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Monday, March 7, 2016

Guitar Week: The Pedal Steel

As a kick-off to another 'Guitar Week', we begin with two videos featuring that wonderful creation - quite rare in free jazz - the pedal steel guitar.

Peter Brotzmann and Heather Leigh

This video from a festival in Krakow in 2015 begins with two minutes of forlorn and visceral solo clarinet-like taragato. At the two-minute mark when pedal steel guitarist Heather Leigh's otherworldly tones begin intertwining with Peter Brotzmann's flow, it becomes absolutely captivating. The pair has been on tour in Europe and we're planning to head to one at Fat Out's Burrow in England on March 31st. They are also planning on releasing an album soon - Ears Are Filled With Wonder on Not Two Records (CD) and Trost Records (limited edition vinyl LP).




Susan Alcon and Dom Minasi

Susan Alcorn is a master of the pedal steel and has leapt from the more typical country and western setting of the instrument to gorgeous renditions of Astor Piazzolla's tangos and other collaborations. In the video below, she is playing with guitarist Dom Minasi, whose work seems to be focusing on duo dates recently. The video below is from a concert date in Baltimore, MD.




3 comments:

Dom Minasi said...

Thanks for posting

Tomas said...

Excellent

Captain Hate said...

Brotz is playing a taragato. I figured they'd have a release since they'll make a tour stop near me in late May. He seems to be interacting with every type of creative musician ever since The Wire did that Last Man Standing interview(s), not unlike what Max Roach did in the late 70s and early 80s. I hope when he tours he sells that solo disc from Munster since I can't find it domestically.