For the first Friday's Playlist of the new year, we are focusing on the career of journeyman guitarist Gary Lucas. We've been on a Gary Lucas kick since he played an exquisite show in Paris back in November, and we decided to prolong the experience by concocting this selection of songs from his numerous sessions and contributions.
Gary Lucas' sound is primarily informed by the Blues, but his vocabulary extends so far beyond this idiom that he's extremely difficult to categorize. From the cubist blues of Captain Beefheart to his collaborations with Marc Ribot, his partnership with Jeff Buckley or his arrangements of classical pieces, this playlist merely hints at the man's vast output but hopefully will give the listener a glimpse of the breadth of his talents and will make them want to check out more.
A good starting point would be the recent compilation The Essential Gary Lucas then you can move on from there.
Enjoy, comment and share!