Pickin' Cotten

is a enigma. He never really caught on with the public, yet was recognized by his peers as a major guitar innovator. Add to this a mysterious and still unsolved death in a Los Angeles swimming pool at the too-young age of 43. This is the way a cult figure is born. Former student has been meticulously and methodically issuing material through his label. This one is a 1977 live session at a Nashville, TN, club where teams up with , with whom he played frequently when visiting the capital of music. music and Nashville notwithstanding, the album play list is a mix of classic and . One of the classic is a moving, flowing, highly lyrical has starting off quiet and unassuming before he leaps off into a series of scintillating runs, during which you never hear anything played the same way twice. He pays tribute to one of his influences, , with the pieces and made no bones about it that his unique single-string voicings were due in no little part to his transformation of ' piano technique to the guitar. is a fine guitarist, although here he pretty much plays rhythm to 's melody. One of the more engaging moments comes with the coda, where for almost seven minutes 's daughter shares personal recollections, peeling away some more of the mystery surrounding this fine guitar innovator. Indications are that this CD is the first of 's Nashville performances that intends to get to market. One hopes that this is more than a rumor. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan