Hermetic Journals: American Primitive Special w/ Snows Ov Gethen
Montreal, 03.03.22
This month exploring some of my favourite records in the so-called American Primitive genre as well as more contemporary music that was informed by it. The show features works by guitar soli pioneers John Fahey and Robbie Basho, as well as their cohort – Leo Kottke, Bola Sete, Don Bikoff, soundtrack composer Bruce Langhorne, William Eaton and Daniel Hecht. Most of the musicians above had associations and releases on sound-defining, legendary Takoma Records.
A later generation of artists that took this aesthetic in a more ‘electrified’ and occasionally minimalist (or jazz/blues-infused) direction is represented by John Lurie, Neil Young, Loren Connors and Dylan Carlson from the drone rock band Earth.
Artwork by Andrew William Elvish @aelvish
Tracklist
- Don Bikoff - "The Formentera Moors are Stomping Tonight" 1968 Keyboard
- Bruce Langhorne - "Windmill" 1971 Scissor Tails
- John Fahey - "Knoxville Blues" 1971 Takoma
- William Eaton - "Untitled" 1978 Self-released / Morning Trip
- Kinloch Nelson - "Pearl St." 1968 Tompkins Square
- John Fahey - "Sun Gonna Shine in My Back Door Some Day Blues" 1959 Takoma
- Robbie Basho - "Leaf in the Wind" 1978 Gnome Life / Windham Hill
- William Eaton - "Untitled" 1978 Self-released / Morning Trip
- William Ackerman - "Processional" 1976 Windham Hill
- Leo Kottke - "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" 1969 Takoma
- Don Bikoff - "Celestial Explosion" 1968 Keyboard
- John Lurie - "Tuesday Night In Memphis - Suite" 1989 Milan
- Daniel Hecht - "Baba Dream Songs" 1975 Dragon Egg's Productions
- John Fahey - "Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker 2" 1971 Takoma
- Neil Young - "Guitar Solo 1" 1996 Vapor / WEA
- Bruce Langhorne - "Ending" 1971 Scissor Tails
- Loren Connors - "The Art Of The Blues 3" 2001 Road Cone
- Kinloch Nelson - "Tone Poem" 1970 Tompkins Square
- Bola Sete - "Viva Mundo Penba" 1975 Takoma
- Robbie Basho - "Scottish Rites" 1980 Gnome Life
- drcarlsonalbion - "GOLD VII" 2014 Oblique
- Neil Young - "Guitar Solo 5" 1996 Vapor / WEA
- John Fahey - "Night Train Of Valhalla" 1967 Takoma
- Bruce Langhorne - "Leaving Del Norte" 1971 Scissor Tails
- Robbie Basho - “Orphan's Lament” 1978 Gnome Life / Windham Hill