#3513: With Guy Buttery

New Sounds | Jan 9, 2015

South African fingerstyle guitarist Guy Buttery joins John Schaefer in the studio to perform a live acoustic set without effects. His exceptional world music for solo guitar evokes the rhythms of his native land unconsciously, while drawing on influences like Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges. Listen to a bit of guitar as percussion instrument in one of his pieces, “Sleep Deprivation.” Then, hear another of Buttery’s insanely inventive techniques on a tune where he plays the guitar like a zither, as an extension of tapping, to achieve slap harmonics.

There’s also music from South Africa’s Kevin Volans for two harpsichords and percussion that approximates the mbira, or thumb piano of Zimbabwe. Plus, hear music from Preston Reed, an incredible finger-picking guitarist who can easily transform the body of his instrument into a drum set at will.

PROGRAM #3513– with Guy Buttery (First aired on 9/24/2013)

ARTIST(S)	RECORDING	CUT(S)	SOURCE
Guy Buttery	Live in KwaZulu	Joanna Newsom, arranged by Guy Buttery: The Book of Right On, excerpt [1:00]	SLCD 276 guybuttery.bandcamp.com
Kevin Volans, harpsichord Deborah James, harpsichord Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion	White Man Sleeps	Kevin Volans: Mbira, excerpt [3:49]	Cala United Recording Company 88034 Out of print, but there is another recording available on Network NW52990 www.prestoclassical.co.uk
Guy Buttery	Live, WNYC September 20, 2013	Upper Reaches [4:04]	This performance not commercially available.
Michael Hedges	Live On The Double Planet	Because It’s There [3:13]	Windham Hill Records #1066 Out of print, but available as a download from iTunes, Emusic.com and Amazon.com
Guy Buttery	Live, WNYC September 20, 2013	Sleep Deprivation [4:33] Half a Decade [7:01] Fox Hill Lane [3:21]	These performances not commercially available, but the pieces all appear on “Live in KwaZulu” guybuttery.bandcamp.com
Dustin Wong	Mediation of Ecstatic Energy	Emerald Atmosphere, excerpt [1:00]	Thrill Jockey Thrill 348 www.thrilljockey.com
Joanna Newsom	Milk-Eyed Mender	The Book of Right On	Drag City #263 www.dragcity.com or download from www.emusic.com
Preston Reed	Border Towns	Border Towns [3:33]	Liberty/Capitol Nashville 98708 Out of print. Try auction sites.

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