jug-Tonk Stompers
5.24.12 Bellows Falls, VT- PK's Pub (Jug-Tonk Stompers), 9 pm
6.01.12 Saxons River, VT- Pleasant Valley Brewing (Jug-Tonk Stompers), 8 pm

Again, visit this talented guy at Sam Moss and the Bandcamp links above.

 

The Music of Leo Kottke Summer Workshop 2012

July 27-29, 2012

In this intensive three-day workshop, intermediate guitar students will have an opportunity to work on three compositions by guitarist/composer Leo Kottke. Archival video, enhanced computer capabilities, and specifically designed pedagogical materials will enable participants to study these pieces in depth.

This class also includes multimedia lecture/presentations on the background, career, compositions, and technique of Leo Kottke, featuring rare archival video of Leo Kottke discussing composition, performance, and a life devoted to music.

This year, the Music of Leo Kottke summer workshop will present “Standing in My Shoes,” “My Aunt Francis,” and “Agile N.”

Students should have at least some intermediate facility on the guitar and be able to read tablature. I will teach this class with the assistance of Benjamin Kammin, Andrew Lardner, and Josh Lane, who bring specialized background and depth to this workshop. Maximum enrollment: 45.

Registration is available at http://www4.uwm.edu/psoa/music/outreach/guitarkottke.cfm.

John Stropes, Director of Guitar Studies, Finger-Style Guitar

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Peck School of the Arts

A forum for The Music of Leo Kottke Summer Workshop 2012 is available at The Music of Leo Kottke Summer Workshop 2012.

   

Graveyard Stomps & Funeral Rags by Jerry Hionis

I'm a likin' Tombstone Rag, In Memoriam-Frank Herbert, Horse Head Fiddle, Mount Hope Cemetary Stomp...and more!  What do you like?  Oh yeah, and Sietch Tabr Stomp...

Buy it on Bandcamp by clicking above or at CDBaby.
   

Los ojos del sobremundo by Borealis

Buy
 

Doc Watson Live in Greenwich Village 1962

Arthel “Doc” Watson, legendary North Carolina guitarist and iconic American musician died Tuesday.  He was 89 years old.

I love to play Deep River Blues, it's a favorite of mine.  I happen to play it just a bit slower than Doc, haha.  Here's a nice solo set from back-in-the-day that recently showed up.

Doc Watson
Gerdes Folk City
Greenwich Village
New York City, NY
12-00-1962

01 That's All
02 Black Mt. Rag
03 Farewell Blues
04 Blue Smoke
05 Deep River Blues
06 Dill Pickle Rag
07 Spike Driver Blues
08 9 lb. Hammer
09 Sittin' On Top Of The World
<flip>
10 //House Carpenter
11 Brakeman's Blues
12 I Am A Pilgrim
13 John Henry
14 Blue Smoke

Download the show, MP3 256mbps

Mark Fosson: Digging in the Dust (Exclusive Stream)

from the Fretboard Journal
In 1976, shortly after acquiring his 12-string Epiphone guitar, Kentucky-born guitarist Mark Fosson recorded a set of demo tapes that were eventually sent to John Fahey’s Takoma Records. Fahey liked what he heard and signed Fosson shortly thereafter, going so far as to book studio time for the musician. Unfortunately, Takoma ran out of money and was sold to Chrysalis before the album ever came out, leaving Fosson’s studio recording in its wake. The finished album wouldn’t be released until 2006 (as Drag City Records’ The Lost Takoma Sessions).

On June 26, 2012, Tompkins Square is releasing Digging in the Dust, the stunning 1976 home demos by Fosson that led up to that lost Takoma record. The guitarist recorded himself in his living room, using a reel-to-reel tape deck and a rented microphone. He performed ten original compositions and one arrangement of “Back in the Saddle Again.” Though today he’s known more as an Americana singer-songwriter, these tapes are a testament to Fosson’s unique talents on 12-string guitar. If you’re a fan of Fahey, Leo Kottke, Peter Lang or more recent virtuosos such as the late Jack Rose, we think you’ll love this collection of forward-thinking guitar instrumentals.

The Fretboard Journal is proud to be exclusively streaming this album in its entirety to readers and guitar enthusiasts worldwide. The stream will only be up for a limited time, so if you like what you hear, we encourage you to pre-order the album here (CD) or here (mp3). The album will be available everywhere on June 26, 2012. able everywhere on June 26, 2012.

Stream it HERE
 

Oh Michael, Look What You’ve Done : Friends Play Michael Chapman

Compiled by Michael’s wife Andru and Tompkins Square’s Josh Rosenthal, features artists who have shared a stage with Michael, or share a personal connection. These include some of his contemporaries like Bridget St. John, Maddy Prior, and longtime cohort Rick Kemp (Steeleye Span), as well as young guns inspired by Michael’s legacy.

Available May 29th

Track listing :

1. Black Twig Pickers – Life on the Ceiling
2. D. Charles Speer – Expressway in the Rain
3. Lucinda Williams – That Time of Night (LISTEN)
4. Thurston Moore – It Didn’t Work Out
5. Meg Baird – No Song To Sing (LISTEN)
6. Maddy Prior – The Prospector
7. Hiss Golden Messenger – Fennario
8. Rick Kemp – Vanity and Pride
9. Two Wings – You Say
10. Nick Jonah Davis – Little Molly’s Dream
11. Bridget St. John – Rabbit Hills
12. William Tyler – Naked Ladies and Electric Ragtime

William Tyler delivers a bouncy version of Naked Ladies and Electric Ragtime.

Nick Jonah Davis performs a solo acoustic of Little Molly’s Dream.  Davis is a talented fingerpicker and does a fine job on this one.

Meg Baird delivers her usual standard of excellence with No Song to Sing.  A fine blend of an acoustic base, ambient feeling and tasty electric licks all framing her beautiful vocal delivery.

Lucinda Williams’ cover sounds like it’s straight from her soul.  The ache and pain and pure emotion of this performance is 18kt gold.  A sparse, beautiful trip into That Time of Night.

Solid version of Fennario is delivered by Hiss Golden Messenger.

I'm very much enamored with The Prospector by Maddy Prior.

I must again proclaim my support for tribute and various artist compilations.  Many times in the past I have purchased compilations for just one or two artists presented on such releases only to discover many new and exciting artists that I have never heard of before.  You might find something new yourself!

Check out the extensive posts about Chapman over at Small Town Romance, at the end of the post is a guide to all of his releases.  

Buy from Tompkins Squa

Michael Chapman Guitar Tablature

Fantastic to see artists that post tab to some of their music.  I think everyone appreciates the effort and it's the best kind of self-promotion!

Go check it out!

The Terry Robb Band - MUDDYVISHNU

Review by Andrew Stranglen

The first thing that struck my mind when I heard the opening title cut of The Terry Robb Band's new album 'Muddyvishnu', was how much the tune reminded me of the guitar savvy of the late Jimi Hendrix. High praise I know, but this album deserves high praise. Rock solid from start to finish, or should I say Blues solid? Jazz solid? Fusion is what defines this effort. And a seamless effort it is. 

Muddyvishnu is released on Terry's own label Psychedelta Records, 

whose goal is 'bringing roots music into the future', along with redefining the genre known as 'American Primitivism', aka: 'American Primitive Guitar', a genre description coined by the legendary John Fahey.

Vishnu is one of the Hindu Trimurti of Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Preserver), and Shiva (The Destroyer). 'Muddyvishnu', an apt title choice given the Psychedelta Records mission statement.

On the youtube link above Terry is interiewed on the street outside before a gig, in it he explains the title Muddyvishnu as "Muddy Waters meets Mahavishnu" (as in Mahavishnu Orchestra). The comparison of Terrys electric guitar playing to John McLaughlin, or even Jimi Hendrix for that matter is in no way a stretch. He's been described as a musician's musician, a guitarist's guitarist, and as evidenced by 'Muddyvishnu', such descriptions are wholly justified. 

But back to the album for a minute, 11 total tracks, seven of which  are T. Robb originals. The last track is entirely acoustic Lap slide (#11 The Refreshing), and No. 7 (Ju Ju) which begins acoustically and sweetly transitions to electric guitar. The other nine tracks feature Terry playing hotly!, jazzily!, fusionally!, bluesy! electric guitar, expertly backed up by Adam Scramstadt on guitar, Dave Kahl on bass, and Jeff Minnick on drums. This is not your average ho-hum blues band. 

  

The tunes on Muddyvishnu range from juke-joint blues (#5 Lonesome Home, #9 Sheriff Brown) and smokey late-night wanderings (#3 Idle Moments, #6 Worried About It Now) to the fusion laden Title cut (#1 Muddyvishnu) and the surf-tinged (#10 Sweet Hip), and then there's the Faheyesque closer (#11 The Refreshing) which conjures Misissippi John Hurt, and a number of other original Roots Blues players. Actually, they're sprinkled all over this album! 

This album is repeatedly rewarding listening, I highly recommend it.

It is the absolute best album of this kind that I've ever heard! 

I'll eat my guitar if you don't find something to like, I'm that confident. 

-Andrew Stranglen

Terry has quite a list of musical accomplishments:

http://www.terryrobb.com/biography.aspx

http://www.terryrobb.com/
    

Jack Rose & John Fahey TAB

Just a post of a mish-mash of TABs today.  More from Paul, thank you sir! And some others I found here and there.

First is the excellent little tune Flirtin' With the Undertaker from Jack Rose's Kensington Blues.

Download Flirtin' With the Undertaker

And here we have West Coast Blues, John Fahey's version.  I've got two of these so I'll post them both.  The text one is from Nicolas on the AG forum thank you sir!  I can't recall where I got the other one so if it's yours give a shout so I can give you some credit.

Download West Coast Blues txt

Download West Coast Blues pdf