1909 Saunders King*
1913 Lightnin’ Slim*
1947 Dave Kelly*
1952 Ralf Falk*
1959 Melvin Taylor*
1970 Jeff Aug*
1993 Clarence Green+
Andreas
Petschke*
Happy Birthday
Lightnin’ Slim *13.03.1913
Lightnin’ Slim (eigentlich Otis Hicks; * 13. März 1913 bei St. Louis, Missouri; † 27. Juli 1974) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Gitarrist und Sänger, ein bedeutender Vertreter des Swamp Blues.
Geboren auf einer Farm bei St. Louis in Missouri, zog Lightnin’ Slim im Alter von 13 Jahren mit seiner Familie nach St. Francisville in Louisiana. Sein Bruder brachte ihm das Gitarrespielen bei, wenn auch nur rudimentär. In den 1940er-Jahren trat er in Baton Rouge mit Arthur Kelly auf. Während der 1950er und 1960er spielte er häufig mit seinem Schwager Slim Harpo. In dieser Zeit machte er etliche Plattenaufnahmen.
Mitte der 1960er-Jahre zog Lightnin’ Slim nach Detroit. Mit dem American Folk Blues Festival tourte er in Europa. 1972 trat er beim Jazz-Festival in Montreux auf. 1973 war er mit der American Blues Legend Tour unterwegs (Aufnahmen veröffentlicht auf Big Bear Records).
Lightnin’ Slim starb 1974 an Krebs. Er ist in Pontiac, Michigan, beigesetzt.
Zu den Stücken von Lightnin’ Slim gehören unter anderem Rooster Blues (1959), Bad Luck Blues, Just Made Twenty-one, Lonesome Cabin Blues, Nobody Loves Me But My Mother und Voodoo Blues.
Lightnin' Slim (March 13, 1913 - July 27, 1974) was an African-American Louisiana blues musician,[1] who recorded for Excello Records and played in a style similar to its other Louisiana artists. Blues critic ED Denson has ranked him as one of the five great bluesmen of the 1950s, along with Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson.
Career
Lightnin' Slim was born Otis V. Hicks on a farm outside St. Louis, Missouri.[2] moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the age of thirteen. Taught guitar by his older brother Layfield, Slim was playing in bars in Baton Rouge by the late 1940s.[3]
He debuted on J. D. "Jay" Miller's Feature Records label in 1954 with "Bad Luck Blues" ("If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all").[4] Slim then recorded for Excello Records for twelve years, starting in the mid-1950s, often collaborating with his brother-in-law, Slim Harpo and with harmonica player Lazy Lester.[4]
Slim took time off from the blues for a period of time and ended up working in a foundry in Pontiac, Michigan,[citation needed] which resulted in him suffering from constantly having his hands exposed to high temperatures. He was re-discovered by Fred Reif in 1970, in Pontiac, where he was living in a rented room at Slim Harpo's sister's house. Reif soon got him back performing again and a new recording contract with Excello, this time through Bud Howell, the present President of the company. His first gig was a reunion concert at the 1971 University of Chicago Folk Festival with Lazy Lester, whom Reif had brought from Baton Rouge in January 1971.
In the 1970s, Slim performed on tours in Europe,[3] both in the United Kingdom and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where he was often accompanied by Moses "Whispering" Smith on harmonica. He last toured the UK in 1973, with the American Blues Legends package.[5]
In July 1974, Slim died of stomach cancer in Detroit, Michigan, aged 61.[6][7]
Slim has been cited as a major influence by several contemporary blues artists, including Captain Beefheart, who in a 1987 radio interview with Kristine McKenna, stated that Lightnin' Slim was the only artist he could recommend somebody listening to.
Career
Lightnin' Slim was born Otis V. Hicks on a farm outside St. Louis, Missouri.[2] moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the age of thirteen. Taught guitar by his older brother Layfield, Slim was playing in bars in Baton Rouge by the late 1940s.[3]
He debuted on J. D. "Jay" Miller's Feature Records label in 1954 with "Bad Luck Blues" ("If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all").[4] Slim then recorded for Excello Records for twelve years, starting in the mid-1950s, often collaborating with his brother-in-law, Slim Harpo and with harmonica player Lazy Lester.[4]
Slim took time off from the blues for a period of time and ended up working in a foundry in Pontiac, Michigan,[citation needed] which resulted in him suffering from constantly having his hands exposed to high temperatures. He was re-discovered by Fred Reif in 1970, in Pontiac, where he was living in a rented room at Slim Harpo's sister's house. Reif soon got him back performing again and a new recording contract with Excello, this time through Bud Howell, the present President of the company. His first gig was a reunion concert at the 1971 University of Chicago Folk Festival with Lazy Lester, whom Reif had brought from Baton Rouge in January 1971.
In the 1970s, Slim performed on tours in Europe,[3] both in the United Kingdom and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where he was often accompanied by Moses "Whispering" Smith on harmonica. He last toured the UK in 1973, with the American Blues Legends package.[5]
In July 1974, Slim died of stomach cancer in Detroit, Michigan, aged 61.[6][7]
Slim has been cited as a major influence by several contemporary blues artists, including Captain Beefheart, who in a 1987 radio interview with Kristine McKenna, stated that Lightnin' Slim was the only artist he could recommend somebody listening to.
Melvin Taylor *13.03.1959
Melvin Taylor was born in 1959 in Jackson, Mississippi. His musical roots however have always been in Chicago, where he moved with his music-loving, guitar playing family when he was just three years old. Melvin started playing guitar himself at a very young age and was inspired and influenced by some of the world's greatest blues players - many of whom lived in or near his Chicago neighborhood.
By the time he was a teenager, Melvin's incredible ability and unique style was already grabbing attention on Maxwell Street. And indeed when Joe Willie Pinetop' Perkins needed a great guitarist to play his European tour, he invited Melvin to join the Legendary Blues Band. Melvin made an immediate impact on the European circuit, and while he was in France, he cut two albums - Blues on the Run in 1982, and Plays the Blues for You in 1984.
Following his return to the United States, Melvin recorded four additional CDs through Evidence Music - Bang That Bell in 1999, Dirty Pool in 2002, Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band in 2003, and Rendezvous With the Blues in 2004.
Melvin's recent burst of creativity has resulted in three new CD's, Beyond the Burning Guitar 2010 and Sweet Taste of Guitar 2012. Beyond the Burning Guitar contains 23 original, instrumental guitar songs plus Melvin's arrangement and adaptation of Beethoven's Fifth.
Melvin's 2012 release, Sweet Taste of Guitar is a splendid accomplishment for this virtuoso - he composed, arranged, produced and recorded 10 songs. What really makes this project unique is that Melvin plays all of the instrument on the CD.
Melvin's love of music shines through as he crosses over many styles - mixing fluid jazz, blues, rock and soulful moments on his newest release Taylor Made, Starring Melvin Taylor (March 2013).
Melvin's unique sound and outstanding performance skills continue to thrill and entertain audiences around the globe.
All are available on iTunes, Amazon and other digital sites
Melvin Taylor (born March 13, 1959, Jackson, Mississippi, United States)[1] is an American electric blues guitarist, based in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
Career
Born in Mississippi, Taylor relocated to Chicago in 1962.[1]
He joined The Transistors, a popular music group. He switched his focus to blues music when the group disbanded in the early 1980s. He found work playing in clubs on the West Side of Chicago.[1] He often played at Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.[3]
During the 1980s he joined Pinetop Perkins and The Legendary Blues Band in a year long European tour. He has returned to Europe several times with his own group, which has opened for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Santana.[1]
Taylor's recordings include two albums he first recorded for a French record label: Blues on the Run (1982) and Plays the Blues for You (1984). Recordings in the United States include Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band with John Snyder on the Evidence Music label and Dirty Pool (1997).[1] Taylor's Beyond the Burning Guitar was recorded in Misty Creek Studios in Fairfax, Virginia. He also recorded a cover of the Skylar Grey/Eminem song, "Love The Way You Lie" with the rapper, Matt Christian, at Misty Creek Studios.
Career
Born in Mississippi, Taylor relocated to Chicago in 1962.[1]
He joined The Transistors, a popular music group. He switched his focus to blues music when the group disbanded in the early 1980s. He found work playing in clubs on the West Side of Chicago.[1] He often played at Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.[3]
During the 1980s he joined Pinetop Perkins and The Legendary Blues Band in a year long European tour. He has returned to Europe several times with his own group, which has opened for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Santana.[1]
Taylor's recordings include two albums he first recorded for a French record label: Blues on the Run (1982) and Plays the Blues for You (1984). Recordings in the United States include Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band with John Snyder on the Evidence Music label and Dirty Pool (1997).[1] Taylor's Beyond the Burning Guitar was recorded in Misty Creek Studios in Fairfax, Virginia. He also recorded a cover of the Skylar Grey/Eminem song, "Love The Way You Lie" with the rapper, Matt Christian, at Misty Creek Studios.
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David "Dave" Kelly (* 13. März 1947 in Streatham, Greater London, England) ist ein britischer Blues-Sänger, Gitarrist und Komponist, der seit den 1960er Jahren die britische Bluesszene mitgestaltet.
Durch seine Schwester Jo Ann Kelly (1944-1990), mit der er später an zahlreichen Musikprojekten teilnahm, kam der Rock'n'Roll-Fan Dave Kelly zum Blues. Mitte der 1960er wurde er Mitglied der John Dummer Blues Band, Ende der 1960er der Gruppe Tramp. Im Jahr 1979 entstand aus der Zusammenarbeit mit Paul Jones am Album "Willing" schließlich die Blues Band mit Dave Kelly als Gitarrist und Sänger.
Neben seinen Verpflichtungen mit der Blues Band nahm er Soloalben auf, tourte mit seiner eigenen "Dave Kelly Band" sowie als akustisches Duo mit Paul Jones. Dave Kelly schrieb Musik für etliche Film- und Fernsehproduktionen und Werbespots.
Im Laufe der Zeit trat er mit Bluesgrößen wie Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf und John Lee Hooker auf. Er wurde in BBC-Umfragen mehrfach zum besten akustischen Künstler gewählt.
Durch seine Schwester Jo Ann Kelly (1944-1990), mit der er später an zahlreichen Musikprojekten teilnahm, kam der Rock'n'Roll-Fan Dave Kelly zum Blues. Mitte der 1960er wurde er Mitglied der John Dummer Blues Band, Ende der 1960er der Gruppe Tramp. Im Jahr 1979 entstand aus der Zusammenarbeit mit Paul Jones am Album "Willing" schließlich die Blues Band mit Dave Kelly als Gitarrist und Sänger.
Neben seinen Verpflichtungen mit der Blues Band nahm er Soloalben auf, tourte mit seiner eigenen "Dave Kelly Band" sowie als akustisches Duo mit Paul Jones. Dave Kelly schrieb Musik für etliche Film- und Fernsehproduktionen und Werbespots.
Im Laufe der Zeit trat er mit Bluesgrößen wie Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf und John Lee Hooker auf. Er wurde in BBC-Umfragen mehrfach zum besten akustischen Künstler gewählt.
David William 'Dave' Kelly (born 13 March 1947, Streatham, South London), is a British blues singer, guitarist and composer, who has been active on the British blues music scene since the 1960s. He has performed with the John Dummer Blues Band, Tramp, The Blues Band, and his own Dave Kelly Band.[1]
His sister, Jo Ann Kelly, was also a blues singer, and she and Dave participated in many musical projects together.[1]
Kelly is a disciple of Fred McDowell.
His sister, Jo Ann Kelly, was also a blues singer, and she and Dave participated in many musical projects together.[1]
Kelly is a disciple of Fred McDowell.
Saunders King (March 13, 1909 – August 31, 2000) was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer.[1]
Life and career
Saunders Samuel King was born in Staple, Louisiana, United States.[1] He was the son of a preacher, and sang in his father's church while growing up in Oakland, California. As a youngster he learned to play piano, banjo and ukelele, but did not pick up guitar until 1938. At the end of the 1930s he sang with the Southern Harmony Four on NBC radio, and decided to begin playing blues music; he released the tune "S.K. Blues" in 1942, which became a major nationwide hit. The tune featured electric blues guitar, one of the earliest recordings to do so.[1]
The lyrics tell of the singer's dissatisfaction with his bald-headed girlfriend:
"I did more for my baby than the good lord ever done (2X)"
"I went downtown and bought her some hair and the good lord never gave her none"
This verse proved particularly popular and has come to be considered a traditional blues lyric.
The song concludes on a theme of violence toward women:
"Give me back that wig I bought you, and let your head go bald (2X)"
"you keep on mistreatin' me baby, you won't have no hair, no head at all"
King had a series of setbacks in the 1940s which hurt his career; his wife committed suicide in 1942, his landlord shot him with a .45-caliber pistol in 1946, and he was jailed for heroin possession shortly after. He recorded for Aladdin Records, Modern Records, and Rhythm Records, and retired from active performance in 1961, devoting himself to work in the church. Sometime thereafter, his daughter Deborah King was wed, and, in 1979, he played with Carlos Santana, his son-in-law, on the album Oneness.[1]
King was paralyzed by a stroke in 1999, and died the following year in Oakland, California, at age 91.
Life and career
Saunders Samuel King was born in Staple, Louisiana, United States.[1] He was the son of a preacher, and sang in his father's church while growing up in Oakland, California. As a youngster he learned to play piano, banjo and ukelele, but did not pick up guitar until 1938. At the end of the 1930s he sang with the Southern Harmony Four on NBC radio, and decided to begin playing blues music; he released the tune "S.K. Blues" in 1942, which became a major nationwide hit. The tune featured electric blues guitar, one of the earliest recordings to do so.[1]
The lyrics tell of the singer's dissatisfaction with his bald-headed girlfriend:
"I did more for my baby than the good lord ever done (2X)"
"I went downtown and bought her some hair and the good lord never gave her none"
This verse proved particularly popular and has come to be considered a traditional blues lyric.
The song concludes on a theme of violence toward women:
"Give me back that wig I bought you, and let your head go bald (2X)"
"you keep on mistreatin' me baby, you won't have no hair, no head at all"
King had a series of setbacks in the 1940s which hurt his career; his wife committed suicide in 1942, his landlord shot him with a .45-caliber pistol in 1946, and he was jailed for heroin possession shortly after. He recorded for Aladdin Records, Modern Records, and Rhythm Records, and retired from active performance in 1961, devoting himself to work in the church. Sometime thereafter, his daughter Deborah King was wed, and, in 1979, he played with Carlos Santana, his son-in-law, on the album Oneness.[1]
King was paralyzed by a stroke in 1999, and died the following year in Oakland, California, at age 91.
Pioneering R&B guitarist Saunders King had his first hit in 1942 with "S.K. Blues." King was a preacher's son who sang gospel in his father's church in Oakland. He learned piano, banjo and ukulele. In 1938 he began playing guitar and wound up singing with the Southern Harmony Four for an NBC radio station in San Francisco. He soon developed his passion for blues and "S.K. Blues" was an enormous hit. It also features one of the earliest examples of electric blues guitar, the style for which T-Bone Walker would soon be famous. King recorded for the Aladdin, Modern, and Rhythm labels. He may have made a greater impact in the burgeoning West Coast blues scene of the '40s but was saddled with numerous personal problems including the suicide of his wife in 1942, a serious wound from a .45-caliber pistol fired by his landlord in 1946, and his serving time at San Quentin prison for heroin possession. King retired from music in 1961 and dedicated time to the church. In 1979, he briefly came out of retirement to play on his son-in-law Carlos Santana's Oneness album. By 1999 he had suffered a stroke that partially paralyzed him. He passed away on August 31, 2000 at his Oakland home. He was 91.
Saunders King And His Rhythm - Swingin'
Andreas Petschke *13.03.
Wir können mit, und auch ganz ohne Strom!
Ob als Tanzkapelle mit stampfenden Rhythmen zu Ihrer Feier, oder als musikalische Untermalung für Ihren Empfang. Wir bieten ein umfangreiches Repertoire aus Blues- und Jazzstandards. Entweder als Straßen-/Hausmusik (ganz ohne Strom), oder mit dem Anlass entsprechender elektrischer Verstärkung. Wie hätten Sie es gern?
Akustik-Blues aus Hannover vom Allerfeinsten
Kurzum: Acoustic-Blues vom Feinsten! Das Kleeblatt präsentiert die Spanne vom Delta-Blues bis zur modernen Bluesballade im klassischen Gewand mit Harp, Cajon, Gitarre und Kontrabass. Dabei lieben die vier es, ihr Publikum zu überrraschen - nomen est omen!
Hausmusik auf amerikanisch! Wenn die vier unplugged sagen, ist das auch so. Ganz ohne Strom und Kabel legen die vier dort los, wo sich ein gemütliches Plätzchen findet und präsentieren ihr abwechslungsreiches Programm aus Blues- und Jazzstandards.
Andreas Petschke
Western- und Resonatorgitarre, Geklopfe, Gerassel und Gesang
Heiko Kamann Band - Knast in Hamburg
Ralf Falk *13.03.1952
http://www.ralf-falk.de/index2.html
http://www.jeffaug.com/main.html
Acoustic Blues Circle plays Hesitation Blues
www.acousticbluescircle.de
Ralf Falk - Slideguitar & Vocals
Norbert Franke - Mandolin
Ralf Falk - Slideguitar & Vocals
Norbert Franke - Mandolin
Jeff Aug *13.03.1970
http://www.jeffaug.com/main.html
Jeff Aug ist die letzten Jahre als Gitarrist von Anne Clark bekannt geworden. Für dieses Jahr hat er einen Guinnessbuch-Weltrekordversuch angekündigt, nämlich an einem einzigen Tag (3. März) neun Konzerte in neun europäischen Ländern zu geben. Wie er das schaffen will, bleibt sein Geheimnis. Aber mit „Wedding Song“ liegt jedenfalls sein neues Soloalbum vor – eine stille, spartanische Angelegenheit, spielt Aug hier doch ganz allein auf seiner Gitarre, ohne großen elektronischen Schnickschnack, aufgenommen im Wohnzimmer. Das Fingerpicking beherrscht Aug traumwandlerisch sicher. Die meist kurzen Kompositionen entwickeln dabei eine ganz eigene hypnotische Kraft. So erinnert „Mountain Pass“ durch seine mäandernde repetitive Struktur an die Minimal Music eines Steve Reich oder Philip Glass. Andere Stücke wie „Diving Into The Autumn Deep“ sind reduzierte folkloristische Landschaftsbeschreibungen, Futter fürs innere Auge. Auch der Blues ist mit „My Hotcake Cookin’ Mama“ vertreten. Der elektronisch verzierte Longtrack „Ten Steps To The River’s Edge“ bereist Ambient-Gefilde wie etwa Robert Fripp.
JEFF AUG IS THE SORT OF GUY WHO DOESN’T SHRINK FROM a challenge. For example, last March he set the Guinness World Record for Most Concerts Performed in Different Countries in 24 Hours, by playing six shows in six European countries. “When you release an album, you’ve got to do a tour to support it if you want the backing of distributors and retailers,” says Aug. “I had just come off the road from touring as a member of [legendary British vocalist] Anne Clark’s band, and I was preparing to go back out on a different tour in a few days, so I had to cram in a European tour in one day. Also, setting the Guinness record was a way of doing something special that might make the release of my new album a little more newsworthy.”
The “different tour” that Aug rushed back to prepare for posed a daunting challenge of another kind— opening for Allan Holdsworth. Fortunately, Aug had already kicked off some shows for the iconic jazz-fusion guitarist the previous year, so at least he knew what to expect. “Intimidation was the name of the game during the three-month period leading up to my first shows with Allan,” confides Aug. “Holdsworth draws audiences that are 99-percent guitar players, most of which are about 120 times better than I am, so I was practicing pretty ferociously beforehand. After I played the first show and no one threw anything at me, though, I was able to relax a little and give both the music and myself some space to breathe. It was a great experience, and I sold a ton of CDs.”
Even recording his latest solo album was atypically challenging. All of the songs on c [netMusicZone] were recorded in one pass with no punch-ins or other edits. “I was planning to record a solo album at home on MiniDisc, but my friend Murat Parlak had just bought some great new recording equipment that he wanted to try out, so he asked me to record at his studio,” says Aug. “He was still coming to grips with the technology, however, and wasn’t comfortable punching in or compiling tracks, so it came down to me playing the pieces all the way through as best I could. I’d typically spend a week practicing one or two songs and then we’d record them on the weekends. We’d record several takes, but almost all of the ones that made it onto the album were the first ones, because a lot of times the second, third, and fourth takes just didn’t have the same energy and feeling, even though they might have been played more precisely. That obviously wasn’t a very efficient way to work, and it took all summer to complete the album [laughs].”
Although Aug refers to himself as a “fingerstyle” guitarist, he takes a more flamboyant and muscular approach than is usually associated with the style. “I used to love records by great fingerstyle players such as William Ackerman and Alex De Grassi, and I always admired them and kind of aspired to be like them,” says Aug. “But I was also into really heavy bands like Black Sabbath and Corrosion of Conformity, and I wanted to have some of that energy, groove, and drive. The other thing is that when I started out gigging as a solo acoustic instrumental player, I was performing at places like Starbucks and Borders and small clubs, and I was playing quaint, quiet, new-age-y, pseudoclassical stuff, because it was nice. Then, I started adding some heavier riffs, and realized that I got more applause and sold more CDs and got better tips when I rocked it out a bit—just because it demanded more attention. So that’s what I concentrated on. I still play one very quiet piece in my set, but for the most part I love to go out on stage and rock it.”
Indeed. Aug is big on aggressive pull-offs and hammer-ons, rapid-fire finger rolls, thumb thumping, and even a little bout and top slapping for kick drum effects—though he avoids the slaphappy bombast typical of many contemporary players. One thing Aug doesn’t use is his index finger. “It’s taking a sabbatical,” he jokes. “When I first started learning to play fingerstyle, I employed a hybrid technique where I’d hold the pick between my thumb and my index finger, but I found that I often wound up tucking the pick into my index finger and playing with my thumb instead, so eventually I just quit using the pick altogether, and my index finger no longer had anything to do.”
Aug’s primary acoustic is a limited edition Lowden 035c SLE Fingerstyle model with a Fishman under-saddle piezo pickup, but no onboard volume or tone controls. “The volume response is exceptionally even across all of the strings, with a tight bottom end, so I just plug it directly into a DI box and the FOH engineers usually don’t even have to add any EQ. I use D’Addario EXP16 Light coated strings, and the Planet Waves Circuit Breaker cable with the on/off switch on the plug.”
Dropped-D is Aug’s most commonly used tuning, though he switches to alternate tunings for some songs. “Live, I play a few pieces in DADGAD, one in DADDAD, and if it is a really long show I’ll tune down to a C chord, which is C, G, C, G, C, D [all tunings are low to high],” he explains. “On the new album, however, I play a larger percentage of songs in standard tuning than I have previously.”
Aug mostly plays electric guitar when working with Anne Clark, and he’s considering buying an electric baritone and plugging in with Floating Stone, his currently acoustic duo with drummer and percussionist Niko Lai—but he finds all of the gear involved to be limiting. “That’s one of the reasons why I really love the acoustic guitar,” he enthuses. “I can take it anywhere without having to haul around a big amplifier and lots of effects. When I’m touring with Allan I bring an acoustic guitar, a guitar stand, and a cable— and that’s it!”
The “different tour” that Aug rushed back to prepare for posed a daunting challenge of another kind— opening for Allan Holdsworth. Fortunately, Aug had already kicked off some shows for the iconic jazz-fusion guitarist the previous year, so at least he knew what to expect. “Intimidation was the name of the game during the three-month period leading up to my first shows with Allan,” confides Aug. “Holdsworth draws audiences that are 99-percent guitar players, most of which are about 120 times better than I am, so I was practicing pretty ferociously beforehand. After I played the first show and no one threw anything at me, though, I was able to relax a little and give both the music and myself some space to breathe. It was a great experience, and I sold a ton of CDs.”
Even recording his latest solo album was atypically challenging. All of the songs on c [netMusicZone] were recorded in one pass with no punch-ins or other edits. “I was planning to record a solo album at home on MiniDisc, but my friend Murat Parlak had just bought some great new recording equipment that he wanted to try out, so he asked me to record at his studio,” says Aug. “He was still coming to grips with the technology, however, and wasn’t comfortable punching in or compiling tracks, so it came down to me playing the pieces all the way through as best I could. I’d typically spend a week practicing one or two songs and then we’d record them on the weekends. We’d record several takes, but almost all of the ones that made it onto the album were the first ones, because a lot of times the second, third, and fourth takes just didn’t have the same energy and feeling, even though they might have been played more precisely. That obviously wasn’t a very efficient way to work, and it took all summer to complete the album [laughs].”
Although Aug refers to himself as a “fingerstyle” guitarist, he takes a more flamboyant and muscular approach than is usually associated with the style. “I used to love records by great fingerstyle players such as William Ackerman and Alex De Grassi, and I always admired them and kind of aspired to be like them,” says Aug. “But I was also into really heavy bands like Black Sabbath and Corrosion of Conformity, and I wanted to have some of that energy, groove, and drive. The other thing is that when I started out gigging as a solo acoustic instrumental player, I was performing at places like Starbucks and Borders and small clubs, and I was playing quaint, quiet, new-age-y, pseudoclassical stuff, because it was nice. Then, I started adding some heavier riffs, and realized that I got more applause and sold more CDs and got better tips when I rocked it out a bit—just because it demanded more attention. So that’s what I concentrated on. I still play one very quiet piece in my set, but for the most part I love to go out on stage and rock it.”
Indeed. Aug is big on aggressive pull-offs and hammer-ons, rapid-fire finger rolls, thumb thumping, and even a little bout and top slapping for kick drum effects—though he avoids the slaphappy bombast typical of many contemporary players. One thing Aug doesn’t use is his index finger. “It’s taking a sabbatical,” he jokes. “When I first started learning to play fingerstyle, I employed a hybrid technique where I’d hold the pick between my thumb and my index finger, but I found that I often wound up tucking the pick into my index finger and playing with my thumb instead, so eventually I just quit using the pick altogether, and my index finger no longer had anything to do.”
Aug’s primary acoustic is a limited edition Lowden 035c SLE Fingerstyle model with a Fishman under-saddle piezo pickup, but no onboard volume or tone controls. “The volume response is exceptionally even across all of the strings, with a tight bottom end, so I just plug it directly into a DI box and the FOH engineers usually don’t even have to add any EQ. I use D’Addario EXP16 Light coated strings, and the Planet Waves Circuit Breaker cable with the on/off switch on the plug.”
Dropped-D is Aug’s most commonly used tuning, though he switches to alternate tunings for some songs. “Live, I play a few pieces in DADGAD, one in DADDAD, and if it is a really long show I’ll tune down to a C chord, which is C, G, C, G, C, D [all tunings are low to high],” he explains. “On the new album, however, I play a larger percentage of songs in standard tuning than I have previously.”
Aug mostly plays electric guitar when working with Anne Clark, and he’s considering buying an electric baritone and plugging in with Floating Stone, his currently acoustic duo with drummer and percussionist Niko Lai—but he finds all of the gear involved to be limiting. “That’s one of the reasons why I really love the acoustic guitar,” he enthuses. “I can take it anywhere without having to haul around a big amplifier and lots of effects. When I’m touring with Allan I bring an acoustic guitar, a guitar stand, and a cable— and that’s it!”
Dead Tuna (Jeff Aug & Hans Penzoldt) One More Saturday Night
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