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previous record label: tomlab		there are 26 titles on tompkins square in stock. they are listed below.		next record label: tone filth

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 5252 lp

sean smith / adam snider / matt baldwin “berkeley guitar” long playing record

sean smith - the augur of deviation
sean smith - what once was will be.
sean smith - die until tomorrow, sleep.
adam snider - lonely tuesday ramble
adam snider - swamp angel
adam snider - the little death
adam snider - the anger of god
matt baldwin - waltz
matt baldwin - split part 2
matt baldwin - anji
matt baldwin - she was a girl, she was in love

tompkins square press release...

berkeley guitar

berkeley guitar is a collection of new recordings by three of the bay area’s finest young acoustic guitarists: sean smith, adam snider, and matt baldwin.

the city of berkeley and the acoustic guitar share a rich, decades-long history — most notably as the sixties home base of takoma records, which released landmark recordings by john fahey, robbie basho, leo kottke and many others. this history inspired three young guitarists from the bay area to create a document of the present-day guitar scene.

produced by sean smith and recorded and mastered at fantasy studios in berkeley, ca, the package includes liner notes by larry kelp of berkeley public radio station kpfa and ed denson, co-founder of takoma records.

the album is available on cd and gorgeous limited edition deluxe gatefold vinyl.

$14.21

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 5252 cd

sean smith / adam snider / matt baldwin “berkeley guitar” compact disc

sean smith - the augur of deviation
sean smith - what once was will be.
sean smith - die until tomorrow, sleep.
adam snider - lonely tuesday ramble
adam snider - swamp angel
adam snider - the little death
adam snider - the anger of god
matt baldwin - waltz
matt baldwin - split part 2
matt baldwin - anji
matt baldwin - she was a girl, she was in love

tompkins square press release...

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
free-improvisation

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 2839 cd

charles gayle “time zones” compact disc

time zones
rush to sunrise
delight
blues in mississippi
rhythm twins
inner edges
that memory

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "time zones"

tompkins square press release...

charles gayle • time zones

time zones is charles gayle's first solo piano album of all original compositions. although he is known primarily as a fiery tenor saxophonist with a sound that blends the spirituality of john coltrane with the free expression of albert ayler, his first instrument was the piano.

since putting his long and storied years as a homeless new york street musician behind him, and recording for the first time in the late 1980's, he has steadily integrated piano into his performances.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
self-released

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 2035 lp

richard crandell “in the flower of our youth” long playing record

in the flower of our youth (2:36)
diagonal (3:31)
shamrock (3:52)
rebecca (2:47)
delta triad (2:50)
minuet for leo (2:14)
owing so much to so many (2:15)
gn6 nose (3:28)
assembly line (1:47)
little deschutes (1:57)
alias jane doe (5:16)
mckinney stomp (0:56)
mt. shasta (2:41)
goin' to taiwan (3:24)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "diagonal"

2008 release ; tompkins square’s reproduction of richard crandell’s 1980 debut lp of solo guitar pieces ...

tompkins square press release...

richard crandell - in the flower of our youth

in the flower of our youth, originally released on the private press label cutthroat records in 1980, was richard crandell's first lp. his tune 'rebecca' was famously covered by admirer leo kottke on his chewing pine album. crandell has gone on to record several other guitar albums, as well as two mbira recordings for john zorn's tzadik label. crandell's music has recently been featured on tompkins square's imaginational anthem vol. 3, as well as the guitar compilation wayfaring strangers: guitar soli.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
minimalism-drones
modern-composition

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1974 lp

james blackshaw “the cloud of unknowing” long playing record

the cloud of unknowing (10:55)
running to the ghost (6:16)
clouds collapse (3:56)
the mirror speaks (6:31)
stained glass window (15:03)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "running to the ghost"

... really warming up to this guy’s music ; the copious charlemagne palestine referencing in the various tompkins square press-texts really kind of hit the mark on this one ...

wholly repetitive, reverb-drenched 12-string patterns that slowly evolve ...

tompkins square press release...

james blackshaw - the cloud of unknowing

when uk-native james blackshaw plays his 12-string guitar, something spiritual takes place. performing and recording since 2003, his name is frequently mentioned as one of the foremost modern solo acoustic guitarists. now at the age of 25, blackshaw, an untrained musician born and still residing in the suburban environs of greater london, draws as much inspiration from early religious music, south-asian folk music and composers such as arvo part, simeon ten holt, steve reich and charlemagne palestine as he does from john fahey, robbie basho and the early takoma records roster, constantly breaking boundaries in what could be conceived as a somewhat limited medium. in his part improvised and part written songs, blackshaw makes expert use of eastern and western scales, chord changes reminiscent of european classical music and incredibly intricate fingerpicking patterns to make a sound that is both challengingly minimalistic, yet warm and approachable to anybody who might hear it, with a rare sensitivity that conveys both immense beauty, hope and sadness.

james has toured japan, europe, scandinavia and uk in 2005 and 2006, playing with artists such as sir richard bishop, espers, brightblack morning light, feathers, greg davis, jack rose, marissa nadler, josephine foster, seiichi yamamoto of the boredoms and christina carter.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
minimalism-drones
modern-composition
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1967 cd

james blackshaw “the cloud of unknowing” compact disc

the cloud of unknowing (10:55)
running to the ghost (6:16)
clouds collapse (3:56)
the mirror speaks (6:31)
stained glass window (15:03)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "running to the ghost"

tompkins square press release...

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
free-improvisation

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1965 cd

ran blake “all that is tied” compact disc

all that is tied
breakthru
birmingham
thursday
how 'bout that
impresario of death
sontagism
epilogue
church of latter rain christian fellowship
field cry
wende
breakthru

... something of an odd duck in the tompkins square catalogue / roster ; a new disc of solo piano from third stream composer / improviser ran blake ...

tompkins square press release...

ran blake - all that is tied

ran blake recorded all that is tied, his 35th album, exactly 40 years since cutting his very first solo piano lp for the esp label in 1965. marking that anniversary, and his 70th birthday, the master pianist and composer revisits selections from his entire career, bringing new life to an extraordinary and unique body of work.

a cult figure surrounded by the same mysterious aura that permeates the classic film noir scenes which so inspire him, pianist/composer/educator ran blake has been one of improvised music's most respected and incomparable voices for more than 40 years. his noteworthy collaborators on record have included anthony braxton, clifford jordan, steve lacy, jeanne lee, and houston person among others, but his seminal solo recordings have always defined his discography and his career.

$14.21

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1950 cd

spencer moore “spencer moore” compact disc

don't let your deal go down
renfro valley home
may i sleep in your barn tonight
mister
our baby boy is gone
in the year of '41
three little babes
cumberland gap
great speckled bird
wildwood flower
burglar man
the lawson family murders
little betty waltz
little rosewood casket
jimmy sutton

tompkins square press release...

spencer moore

88 year old country singer spencer moore played a tent show with the carter family in the 30's, and was recorded in 1959 by alan lomax, who called him "as genuine as a rail fence." this is his debut album.

in our headlong rush into the age of ipods and laptops, it is reassuring to know that there are still people around like spencer moore. in a rustic mountain home perched on a green hillside of the blue ridge mountains of southwest virginia, spencer moore remains almost untouched by modernity. he provides his own entertainment on an acoustic guitar now a half century old. knowing between 500-600 songs by heart, he can sing you most any old-time song known in this part of the blue ridge.

born into a family of 11 children on february 7, 1919 in the northwestern corner of north carolina, spencer was introduced to old-time music early on.  after the family moved across the mountains to laurel bloomery the moore family was exposed to more old-time music via their neighbor, the blind fiddler and singer, g.b. grayson. spencer's father acquired a wind-up phonograph and records. hearing records by the likes of charlie poole, jimmie rodgers , riley puckett and their neighbor, g.b. grayson, stoked the fires of spencer's love of old-time music that much more. a few dollars bought him a guitar from sears and roebuck via the mail. in 1933, at age 14, spencer attended the famous whitetop mountain folk festival. there he heard mrs. eleanor roosevelt sing "three little babes," an old british ballad also known as "the wife of usher's well."

by the late 1930's, spencer and his brother joe were performing publicly themselves as the moore brothers in the delmore brothers style. it was during this period that the moores performed in a tent-show with the carter family.

in 1959, famed folklorist alan lomax along with shirley collins came into the hills of southwest virginia to collect blue ridge mountain music. lomax recorded a number of pieces by spencer including jimmy sutton and the girl i left behind. the performances were released on atlantic and prestige records.

spencer moore is a living link to our musical past. he knew and played with the carter family, g. b. grayson and henry whittier. such links are becoming increasing rare. he is a treasure we should cherish.

$12.74

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1912 cd

charlie louvin “live at shake it records” compact disc

wabash cannonball
you're running wild
the christian life
will you visit me on sundays
cash on the barrelhead
long journey home
my baby's gone
mama's angels
praying
waiting for a train
the hand that rocks the cradle
see the big man cry
charlie's wish

contemporary live set ; i prefer this to the s/t louvin set on tompkins ...

tompkins square press release...

charlie louvin | live at shake it records

country music hall of fame legend charlie louvin co-wrote and recorded some of the most enduring country songs of all time with his brother ira. charlie recorded this live album in may 2007 during a non-stop tour in support of his acclaimed new album on tompkins square. in fact, this past year has seen the 80 year old tour with lucinda williams, play major festivals like bonnaroo, share bills with ryan adams and neko case, and release a video for the song "ira".

the louvin brothers songs featured on charlie louvin, and on this live cd, have been handed down by gram parsons, johnny cash, the byrds, emmylou harris and uncle tupelo, and recently made it into live sets by the likes of beck and jack white. charlie's influence on a new generation is clear.

this live set captures charlie at one of his many "in store" appearances. it's a stripped down field recording from a true living legend.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
modern-psych
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1905 cd

“imaginational anthem • volume 3” compact disc

richard crandell - “zocalo”
ben reynolds - “here toucheth blues”
greg davis - “sleep architecture"
nathan salsburg - “bold ruler's joys”
steffen basho-junghans - “blue mountain raga ii”
cian nugent - “when the snow melts and floats downstream”
matt baldwin - “sean cycle”
mark fosson - “another fine day”
george stavis - “goblins”
r. keenan lawler - “high tower bells for loren connors”
shawn david mcmillen - “texarkana 1971”

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "texarkana 1971"

third & final volume (that i know of) ... very nice pieces from greg davis, ben reynolds, shawn david mcmillen, keenan lawler, mark fosson, and cian nugent ...

tompkins square press release...

imaginational anthem volume three

imaginational anthem vol. 3 is the third in a series of compilations devoted to acoustic guitar mavericks past and present. as with volumes 1 & 2, the new album features extraordinary young talents such as cian nugent (ireland), ben reynolds (uk), and shawn david mcmillen (austin, tx) alongside unsung heroes from decades past, such as banjo master george stavis, who recorded an album for vanguard in the 60’s; richard crandell, whose rare private press works will hopefully now be brought to light; and mark fosson, whose lost 1977 takoma album was recently issued.

$28.39

back in stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

first in stock on
april 4th, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
modern-psych
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1899 cd

“imaginational anthem • volumes 1-3” triple compact disc set

max ochs - "imaginational anthem (2004)"
brad barr - "bouba's bounce"
suni mcgrath - "train z"
harris newman - "lake shore drive (slight return)"
harry taussig - "dorian sonata"
jack rose - "white mule iii"
steve mann - "my thoughts began to crystallize"
glenn jones - "the little dog's day"
gyan riley & terry riley - "la cigale (the locust)"
bern nix - "low barometer"
bob hadley - "celtic reverie"
janet smith & steve mann - "daemon lover variations"
john fahey - "o'holy night"
kaki king - "night after sidewalk"
sandy bull - "untitled"
max ochs - "imaginational anthem (1969)"
james blackshaw - “river of heaven”
peter lang - “future shot at the rainbow”
jose gonzalez - “suggestions”
jesse sparhawk - “light cycle/tetrahedra”
michael chapman - “leaving the apple”
sean smith - “what blooms in summer dies in winter”
fred gerlach - “devil's brew”
christina carter - “ascend mem”
jack rose - “cross the north fork ii”
billy faier - “new world coming”
sharron kraus - “looking for the hermit’s cave”
robbie basho - “kowaka d'amour”
richard crandell - “zocalo”
ben reynolds - “here toucheth blues”
greg davis - “sleep architecture"
nathan salsburg - “bold ruler's joys”
steffen basho-junghans - “blue mountain raga ii”
cian nugent - “when the snow melts and floats downstream”
matt baldwin - “sean cycle”
mark fosson - “another fine day”
george stavis - “goblins”
r. keenan lawler - “high tower bells for loren connors”
shawn david mcmillen - “texarkana 1971”

... been meaning to bring in copies of these compilations of historic & contemporary guitar-themed goings-on for a while now ; the release of this attractively-priced box of all three volumes was timed very nicely with the release of the third &, well, here we are ....

tompkins square press release...

...

imaginational anthem

imaginational anthem brings together pioneering acoustic guitar heroes of the 60's and 70's alongside a new generation of amazing players. nearly 70 minutes of archival, live, and newly recorded studio tracks - some by artists who haven't released any music in decades. plus a deluxe booklet with producer's notes and never-before-seen photographs.

imaginational anthem contains 16 tracks, 13 of which are previously unreleased and 9 which were specifically recorded for this album.

...

imaginational anthem volume two

here are some highlights among the twelve tracks comprising imaginational anthem volume 2 — all previously unreleased on cd in the us:

“kowaka d'amour” by robbie basho (1940-1986), the first live recording ever issued by this legendary artist
“devil's brew” by fred gerlach, a 1975 home recording by this masterful 12-string guitarist— cited as an influence by jimmy page
new performances recorded expressly for ia2 by such emerging major talents as berkeley’s sean smith and (from the uk) james blackshaw and sharron kraus.
new recordings of compositions by original takoma recording artists peter lang (“future shot at the rainbow”) and billy faier (“new world coming”).

...

imaginational anthem volume three

imaginational anthem vol. 3 is the third in a series of compilations devoted to acoustic guitar mavericks past and present.

as with volumes 1 & 2, the new album features extraordinary young talents such as cian nugent (ireland), ben reynolds (uk), and shawn david mcmillen (austin, tx) alongside unsung heroes from decades past, such as banjo master george stavis, who recorded an album for vanguard in the 60’s; richard crandell, whose rare private press works will hopefully now be brought to light; and mark fosson, whose lost 1977 takoma album was recently issued.

$56.06

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1875 cd

“people take warning! • murder ballads & disaster songs 1913-1938” triple compact disc boxed set

hi henry brown & charlie jordan - titanic blues (3:14)
skillet lickers, riley puckett - wreck of the old 97 (2:54)
birmingham jug band - bill wilson (3:21)
bob miller - the crash of the akron (3:31)
ernest stoneman - the fate of talmadge osborne (3:06)
cantor josef rosenblatt - el mole rachmim (für titanik) (3:31)
blind alfred reed - wreck of the virginian (2:59)
bill cox - fate of will rogers & wiley post (3:17)
dixon brothers - down with the old canoe (2:52)
cliff carlisle - wreck of number 52 (3:16)
furry lewis - kassie jones part 1 (3:07)
furry lewis - kassie jones part 2 (3:04)
carver boys - the brave engineer (3:16)
richard "rabbit" brown - the sinking of the titanic (3:48)
blind alfred reed - fate of chris lively and wife (3:25)
the paul miles and red fox chasers - wreck of the mountain road (2:37)
kentucky ramblers - the unfortunate brakeman (2:26)
riley puckett - altoona freight wreck (2:37)
j.e. mainer's mountaineers - the fatal wreck of the bus (2:48)
frank hutchison - last scene of the titanic (3:29)
skillet lickers - casey jones (2:48)
the fred pendleton & west virginia melody boys - the wreck of the westbound airliner (2:58)
ernest stoneman - the titanic (3:14)
william & versey smith - when that great ship went down (2:57)
ernest stoneman - the story of the mighty mississippi (3:07)
robert hicks - mississippi heavy water blues (3:04)
fiddlin' john carson - dixie boll weevil (2:59)
charlie patton - mississippi boweavil (3:06)
charlotte and bob miller - ohio prison fire (3:21)
elder curry - memphis flu (3:27)
blind alfred reed - explosion in the fairmount mine (3:03)
fiddlin' john carson - storm that struck miami (3:02)
kansas joe & memphis minnie - when the levee breaks (3:13)
andrew jenkins - alabama flood (3:18)
j. h. howell's carolina hillbillies - burning of the cleveland school (3:02)
charlie patton - high water everywhere, part 1 (3:07)
charlie patton - high water everywhere, part 2 (3:06)
asa martin & james roberts - ryecove cyclone (3:03)
cap, andy & flip - mcbeth mine explosion (2:52)
charlie patton - dry well blues (3:20)
charlie poole - baltimore fire (3:12)
uncle dave macon & mcgee brothers - tennessee tornado (3:14)
son house - dry spell blues part 2 (3:14)
green bailey - the santa barbara earthquake (2:57)
vernon dalhart - the death of floyd collins (3:29)
carson robison trio - the porto rico storm (2:33)
w. a. lindsey & alvin condor - boll weavil (2:59)
elders mcintorsh and edwards - the flood of 1927 (3:14)
the appalachia vagabond (hayes shepherd) - peddler and his wife (3:24)
earl johnson - the little grave in georgia (3:07)
ernest stoneman and kahle brewere - kenny wagner's surrender (2:23)
kelly harrell - henry clay beattie (3:09)
carolina buddies - the murder of the lawson family (3:27)
clarence ashley - naomi wise (2:53)
will bennett - railroad bill (2:59)
dykes magic city trio - frankie (3:02)
bill cox - trial of richard bruno hauptmann, part 1 (3:00)
bill cox - trial of richard bruno hauptmann, part 2 (3:04)
dennis mcgee & ernest fruge - lanse des belaires (2:50)
b.f. shelton - darling cora (3:53)
furry lewis - billy lyons and stack o'lee (2:37)
grayson and whitter - tom dooley (3:10)
floyd county ramblers - the story of freda bolt (3:37)
john hammond - pretty polly (3:11)
bob miller - fingerprints upon the windowpane (3:00)
the roy harvey and north carolina ramblers - the bluefield murder (3:08)
ashley and foster - frankie silvers (3:05)
wilmer watts - fate of rhoda sweeten (3:11)
willie walker - dupree blues (3:29)
dykes magic city trio - poor ellen smith (3:12)

gorgeous oversized triple-disc boxed set of early disaster-themed music ...

dust-to-digital junkies ; this should be up your alley ...

tompkins square press release...

people take warning!
murder ballads & songs of disaster 1913-1938
a landmark 3-cd box set

“in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, the depression gripped the nation. it was a time when songs were tools for living. a whole community would turn out to mourn the loss of a member and to sow their songs like seeds. this collection is a wild garden grown from those seeds.” – tom waits, from the introduction

songs of death, destruction and disaster, recorded by black and white performers from the dawn of american roots recording are here, assembled together for the first time. whether they document world-shattering events like the sinking of the titanic or memorialize long forgotten local murders or catastrophes, these 70 recordings – over 30 never before reissued – are audio messages in a bottle reflecting a lost world where age old ballads rubbed up against songs inspired by the day's headlines.

featuring beautifully remastered recordings by the some of the cornerstones of american vernacular recording such as charlie patton, ernest stoneman, furry lewis, charlie poole and uncle dave macon, these songs tell of life and death struggles forever immortalized on these rare and compelling 78 rpms. produced and annotated by the grammy winning team of christopher king and henry “hank” sapoznik with an introduction by tom waits, the accompanying 48-page three-cd anthology designed by grammy award winning susan archie brims with many eye-popping historic images never before reproduced.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1851 cd

james blackshaw “lost prayers and motionless dances” compact disc

lost prayers & motionless dances (34:31)

tompkins square press release...

james blackshaw | lost prayers and motionless dances

originally released as a cd-r in an edition of 200 copies by digitalis industries (digi08) in 2004.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1844 cd

james blackshaw “sunshrine” compact disc

sunshrine (26:29)
skylark herald’s dawn (3:16)

tompkins square press release...

james blackshaw | sunshrine

originally released on cd in an edition of 1000 by digitalis industries (digi017) and as one half of the "sunshrine/celeste" lp in an edition of 525 on bo'weavil recordings (weavil08) in 2005.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1837 cd

james blackshaw “celeste” compact disc

celeste (part 1) (14:44)
celeste (part 2) (13:45)

tompkins square press release...

james blackshaw | celeste

originally released as a cd-r in an edition of 80 copies on celebrate psi phenomenon in 2004 and reissued as a cd-r in an edition of 100 copies by barl fire records (bf001) and as one half of the "sunshrine/celeste" lp in an edition of 525 on bo'weavil recordings (weavil08) in 2005.

$14.93

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1820 cd

robbie basho “venus in cancer” compact disc

venus in cancer (9:30)
eagle sails the blue diamond waters (6:47)
kowaka d'amour (9:55)
song for the queen (9:27)
cathedrals et fleur de lis (8:01)
wine song (sweet wine of love) (5:49)

tompkins square press release...

robbie basho - venus in cancer

robbie basho released venus in cancer in 1969 on the blue thumb label. after five albums for the takoma label in the 60's, basho had cemented his reputation alongside john fahey and leo kottke as one of the most brilliant guitarists of his generation. his wide range of musical influences from around the globe set him apart from other blues-based players, incorporating arabic, himalayan and indian themes; japanese and chinese scales, and classical and european folk music. all are on magnificent display on this sprawling, spiritually-charged album.

released on cd for the very first time, the album has been remastered from the original tapes. the package includes original album artwork and new appreciations from windham hill label founder will ackerman, basho college friend and fellow takoma recording artist max ochs, german guitarist steffen basho-junghans, and pete townshend of the who.

twenty years since his death in 1986, basho's legend continues to grow, having strongly influenced a new generation of guitarists including jack rose, ben chasny (six organs of admittance) and james blackshaw, among many others.

the first ever live recording by robbie basho, a version of "kowaka d'amour" from venus in cancer, can be found on tompkins square's recent compilation, imaginational anthem, vol. 2.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
minimalism-drones
modern-composition
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1783 cd

james blackshaw “litany of echoes” compact disc

gate of ivory (5:20)
past has not passed (12:38)
echo & abyss (12:10)
infinite circle (5:54)
shroud (11:44)
gate of horn (5:20)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "infinite circle"

tompkins square press release...

james blackshaw | litany of echoes

initially inspired by the guitarists of the 60's takoma label to teach himself fingerpicking, london-based musician james blackshaw writes pieces primarily for solo 12-string guitar that share more in common with the minimalist works of composers such as philip glass, steve reich and charlemagne palestine, as well as french composers claude debussy and erik satie, than the blues/raga influence of his peers. using drones, overtones and repeating patterns alongside a strong inclination for melody, blackshaw creates instrumental music that is intelligent, hypnotic and unashamedly sentimental.

blackshaw's previous 2007 album for tompkins square, the cloud of unknowing garnered huge acclaim from all corners of the globe from both listeners and critics alike, receiving effusive reviews, and earning him a slot opening in the uk and us for jose gonzalez during fall 2007. the cloud of unknowing was also listed as one of the 50 best albums of 2007 by the wire and pitchfork.

litany of echoes, blackshaw's sixth studio album in five years, shows a more mature, focused and, on the whole, accessible approach to composition. while the album often feels darker and more introspective in nature than on previous releases, many of the songs have a huge-sounding, classical quality to them. with blackshaw adding some glistening piano work for the first time and fran bury returning to play swarms of sweeping string parts for violin and viola, litany of echoes is a truly original, affecting and timeless album from a guitarist/composer coming into his own.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1752 cd

peter walker “echo of my soul” compact disc

cante gitano (gypsy song)
flor de noche (night flower)
caminar en la tarde (afternoon walk)
manitas juntos (hands together)
sacromonte (sacred mountain)
cueva de pepe (pepe’s cave)
eco de mi alma (echo of my soul)
poema de amar (love poem)
jaleador (spirit caller)
soleo (alone)
cante en medio (song in a major)
por rosa (song in e major)
grandita (song from granada)
bailarcito (little dance)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "bailarcito (little dance)"

contemporary flamenco-tinged guitar pieces from peter walker ; a nice adjunct to the “a raga for peter walker” set ...

tompkins square press release...

peter walker - echo of my soul

maverick guitarist peter walker's first album in 40 years !

peter walker came up in the cambridge ma and greenwich village folk scenes of the sixties. he recorded two albums for the vanguard label in the late sixties in a style best described as american folk-raga. he studied with ravi shankar and ali akbar khan, and was dr. timothy leary's musical director, organizing music for the lsd advocate’s “celebrations.”

“peter walker was actually a bigger influence on my acoustic playing than john fahey or robbie basho.” – ben chasny, six organs of admittance

a raga for peter walker was released by tompkins square in 2006, featuring four new tracks from peter along with original, previously unreleased compositions by revered contemporary guitarists steffen basho-junghans, james blackshaw, greg davis, shawn david mcmillen, thurston moore, and jack rose.

in recent years, walker has developed an intense interest in flamenco guitar and, through regular trips to spain, has been accepted into flamenco’s exclusive musical elite. peter states, "the music on this cd was reviewed and acclaimed in andalucia by some of the "old guard" who have encouraged its release. with its roots in ancient east indian music, "flamenco" has influenced much of the world's music. these spanish-inspired pieces reflect my passion for this musical rubric".

$12.74

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1721 cd

shawn david mcmillen “catfish” compact disc

noon
glass neighbors
the lawn
cat mountain
old bullets
vember
quintanna's head dress

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "the lawn"

sweet disc of drone-oriented acoustic guitar & ethnic instrument studies from this former charalambides associate ...

tompkins square press release...

shawn david mcmillen - catfish

guitarist and composer shawn david mcmillen is a native of the east texas town of lake jackson, known as “the cancer capitol of america” due to its large concentration of chemical plants. quintanna, where the brazos river meets the gulf coast beach, formerly was home to the karankawa indians—whose legacy is commemorated in shawn’s song "quintanna’s head dress."

shawn’s stepfather, a member of the christian rock band waves of joy, introduced him to garage bands and deep-sea fishing. shawn lived in many different households until he left home at 16 for houston and a glamorous lifestyle of playing in punk rock bands while sleeping in parks, vans, and the homes of friends.

in the early nineties, shawn met tom and christina carter of charalambides—now considered early pioneers of the present avant-folk movement—as well as heather leigh murray. heather and shawn moved to galveston, where she attended texas a&m/galveston while “working at an animal clinic, recording music constantly, and having cataclysmic experiences on acid together at the beach.”

shawn and heather recorded together as ash castles on the ghost coast, releasing one cd on charalambides’ wholly other imprint and playing one show with palace brothers. circa 1999, the pair moved to austin where they played with rick reed in abrasion ensemble and later formed iron kite.

recorded mostly at night, catfish is acoustic-based only because shawn had no electric guitar at the time. other instruments include autoharp, roland keyboard, indian goat bell, indonesian gongs, bowed electric bass, african kalimba (thumb piano), and shakuhachi (japanese bamboo flute). cited influences at the time include american indian lore, music from the middle east and india, phil yost, robbie basho, and malachi.

catfish was released in 2005 as limited vinyl issue on the emperor jones label. ( the cd contains 20 extra minutes of music) afterwards, mcmillen released a double lp with the friday group (with tom carter); currently, he plays in rubble along with king coffee of butthole surfers.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
psych-prog
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1622 cd

“a raga for peter walker” compact disc

peter walker - day at the fair
peter walker - hot fusion
james blackshaw - spiralling skeleton memorial (live)
greg davis - truly we dwell in happiness
jack rose - cathedral et chartres ii (live)
thurston moore - dirt raga
shawn david mcmillen - black drink
steffen basho-junghans - blue mountain raga
peter walker - jaleo para angela
peter walker - celebration

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "hot fusion"

excellent comp of raga-guitar extrapolations from peter walker (whose rainy day raga lp i managed to find down in balmer a few years back & has been as close at hand as the two albums by vanguard label-mate sandy bull in the interim) - with additional, tacked-on material paying deference to walker’s poneering eastern-leaning style by greg davis, jack rose, thurston moore, james blackshaw, and shawn david mcmillen ...

not to knock the contemporary efforts entirely (greg’s piece is of course spot on) - but i could have really used a full disc of just “raga” and “second poem” !!!

tompkins square press release...

a raga for peter walker

a raga for peter walker will feature four new tracks from peter along with original, previously unreleased compositions by the revered contemporary guitarists steffen basho-junghans, james blackshaw, greg davis, shawn david mcmillen, thurston moore, and jack rose. more a tip of the hat than a “tribute” album, these players all share an appreciation for a gifted musician whose small yet amazing body of work still resonates.

guitarist peter walker came up in the cambridge ma and greenwich village folk scenes of the sixties. he recorded two albums for the vanguard label in the late sixties in a style best described as american folk-raga. he studied with ravi shankar and ali akbar khan, and was dr. timothy leary's musical director, organizing music for the lsd advocate’s “celebrations.” peter walker’s 1967 debut album, rainy day raga, features one of the first studio appearances by jazz flautist jeremy steig, as well as guitarist bruce langhorne, who recorded with bob dylan and many others. rainy day raga is a gentle and beautiful fusion of eastern and western musical traditions, and one of the earliest examples of a style explored by sandy bull several years earlier. a second album, second poem to karmela or, gypsies are important (1969) found walker going even deeper into indian instrumentation, playing sarod and sitar. during this time, peter played or was associated with such musicians as lowell george, fred neil, tim hardin, and joan baez, among many others.

walker settled in upstate new york in the early seventies. in more recent years, he has developed an intense interest in flamenco guitar and, through regular trips to spain, been accepted into the flamenco’s exclusive musical elite.

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk
self-released

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1523 cd

harry taussig “fate is only once” compact disc

baby let me lay it on you
that'll never happen no more
blues for zone vii
dark town strutter's ball
r.r. bill & co.
rev's rag
sugar babe, your papa cares for you
national ragtime stomp
rondo to death
monte's blues
dorian sonata
st. louis tickle
fate is only once

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "blues for zone vii"

lovely set of subdued folk-guitar instrumentals, originally privately released in 1965 ...

tompkins square press release...

harry taussig - fate is only once

released as a short-run private press lp in 1965, fate is only once has long been a coveted collectible among american primitive guitar enthusiasts. the only other recorded work by taussig surfaced on the out-of-print takoma lp contemporary guitar spring '67 alongside john fahey, robbie basho, max ochs and bukka white. "dorian sonata" was recently featured on the acclaimed acoustic guitar compilation imaginational anthem vol. 1, and now the album is here, with original liner notes and vintage photos.

$14.93

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk
guitar-themed

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1424 cd

“imaginational anthem • volume 2” compact disc

james blackshaw - “river of heaven”
peter lang - “future shot at the rainbow”
jose gonzalez - “suggestions”
jesse sparhawk - “light cycle/tetrahedra”
michael chapman - “leaving the apple”
sean smith - “what blooms in summer dies in winter”
fred gerlach - “devil's brew”
christina carter - “ascend mem”
jack rose - “cross the north fork ii”
billy faier - “new world coming”
sharron kraus - “looking for the hermit’s cave”
robbie basho - “kowaka d'amour”

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "what blooms in summer dies in winter"

second volume ; standout pieces from basho, jack rose, christina carter, james blackshaw, etc ...

tompkins square press release...

imaginational anthem volume two

here are some highlights among the twelve tracks comprising imaginational anthem volume 2—all previously unreleased on cd in the us:

• “kowaka d'amour” by robbie basho (1940-1986), the first live recording ever issued by this legendary artist
• “devil's brew” by fred gerlach, a 1975 home recording by this masterful 12-string guitarist— cited as an influence by jimmy page
• new performances recorded expressly for ia2 by such emerging major talents as berkeley’s sean smith and (from the uk) james blackshaw and sharron kraus.
• new recordings of compositions by original takoma recording artists peter lang (“future shot at the rainbow”) and billy faier (“new world coming”).

$13.83

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk
modern-psych

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1142 cd

christian kiefer / sharron kraus “the black dove” compact disc

prelude (1:59)
missing (3:04)
cold blue room (5:43)
on the chase (3:56)
glimmer (0:55)
the blackest crow (4:32)
white shroud (2:49)
dearest (2:53)
letting go
holding on (2:39)
a snake & a lion (2:41)
sinking (1:46)
mourning (4:13)
the rocks (1:33)
the black dove (4:01)
heaven & hell (2:05)

tompkins square press release...

the black dove
christian kiefer & sharron kraus

the black dove is a collaborative project between two like-minded artists, christian kiefer and sharron kraus. kiefer is a sacramento-based singer/songwriter with several acclaimed concept records exploring the history of the american west, who has collaborated with members of low, wilco and the band. kraus is an english folksinger in the tradition of sandy denny, linda thompson and anne briggs, a dark folk troubadour who's debut album beautiful twisted made rolling stone's top critics' albums for 2002. her most recent album on australian label camera obscura, songs of love & loss, further strengthened her profile as one of today's most innovative contemporary folk artists.

in creating the black dove, the two worked on songs and instrumentals based on the idea of love letters between two people, one the pursuer and one the pursued, one flesh and blood, the other a ghost. kiefer's forest-bound northern california studio was awash with mandolins, guitars, pump organ, tongue drums, and banjos. blue jays squawked through the trees, the flies swarmed and buzzed, the wind whistled through the pine needles. the album is meant to be experienced as a sonic novel with each song or chapter referencing the text.

$14.93

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 1042 cd

charlie louvin “charlie louvin” compact disc

must you throw dirt in my face
great atomic power
blues stay away from me
the christian life
when i stop dreaming
waiting for a train
kneeling drunkard's plea
worried man blues
grave on the green hillside
knoxville girl
ira
my long journey home

... mainly as i came across an o.g. copy of “satan is real” (w/ arguably one of the all-time best album covers ::

... ) by the louvin brothers a few years back & simply couldn’t get it off my stereo for a few months ...

this is charlie’s 80th birthday celebration / comeback album, tons of celebrity guests, etc ...

tompkins square press release...

charlie louvin

on february 20th, 2007, country music giant charlie louvin will release his first new studio album in over ten years on the tompkins square label.

the self-titled disc, produced by mark nevers (lambchop, calexico, candi staton) and charlie louvin, was recorded in spring/summer 2006 in nashville. it features guest performances by elvis costello, jeff tweedy, will oldham, tom t. hall, george jones, bobby bare sr., tift merritt, marty stuart, david kilgour, and members of bright eyes, lambchop, superchunk, blanche and clem snide, among others.

the album features several louvin brothers classics as well as country favorites first popularized by jimmie rodgers, the delmore brothers, the carter family, and the monroe brothers. charlie also has included a moving tribute to his late brother ira, with whom he formed the louvin brothers in 1940. (ira louvin died in a car accident in 1965, at age 41.)

charlie louvin's influence on country, alt-country, and their many sub-genres, is incalculable. the unique harmonies and lyrical folk poetry of the louvin brothers ("among the top duos in country music history") have inspired countless covers of their songs by such artists as johnny cash, gram parsons, the byrds, emmylou harris, uncle tupelo and the raconteurs (with jack white).

"must you throw dirt in my face," a new version of the louvin brothers' 1962 hit featuring charlie with george jones, is the first track to be released from charlie louvin. in support of his new album, charlie louvin and his band will tour the us extensively in 2007, including special summer appearances celebrating the artist's 80th birthday (july 7, 2007).

$6.33

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
folk
guitar-themed

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 0531 ep

suni mcgrath “seven stars b/w fantasia” seven inch single record

seven stars
fantasia

contemporary recordings from obscure 60s private-press folk-guitar prodigy suni mcgrath ...

tompkins square press release...

suni mcgrath

legendary 12-string guitarist suni mcgrath's first new recordings in 33 years. mcgrath's three highly sought after out-of-print recordings for the adelphi label in the 60's are sublime. another new track, "train z", appears on the essential 'imaginational anthem' comp; these two new tracks are unreleased.

limited 7" pressing on tompkins square.

$14.93

new to stock as of
august 22nd, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
folk

tompkins square (usa) #tsq 0531 cd

“imaginational anthem” compact disc

max ochs - "imaginational anthem (2004)"
brad barr - "bouba's bounce"
suni mcgrath - "train z"
harris newman - "lake shore drive (slight return)"
harry taussig - "dorian sonata"
jack rose - "white mule iii"
steve mann - "my thoughts began to crystallize"
glenn jones - "the little dog's day"
gyan riley & terry riley - "la cigale (the locust)"
bern nix - "low barometer"
bob hadley - "celtic reverie"
janet smith & steve mann - "daemon lover variations"
john fahey - "o'holy night"
kaki king - "night after sidewalk"
sandy bull - "untitled"
max ochs - "imaginational anthem (1969)"

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "imaginational anthem (2004)"

first in a trilogy of compilations mixing classic, first-wave solo folk-guitar pathfinders (fahey, bull, ochs, taussig, mcgrath) with the contemporary wave (rose, newman, etc...)

should it be embarrassing to mention that the kaki king piece is my favorite one on here ? i shouldn’t think so ...

tompkins square press release...

imaginational anthem

imaginational anthem brings together pioneering acoustic guitar heroes of the 60's and 70's alongside a new generation of amazing players. nearly 70 minutes of archival, live, and newly recorded studio tracks - some by artists who haven't released any music in decades. plus a deluxe booklet with producer's notes and never-before-seen photographs.

imaginational anthem contains 16 tracks, 13 of which are previously unreleased and 9 which were specifically recorded for this album.

previous record label:
tomlab

...and that's everything on tompkins square in stock.
(why not take a look at the previous and next labels?)

next record label:
tone filth

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