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Tompkins Square have announced a new Robbie Basho 5CD Box Set: Snow Beneath the Belly of a White Swan : The Lost Live Recordings, a live companion to the studio Boxset, Song of the Avatars: The Lost Master Tapes that was released by the label in 2020.
The interest surrounding Basho, an American guitarist, singer, and mystic, is fascinating, the scale of which was revealed when Liam Barker made his superb documentary, Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho, which had its world premiere in 2015 when selected for the Raindance Film Festival.
Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho from Liam Barker on Vimeo.
Following its later release on DVD, KLOF’s Glenn Kimpton reviewed the film; in his opening, he said:
For fans of the Takoma and Windham Hill branches of solo guitar music, also sometimes known as the American Primitive style of playing, although that label is always slightly dubious, Voice of the Eagle is a box of treasures. Alongside pioneer John Fahey, the eccentric and frankly sometimes odd Robbie Basho née Robinson (1940 – 1986) is arguably regarded as the most important thinker and player in the movement during the 1960s and 1970s, and Liam Barker’s film intends to shed some light on this unusual and remarkably gifted character, while also giving us plenty of examples of his spellbinding music to satisfy us throughout.
During the documentary’s research process, Barker discovered a cache of recordings covering 1965 – 1985. A selection of these recordings formed the above-mentioned Song of the Avatars. This new live companion set is produced by Liam, who said:
“It has been said that Robbie Basho’s art was strongest in concert. To what extent the experience can be reconstituted is uncertain. Whatever the case, Snow Beneath the Belly of a White Swan is the mother lode of Basho live recordings. On these five discs, we are treated to some remarkable pieces that have never been published, as well as surprising renditions of old favourites.
Compiled from Basho’s sprawling personal collection of master tapes (discovered during the production of Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho), and potentially encompassing his entire career, this edition represents a live companion to the studio set Song of the Avatars: The Lost Master Tapes (Tompkins Square, 2020).”
The release includes liner notes by Robbie Dawson, a Tom Weller show poster insert, original show flyers, and unseen photographs. Barbara Bersche designed the package.
Accompanying the announcement is a track titled Himalayan Highlands. In the introduction, Basho announces, “Supposedly, this was supposed to be the wedding song of one John Fahey”.
If you wanted tangible evidence of Basho’s influence, then it’s worth considering the support that was provided in order to get Barker’s documentary out into the world. It was publicly crowd-funded, and there were also a number of additional fundraising activities, including a tribute concert that was organised by Buck Curran in 2014 featuring Daniel Bachman, Glenn Jones, Arborea, and Ryley Walker (I still have the poster for it in my office) which was filmed and directed by Jesse Sheppard.
If you want to understand why Basho is such an influence and how he re-shaped music, then Buck Curran could be a good place to start. He has released two tribute albums: We Are All One, in the Sun (Bandcamp) and Basket Full of Dragons (Bandcamp), the latter featured Glenn Jones, Richard Osborn, Chuck Johnson, Jesse Sheppard and Eva Sheppard, Adele H & Buck Curran, Laboule, Yair Yona, Henry Kaiser & Michael Gulezian, Steffen Basho Junghans, Twelve Hides, Mike Tamburo, Mariano Rodriguez, and Tammam Saeed & April Centrone.
In one interview, around the release of Basket Full of Dragons, I asked Buck Curran what drew him to the music of Basho:
“I feel Robbie Basho is one of the most vital pioneering artists in the history of American steel-string acoustic guitar and folk song. Basho worked very hard during his life (composing, recording, and touring), and I feel his music is just as important as the work of his direct contemporary, John Fahey. Historically speaking, he was right there alongside Fahey, UK guitarist Davy Graham, Sandy Bull, Joni Mitchell, etc., and during those years, he was really pushing the musical envelope and heavily expanded the vocabulary of what was then known as possible with the acoustic steel-string guitar. He explored musical colours and moods present in the classical music of Northern Indian, Japanese and Persian music, and Native American cultures (and to a far greater degree than any of his contemporaries).
“Basho adapted those musical voices from around the world to create compositions and recordings that still sound progressive and alive to this very day. It’s also amazing to realize how early on he was using low alternate tunings…initially being inspired by the recordings of sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar (recordings that would deeply change his musical path and aesthetic forever). And I would encourage people to dig deeper into Basho’s singing and song-form…it’s had an even greater impact on my music than his guitar playing. There are few singers who have sung with as much power and emotion and captured that on record. With this second tribute, I honestly feel now that I’ve done as much as I can to honor and share his music and help continue his legacy. And Steffen Basho-Junghans (read Harry Wheeler’s review of IS here) in particular has worked for decades to share Basho’s legacy with his labor of love that is the online Basho Archives (a wealth of information, photos, and free downloads of rare Basho concerts). Hopefully, in time Robbie Basho will be given due credit for his life’s work and finally be recognized as an innovative player and composer alongside the World’s greatest acoustic guitarists.”
This new release grants us another valuable insight into Robbie Basho’s work. The last release sold out quickly, so I expect this will also be snapped up in preorders.
ROBBIE BASHO – Snow Beneath the Belly of a White Swan : The Lost Live Recordings (TSQ4111) Ltd Ed of 1000
A 5CD Box Set – All Live – Out December 6th
Pre-orders for the new box set via various online retail sites, including bandcamp.
