Leo Kottke “ambient” album?

[Jimi2]

For years I’ve been planning on mixing acoustic fingerstlye guitar music with ambient/soundscape stuff, and lately I’ve been working on some material. Today someone told me Leo Kottke did something similar in the 80s, but I can’t recall the name of the album I was given. Anyone know?

[scriv58]

1981 Guitar Music
1983 Time Step
1986 A Shout Toward Noon
1988 Regards from Chuck Pink
1989 My Father's Face

take your pick
gleaned from wikipedia "leo kottke discography"

[hamburg325]

I wouldn't exactly say that any of his 80s recordings are "ambient," but "A Shout Towards Noon," with its airy, understated playing and synth elements, probably comes closest.

[steelvibe]

well said Hamburg. For Leo that was a spacious sounding album, but listening to "A Shout Towards Noon" up against Hedges' "Aerial Boundaries"...I guess it depends on what you call ambient.

[Methos1979]

TONS of great ambient stuff on YouTube. I like a guy called Chords Of Orion. He frequently plays a PRS baritone but I've seen him use an acoustic as well. He's great at demoing pedals of all types as well has giving free instruction and tips on how to create beautiful ambient soundscapes.

However, be WARNED: Heading down the YouTube black hole is dangerous! It sucks you in and you can waste hours watching videos! Not to mention the money you'll spend on awesome pedals!!!!

[scriv58]

Q. What do you get when you play new age music backwards?
A. New age music.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by scriv58

Q. What do you get when you play new age music backwards?
A. New age music.

Lol - pretty sure The Beatles did that back in the sixties!

[Stevien]

Q.: So, what do you get when you play country music backwards?
A.: You get your wife, your car, your house, your money, & your dog back.
Steve

[Jimi2]

Originally Posted by hamburg325

I wouldn't exactly say that any of his 80s recordings are "ambient," but "A Shout Towards Noon," with its airy, understated playing and synth elements, probably comes closest.

Yeah, I wasn’t expecting a full-on Eno-esque experience, but in the couple songs off that album I’ve been able to locate on YouTube, I’m nort even hearing any synth elements. Beautiful stuff nevertheless, so I think I’m gonna go old school and buy a cd. That album doesn’t appear to be on Apple Music.

[Jimi2]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

well said Hamburg. For Leo that was a spacious sounding album, but listening to "A Shout Towards Noon" up against Hedges' "Aerial Boundaries"...I guess it depends on what you call ambient.

I love me some early Michael Hedges. His late stuff certainly wasn’t bad, but to me it lacks the inventiveness of his first recordings.

[Jimi2]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

TONS of great ambient stuff on YouTube. I like a guy called Chords Of Orion. He frequently plays a PRS baritone but I've seen him use an acoustic as well. He's great at demoing pedals of all types as well has giving free instruction and tips on how to create beautiful ambient soundscapes.

However, be WARNED: Heading down the YouTube black hole is dangerous! It sucks you in and you can waste hours watching videos! Not to mention the money you'll spend on awesome pedals!!!!

I like that guy too! And yeah, I’m down in that hole a lot these days. But sometimes I glean some good information down there to apply to my playing.

[FrankHudson]

Sounds like you need to listen to some Steve Tibbetts. Not Leo Kottke, but lots of 12-string, great percussion colors, and some albums with that ECM sound.

[DesertTwang]

I consider all Kottke albums "ambient," at least the ones I've listened to.