League of New (Acoustic) Guitarists

Posted by: AndyP19 on 20 November 2016

I'm still listening to the late greats Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, John Martyn and my favourite Michael Hedges. But last week I took a trip along the coast to the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea to see the amazing Steve Gunn.

Steve Gunn along with Ryley Walker and William Tyler are just three of the amazing talents on acoustic guitar around at the moment. Here's a clip of Steve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdWu0Gyzv38

It's heart warming and gives me faith in my future enjoyment of music that there are guys and girls (Kaki King for instance) out there, keeping the tradition going.

If the names like Ryley Walker, Steve Gunn, William Tyler and Kai King and for that matter Michael Hedges (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaIN13aDbCc) are new to you - then well worth an exploration.

 

 

 

 

Posted on: 20 November 2016 by Nick Lees

You may like Hastings' own James Blackshaw. He started off as a purely raga/primitive guitarist in the John Fahey mode, and has latterly done an album of songs and at the moment become a bit disillusioned with things. 

Nevertheless he has astonishing skill, and a great knack with tunes along with an innovative bent. I love his stuff to bits. 

Here's a bit of early long form 12 string:

And shorter:

Posted on: 21 November 2016 by Stampie

I've been lucky enough to see a couple of great Ryley Walker performances in the last 18 months, one of them being with Danny Thompson at St. Georges Hall in Bristol.

Well worth checking out when he nexts visits the UK

Posted on: 21 November 2016 by Borders Nick

These albums from William Tyler and Steve Gunn are well worth checking out.  Both on Tidal.

Havent heard Michael Hedges or James Blackshaw I'll have to check them out.

Posted on: 21 November 2016 by AndyP19

Gary - thanks I have James Blackshaw's album The Glass Bead Game which is outstanding and yes I had heard he'd given up the touring side.

Nick - thanks for the William Tyler recommendation having got his Impossible Truth and Behold the Spirit albums, I've just downloaded on FLAC Modern Country from the Bandcamp site at a great price despite the dollar exchange rate. I love Steve Gunn's Way Out Weather and do check out Michael Hedges he has his roots in audiophile New Age music back in the 1980's and his live album Live On Double Planet is well worth a listen. I was lucky to see him live in London before his sad death at only 43.

Posted on: 22 November 2016 by Nick Lees

James is a very up and down sort of guy it would seem. He's definitely decided he doesn't want to be just a Fahey clone (though he is an amazing guitarist with his own voice) but I think he's struggled to break out - especially commercially. 

Do you also know of Glenn Jones? He's 63, so not young, but he makes beautiful music on a par with Fahey, Kottke, Sir Richard Bishop and the much missed Jack Rose...

And definitely on the young side there's Daniel Bachman

Another young talent that's gone dark is Rick Tomlinson (Voice Of The Seven Woods). He too seemed to kick against the genre and became Voice Of The Seven Thunders before seemingly stopping everything. He had it though...

Posted on: 22 November 2016 by AndyP19

Gary, wonderful stuff indeed:-

Glenn Jones - amazing and I'm intrigued by the half capo he uses. Something I must investigate.

Daniel Bachman - wow, just had to download his album, just beautiful. Thanks for this one.

Voice of the Seven Woods - yes I have the album one of my many (too many) purchases from Rough Trade East - used to spend most lunchtimes there when I worked in the City.

Funny you should mention Sir Richard Bishop 'cause I bought the Sun City Girls album Torch of the Mystics the other day - but that's another direction altogether.

Thanks again for these recommendations.