11070 - MIKE GORDON - UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC THREE (2016)

MIKE GORDON
''UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC THREE''
2016
139:46
********************
DISC ONE (59:26)
1 Different World 14:18
2 Cruel World 08:57
3 Meat 03:02
4 Normal Phoebe 06:16
5 Babylon Baby 10:53
6 Angatta 06:19
7 Another Door 09:39
**********
DISC TWO (53:55)
1 I'm Deranged 08:50
2 Peel 12:33
3 Sound 06:12
4 Tiny Little World 13:29
5 Loon 05:58
6 The Last Step 06:50
**********
DISC THREE (26:25)
1 How Many People Are You 07:30
2 Dig Further Down 08:03
3 Here Today 10:52
********************
Mike Gordon - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Scott Murawski - Guitar, Vocals
Robert Walter - Keyboards, Organ
John Kimock - Drums
Craig Myers - Percussion, N'goni, Vocals
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Matt Collar
The bassist/vocalist for the jam band Phish, Mike Gordon is also a multi-instrumentalist and filmmaker. Born in Sudbury, MA, in 1965, Gordon formed his first band in high school. In 1983, while attending the University of Vermont, he formed the jam band Phish along with guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth and drummer Jon Fishman. On his own, Gordon has an inclination toward bluegrass and Jewish folk music and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, and piano. An avid filmmaker and photographer, Gordon has shot music videos for Phish and directed the 2000 feature film Outside Out. He released his debut solo album, Inside In, on Ropeadope in 2003. Green Sparrow followed on Rounder in 2008 and Gordon stuck with that label for his eclectic 2010 effort Moss. Following these albums, a busy live schedule with Phish ensued, and during this period the band began and ended each year with a set of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. A fourth solo studio album, Overstep, appeared early in 2014.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************

11069 - MIKE GORDON - UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC TWO (2016)

MIKE GORDON
''UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC TWO''
2016
139:46
********************
DISC ONE (59:26)
1 Different World 14:18
2 Cruel World 08:57
3 Meat 03:02
4 Normal Phoebe 06:16
5 Babylon Baby 10:53
6 Angatta 06:19
7 Another Door 09:39
**********
DISC TWO (53:55)
1 I'm Deranged 08:50
2 Peel 12:33
3 Sound 06:12
4 Tiny Little World 13:29
5 Loon 05:58
6 The Last Step 06:50
**********
DISC THREE (26:25)
1 How Many People Are You 07:30
2 Dig Further Down 08:03
3 Here Today 10:52
********************
Mike Gordon - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Scott Murawski - Guitar, Vocals
Robert Walter - Keyboards, Organ
John Kimock - Drums
Craig Myers - Percussion, N'goni, Vocals
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Matt Collar
The bassist/vocalist for the jam band Phish, Mike Gordon is also a multi-instrumentalist and filmmaker. Born in Sudbury, MA, in 1965, Gordon formed his first band in high school. In 1983, while attending the University of Vermont, he formed the jam band Phish along with guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth and drummer Jon Fishman. On his own, Gordon has an inclination toward bluegrass and Jewish folk music and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, and piano. An avid filmmaker and photographer, Gordon has shot music videos for Phish and directed the 2000 feature film Outside Out. He released his debut solo album, Inside In, on Ropeadope in 2003. Green Sparrow followed on Rounder in 2008 and Gordon stuck with that label for his eclectic 2010 effort Moss. Following these albums, a busy live schedule with Phish ensued, and during this period the band began and ended each year with a set of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. A fourth solo studio album, Overstep, appeared early in 2014.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************

11068 - MIKE GORDON - UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC ONE (2016)

MIKE GORDON
''UNION TRANSFER: PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28 2015, DISC ONE''
2016
139:46
********************
DISC ONE (59:26)
1 Different World 14:18
2 Cruel World 08:57
3 Meat 03:02
4 Normal Phoebe 06:16
5 Babylon Baby 10:53
6 Angatta 06:19
7 Another Door 09:39
**********
DISC TWO (53:55)
1 I'm Deranged 08:50
2 Peel 12:33
3 Sound 06:12
4 Tiny Little World 13:29
5 Loon 05:58
6 The Last Step 06:50
**********
DISC THREE (26:25)
1 How Many People Are You 07:30
2 Dig Further Down 08:03
3 Here Today 10:52
********************
Mike Gordon - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Scott Murawski - Guitar, Vocals
Robert Walter - Keyboards, Organ
John Kimock - Drums
Craig Myers - Percussion, N'goni, Vocals
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Matt Collar
The bassist/vocalist for the jam band Phish, Mike Gordon is also a multi-instrumentalist and filmmaker. Born in Sudbury, MA, in 1965, Gordon formed his first band in high school. In 1983, while attending the University of Vermont, he formed the jam band Phish along with guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth and drummer Jon Fishman. On his own, Gordon has an inclination toward bluegrass and Jewish folk music and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, and piano. An avid filmmaker and photographer, Gordon has shot music videos for Phish and directed the 2000 feature film Outside Out. He released his debut solo album, Inside In, on Ropeadope in 2003. Green Sparrow followed on Rounder in 2008 and Gordon stuck with that label for his eclectic 2010 effort Moss. Following these albums, a busy live schedule with Phish ensued, and during this period the band began and ended each year with a set of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. A fourth solo studio album, Overstep, appeared early in 2014.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************

6170 - PHISH - ''Niagara Falls'', Disc Three (2013)

PHISH
''NIAGARA FALLS, DISC THREE''
NOVEMBER 11 2013
172:44

DISC ONE
1 /The Old Home Place/3:52
2 /The Curtain/6:06
3 /AC/DC Bag/9:17
4 /Demand/1:54
5 /Rift/5:41
6 /Slave to the Traffic Light/12:50
7 /Guyute/10:32
8 /Bouncing Around the Room/3:37
9 /Possum/14:20
10 /Hello My Baby/1:52

DISC TWO
1 /Audience Chess Move/1:09
2 /Split Open and Melt/17:14
3 /Strange Design/3:00
4 /Tate/7:37
5 /Reba/14:40
6 /Julius/6:54

DISC THREE
1 /Sleeping Monkey5:14
2 /Sparkle3:29
3 /Mike's Song17:23
4 /Weekapaug Roove13:56
5 /Amazing Grace2:55
6 /Encore: Uncle Pen4:52
7 /Poor Heart [From Soundcheck]4:18

Trey Anastasio /Guitar, Vocals
Jon Fishman /Drums, Vocals
Mike Gordon /Bass, Vocals
Page McConnell /Keyboards, Vocals

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek
Given Phish's musical renaissance after their reunion in 2008, revisiting the band's past is often useful for the purpose of hearing just what made them such a dominant force on the early jam band scene in the first place. This date, recorded at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in December of 1995, is a prime example. Its fold-out digipack of three discs includes the entire concert, along with the soundcheck performance of "Poor Heart" added as a bonus (as well as a download card). The sound captured is simply pristine; the show is top flight. It opens with the bluegrass chestnut "Old Home Place" before commencing with "The Curtain," which transitions into "AC/DC/ Bag" and "Demand." There are also ambitious, extended workouts of "Slave to the Traffic Light" and Possum." It's all flight from here. The second disc highlights include "Split Open and Melt," the medley of "Strange Design" and "Taste," and a long reading of "Reba." The final disc opens with "Sleeping Monkey," which transitions seamlessly into "Sparkle" before morphing yet again into "Mike's Song"; all tolled, it's over 25 minutes. It's not just Phish's tight command of the material that's so remarkable, but the improvisational interplay that takes place inside an intricate, often knotty set of musical parameters. As evidenced by Niagara Falls, playing and performing like this set the band apart in the early years -- before they were given to excess bullshitting at the turn of the century. There isn’t any of that here; it's all kinetic, and hot, top to bottom.

6169 - PHISH - ''Niagara Falls'', Disc Two (2013)

PHISH
''NIAGARA FALLS, DISC TWO''
NOVEMBER 11 2013
172:44

DISC ONE
1 /The Old Home Place/3:52
2 /The Curtain/6:06
3 /AC/DC Bag/9:17
4 /Demand/1:54
5 /Rift/5:41
6 /Slave to the Traffic Light/12:50
7 /Guyute/10:32
8 /Bouncing Around the Room/3:37
9 /Possum/14:20
10 /Hello My Baby/1:52

DISC TWO
1 /Audience Chess Move/1:09
2 /Split Open and Melt/17:14
3 /Strange Design/3:00
4 /Tate/7:37
5 /Reba/14:40
6 /Julius/6:54

DISC THREE
1 /Sleeping Monkey5:14
2 /Sparkle3:29
3 /Mike's Song17:23
4 /Weekapaug Roove13:56
5 /Amazing Grace2:55
6 /Encore: Uncle Pen4:52
7 /Poor Heart [From Soundcheck]4:18

Trey Anastasio /Guitar, Vocals
Jon Fishman /Drums, Vocals
Mike Gordon /Bass, Vocals
Page McConnell /Keyboards, Vocals

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek
Given Phish's musical renaissance after their reunion in 2008, revisiting the band's past is often useful for the purpose of hearing just what made them such a dominant force on the early jam band scene in the first place. This date, recorded at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in December of 1995, is a prime example. Its fold-out digipack of three discs includes the entire concert, along with the soundcheck performance of "Poor Heart" added as a bonus (as well as a download card). The sound captured is simply pristine; the show is top flight. It opens with the bluegrass chestnut "Old Home Place" before commencing with "The Curtain," which transitions into "AC/DC/ Bag" and "Demand." There are also ambitious, extended workouts of "Slave to the Traffic Light" and Possum." It's all flight from here. The second disc highlights include "Split Open and Melt," the medley of "Strange Design" and "Taste," and a long reading of "Reba." The final disc opens with "Sleeping Monkey," which transitions seamlessly into "Sparkle" before morphing yet again into "Mike's Song"; all tolled, it's over 25 minutes. It's not just Phish's tight command of the material that's so remarkable, but the improvisational interplay that takes place inside an intricate, often knotty set of musical parameters. As evidenced by Niagara Falls, playing and performing like this set the band apart in the early years -- before they were given to excess bullshitting at the turn of the century. There isn’t any of that here; it's all kinetic, and hot, top to bottom.

6168 - PHISH - ''Niagara Falls'', Disc One (2013)

PHISH
''NIAGARA FALLS, DISC ONE''
NOVEMBER 11 2013
172:44

DISC ONE
1 /The Old Home Place/3:52
2 /The Curtain/6:06
3 /AC/DC Bag/9:17
4 /Demand/1:54
5 /Rift/5:41
6 /Slave to the Traffic Light/12:50
7 /Guyute/10:32
8 /Bouncing Around the Room/3:37
9 /Possum/14:20
10 /Hello My Baby/1:52

DISC TWO
1 /Audience Chess Move/1:09
2 /Split Open and Melt/17:14
3 /Strange Design/3:00
4 /Tate/7:37
5 /Reba/14:40
6 /Julius/6:54

DISC THREE
1 /Sleeping Monkey5:14
2 /Sparkle3:29
3 /Mike's Song17:23
4 /Weekapaug Roove13:56
5 /Amazing Grace2:55
6 /Encore: Uncle Pen4:52
7 /Poor Heart [From Soundcheck]4:18

Trey Anastasio /Guitar, Vocals
Jon Fishman /Drums, Vocals
Mike Gordon /Bass, Vocals
Page McConnell /Keyboards, Vocals

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek
Given Phish's musical renaissance after their reunion in 2008, revisiting the band's past is often useful for the purpose of hearing just what made them such a dominant force on the early jam band scene in the first place. This date, recorded at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in December of 1995, is a prime example. Its fold-out digipack of three discs includes the entire concert, along with the soundcheck performance of "Poor Heart" added as a bonus (as well as a download card). The sound captured is simply pristine; the show is top flight. It opens with the bluegrass chestnut "Old Home Place" before commencing with "The Curtain," which transitions into "AC/DC/ Bag" and "Demand." There are also ambitious, extended workouts of "Slave to the Traffic Light" and Possum." It's all flight from here. The second disc highlights include "Split Open and Melt," the medley of "Strange Design" and "Taste," and a long reading of "Reba." The final disc opens with "Sleeping Monkey," which transitions seamlessly into "Sparkle" before morphing yet again into "Mike's Song"; all tolled, it's over 25 minutes. It's not just Phish's tight command of the material that's so remarkable, but the improvisational interplay that takes place inside an intricate, often knotty set of musical parameters. As evidenced by Niagara Falls, playing and performing like this set the band apart in the early years -- before they were given to excess bullshitting at the turn of the century. There isn’t any of that here; it's all kinetic, and hot, top to bottom.

6165 - PAGE MCCONNELL (2007)

PAGE MCCONNELL
''PAGE MCCONNELL''
APRIL 17 2007
52:34

1 - Beauty Of A Broken Heart/00:03:35
2 - Heavy Rotation/00:10:37
3 - Maid Marian/00:05:04
4 - Close To Home/00:04:16
5 - Runaway Bride/00:03:49
6 - Back In The Basement/00:08:11
7 - Rules I Don't Know/00:06:01
8 - Complex Wind/00:04:58
9 - Everyone But Me/00:05:06
All Tracks By McConnell

Trey Anastasio /Guitar
Jonathan Fishman /Drums
Mike Gordon /Bass
Jeff Hill /Bass
Jim Keltner /Drums
Page McConnell /Accordion, Bass, Clavinet, Drum Programming, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Bass, Toy Piano, Vocals, Wurlitzer
Jared Slomoff /Bass, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Trumpet, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Adam Zimmon /Guitar

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's a strange thing that when Phish members go solo they make simpler records that are more streamlined than any of their band's albums. These are records that are often better as albums than Phish's studio efforts, which often tended to meander and never quite gelled. Such is the case with Page McConnell, the Phish keyboardist whose eponymous 2007 solo debut is uncannily reminiscent of Trey Anastasio's eponymous 2002 solo debut even if it's different in many respects. What is similar between both albums is that they share a soft, hazy quality that brings to mind the laid-back vibe of Californian singer/songwriters of the '70s, but McConnell's album is more unified than Anastasio's. It also has more modern touches, like a turntable faintly scratching in the background on "Heavy Rotation" or the skittish drum-n-bass-inspired rhythm track of the closer, "Everyone But Me." Despite these flourishes, Page McConnell nevertheless sounds like a thowback to the late '70s, both in its warm, burnished production (courtesy of producer Bryce Goggin and engineer Jared Slomoff) but also in its mellow, mildly jazzy funkiness and how the songs easily open up for solos from McConnell and his band, anchored by veteran drummer Jim Keltner. This has such a relaxed vibe that even when McConnell sings about the murky menace of modern times, it sounds friendly; never have melting ice caps and stolen elections sounded less threatening than they do on "Maid Marian," delivered in Page's plain, conversational voice. Far from being a detriment, that relaxed vibe is what makes Page McConnell a satisfying listen. There's nothing rushed about this album, yet it doesn't wander; it all flows from the same unhurried place, and the keyboardist and his colleagues, who include guitarist Adam Zimmon plus all former Phish mates, find interesting ways to spin his soft, soul- and jazz-inflected tunes. Such low-key exploration, combined with some good modest tunes, makes for an endearing solo debut that finds McConnell forging a new, interesting path away from Phish.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Leggett
Best known as the piano and keyboard player for Phish, Page McConnell was born May 17, 1963, in Philadelphia, PA, moving to Basking Ridge, NJ, in 1969 with his family. McConnell began piano lessons at the age of four and was playing in local bands by the time he was in the seventh grade. He attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, from 1982 to 1984, and then transferred to Goddard College in Vermont, graduating in 1987. McConnell played with several area bands while at Goddard, including Love Goat, Pueblo Fever, Tom's Sub Shop, and most notably Phish, which he officially joined in 1985, spending the next 15 years playing, recording, and touring with the group. In 2001 he formed the electronic trio Vida Blue with Oteil Burbridge and Russell Batiste. The group released two albums, 2002's Vida Blue and 2003's The Illustrated Band, before calling it quits. In 2007 McConnell released his debut solo album, simply entitled Page McConnell, on Legacy Records.

6163 - MIKE GORDON/LEO KOTTKE - Sixty Six Steps (2005)

MIKE GORDON/LEO KOTTKE
"SIXTY SIX STEPS"
AUGUST 23, 2005
50:46

1/Living in the Country (Seeger) 3:51
2/The Grid (Gordon) 3:17
3/Oh Well (Green) 3:22
4/Rings (Harvey, Reeves) 4:30
5/Cherry County (Kottke) 2:30
6/Sweet Emotion (Thomas, Tyler) 5:32
7/The Stolen Quiet (Gordon) 3:06
8/Balloon (Kottke) 3:26
9/Over the Dam (Gordon, Linitz) 3:40
10/Can't Hang (Gordon) 1:54
11/From Spink to Correctionville (Kottke) 2:28
12/Ya Mar (Ferguson) 5:01
13/Twice (Kottke) 4:10
14/Invisible (Gordon, Linitz) 6:35

Mike Gordon - Bass, Vocals
Leo Kottke - Guitar, Vocals
Jared Slomoff - Vocals
Neil Symonette - Percussion, Chimes, Cymbals, Drums, Triangle, Claves, Caxixi, Cajon, Madal, Shaker, Cowbell, Guiro, Talking Drum, Agogo Bell, Udu, Bell Tree, Cabasa, Flexatones, Frame Drum

REVIEW
by Hal Horowitz
The second collaboration of Leo Kottke with ex-Phish bassist Mike Gordon finds the duo exploring breezy Caribbean sounds, with a few surprise covers. The musicians work wonderfully together, with Gordon's meaty yet malleable bass grounding and darting around Kottke's distinctive and agile fingerpicked lines. Percussion reinforces the island sound (the album was recorded at the famous Compass Point Studios in Nassau) and provides a terrific backbone for the album's tropical approach. Neither Gordon nor Kottke have great (or even good) voices — the bassist's is particularly thin — but they admirably dig into the songs, singing on about half of the tracks with a charming, easygoing quality that suits the material and shows they are enjoying this ride. "With a happy tune, anyone can become a singer" is a line from "Rings," an old Kottke gem revitalized here, and it fits the participants' scraggly style. Some tunes, such as Gordon's "Stolen Quiet," are so light and airy that they nearly float away. But they are saved by the stunning musicianship and often bizarre, stream-of-consciousness lyrics that veer between silly and thought-provoking. Hence, a few more instrumentals might be in order if there are future editions of this undeniably successful collaboration. Covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" and — more astonishingly — Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" seem a bit out of place, but nonetheless provide the album with head-turning highlights. The latter works off a slinky, swampy, funk bass-driven groove that affords a terrific framework for both musicians' talents. Kottke goes solo on "From Spink to Correctionville" and reprises his own "Twice," a terrific tune that benefits from the Caribbean arrangement. Production from David Z., which keeps the spaces open, and nearly perfect percussion assistance from Neil Symonette are the less obvious pieces that combine to put this puzzle together so effectively.

BIOGRAPHY (MIKE GORDON)
by Matt Collar
The bassist/vocalist for the jam band Phish, Mike Gordon is also a multi-instrumentalist and filmmaker. Born in Sudbury, MA, in 1963, Gordon formed his first band in high school. In 1983, while attending the University of Vermont, he formed the jam band Phish along with guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth and drummer Jon Fishman. On his own, Gordon has an inclination toward bluegrass and Jewish folk music and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, and piano. An avid filmmaker and photographer, Gordon has shot music videos for Phish and directed the 2000 feature film Outside Out. He released his debut solo album, Inside In, on Ropeadope in 2003. Green Sparrow followed on Rounder in 2008. Gordon stuck with Rounder for his eclectic 2010 effort Moss.

BIOGRAPHY (LEO KOTTKE)
by Jason Ankeny
Innovative acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke was born September 11, 1945, in Athens, GA. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone before trying his hand at the guitar at age 11. After developing a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt, Kottke lost much of the hearing in his left ear as a result of a mishap with a firecracker; during a later tenure in the Naval Reserve, his right ear suffered permanent damage during firing practice.

Discharged due to his impairment, Kottke entered college, dropping out after several years to hitchhike across the country as an itinerant musician. After settling in the Twin Cities area and becoming a fixture on the city's folk club circuit, he issued his 1969 debut LP, Twelve String Blues, recorded live at Minneapolis' Scholar Coffee House, on the tiny Oblivion label. After sending 1970's Circle 'Round the Sun to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed by Fahey's manager Denny Bruce, who soon secured a deal with Capitol.

Kottke's 1971 major-label debut, Mudlark, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer; in the liner notes to 1972's 6- and 12-String Guitar, issued on Fahey's Takoma label, he even described his own voice as "geese farts on a muggy day." Still, despite battles with label heads as well as with Bruce, Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like 1972's Greenhouse and 1973's live My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water found him branching out with guest musicians and unusual song covers drawing on folk, rock, jazz, and bluegrass, all the while honing his propulsive fingerpicking mastery.

With 1975's Chewing Pine, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 50 for the first time; he also gained an international cult following thanks to his performances at folk festivals the world over. With his 1976 self-titled release, he moved to the Chrysalis label, although sales diminished for LPs including 1978's Burnt Lips, 1979's Balance, and 1980's Live in Europe. After 1983's T-Bone Burnett-produced Time Step, Kottke's contract with Chrysalis ended, and he moved over to the independent Private Music label.

Kottke's powerful technique, combined with his prolific output and extensive touring schedule, resulted in a lingering pain in his hands that began to hamper his playing in the middle of the 1980s. Consequently, the beginning of his tenure on Private Music coincided with the beginnings of a shift in technique closer to classical guitar performance; he also slowed his productivity, and after 1986's reflective A Shout Toward Noon, he did not re-enter the studio before recording Regards from Chuck Pink in 1988.

Simultaneously, Kottke cut back dramatically on his live schedule, settling comfortably into his role as a cult figure. He released an album annually from 1989 to 1991, following My Father's Face with That's What and finally Great Big Boy, which featured a guest appearance from Lyle Lovett. Two years later, Kottke returned with Peculiaroso, which featured production by Rickie Lee Jones. The solo One Guitar, No Vocals followed in 1999, but it was his collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Clone, that caught audiences' attention in 2002. Kottke returned to the solo realm with 2004's Try and Stop Me, released on Bluebird. In 2005, Kottke collaborated with Phish bassist Mike Gordon on Sixty Six Steps.

6162 - LEO KOTTKE/MIKE GORDON - Clone (2002)

LEO KOTTKE/MIKE GORDON
''CLONE''
OCTOBER 8 2002
41:31

1 - Arko/00:01:21
2 - Car Carrier Blues/00:03:47
3 - From Pizza Towers To Defeat/00:03:06
4 - Clone/00:04:49
5 - The Collins Missile/00:03:58
6 - Te Veo/00:02:31
7 - Disco/00:03:09
8 - June/00:03:02
9 - I Am A Lonesome Fugitive/00:03:05
10 - Clay/00:03:02
11 - Strange/00:01:11
12 - Middle Of The Road/00:02:53
13 - Whip/00:02:27
14 - With/00:02:44

REVIEW
by Tom Semioli
Phish bassist Mike Gordon and acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke are a natural multi-faceted collaboration. Akin to the cerebral interplay of the Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady of Hot Tuna and the early-'70s rootsy incarnation of the Grateful Dead, Kottke and Gordon complete each other's musical thoughts as they joyfully rumble through folk, blues, country, and bluegrass cuts with a breezy demeanor. Gordon's thick timbre and non-conformist phrasing compliment Kottke's polyrhythmic tendencies from cut to cut. The title track, as simple as it may sound on the surface, is a harmonic cornucopia of counterpoint via upper-register motifs and inverted chord voicing bolstered by reverberations and a myriad of odd sounds. Among the most engaging offering is a spirited remake of Roy Buchanan's "I Am a Lonesome Fugitive," rendered straight as an arrow with Kottke's world-weary baritone meshing with Gordon's quivering falsetto. "Clay" waxes psychedelic and "Middle of the Road" is anything but, as the two dueling virtuosos kick up the dust on tale of heartbreak and woe. A timeless record by two artists on an organic journey. Take the ride.

BIOGRAPHY (LEO KOTTKE)
by Jason Ankeny
Innovative acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke was born September 11, 1945, in Athens, GA. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone before trying his hand at the guitar at age 11. After developing a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt, Kottke lost much of the hearing in his left ear as a result of a mishap with a firecracker; during a later tenure in the Naval Reserve, his right ear suffered permanent damage during firing practice.

Discharged due to his impairment, Kottke entered college, dropping out after several years to hitchhike across the country as an itinerant musician. After settling in the Twin Cities area and becoming a fixture on the city's folk club circuit, he issued his 1969 debut LP, Twelve String Blues, recorded live at Minneapolis' Scholar Coffee House, on the tiny Oblivion label. After sending 1970's Circle 'Round the Sun to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed by Fahey's manager Denny Bruce, who soon secured a deal with Capitol.

Kottke's 1971 major-label debut, Mudlark, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer; in the liner notes to 1972's 6- and 12-String Guitar, issued on Fahey's Takoma label, he even described his own voice as "geese farts on a muggy day." Still, despite battles with label heads as well as with Bruce, Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like 1972's Greenhouse and 1973's live My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water found him branching out with guest musicians and unusual song covers drawing on folk, rock, jazz, and bluegrass, all the while honing his propulsive fingerpicking mastery.

With 1975's Chewing Pine, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 50 for the first time; he also gained an international cult following thanks to his performances at folk festivals the world over. With his 1976 self-titled release, he moved to the Chrysalis label, although sales diminished for LPs including 1978's Burnt Lips, 1979's Balance, and 1980's Live in Europe. After 1983's T-Bone Burnett-produced Time Step, Kottke's contract with Chrysalis ended, and he moved over to the independent Private Music label.

Kottke's powerful technique, combined with his prolific output and extensive touring schedule, resulted in a lingering pain in his hands that began to hamper his playing in the middle of the 1980s. Consequently, the beginning of his tenure on Private Music coincided with the beginnings of a shift in technique closer to classical guitar performance; he also slowed his productivity, and after 1986's reflective A Shout Toward Noon, he did not re-enter the studio before recording Regards from Chuck Pink in 1988.

Simultaneously, Kottke cut back dramatically on his live schedule, settling comfortably into his role as a cult figure. He released an album annually from 1989 to 1991, following My Father's Face with That's What and finally Great Big Boy, which featured a guest appearance from Lyle Lovett. Two years later, Kottke returned with Peculiaroso, which featured production by Rickie Lee Jones. The solo One Guitar, No Vocals followed in 1999, but it was his collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Clone, that caught audiences' attention in 2002. Kottke returned to the solo realm with 2004's Try and Stop Me, released on Bluebird. In 2005, Kottke collaborated with Phish bassist Mike Gordon on Sixty Six Steps.

BIOGRAPHY (MIKE GORDON)
by Matt Collar
The bassist/vocalist for the jam band Phish, Mike Gordon is also a multi-instrumentalist and filmmaker. Born in Sudbury, MA, in 1963, Gordon formed his first band in high school. In 1983, while attending the University of Vermont, he formed the jam band Phish along with guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth and drummer Jon Fishman. On his own, Gordon has an inclination toward bluegrass and Jewish folk music and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, and piano. An avid filmmaker and photographer, Gordon has shot music videos for Phish and directed the 2000 feature film Outside Out. He released his debut solo album, Inside In, on Ropeadope in 2003. Green Sparrow followed on Rounder in 2008. Gordon stuck with Rounder for his eclectic 2010 effort Moss.