Customer Reviews

Home & Away [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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I was lucky enough to have a friend buy this for me while on holiday in the US - it's an incredible piece of film! Leo gives a staggering display of his talents - a real workout for the senses! I was left bewildered and dizzy with a million notes buzzing around my head! This is an absolute must for any guitar fan - i cannot recommend this video highly enough - good on you, Leo!!

Don't buy this on VHS anymore, definitely not for the inflated prices I see here: it will be re-released on DVD.

"Just how good will this be" I thought as I shelled out something like 15 pounds for this video in Mildenhall, England some ten years ago.

About as good as it can get for any Leo Kottke fan I discovered about one minute after pushing PLAY! A newcomer to the acoustic fingerstyle realm myself, this video, along with Leo Kottke's 1969 debut humbly titled "6 & 12 string guitar", have been my Bible of what one can possibly accomplish with 10 simple fingers and 6 or 12 little strings.

Aptly titled, this video literally takes you offstage with Leo in his basement, garage, favorite music store, car, porch and down by the lake as he squeezes into scuba gear.

The "AWAY" part of the title takes you LIVE onstage with Leo at the Bathurst St. Theater where he delivers heart, soul and humor into a mind-numbing acoustic performance that sent me to my studio to practice like it was the first day with a guitar in my hands again.

In a nutshell: While all the guitar greats deserve credit where it is due, nobody and I do mean NOBODY can touch Leo Kottke for establishing (and sustaining) the pinnacle of what acoustic folk fingerstyle guitar embodies.Order this video and you will see exactly what I'm talking about here. I promise.

In the meantime, I'm compiling material for my second CD and still dreaming of the day that he and I can share the stage. Until then that dream will continue to be interrupted by the awakening annoyance of my alarm clock!

Peace,

michael yolch

I can only concur with other reviewers here that this video does a remarkable job of displaying Kottke's unique talent and personality, two sides of him which, to my mind, having seen him perform five times, go hand in hand--a humble man's humbly stunning music and virtuosity. He's set the standard that others may never catch up to, and this video shows why.

Leo Kottke is an acoustic guitarist from Minnesota, playing what I consider to be blues guitar and some others call folk. He plays both 6 and 12 string guitars during this concert. Several selections include his singing. We were pleased with both the audio and video quality of this VHS tape. Obviously, it is not DVD quality, but very good quality for VHS.

Part of what we enjoy in this tape is that we get a glimpse of Leo's personality. This is not a straight recording of a concert. There are shots of him in his basement, backyard, in a store, etc. He tells brief stories about his life, family and career. Hence the title, "Home & Away". However, the tape is mostly of Leo Kottke performing. We never got tired of waiting for the music to start again like some other concerts I've seen.

Leo plays one song on his porch that creates a very intimate tone. We especially enjoyed the many closeups of his awesome guitar playing. Our only criticism is that we wanted it to be longer! This is a fabulous concert that we highly recommend to any fan of acoustic guitar music. It is a "must see" for any Leo Kottke fan.

Some details included on the jacket are: the length is 60 minutes; it is recorded in stereo; the recording is of a concert at the Bathurst St. Theatre in Toronto on May 7, 1988. The 12 songs are: Taxco Steps; Ojo; I Yell at Traffic; Air Proofing; Ring; Short Wave; Ice Fields; The Last Steam Engine Train; Louise; Medley: June Bug, The Train and the Gate, Machine; Little Martha; and Cripple Creek.

Great sound and an excellent song selection, make this a must have for fans of fingerstyle guitar. See Leo at his finest, whether it is on stage or in his basement. The video allows a glimpse at a superior guitarists technique and at Leo's unique view of life around him. Prepare to be amazed. My life would not have been complete without watching this video. If you love Leo like I do, then this video will provide you with hours of entertainment.

I would highly recommend this video and anything Kottke related you can get your hands on. Just returned form a live appearance at Victory Theatre in Evansvile, In, he's on tour, and no one can hold a candle to him! Suppliers? Better get the dvd's, vhs's in stock. Why, you ask? The audio CD version doesn't even have the impact as the visuals. The hearing only of Kottke's isn't enough! A true legend who's time has come. Clone will be released early October, get your order in. TJC