aient His First Album for Private Will Be Voiceless Kottke's Acoustic Music Is Again in Vogue BY STEVEN DUPLER D NEW YORK The surge of interest in new age and acoustic instrumen- tal music is helping guitarist Leo Kottke get his career back on track. The Minnesota -born virtuoso re- cently signed with Private Music, an unexpected move that will see him release his first album in almost three years and undertake an exten- CPROUD %\ sive tour later in the year. Kottke first came into the nation- TO HAVE SERVED al spotlight in the early '70s, a peri- od when stringed acoustic music THE FOLLOWING was enjoying one of its periodic re- naissances. "It's a cyclical thing," Kottke GRAMMY NOMINEES: says. "The flurry of interest in Eu- rope a few years ago in the acoustic guitar followed by about eight years the same surge that was oc- curring here when I was with Tako- BRiCE SPRINGSTEEN DIRE STRAITS ma and then Capitol." The foggy- voiced Kottke (who says he will not sing on his Private HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS debut) is regarded as a master of a singular and very American style of guitar, which draws as much from STING PHIL COLLINS KATRINA Appalachian bluegrass as from bot- tleneck blues and classical music. The "folkier" sound of his early AND THE WAVES SPYRO GYRA product, on the Takoma label, simi- lar to work by John Fahey and Bola Private Music's newest artist, guitarist Leo Kottke, poses with bassist /producer HENDRYX MICK JAGGER Sete, was eventually augmented by NONA Buell Neidlinger in front the mixing during the recording of Kottke's a grander, more fully orchestrated of console first album in almost three years. approach on Capitol albums such as BRYAN ADAMS & TINA TURNER the live "My Feet Are Smiling" and "Chewing Pine." Baumann through talent manager the rehearsals quick and organized. Kottke recorded six albums for Elliot Sears. "He called me one day "I like to be able to go into a session DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES Capitol before moving to Chrysalis, and said `These people know about well rehearsed and record stuff in where he cut another five, including you.' I was itching to go -I've got a just three or four days," Kottke several greatest hits packages. lot of new material around -and says. with DAVID RUFFIN & EDDIE KENDRICKS Since his deal with Chrysalis ex- they were real happy to trust my The guitarist believes that the pri- pired two and a half years ago, he's judgment." mary reason Private became inter- kept busy playing concerts and The record Private will get from ested in him is his willingness to JEFF BECK TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI working on his technique. Kottke will likely be considerably tour. "I like to tour," he says. "Live "I've been touring here, in Eu- different from any project he's done is better. On a good night, special rope and Australia," he says, before. Jazz bassist Buell Neid- things come to me and to the audi- & LEW TABACKIN BIG BAND "Mostly, though, I've been taking a linger is set to play on and produce ence. I find it all very mysterious." break to see what would develop. I the album in a lineup that also in- Kottke's resurgence won't be lim- also finally learned to read music." cludes cello, synthesizer and Kott- ited to the record and proposed tour: JOHN BARRY & BOB WILBER Kottke notes that he "quit using ke's guitar. Neidlinger, whom This summer publisher Hal Leonard picks a few years ago" and has be- Kottke says he met some nine years will release a book of Kottke's mu- come partial to the six-string rather ago, played bass with Cecil Taylor's sic printed in both standard musical M LiES DAVIS than 12 -string guitar as a result. band in the late '50s and early '60s; notation and guitar tablature. He's "The music is still coming from co-wrote with Stephane Grapelli and also got high hopes for the new rec- the same source, though," he says. David Grisman the soundtrack to ord. "I've sold a few records, but I "I haven't deliberately tried to write "King Of The Gypsies "; and com- don't think I've made the right one something different. However, I posed the soundtrack to "Little yet. Maybe this is it" can see a lot of development in my Treasure" with Kottke. The band writing. I've grown harmonically, finished recording about two weeks and I've got a better grip on ago with engineer Danny Wallin at CAMEO WANTS MORE rhythm -what it is and how to feel Studio M on the Paramount lot. (Continued from page 44) it." According to Kottke, Neidlinger's Kottke was introduced to Peter conservatory training helped keep our hearts are -that mixture of rock'n'roll and what Europeans call funk." 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BB Dallas, Texas 75207 that will probably drive us crazy, Springfield, MO 65803 (214) 658 -7070 but nevertheless we're having a 14171 869-9433 or 869-3456 damn good time." BILLBOARD FEBRUARY 22, 1986 45 www.americanradiohistory.com.