He may have passed away as a result of a stupid accident almost four decades ago, yet people’s interest in Robbie Basho‘s music doesn’t seem to be diminishing even if the cache of his unissued recordings does. A guitarist of immense talents and unusual technique which encompassed folk, raga and classical approaches to the instrument, Basho’s left an impressive legacy, and though there’s been no archive-derived studio releases since Robbie’s death in 1986 at the age of 45, except for the “Songs Of The Great Mystery: The Lost Vanguard Sessions” and “Song Of The Avatars: The Lost Master Tapes” – respectively, a double-LP and five-CD sets, both out in 2020 – a slew of concert albums saw the light of day between 2008 and 2017. Yet when one began to presume, a barrel to scrape was emptied, a generous smattering of the late artist’s onstage numbers has been found and prepared for public consumption.
What will be out on December 6th under the title “Snow Beneath The Belly Of A White Swan: The Lost Live Recordings” is another five-disc box set comprising pieces discovered during the production of the “Voice Of The Eagle: The Enigma Of Robbie Basho” documentary back in 2015 and deemed ready for the audience now. An amazing found!
CD 1:
1. Chung Mei – The Chinese Orchid
2. Some Summer Day
3. Sligo River Blues
4. Autumn Nocturne
5. In The Meadows
6. Snow Beneath The Belly Of A White Swan
CD 2:
1. The Falconer’s Arm
2. Himalayan Highlands
3. The Golden Shamrock
4. Bear Medicine
5. Charles Ives Paints Modern America
6. Portrait Of Fahey As A Young Dragoon
CD 3:
1. Song Of God
2. Kowaka D’amour
3. Pasha
4. Cathedrals Et Fleur De Lis
5. Cantos California
CD 4:
1. Green River Suite
2. California Raga
3. Silver Curls
4. The Lady She Is A Waiting
5. Chaconne Fandango
6. Song Of The Stallion
7. A North American Raga (The Plumstar)
CD 5:
1. Eagle Sails The Blue Diamond Waters
2. Kateri Tekakwitha
3. Orphan’s Lament
4. A Song Of Kings
5. Moon Milk
6. Wonder Song