REMEMBERING RICHARD CRANDELL
March 30, 1943 - October 28, 2022Before we launch into the usual release announcements and sales this new year, we want to take a moment to remember guitarist Richard Crandell.
He died without a mention in the music press, or even among our little circle of guitar fans. It's strange that someone with a body of work as strong and beautiful as Richard's could pass with nary a mention ... but I guess that's our world. Everything moves so fast.
Such is the case with our friend, Richard Crandell. Hopefully this email blast with help rectify this ! If you are a media person, we hope you will share Richard's music with your readership or listening audience, so that he is remembered. If you are a fan of Tompkins Square, we hope you will share some of the links in this email, so that he is remembered.
Richard wasn't exactly ignored in his lifetime. His 1980 debut album, In The Flower of Our Youth, was reissued by Tompkins Square in 2008. We (and other folks) consider it one of the finest solo acoustic guitar records of all time, a quintessential "rainy day" record. "Rebecca" from that LP was covered by Leo Kottke on his album Chewing Pine. When Essential Tremor derailed his guitar playing, Richard turned to the mbira, recording for John Zorn's Tzadik label. NPR's All Things Considered ran a story about his progression in 2009.
Richard recorded about a dozen albums, including two wonderful guitar duet records with Bill Bartels, two with koto player Masumi Timson, appears on Imaginational Anthem vol. 3 and a Numero Group guitar comp, and released a collection of unreleased guitar tunes spanning 25 years in 2016 via Tompkins Square entitled Then and Now ; the set was reviewed in depth by Joseph Neff at Vinyl District, and UNCUT gave it an 8/10 ("gorgeous guitar hypnosis").
On March 3, 2013 Richard played WOW Hall with Daniel Bachman in his hometown of Eugene, OR. Before the show, Richard banged out an improvised tune on an old upright piano in the hallway. Raggy, bluesy, heady and inside out, it was pure Richard - the same clever, surprising phrasing that could be found in his guitar recordings. Just a pure musician.
We hope you will revel in the joy of discovering Richard Crandell. A gentle soul, a dedicated swimmer, and one amazing Obscure Giant of Acoustic Guitar. In the pantheon, forever.
― dow, Thursday, 19 January 2023 01:02 (one year ago) link