Leo Kottke "12-String Blues" (Oblivion Records, 1969) (LP)
Leo Kottke "6- and 12-String Guitar" (Takoma Records, 1969) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Circle Round The Sun" (Symposium Records, 1970) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Mudlark" (Capitol Records, 1971) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Greenhouse" (Capitol Records, 1972) (LP)
Leo Kottke "My Feet Are Smiling" (Capitol Records, 1973) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Ice Water" (Capitol Records, 1974) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Dreams And All That Stuff" (Capitol Records, 1974) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Chewing Pine" (Capitol Records, 1975) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Leo Kottke" (Chrysalis Records, 1976) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Burnt Lips" (Chrysalis Records, 1978) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Balance" (Chrysalis Records, 1978) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Live In Europe" (Chrysalis Records, 1980) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Guitar Music" (Chrysalis Records, 1981) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Time Step" (Chrysalis Records, 1983)
Leo Kottke "A Shout Towards Noon" (Private Music, 1986)
Leo Kottke "Regards From Chuck Pink" (Private Music, 1988)
Leo Kottke "My Father's Face" (Private Music, 1989)
Leo Kottke "That's What" (Private Music, 1990)
Leo Kottke "Great Big Boy" (Private Music, 1991)
Leo Kottke "Peculiaroso" (Private Music, 1994)
Leo Kottke "Live" (On The Spot Records, 1995)
Leo Kottke "Standing In My Shoes" (Private Music, 1997)
Leo Kottke "One Guitar, No Vocals" (Private Music, 1999)
Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon "Clone" (RCA Victor, 2002)
Leo Kottke "Try And Stop Me" (RCA Victor, 2004)
Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon "Sixty Six Steps" (RCA Victor, 2005)
To my knowledge, I've actually never heard a single album or song by the now-defunct jam band, Phish, so it's hard for me to comment on how much influence their bassist Mike Gordon has on the shape of this acoustic pick-fest... But a lot of the album sounds like vintage Kottke, with his trademark circular, waterwheel guitar riffs, dry sense of humor, and whimsical covers of classic rock tunes such as Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" and Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion." Midway through, the disc does get a bit spacey, indulgent and dino-delic, so I suppose something phishy might be going on there... At any rate, I'm sure fans of either artist won't be disappointed by this good-natured, easygoing, super-mellow album... It's very technically adept, kinda cutesy... and doubtless fun to get zonked out to, with the aid of whatever illicit substances all those latter-day hippies are using these days... Note: some folks might be miffed by the copy control technology that's locked onto the content... If you buy CDs to transfer the music onto a digital player, this disc might bum you out. (When will those silly record companies ever learn??)
Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon "Noon" (ATO Records, 2020)
Another jammy collaboration with Mike Gordon, the bass player and singer for the rock band Phish. Also on board is pedal steel player Brett Lanier, who worked with Gordon on several other projects, including as a member of Gordon's side-band The Steamroller Wheelies.
Leo Kottke, John Fahey & Peter Lang "Fahey/Kottke/Lang" (Takoma Records, 1974) (LP)
Leo Kottke "1971-1976: Did You Hear Me?" (Capitol Records, 1976) (LP)
Leo Kottke "The Best" (Capitol Records, 1976) (LP)
Leo Kottke "Essential" (Chrysalis Records, 1991)
Leo Kottke "The Leo Kottke Anthology" (Rhino Records, 1994)
Leo Kottke "The Instrumentals: The Best Of The Capitol Years" (Blue Note Records, 2003)
Leo Kottke "The Instrumentals: The Best Of The Chrysalis Years" (Blue Note Records, 2003)
Leo Kottke was one of the most innovative acoustic guitarists on the 1970's American folk scene... He is also almost as well-known for his storytelling and between-song banter (which can sometimes go on as long -- or longer! -- than the music...) A puckish, playful character, he was one of the most prominent pioneers of the "new acoustic" style -- along with John Fahey he helped reshape the vocabulary of acoustic guitar music... and provided many smiles and laughs along the way. Here's a quick look at his work...
