Show #144: Robert Fripp & The League of Crafty Guitarists

November 9th, 2007

Tomorrow night The Dulcinea and I will be heading to the Majestic Theatre to see Robert Fripp and The League of Crafty Guitarists. Since they are swinging through town, I figured I’d post a show of theirs. Truth be known, subscribers to the feed here have probably noticed that the show has been available since early this week. But it is only now that I’ve gotten around to making a post and providing a direct download link. Sorry for the tardiness.

(Photo found here.)

The League of Crafty Guitarists are the touring arm of Guitar Craft, a venture created by Robert Fripp (he of King Crimson fame) in the mid-80s. If you know anything about Fripp, then you also know that GC is not your ordinary camp for aspiring guitarists. As the GC Wikipedia entry states, it is part guitar lessons and part personal development classes. Students are introduced to Fripp’s New Standard Tuning which forces them to essentially learn to play from scratch. The shortest way to describe GC is that it is about the communal effort of making music. Wikipedia reports that Tai Chi Chuan and the Alexander Technique are practiced in GC and that may be. I was going to refer the reader to Eric Tamm’s bio of Fripp but I now find that it’s online. Chapter 10 is all about GC, including the author’s account of his time spent at one of their courses.

The League of Crafty Guitarists is perhaps best described as ensemble guitar playing. As the photos here indicate, you’ve got several guitarists onstage. At one point, they all play simultaneously, while at other times you might have a duet or a trio or some other combination. Most, if not all, of their material is made of original compositions.

(Photo found here.)

Again, Mr. Fripp & TLoCG will be here in Madison tomorrow. They play at the Majestic Theatre starting at 8:30. Aspiring Crafties will be able to attend New Standard Tuning Day on Sunday over at Beeftone Studios on Sherman Ave. where the secrets of the NST will be revealed to all comers bearing a 6-string acoustic geetar.

The recording today is from 15 March 1988 when Fripp & Co. made a stop at Muhlenburg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I don’t have a setlist.

Download show

The League of Crafty Guitarists

Here is a preview of what we’ll see tomorrow night. Not sure when it was recorded but probably the late-80s.

Related posts:

1. League of Crafty Guitarists Coming to Town with Fripp in Tow
2. Look What Robert Fripp Hath Wrought
3. Biffscapes, &c
4. Fripp at Recording Session for Windows Vista?!
5. "A Weekly Series of Performances For Large Guitar Ensemble"