Customer Reviews

Essential Leo Kottke

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Between his last album for Captitol (Chewing Pine) in 1974 and his first album for Private Music (A Shout Toward Noon) in 1986, Leo Kottke recorded six albums for Chrysalis. This generous 60-minute-plus CD samples all of those albums (except for 1980's Live In Europe).

The first of Kottke's Chrysalis albums was the self-titled Leo Kottke. One of the highlights is "Airproofing," which showcases Kottke's talent as a 12-string player. Guitar Music--his first all-instrumental album since 6- and 12-String Guitar--is represented by seven tracks. Highlights include the Side One Suite medley, and at more than 10 minutes it is a guitar player's delight. [Guitar Music is also the only album Chrysalis has kept in print, but Beat Goes On has rereleased the others, including the Live In Europe album.]

There are also a few vocals included. Personal favorites include a heartfelt treatment of Buddy Holly's "Learning the Game" and the story song "Sonora's Death Row." [I only wish they would have also included "Saginaw, Michigan" from 1983's Time Step.]

While I already owned all of Kottke's Chrysalis albums on vinyl, this anthology was an inexpensive was for me to also have some of Kottke's best work on CD. And although several of these songs appear on Rhino's well chosen The Leo Kottke Anthology, this collection simply adds to Kottke's legacy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I just picked up this collection, after years of curiosity. What we have here is 66 minutes, 22 tracks, 15 of them instrumental, from Leo's Chrysalis recordings (1976-1983). It's solid stuff, but not as awesomely brilliant as "6 & 12 STRING GUITAR" or the first 4 on Capitol (MUDLARK, GREENHOUSE, the live MY FEET ARE SMILING and ICE WATER). Those records, especially 6 & 12 and MUDLARK, are some of my favorites of all time. After I stopped buying Leo's records I often wondered what he was up to, and this is part of the answer.

The freshness, innocence and energy have faded by this time. (Of course his fingers were suffering -- you would not believe how he used to play! When I saw him live in Chicago and Albuquerque in '74 and '75 he would break strings, he played so hard, and just rip them out and keep going!) The vocal tracks are mainly in a mournful mode, without the earlier streak of humor. "Julie's House" (by Kottke) and "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" by Kris Kristofferson are great, both from the '83 record TIME STEP, on which T-Bone Burnett brought out Leo's country side. If you edit out the 7 vocal tracks, though, you've got 15 great instrumental tracks, and even if it's not as inspired as 6 & 12 or My FEET.. it's still fine.

If you're just getting into Leo, start with the earlier records. But this is an extensive selection from his "middle period" if you want to dig deeper.

Leo Kottke has his own style, and this CD is full of his astounding music. Its energy will make you vibrate by the time you finish listening to it, and its richness will sooth your soul. It's length gives endless variety from Kottke's guitar rhythm and skill to his unique songwriting style and voice. This is one CD that will make you feel you've found a treasure.

Read the reviews posted earlier than mine for details on this CD and its strengths and flaws. I like his earlier work on Capitol Records better, especially when he vocalizes, but there are lots of great guitar moments preserved here from his time on the Chrysalis label, 1976-83. He still played uptempo, he still sounded like he was handling two guitars at once, and he still exhibited wide-ranging tastes, from Buddy Holly's "Learning the Game' to Santo and Johnny's "Sleepwalk" and the Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do is Dream." Here you get a Kris Kristofferson song, a Sons of the Pioneers tune, a song associated with Robert Earl Keen, although not written by him, and 13 Leo originals. Worth the dough, but if you can get the Capitol releases instead, go for them first.

This is a fine sampling of Kottke's Chrysalis years (about 1977-1983) - his "middle period", before his nearly career-ending hand injury. There are more vocal tracks here than I would have liked (don't forget his famous "geese farts" quote) but there's enough technically fine work to keep any fan of Kottke, and guitar music in general, satisfied. ("Airproofing" is one of the finest two minutes of acoustic guitar I have ever heard.) I'm still a bigger fan of his earlier Takoma/Capitol work, though, and the Rhino 2-CD anthology is a more comprehensive career overview (it also includes the Chrysalis period). But this is still a tasty collection, and I'm listening to it now as I write. You can't go wrong by it.

I am only familiar with Kotke's Chrysalis recordings, but it is uncanny how the packagers of this cd have consistently chosen the best and most representative work from that period, capturing the many facets of Leo Kotke's musical personality, by turns joyful, sardonic, and romantic. Some reviewers have complained about an overemphasis on vocal numbers, and there ARE a few too many (for which I'd dock this cd half a star), but again, the producers have chosen the best ones. Besides, without the vocal numbers, this portrait of Kotke's Chrysalis period would be incomplete. Other reviewers have pointed out that the fingerpicking on Kotke's Capitol recordings is more ferocious. That's hard to imagine. I should check it out.

twenty two wonderful tracks from the chrysalis era. the cd has both his instrumental and vocal songs. i do like the instrumentals better, but that's just me. there is nothing wrong with his singing and i disagree with his description of song likened to "flatus geese." folk, blues, rock, call his music whatever you want, his technical skill and picking is flawless. i do like his takoma recordings a bit better, but overall, the wealth of music leo has recorded, it is hard to find fault with any of it. if you don't have much of leo's work, or are new to his music, this is as good of place as any to start. enjoy the pure, clean sound of 6 & 12 string guitar played by a master.

A yes if you were kickin' in the 70's& 80's the songs on this album, all culled from Leo's lp collection will impress you.. This was the folk music that really hit home for me. very nice, very simple arrangements. Boy when he gets to the Buddy Holly classic "Learning The Game" it's just one of the best versions of that song I've heard since Buddy Holly did it. If you like guitar music played by someone who was having a good time and knows his guitars, this is worth your time. "Buckaroo" is another great little happy stomper. Another real highlight of this album for me was Leo's treatment of the 1959 Santo & Johnny hit "Sleep Walk". Leo took that song and really made it his own. One of the funest tracks on the album for me was a Leo original called "Little Shoes" i could go on about this album but listening makes it happen and if you've never heard Leo play guitar, you're in for a real treat and "Essential Leo Kottke" is the way to start. beware it's addictive. Here's one to enjoy...Hey check out the Amazon.com store for Leo....some good stuff to check out. Leo is one of the all-time best at what he can do with a guitar, 6 or 12 string.

If you are going to buy one Loe Kottke CD this is it . If you do buy it you will want more as this collection not only has some of his earliest work but goes on to highlight almost every album over the course of thirty years.
It even has a few of his most tolerable vocals! The only short coming is the lack of live tracks. For someone who has kept his career going by touring it would have been a natural end to this journey of a world class troubadour.

you've made a mistake with this audio sample.this is someone other than leo kottke.(i don't want to know who!).wake up you guys.