Greatest acoustic guitar pieces of all time

Cafe Society
21

[QUOTE=silenus]
As a pair, Mediterranean Sundance and Splendido Sundance by Al Di Meola. Two times when lightning fingers actually brings out passion instead of just flash.
[/QUOTE]

Mediterranean Sundance would have been my vote. I just played it last Wednesday for the college convocation. I love how they can play so fast and still be so clean and melodic. We were a pale imitation of Al and Paco (90 beats per minute as opposed to 105) but it was a ton of fun. (I had Al’s part and another student had Paco De Lucia’s).

22

Some really great tracks mentioned here already. The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball seems to have brought out the best in all involved as the performances are all fantastic and my favorite versions of each song.

A Night in San Francisco with Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, and Paco DeLucia is an outstanding album and includes the already mentioned Mediterranean Sundance.

I’ll add Little Martha by Duane Allman and In The Arms of Mary or Busted Bicycle by Leo Kottke.

23

Vincent Black Lightning, Richard Thomson.
May you Never, John Martyn.
Cello Song, Nick Drake.
Road, Nick Drake.
Bron yr Aur, Led Zep.
Pretty much anything on Song to a Seagull, Joni Mitchell.
Pretty much anything by Bert Jansch.
Anything by Leo Kottke, who bluouws my mind.

24

Bron yr Aur is acoustic perfection.
Aerial Boundaries by Michael Hedges is pretty cool too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29CMRsWlDt0
Su Meng playing Paganini Caprice no. 24 blows my mind as a guitarist. That performance is world class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pnt4ls9cAU

25

I should point out that new Swedish singer-songwriter José González (yes, he is Swedish though his parents are Argentinian) is the only guitarist who, IMO, has managed to capture the picking and tuning style developed by Nick Drake. His first album, Veneer, is well worth a listen.

26

Blood on the Rooftops by Genesis. You can hear a sample on the Amazon page.

27

[QUOTE=jjimm]
Vincent Black Lightning, Richard Thomson.
[/QUOTE]
God, I love YouTube.

28

I’d nominate Johnny Marr’s fretwork on The Smiths’ “Back To The Old House.”

29

Old Man by Neil Young
In The Beginning by Emmerson, Lake and Palmer

30

Pete Seeger played a piece called “Living in the Country” which is nice. Or the lead in to “Crazy on You”, by Heart.

Regards,
Shodan

31

[QUOTE=Dead Badger]
God, I love YouTube.
[/QUOTE]
Wow! I had no idea it was there. Thanks so much for finding that!

32

One of the best:
Three of a Perfect Pair - Adrian Belew (acoustic version)

One of my favorites:
Everlong - Foo Fighters (acoustic version)

33

Anything by John Fahey.

Sample #1

34

Sample #2

35

Mood for a Day, Yes
Treetop Flyer, Stephen Stills
The Lady and the Unicorn, John Renbourn

…and the best of the best?

Windy and Warm, Doc and Merle Watson (live).

36

“Laguna Sunrise” and “Fluff” - Black Sabbath

37

I saw someone mention Tommy Emmanuel…definitely check him out.

I’ll nominate most/all of Jethro Tull’s acoustic pieces. Ian and Marty play wonderfully off of each other.

Many of Heart’s acoustic intros and songs are musical perfection.

38

I came to suggest Steve Howe’s “Mood for a Day” but since I’ve been beat to it, I’ll second it.

39

[QUOTE=Princhester]
Pretty much every time anyone who sees Tommy Emmanuel play anything, their mind is blown.
[/quote]
Tommy did an album with Chet Atkins, just a really nice piece of work.

I’m not the biggest Al Di Meola fan. I’m not a big guitar ensemble fan, either. But the collaboration between Al, Paco De Lucia, and John McLaughlin is one of most stunning guitar recordings I’ve ever heard.

40

“Life by The Drop”, by Stevie Ray Vaughan.