Essential is a compilation of American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 guitarist Leo Kottke

Leo Kottke

Leo Kottke is an acoustic guitarist. He is widely known for his innovative fingerpicking style, which draws on influences from blues, jazz, and folk music, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies...

's releases on the Chrysalis label, released in 1991. It includes liner notes by Fred Goodman.

A number of compilations have been made of Kottke's music by his various record labels. Capitol

Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

 had previously released 1971-1976 and The Best. The Rhino

Rhino Entertainment

Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...

 box set release Anthology covers the first 15 years of Kottke's career and includes selections from the Takoma

Takoma Records

Takoma Records was a small but influential record label founded by John Fahey in the late 1950s.. It was named after Fahey's hometown, the Washington, D.C. suburb of Takoma Park, Maryland.-History:...

, Capitol, and Chrysalis

Chrysalis Records

Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...

 releases along with extensive liner notes. Capitol later released another compilation package titled The Best of Leo Kottke.

Track listing

• All songs by Leo Kottke except as noted.
• All tracks are excerpted from Leo Kottke, Burnt Lips, Balance, Guitar Music, and Time Step.
• The version of "Airproofing" represented here is the original, not the later extended version.

1. "Up Tempo" – 1:40
2. "Embryonic Journey
   Embryonic Journey (instrumental)
   The acoustic instrumental Embryonic Journey composed by Jefferson Airplane / Hot Tuna guitarist Jorma Kaukonen originally appeared as the ninth track on Jefferson Airplane's second album Surrealistic Pillow but has been often anthologized, and multiple takes were released as an album also entitled...
   
   " (Jorma Kaukonen
   Jorma Kaukonen
   Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
   
   ) – 3:17
3. "Rings" (Eddie Reeves/Alex Harvey) – 2:55
4. "Mr. Fonebone" – 2:05
5. "Julie's House" – 3:27
6. "Side One Suite:"
   1. "Some Birds" – 0:59
   2. "Sounds Like..." – 1:28
   3. "Slang" – 2:42
   4. "My Double" – 2:05
   5. "Three Walls and Bars" – 2:13
   6. "Reprise: Some Birds" – :59
7. "Sonora's Death Row" (Kevin Blackie Farrell) – 4:30
8. "Learning the Game" (Buddy Holly
   Buddy Holly
   Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
   
   ) – 4:07
9. "The White Ape" – 2:10
10. "Buckaroo" (Bob Morris) – 2:03
11. "Tell Mary" – 3:04
12. "Airproofing" – 2:15
13. "Part Two" – 1:44
14. "Agile N." – 1:45
15. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" (R. Nolan) – 2:42
16. "Sleep Walk" (Johnny Farina/Santo Farina/Ann Farina
    Santo & Johnny
    Santo & Johnny were an Italian-American rock and roll duo from Brooklyn, New York, comprising brothers Santo and Johnny Farina.They are best known for their instrumental "Sleep Walk", which became a regional hit and eventually reached the top of the Billboard pop chart when it was released...
    
    ) – 2:23
17. "The Credits: Out-takes from Terry's Movie" – 3:46
18. "Little Shoes" – 1:32
19. "The Train and the Gate: From Terry's Movie" – 3:18
20. "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (Boudleaux Bryant/Felice Bryant
    Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
    Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant were an American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team best known for songs such as "Rocky Top," "Love Hurts" and numerous Everly Brothers hits, including "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Bye Bye Love".-Beginnings:Boudleaux was born Diadorius...
    
    ) – 1:42
21. "Frank Forgets" – 2:09
22. "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" (Kris Kristofferson
    Kris Kristofferson
    Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
    
    ) – 3:50

Personnel

• Leo Kottke - 6 & 12-string guitar, vocals
• David Kemper
  David Kemper
  David Kemper is a drummer. He was a long-time member of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Bob Dylan's band . He was with the Jerry Garcia Band for the last eleven years of Garcia's life...
  
   - drums
• David Miner - bass
• Emmylou Harris
  Emmylou Harris
  Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
  
   - background vocals
• Kenny Buttrey
  Kenny Buttrey
  Aaron Kenneth Buttrey was an American drummer and arranger. According to CMT, he was "one of the most influential session musicians in Nashville history"....
  
  - drums
• Mike Leech - bass
• Bobby Ogdin - piano
• John Harris - piano

External links

• Leo Kottke's official site
• Unofficial Leo Kottke web site (fan site)