The Samo Salamon Interview

Move over James Brown, Samo Salamon may go down in history as the hardest working man in show business. He has written over 300 compositions and recorded 35 albums as a leader to date. Last year Salamon recorded two terrific albums of Covid-required remote duets, and begins this year with an album of solo, acoustic guitar performances of works by Eric Dolphy. He has also posted over 150 YouTube interviews with a variety of jazz instrumentalists including modern guitarists, Bill Frisell, Nguyen Le, Joe Morris, Eivind Aarset, Elliott Sharp, Mary Halvorson, and others—all in roughly one year! I turn the interview tables on Samo in this fun session.

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Joel Harrison and the Alternative Guitar Summit/Camp

Joel Harrison is a guitarist/composer who runs an Alternative Guitar Summit each year that offers concerts and clinics by many of the players featured in Guitar Moderne. We talk about many things including this years virtual Summit, his must have book of interviews, and the web radio show we cohost. Links below:

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The Susan Alcorn Interview

Pedal steel guitarists operate on another level. In addition to coordinating two hands, they must operate pitch-changing pedals with one foot, a volume pedal with the other, and levers with their knees. They also might be operating over 12 strings, with octaves that are nowhere near each other. To all that, Susan Alcorn adds tunings that are unusual even for pedal steel, and a propensity, not just for music that is outside the usual country fare, but outside in general. She is one of the rare steel players who is exploring the unique potential of the instrument beyond the normal roots and pop boundaries. Her latest record, Perdernal [Relative Pitch], made my top 10 list for 2020. On it she is joined by guitarist Mary Halvorson and violinist Mark Feldman, two other players who push the limits of their instruments. We talk about Pedernal, as well as The Heart Sutra, a record of her compositions arranged by Janel Leppin, on which she doesn’t appear. Even if you don’t play pedal steel you will enjoy this conversation.

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Guitar Moderne Record Picks XXII

Catching up on a bunch of new releases. The variety and personality of modern guitarists continues to astound me, from Mary Halvorson’s angular smears to Xander Taylor’s Indian excursions. Ambitious well executed all. Stay safe and VOTE!

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Guitar Moderne Festival XXI

It is looking like summer festival season will not be virus-free. Most, if not all have been cancelled. Fortunately, you can count on Guitar Moderne to supply virtual festivals like this to enjoy in the air-conditioned, porta-potty and germ-free comfort of your home. This is a long one, but hey, what else have you got to do?

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