Leo Kottke May 8, 2010 at 8 p.m. Tickets - $29/$15 for ages 18 and under leokottke.com

Leo Kottke - A Biography
Try and Stop Me. The title of Leo Kottke’s new album encapsulates the spirit of the man himself — profoundly original, a little cantankerous perhaps, a deep talking Midwestern raconteur whose quick wit is matched by his astounding virtuosity on the six and 12 string guitars. For the past three decades, Kottke has been indefatigable in his pursuit of a unique musical vision that has placed him among the foremost acoustic guitar stylists of our time. Or any other, for that matter.

“It was [folksinging legend] Pete Seeger’s recording of ‘The Banks of Marble’ that first got me excited about the 12-string guitar many years ago.” Kottke’s ability to embrace folk idioms and pop melodies as readily as he assimilates jazz and classical influences makes him unique among guitar virtuosi. For all its technical brilliance, wicked syncopation and harmonic sophistication, Kottke’s music is eminently accessible. At heart he’s a populist. This has been abundantly clear ever since the guitarist’s 1969 debut, 12 String Blue, recorded live at a Minneapolis folk club. Kottke’s 1971 major label debut, Mudlark, and seminal Six and 12-String Guitar (1972) announced the arrival of a major new voice in acoustic guitar instrumental music.

Classic Kottke albums like Chewing Pine (1975), Balance (1979), Time Step (1983), My Father’s Face (1989), Great Big Boy (1991) , Peculiaroso (1993) and One Guitar, No Vocals (1999) have consistently won over new fans while continuing to surprise and delight longtime aficionados. Over the years, Kottke has worked in the studio and shared concert stages with everyone from Lyle Lovett, John Fahey, T-Bone Burnett and Rickie Lee Jones, to Paco de Lucia, Pepe Romero, John Williams, John McLaughlin and Joe Pass.

“My music is maybe hard to categorize,” Kottke allows. “It doesn’t fit conveniently into the bins at record stores. That works for me, though... I don’t rise and fall with trends. Most listeners seem to have room for this stuff. It’s been great that way.” Bio Courtesy of Paradigm Agency

Related Links:
leokottke.com includes audio samples.

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