I was listening the other night to Leo Kottke‘s still-astonishing 6 and 12 String Guitar album (aka the “Amrmadillo album”) and that sent me to YouTube lookin’ for a hot performance by ol’ LK to share with you. There’s some good stuff out there, though not as much as I expected (and I still haven’t found a great live video version of “Watermelon,” my favorite tune on that 1971 album). Anyway, I did find this excellent performance from one of Kottke’s appearances on Austin City Limits (I’m guessing it’s ’93; anyone know for sure?), which finds him playing Ry Cooder’s “Available Space” (from Ry’s eponymous 1970 debut album), then Leo’s “Junebug” (from the 1971 album Mudlark), a gorgeous solo reworking of Iain Sutherland’s “Arms of Mary” (which turned up on Kottke’s 1994 Peculiaroso), and finally, the quirky “Oddball” (from the 1990 album That’s What). And, not surprisingly, there’s a rambling story in there somewhere, too. Serious chops and touch!
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Most recently, Kottke has reportedly been recording with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, with whom he collaborated on albums in 2002 and 2005. So, that’s something to look forward to! —Blair Jackson