Posts Tagged Ralph Towner

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February 10, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sir Richard Bishop: Oneiric Formulary

Sir Richard Bishop Oneiric Formulary Drag City Records I’ve always loved Sir Richard Bishop’s records – the obvious touchstone, and perhaps he’s over-mentioned really is John Fahey, still, his sound and feel and approach has been hugely influential and not just on Bishop. A generation of folk-motivated sonic explorers were turned onto the guitar and […]

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June 9, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Jean-Louis Matinier & Kevin Seddiki: Rivages

Jean-Louis Matinier & Kevin Seddiki Rivages ECM Jean-Louis Matinier (accordion) and Kevin Seddiki (guitar) first worked together as part of a supporting trio a decade ago – this marks their first work together as a duo (and its Seddiki’s debut for ECM).

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April 8, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Bill Orcutt: Odds Against Tomorrow

Bill Orcutt Odds Against Tomorrow Palilalia If you’ve ever imagined what the common ground between John Fahey and Derek Bailey might sound like – then Bill Orcutt is your guy. He’s an Ornette Coleman-like guitarist. He’s equal parts punk, blues and jazz – as he cuts astonishing new shapes through old traditions. Primarily a soloist, […]

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November 1, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Ralph Towner: My Foolish Heart

Ralph Towner My Foolish Heart Deutsche Grammophon/ECM One of my all-time favourite albums by anyone ever is Diary by Ralph Towner. What a beautiful and tranquil thing that is. And I found it because, on a whim, I was desperate for more Ralph Towner because, up to that point, and I guess beyond, one of […]

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February 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Gat This: My Top 10 ‘Guitar’ Albums

A while ago I described something/someone as “guitar music” and was chortled at from all directions; there’s no such thing as guitar music. This is not a genre. This is no way to explain or define music. Andres Segovia and Derek Bailey and Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt and Eddie Van Halen have all made amazing music by approaching the same instrument (or versions of […]

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November 7, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Revisiting The Glass Bead Game: James Blackshaw’s Finest

The guy’s name is James Blackshaw. And I had never heard of him. He’s London-based, he’d been alive for less than 30 years and he plays acoustic 12-string guitar and piano. The album that first fascinated me is The Glass Bead Game. I then found out that it is (at least) his eighth album. I’ve […]