LEO KOTTKE ??-??-77
BUFFALO FOLK FESTIVAL - BUFFALO, NY

source: SBD>cass (unknown # of generations)
transfer: cassette>CDR>EAC>WAV>FLAC
recorded by: unknown
huge thanks to Andy Jurman for the loan of his cassette, which has one less generation than mine!

DISC 1 total time 45:25

01. introduction by Peter Noone > tuning >
02. VASELINE MACHINE GUN
03. JUNE BUG
04. PAMELA BROWN
05. LAST STEAM ENGINE TRAIN > STEALING
06. MORNING IS THE LONG WAY HOME
07. "Good evening - I'm Ricky Ricardo" >
08. MEDLEY > THE SPANISH ENTOMOLOGIST
09. MONA ROY > MONA RAY
10. TAKING A SANDWICH TO A FEAST
11. TENNESSEE TOAD
12. HEAR THE WIND HOWL > BUSTED BICYCLE, "medley of my greatest hits"
13. CROW RIVER WALTZ > JESU, JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING > JACK FIG

known flaws: minor tape hiss (low generation), some distortion (levels too high) in tracks 8-13

Comments:

This is a really nice soundboard (I'd rate it an A- for sound, and A++ for performance)

Leo's guitar is in stereo (at least that's how it sounds to me on headphones), and the vocal is centered in the mix - there's a little cassette hiss present, and some saturation of levels, but those are secondary to the amazing playing!

Let me start by saying this is my favorite Kottke set of the 30 or so that I've heard, even with it's flaws - Leo's playing is so amazingly fluid and fast and clean, it's absolutely breathtaking! Very early in the set, his slide playing in Vaseline Machine Gun (at about 1:40) elicits some audible cheers from the crowd...during the next tune, June Bug, he manages to be faster and even smoother with the slide! A sweetly-sung Pamela Brown follows, which also showcases some nice slide...then comes the juggernaut combo of Last Steam Engine Train > Stealing...wow! The first minute of Morning is the Long Way Home is a bit low in the mix, but it comes back loud and clear - again, Leo's playing is lightning quick and oh-so-smooth...

It sounds as if the rest of the set may be from a different source, since it is louder...track 8, Medley (just the San Antonio Rose portion) > Spanish Entomologist (which is a medley of Jambalaya and 2 of Leo's favorite songs when he was a kid), is another display of sweet picking and slide playing...Mona Roy > Mona Ray has some saturation of levels, but is well-played and is very enjoyable music...Taking a Sandwich to a Feast features some fast and furious playing - almost rock 'n roll!...Tennessee Toad slows things down a bit, and features some nice slide work...then comes another full-on assault in the Hear the Wind Howl > Busted Bicycle combo - there's some over-saturation, but who cares? This pairing is so powerful, you'll breathe a sigh of relief when it's over! Leo wisely plays another mellow number, Crow River Waltz, to calm things a bit, which then segues into the sweet tones of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (by Bach), and finally comes blasting out as a supercharged Jack Fig!

I feel sorry for David Bromberg, who can be heard being announced as the next performer, having to follow that Kottke set! :-)

Enjoy this little slice of acoustic guitar heaven, Leo-style! - Zeb