Leo Kottke question

[Walkerman]

I am totally unfamiliar with Leo Kottke.
What would be the best album to start with?

[Denis]

6 & 12 String guitar

[gtrplayer]

"My Feet Are Smiling" 

At the height of his fingerpicking powers and the cut "Medley" at the end is simply awesome in every sense of the word. 

gtrplayer

[ducktrapper]

What Denis said. I would add Greenhouse. Start where Leo started.

[frankhond]

  to all of the above. Leo made several studio albums which sometimes seem, eh, more about getting something out on schedule and having fun in the process, than say, capturing the essence of his guitar playing.

I would add the following to the list:

Gutar Music
One Guitar, No Vocals

[ffinke]

The one where he claims his voice is "like geese farts on a muggy day". Seeing him in concert (3x) is one of my fondest memories. Terrific entertainer.

f

[Walkerman]

If I am only going to get one...is there a consesus on which one?

[ffinke]

6 & 12 String guitar

...what Denis says.

[jbrummer]

Don't count on any consensus . . . but I'll go ahead and cast my vote for My Feet Are Smiling.  Captures Kottke's essence (virtuosity and eccentricity) and yields the line "Now I'm going to demonstrate one of my favorite techniques.  Where I take a lovely, simple little melody and drive it into the ground." -- Every time I listen to it, it both inspires me and makes me want to just quit playing at the same time.  Several times I swear there's more than one guitar being played . . .

[frankhond]

If only one, I agree with My Feet are Smiling. Although 6&12 string guitar is a must in any scenario, sooner or later.

[Queequeg]

6 & 12 String Guitar is really good, and it is AKA " the armadillo album" due to the cover art.
Alternatively, he has a compilation of his instrumentals that will get you 18 tunes, and it covers his career at Capitol from 1970-1975.

[Denis]

I'll add to my choice of 6&12 string...I did like Guitar Music too.  I had another album with him, Peter Lang and John Fahey...they all play 3-4 tunes each...

I'm not all that familiar with his earlier stuff but 6&12 string is far reaching.  It covers a lot of ground.  He was pretty young at the time and was trying all sorts of crazy stuff.  Really like that album. 

[ducktrapper]

6&12 also contains 'The Fisherman' which may be the tune he's eventually remembered for.

[fongie]

6&12 also contains 'The Fisherman' which may be the tune he's eventually remembered for.

Wasn't 'Fisherman' you played in one of your clips Queequeg? Nice song
cheers
fongie

[gtrplayer]

Don't count on any consensus . . . but I'll go ahead and cast my vote for My Feet Are Smiling.  Captures Kottke's essence (virtuosity and eccentricity) and yields the line "Now I'm going to demonstrate one of my favorite techniques.  Where I take a lovely, simple little melody and drive it into the ground." -- Every time I listen to it, it both inspires me and makes me want to just quit playing at the same time.  Several times I swear there's more than one guitar being played . . .

My Feet Are Smiling

What melody Leo is referring to in "driving it into the ground" is "The Fisherman".  Great tune and attainable as an intermediate guitarist (will take awhile to play at Leo's tempo).  But his "Medley" consisting of "Crow River Waltz", "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and Jack Fig" is simply phenomenal (and certainly very unattainable by most mortals).  For one super guitarist with a twelve string guitar you would swear there were three playing.

gtrplayer

[teh]

6&12 String Guitar without question if you just want to listen....

...however you can pick up Home and Away (DVD) from 1990 for around 15 bucks on linw. It was filmed in MN and Toronto, aired on PBS and includes Leo's home movies including some great monologues and a trip to his basement where he shows a guitar he stepped on while performing in London and fixed with duct tape and a 12 string that he sawed part of the headstock off of so it would fit in the case.

[Walkerman]

Well, thanks for all of the advice.  I finally found a copy of "6 and 12 String."

That boy can play.  I can't wait for my next drive up the coast...that's going to be good "driving along the Pacific Ocean" music.

[pennerblue]

You could be lame and get "the essential" LK.
Or you probably should get 6&12 string, as well as One guitar/No vocals.
I, too, like Standing in my shoes.

[guitom]

I, too, like Standing in my shoes.

Me too.