Acoustic(ish) prog?

[Rogue Mail]

John Martyn - Outside in live.

Probably the nearest Martyn gets to a prog epic...though Small Hours from One World could qualify, in a minimalist sort of way.

I can vividly remember seeing Martyn do this live at Liverpool University around 76 - 77. A friend had played me some tracks, but just the acoustic ballads. And I remember this huge empty stage, with just a chair, a couple of amps, a guitar and a few pedals. So I did not expect...this.

But when he launched into this (and this video is exactly how I remember it), I was just mesmerised...suddenly it was like he had filled the stage, and created this massive, cacophonous sound that just bounced around the hall and completely enveloped you.

Any similar artists or examples of this?

[rickawakeman]

Don't know this , but love Fish's double-live Communion, featuring his then-to-be bride Heather Finlay, acoustic in a cathedral setting, as well as his earlier acoustic offerings.

[Scrotum Scissor]

John Martyn's best work was sublime and the making of an absolute genius of transcendent song. Not even Jansch or Graham or Drake ever reached those heights, IMHO.

Fish... No.

[Progbear]

Midnight Mushrumps by Gryphon comes to mind. Completely unplugged, and with a side-long epic, no less. Possibly also “Slark” by Stackridge, but that one’s kind of an acquired taste (I know some folks that absolutely hate it...and I have to admit, it feels more like an extended folk song than a prog epic). I can’t remember if there’s any electric instruments on “Essence of Porphyry” from the same album, but that’s a stunner!

Harmonium sort of count, though they’ve never been wholly acoustic. Even the debut, where the folk influence is strongest, has electric bass guitar throughout and a little Fender-Rhodes. Renaissance also come close; again the electric bass on every album, but most of their music leant towards the acoustic otherwise. Especially of note: “A Trip to the Fair” off of the Scheherazade album, which features pretty much the whole spectrum of “unplugged” keyboard instruments (piano, harpsichord, celeste and pipe organ).

Some Bayon stuff probably qualifies. I have El Sonido and most of it is acoustic guitars and cello. The second Galié (Mexico) album is also very close, with a basis in acoustic guitars and flute, though it again features electric bass and Rhodes piano.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Michael hedges? Aerial Boundaries. Not sure if prog proper though.

[gilawi]

If you haven't heard Steve Unruh I urge you to do it. You can categorize his style as Acoustic Progressive Rock. Most of his recordings fits this style. Start with his masterpiece Two Little Awakenings.

[thedunno]

I agree fully with the Steve Unruh recommendation, although I would qualify the great divide as his masterpiece. Almost completely acoustic performed by a one man band. Drums, guitars, flutes, violins; the man is insanely talented and still very much undervalued (imho).

And for something completely different: Aranis is an all acoustic chamber rock band. For me no other current band has been that productive while delivering such constant high quality over the last years.

[Nijinsky Hind]

This is just beautiful

[gilawi]

I agree fully with the Steve Unruh recommendation, although I would qualify the great divide as his masterpiece. Almost completely acoustic performed by a one man band. Drums, guitars, flutes, violins; the man is insanely talented and still very much undervalued (imho).

And for something completely different: Aranis is an all acoustic chamber rock band. For me no other current band has been that productive while delivering such constant high quality over the last years.

So there you have itL two masterpieces Two Little Awakenings and The Great Divide !!

[iguana]

COMUS – who heavily influenced the conception of STORM CORROSiON (wilson & åkerfeldt).

[Zeuhlmate]

Some RIO & similar chamberrock / Vander stuff is pretty acoustic too.
But probably quite different from what you are looking for

[tormato]

The most obvious choices I can throw in are Kaki King and Michael Hedges.

[walt]

Some of Michael Chapman's records might fit in.

[flowerking]

With all the echoplex going, it reminds me a little of Brian May's live solos during Brighton Rocks (although May is playing an electric guitar).

[Rarebird]

Would Flairck fit the bill?

[Reid]

Steve Tibbetts
Richard Leo Johnson
Jack West, an 8 string acoustic guitarist w/ several CD releases
Mike Keneally-Wooden Smoke
Mark O'Connor 30 Year Retrospective, a 2 CD live set featuring an acoustic quartet playing Mark's sophisticated compositions.

[at least 100 dead]

John Martyn - Outside in live.

Probably the nearest Martyn gets to a prog epic...though Small Hours from One World could qualify, in a minimalist sort of way.

I can vividly remember seeing Martyn do this live at Liverpool University around 76 - 77. A friend had played me some tracks, but just the acoustic ballads. And I remember this huge empty stage, with just a chair, a couple of amps, a guitar and a few pedals. So I did not expect...this.

But when he launched into this (and this video is exactly how I remember it), I was just mesmerised...suddenly it was like he had filled the stage, and created this massive, cacophonous sound that just bounced around the hall and completely enveloped you.

Any similar artists or examples of this?

That must have been quite the experience as he was at his peak around that time. Glistening Glyndebourne is another favourite of mine from this sorely missed glorious fool.

[moecurlythanu]

Darien Spirit, possibly.

[Yaman Aksu]

Acoustic(ish) prog?
For starters,
- Al Di Meola's "Cielo e Terra" album
- Shawn Persinger's "Reasonable Horse" album (the only one I listened to of him solo, he's got other albums):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk7s...3Xd7RH4tX_Ihih

[Progbear]

Would Flairck fit the bill?

Oh, absolutely! And shame on me for forgetting them!

[kayfabe58]

From the Witchwood..not wholly acoustic, but proggy isn't a bad definition

[Firth]

The latest live performance from Pat Metheny's band may fall into this.

[progeezer]

I would think that both California Guitar Trio and Might Could belong here.

[Oreb]

Roy Harper's Stormcock is largely acoustic (and a masterpiece).

A lot of acoustic stuff from Renaissance as well.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Roy Harper's Stormcock is largely acoustic (and a masterpiece).

If you only want ONE Harper album...

And a couple of near-classics: Moving On by Circus (Swiss 70s band) - fabulous songwriting with almost all acoustic instrumentation.
Ezekiel by Itoiz (Basque 70s heroes) - less "symph rock" than their debut, but a bit better tunes overall (IMO).
Hoje Ha Conquilas by Banda do Casaco (Portuguese mainstay) - fado meets Iberian folk-prog.

Lotsa more stuff from Latin-America (especially) and Eastern Europe (Kolinda from Hungary, for instance - though very hard to find nowadays).