rgans of Admittance – For Octavio Paz
In 2003 “James Blackshaw, a young musician from Kent, England, puts out his debut, “Celeste”, a CD-R of pastoral acoustic-guitar numbers with an initial run of 80 copies. “Discovering Robbie Basho was a real turning point for me,” Blackshaw says, “and to call him influential with regard to my own work is an understatement. Much more so than Fahey, even. (2).”
James Blackshaw – The Cloud of Unknowing (2007)
2004 Glenn Jones released his first solo album, “This is the Wind That Blows It Out.” Before going solo he was a member of the group Cul de Sac which collaborated with John Fahey on one of their albums. Glenn is a student of the “Takoma style” and plays a clean and beautifully melodic guitar and banjo pieces (8).
2004 Jack Rose releases a pair of debuting albums, “Two Originals of Jack Rose” on the Beautiful Happiness label and “Raag Manifestos” on VHF. Jack Rose got his start in the avant-garde electronic noise-punk band Pelt most known for their double CD “Ayahuasca.”
2004 Meg Baird comes to the surface with the band Espers, a Philadelphia based psych folk ensemble featuring Greg Weeks, Helena Espvall and Otto Hauser. The group first appeared in 2002 and released 3 full length albums. Which include intricate finger picked guitar styling with a heavy psychedelic folk influence. Meg Baird would later release solo albums and collaborate with her sister Laura Baird to form The Baird Sisters.
The Baird Sisters – Until You Find Your Green (Grapefruit Record Club)
2005 “Kensington Blues” by Jack Rose also released on the label VHF is a masterpiece in the American primitive style with many raga influenced pieces.
Jack Rose – Kensington Blues
2005 Minneapolis based musician Paul Metzger releases “Three improvisations on Modified Banjo.” This album is filled with meditative long form arrangements for a 21 string modified banjo built by the artist himself. The album integrates folk, jazz with a heavy middle eastern, raga influence and Japanese Bouzouki music. Glenn Jones stated in Minneapolis that this album is a large part of what inspired him to take up the banjo. Paul Metzger is currently creative director for Nero’s Neptune a Minneapolis record Label run by Mark Trehus which releases limited edition records by Metzger and other artists.
Paul Metzger – Three Improvisations on Modified Banjo
2006 Scot Ray releases “Scot Ray participated for three albums with Bill Barrett (chromatic harmonica), on dobro & acoustic slide-guitar as a duo under the name of Gutpuppet. As far as I know, this is his first solo-release. Here he plays dobro, 6 & 12 string dreadnaught and the 22 string chaturangui, -the Indian guitar designed by Indian master Debashish Bhattacharya (17).”
2007 Alexander Turnquist emerges releasing his debut album “Faint at the Loudest Hour.” His music is more meditative using harmonics and integrating that into landscapes of swelling echoes.
Alexander Turnquist – Like Sunburned Snowflakes
Steve Gunn released his debut solo album “Sundowner.” Based in Brooklyn, New York he began as a hardcore metal musician in high school who loved Indian music. His recent releases show a blend of singer songwriter with American Primitive guitar. Some albums long formed and experimental with others more or less song based.
Jack Rose died on December 4, 2009, of a heart attack, he was 38 years old. This was a major loss as Jack Rose brought many musicians together and was an outspoken member of an otherwise quite group of guitarists.
2010 Daniel Bachman releases his first album on cassette called “Feast of Green Corn” on Mirror Universe Tapes (12). Daniel would go on to release several albums which feature the American primitive style. He often leans in the blues direction on many of his pieces but in the 2010’s is ever more integrating eastern influenced guitar.
2013 Glenn Jones releases “My Garden State” a really wonderful album recorded by Laura and Meg Baird.
Steve Gunn puts out two albums “Time Off “(2013) which is more song based approach with interesting songs and really enjoyable guitar which