The ACOUSTIC guitar virtuoso
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=131045
Printed Date: June 06 2025 at 22:29
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The ACOUSTIC guitar virtuoso
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Subject: The ACOUSTIC guitar virtuoso
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 06:38
|
Is the art of ACOUSTIC guitar virtuosity a thing of the past? Can you name me any 21st Century acoustic guitar virtuosi: young artists who use the acoustic guitar as a primary and centerpiece of their artistic expression? It seems to me that there were many guitarists in the 1960s and 70s whose musical expression on the acoustic guitar brought great attention and acclaim. I'm sure we can all make great lists of such artists (e.g. John MdLaughlin, Jan Akkerman, Bert Jansch, Al Di Meola), but, can you think of any modern day guitarists among the youth who've made their presence known in the 21st Century whose skills and compositions using the acoustic guitar qualify them as acoustic guitar virtuosi? This thread is born of my recent deep dive into the Prog Folk scene of the "Classic Era" as well as my explorations and fascination with the Coniguliaro brothers and Matt Stober (Sun Colored Chair, Wippy Bonstack, In-Dreamview). ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 07:08
|
HI, Not exactly young anymore, but Anthony Phillips is still plucking them with the best! I have to look around to get some more names, but "young" is going to be difficult, since the "piano" is not quite an instrument "used" in about half of the current "progressive" things ... it's become a sort of instrument that doesn't show much for the fans ... no "action" ... otherwise Hiromi Uehara is undoubtedly the master of the piano these days, since folks like Keith Jarrett and so many others can no longer perform. And Chick Corea has left us. (Of the old folks, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Thelonius Monk and Keith Jarrett were probably the ones I listened to the most. The last 20 years, has, for my ears and possibly I have not heard many of the newer groups, the piano has died a sad death and will continue to do so as long as the corporate vision of music continues and we solicit and adorn it with more polls and favorites by fans that might not exactly hear all the different things out there ... I just don't see a car going by playing rap listening to a piano, even with rap ... somehow that just seems really bad ... maybe the old Kanye will show us how it can be done, no?)
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 07:13
|
There's this young guy called Marcin Patrzalek, his playing on acoustic is really impressive. Check him out on YouTube, for some reason I can't post YT videos. He doesn't play prog though afaik, a real shame... but he has a good cover of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir and one of Metallica's Master of Puppets. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 08:17
A subject for a future thread: acoustic keyboards in modern prog! Ant is always great but he really doesn't play guitar much any more. Two guitar albums in 25 years--and those were a challenge for him to perform and record because his fingers and their pads were so out of shape! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
moshkito wrote:Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 08:18
Thanks, Gerard! I'll check him out. But . . . I really want a prog artist or two! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 08:52
|
21st century: Piotr Restecki all time: Radim Hladik B) ------------- 
|
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 06 2023 at 12:04
|
I heard a Davy Graham instrumental on a college radio station about a month ago. Does that count? ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 05:56
|
Aren't there any 21st Century prog artists whose acoustic guitar work really impresses you? ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 06:08
|
I cannot think of any young artist whose acustic guitar work is promienent and impressive. I would really like to know any names and suggestions. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread for that. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 06:35
| Well, Moon Safari or Big Big Train do some very nice work with acoustic guitars, but I wouldn't call them virtuosos of the instrument. |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 07:00
|
John Butler : Listen to his definitive version of Ocean (13 minutes long) , he played on an amplified 11 strings guitar (he dropped the fourth I think) , an all time live favorites. PS : This is not prog rock 
|
Posted By: wiz_d_kidd
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 07:11
|
The first that came to my mind was this, starting at the 1:33 mark... and also this one, starting at 5:10... or this one, starting at 2:11... His name is Maciek Salus. I've not seen him play electric guitar. ------------- "Instrumental music is an expression that words can never capture." -- Peter Baumann |
Posted By: Starjet
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 08:46
| I think the California Guitar Trio would immediately qualify as virtuosi on acoustic guitars. |
Posted By: TerLJack
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 08:48
|
I think Jon Gomm is amazing, but probably not what this crowd is looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GnAq6Znw |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 10:15
| Charlie Cawood |
Posted By: Heart of the Matter
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 11:07
| I don't really know if it qualifies as "virtuoso" in the classical sense, but I'm quite impressed by Nick Barrett's acoustic parts in North Star. |
Posted By: andrea
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 11:53
|
------------- http://italianprogmap.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - ITALIAN PROG MAP - A journey through the Italian Progressive Rock |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 19:30
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 20:04
|
This is something I need to research. I haven't been paying attention to it for whatever spaced out reason, but I do listen to a lot of Anthony Phillips. I store a small boom box on the kitchen shelf and I start listening to his box sets and mainly the Private Parts and Pieces series which is beautiful music. I learned several of his pieces on a Classical nylon string and I remember that took weeks for me to master like him. The only plus I had was being classically trained as a kid because he is a monster! He has amazing control and he is out there. Long stretches with your fingering hand throughout a entire piece is difficult and it took me quite a while to master his stuff. He's amazing. Steve Hackett continues to play acoustic. I'm not sure when he last recorded an acoustic album, but he's been incorporating acoustic guitar into his music for years. His finger picking can be complex and he's very dynamic. He sincerely plays some amazing acoustic guitar. Steve Howe impressed me on The Yes Album. Of course that was unusual to hear someone playing acoustic guitar like he did in a Rock band in the early 70s. Possibly it was the way he incorporated aggressive high energy acoustic playing in the style of Prog Rock that blew me away. I had the first album and Time And A Word with Peter Banks and I buy The Yes Album and suddenly Steve Howe appears playing acoustic guitar like a madman. He was really high energy !! He changed Yes for sure. I'm sure there must have been other energetic style acoustic guitar playing in Rock...so it was probably just his personal expression on acoustic that captured my mind as a teenager. I really loved the way Phil Lee played the Classical guitar on Gilgamesh albums. Beautiful player. I loved the way Pat Metheny played acoustic guitar . Watercolors, Wichita Falls and others were captivating. I haven't listened to enough new Prog releases to have any idea if acoustic guitar is still prominently set to the music. I have all the White Willow albums and Jacob is a fine acoustic player. Robert Fripp pursued acoustic playing in several projects which revolved around the concept of 5 or 6 players joining together and creating harmony counterpoint. I should become more familiar with new Prog releases . I'm curious about it and I intend to take notice . |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 20:13
|
Rodrigo y Gabriela. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 20:23
|
^I appreciate your thoughtful, time-committed response, "Jacob." Five of the seven artists you mention were monsters of the instrument. (I don't know Phil Lee or Peter Banks' work, though I am familiar with the albums to which you refer.) The two that I feel sad that you overlooked are Jan Akkerman and John McLaughlin. Anyway. I know how important the acoustic guitar was to "Classic Era" prog--even as a central/frontpiece to a band's music. I'm trying to determine whether or not this phenomenon has been carried forward into the 21st Century by any of the new younguns that have joined the fray. I also like Heart of the Matter's reference to Nick Barrett--though he is, in my opinion, still an old-timer (as is Roine Stolt)--and Grumpy's mention of Charlie Cawood. Definitely! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 20:46
Oh Jan Akkerman is amazing !! I have a Focus box set and he is definitely a skilled and thoughtful creative player. I believe he plays the Lute as well. Yes he is really special. |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 21:32
|
Francis Lickerish ..ex founding member of The Enid is a fine player. He plays Lute beautifully. The early Enid albums were outstanding. I also enjoy later releases like Tripping The Light Fantastic, White Goddess, and Invicta. The first 4 albums are the most magical though and are Classical Rock at its best. Michael Dunford added interesting acoustic work to Renaissance. He was a solid writer and colored albums like Turn Of The Cards and Ashes Are Burning. Acoustic guitar can add such a dimension to Progressive Rock and sometimes in a simplistic way. One example is on Tangerine Dream Force Majeure. A piece titled "Cloudburst Flight" features acoustic guitar played by Edgar Froese with simplicity that is very creative and affective to the music..and it actually has similarities to Andrew Latimer acoustic playing with Camel..and Force Majeure has a Progressive Rock style combined with an Electronic Music style . It could also be attributed to having Klaus Krieger on drums. French Prog bands Pulsar and Halloween incorporate acoustic playing which is hauntingly beautiful. The classical guitar playing on Halloween Merlin is intriguing. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 00:31
|
This chap. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: unclemeat69
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 04:47
|
If it's just acoustic guitarists. prog or no...there's Tommy Emmanuel, Kent Nishimura, Adrian Bellue (not Belew of KC), Daniel Padim. ------------- Follow your bliss |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 09:13
Absolutely beautiful! Fantastic guitarist! |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 09:34
|
Paco de Lucia. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 11:11
|
John Williams of Sky is the first name that jumps to mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY5y4Rp3tU8" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY5y4Rp3tU8
------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 13:40
Hackett's latest acoustic album is this from 2021:  -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 14:07
|
The South Korean artist Mid-Air Thief (aka 공중도덕 aka Gongjoong Doduk) is the first I thought of despite not being included in PA (kind of a progressive Crossover thing, haven't tried to get it included), and I don't know about being a virtuoso. Goes by "they" but is singular depending on perspective. Rather like or not a royal we. Or just so as not to be defined as a he or a she. Anyway, is young (don't know how young, but younger than a lot of what is being mentioned) and has used the acoustic guitar as a centrepiece. It's more on Gongjoong Doduk (2015) than Crumbling (2018). Here is Swamp from the 2015 album: ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 08 2023 at 22:21
|
^ Thank you, Greg! A modern artist! I appreciate all the citations of ancient and "classic era" artists--even those who are still living and producing--but I really want to know if you know of any young artists who have picked up the unplugged axe with relish and fervor. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 05:21
Great, thanks for the clarification! I know quite a few geezers like myself....Fareed Haque, David Onderdonk (both of Chicago-land region) and so forth. Don't forget the ladies! I'm seeing more and more young women pick up the six-string (either electric or acoustic) with some amazing results! Maybe that should be a new thread? Here, check this out!! I went to college with David, he was a prodigy at University of Illinois! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 05:54
|
^ Nice reminder, Charles! I have to admit that, up to this point, my searches had been andro-exclusive. You've opened me up to whole new (forgotten) possibilities! (And I didn't even know I was a sexist, macho pig!) ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 10:12
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 12:40
| I like Michael Hedges. I have his aerial boundaries album and think his playing is very good. I'm also a fan of Anthony Phillips and a few others I can't think of off the top of my head. |
Posted By: Steve Wyzard
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 12:56
|
2 pages into this thread, and still no mention of LEO KOTTKE??? I have no idea if he's still active - he's probably in his 70s by now, and was always dealing with health issues, even in his much younger days. His first album came out in 1969, and his reputation grew to such proportions that his all-acoustic guitar albums were reaching the pop charts in the mid-1970s. My favorite album of his is 1986's A Shout Toward Noon. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 17:03
As stated in my Opening Post, I know we can all name dozens of guitarists from the 1960s and 70s (and even 1980s) who had noticeable prowess on the acoustic versions of their instrument, BUT I really want to hear about the 21st Century artists that are going to carry the torch forward. Yes, Kottke and Fahey and Tom Rush and Paul Simon and John Prine and Martin Cockerham and John Williams and the Steves Howe, Hackett, and Ant Phillips were all amazing as were Adrian Legg, Roddy Frame, James Grant, Luka Bloom, Dominic Miller, and many others from the 1980s and 1990s, but who is knocking your socks off from the 21st Century? I just came up with one: Kaki King! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 18:16
|
This guy does sone interesting covers The label https://www.candyrat.com/" rel="nofollow - CandyRat Records has a roster full of talented guitarists, some of them have already been mentioned. I don't recall seeing these two. I find this guy impressive on acoustic bass guitar. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 22:19
|
^ Thank you, Geo! Finally: Someone who responded to my OP appropriately! Can't wait to check out these artists! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 10 2023 at 00:01
i knew Michael Hedges a bit, we both lived in Oklahoma off and on. Jaw-dropping talent, RIP - died much too young. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: yogev
Date Posted: June 10 2023 at 03:49
|
Mike Dawes is THE BEST. He started as a prog metal shreder until he disdcoverd the world of acoustic guitars. You can hear his modern metal influence in his compositions. I sincerely don't know how he play that staff, he's soooo good. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 10 2023 at 05:51
LOVE IT! Thank you! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: June 10 2023 at 06:04
|
Not prog, maybe, but I like him very much and I think he's quite... singular... Ryan Teague - Singular: ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: June 10 2023 at 16:44
Oh man...I love this!!! Great player!! A spectacular piece |
Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: June 13 2023 at 16:57
|
A Kew's Tag is an acoustic progressive rock band from Germany. They release albums since 2012. Their name "A Kew's Tag" is a play on the word "acoustic". They only use acoustical guitars, bass, drums and vocals. ------------- http://theprogressiveweb.blogspot.de" rel="nofollow - Visit me in Second Life to talk about music. |
Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: June 13 2023 at 19:00
|
Are you also looking for acoustical guitar tracks on recent prog rock albums? Here is an example from the album 'Don't Panic' by IZZ (2019) ------------- http://theprogressiveweb.blogspot.de" rel="nofollow - Visit me in Second Life to talk about music. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 13 2023 at 22:04
|
Thanks, Tera! These are EXACTLY what I'm looking for! (Forgot about the IZZ talent; listened to a little of A Kew's Tag when they were being submitted for admission but, again, forgot all about them--so, Thanks!) ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: June 14 2023 at 06:03
|
Tim Henson. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to: 
|
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: June 14 2023 at 06:09
|
^ He also plays electric, but is mostly famous for acoustic stuff. Here's his signature nylon string guitar: https://www.ibanez.com/na/products/detail/tod10n_5b_01.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.ibanez.com/na/products/detail/tod10n_5b_01.html ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
|
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 14 2023 at 16:00
I saw him live as well. Great player. The missus and I used to go to International Guitar Night (organized by Brian Gore who plays like he's from Mars) concerts when we lived in California. So many amazing players at every show, too many to mention or even remember, and they are still going on. Some are classically trained, and all are finger pickers. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: terramystic
Date Posted: July 08 2023 at 03:49
|
I like VLATKO STEFANOVSKI the best. Not young anymore but he is one of the few virtuoso players that can also struck a hord with me. He used to play fine prog in Leb I sol and Vlatko Stefanovski Trio but I like his acoustic concerts and albums even more. He is always surrounded by also excellent musicians. First example Jovano Jovanke (Vlatko is the one with the baseball cap who starts to play after the intro) shows his emotional power. You have to wait a couple of minutes to hear the chops but it's worth to hear the whole piece. If you want to hear just a short demonstration: |