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best acoustic fingerpicking records?

loudwizardloudwizard 358 Posts
edited January 2009 in Strut Central
I know this is more of a waxidermy-esque post,but my work filter keeps me from that board. Just wondering if anyone wouldn't mind hipping meto some good fingerpicking records?I'm up on the obvious stuff - everything on Takoma - and have heard some good newer stuff too - the Imaginational Anthems comps-but I've never dug for these records before, really.suggestions?streaming version of last Imaginational Anthem comp here-http://www.imaginationalanthem.com/

  Comments

  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Nick Drake (surprise)
    John Fahey
    Donovan
    Mississippi John Hurt
    Elizabeth Cotton
  • loudwizardloudwizard 358 Posts
    Nick Drake (surprise)

    ha, yep, while I've been hunting this kind of stuff for a minute,
    it was this thread that made me think Soulstrut might be willing to weigh in on this topic.

    Defniitely up on everything you mentioned except Elizabeth Cotton,
    I'll be on the lookout. Thanks!
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Nick Drake (surprise)

    ha, yep, while I've been hunting this kind of stuff for a minute,
    it was this thread that made me think Soulstrut might be willing to weigh in on this topic.

    Defniitely up on everything you mentioned except Elizabeth Cotton,
    I'll be on the lookout. Thanks!


    There are a couple of nice Smithsonian reissue CDs of her work. Her voice takes some getting used to but her guitar style is wonderful.

    Also check out Piedmont-style players like Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake...
  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts

    John Fahey
    Mississippi John Hurt

    Those are the two I came in this thread to post.
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts

    John Fahey
    Mississippi John Hurt

    Those are the two I came in this thread to post.


    I've always said to my wife that if I could learn to play like Mississippi John Hurt, I'd go find a tree, sit under it and just play for the rest of my life. The sound is good for the soul.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    Not exactly an expert in this field, but I really like:

    Bert Jansch "Bert Jansch",
    Davy Graham "Folk, Blues & Beyond..."
    and Bert Jansch & John Renbourn "Bert & John"
  • ennuiennui 111 Posts
    Jack Rose is a contemporary disciple of Fahey we listen to a lot at the shop where I work. Also, though he goes way out sometimes (especially more recent stuff), there are beautiful fingerpicking moments on Six Organs of Admittance records.
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    the john rebourn record on kpm is great
  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts



    Leo Kottke - s/t
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    This is a genre where the private stuff is often as good or in some instances better than the big stars and most aren't crazy expensive (yet). Some of my faves...

    Daniel Hecht (2 albums on Dragons Egg)
    Jim Olschmidt
    Harry Taussig on Talisman (rare but there's a reish)
    Tom Smith "Still Lifes"
    Dave Fritz "City & Tree"
    George Cromarty "Grassroots Guitar"
    Richard Crandall (2 albums on cutthroat)
    William Eaton
    Michael Gulezian "Snow"

    There's more but I can't think right now.

    You also might check out Sandy Bull and Peter Walker who both have records on Vanguard if you haven't already (though not totally solo guitar).
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Rev Gary Davis
    Joseph Spence
    Merle Watson (to be heard on Doc Watson records.)

    One of the absolute best:
    Larry Johnson Fast & Funky on Blue Goose records.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    This is a genre where the private stuff is often as good or in some instances better than the big stars and most aren't crazy expensive (yet). Some of my faves...
    Paul Chasman
    Mary Rose
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts

    John Fahey
    Mississippi John Hurt

    Those are the two I came in this thread to post.


    I've always said to my wife that if I could learn to play like Mississippi John Hurt, I'd go find a tree, sit under it and just play for the rest of my life. The sound is good for the soul.

    I learned to play like John Hurt.
    One day I was singing and playing Spike Driver Blues.
    I knew something was not right.
    So I played and sang along with the record.
    But while the melody is played on the beat, the vocals are off beat.

    There was no way I could sing off beat to the melody I was playing on the guitar.

    It is somewhere in there, between the singing and guitar that the music happens.
  • corsiccorsic oakland, ca 232 Posts
    My vote is for most early John Fahey (the best of 1959-1977 is a good start, it's basically some snippets of a his 15+ minute tracks, but I'd recommend the full tracks too). Also, though it's not in the vein of a lot of the dudes posted, Andres Segovia will give you some flamenco finger pickin action - it's a whole nother world.
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,964 Posts
    Toninho Horta brings it on that Brasilian tip. He has got that fast Samba thing down.
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