During the research for Liam Barker’s 2015 documentary Voice of the Eagle, the master tapes for Basho’s Bouquet, his thirteenth album, were found and re-mastered, resulting in this generous package, available on CD and vinyl, as well as digital and sounding better than ever before. With extensive texts by Glenn Jones, Henry Kaiser, Steffen Basho-Jughens and others, as well as rare photos, the physical copy of the release is certainly recommended.
Considered by many to be a misunderstood genius of the steel string guitar, always in the shadow of contemporaries like John Fahey and Leo Kottke, Basho’s earlier albums demonstrated his picking prowess, whereas the real hero on Bouquet, as on his previous recording Rainbow Thunder, is his powerful, often quite spectacular voice, a formidable instrument in itself. With his music bending more towards his spiritual and religious interests as his career went on (it’s inaccurate to use the word ‘progressed’, as this only really happened posthumously), upon its initial release in 1983, Bouquet was hardly reviewed, if at all, and difficult to find in record stores; it was more easily found in new age shops that stocked crystals and incense alongside tapes like Bouquet that were pitched as well-being music. Sacrilegious, it may be thought, but Robbie’s music was never an easy sell and, like the man himself, struggled to find its feet in the world before his death.
And, listening to Bouquet as well as (apparently) experiencing some of Basho’s live shows, this misunderstanding of his genius can be appreciated. Never the easiest man to share a space with, Basho’s music can also be challenging at times and impenetrable at others. But it can also be absolutely magical and spellbinding, and all of these emotions can be felt during the run time of Bouquet. Considered by some to be a less musically complex work than some of his previous albums, as Glenn Jones states in his album essay, Bouquet is an album of songs and the song and voice is the focal point. Take Land of Our Fathers (Hopi Hymn) as an example; barely there guitar introduces Basho’s solo prayer before piano chords frame and ultimately gives way to a full choir song (the bonus tracks include an amazing thirteen-minute solo version with piano). Undeniably beautiful and affecting, this is music that, as Robbie always claimed, is less than interested in musical technique. That said, Basho’s gifts are on display throughout the album, even if they are not considered centre stage. The opener, The Golden Medallion, and Tears of Theresa are two examples of excellent fretwork and picking luxuriously providing the framework for his powerful vocals. Undoubtedly, the voice is the star here, but the guitar playing is beautiful and complex and would stand up comfortably as an instrumental piece.
The two instrumental songs on the album (I’m including The Polish Rider, although it has one sung line) differ significantly in style. The White Princess is a solo piano track, with the music shifting from bright, exceptionally cleanly played chords to complex rhythms, with each hand communicating with the other but independent enough to allow the tune to explore and grow as it develops. Over in less than three minutes, this is a powerful little miniature that manages to do plenty without the addition of Robbie’s burly voice. The Polish Rider immediately sounds more familiar to those au fait with the solo acoustic genre. A short, complicated piece with nifty bent strings and a driving melody, the tune is played impeccably and answers anybody suggesting that the music on Bouquet is less technically accomplished than on other records.
Many will find the music on Bouquet challenging, but there is so much to enjoy here, and it is a high point in Robbie Basho’s career. This version is now the benchmark; beautifully packaged and finally produced in its full glory, with added context and images, as well as extra music, this extraordinary album is a truly essential purchase.
Order via: https://www.lostlagoonrecords.com/
Also via Bandcamp:
Main Album – https://lostlagoonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/robbie-basho-bouquet
Bonus Tracks – https://lostlagoonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/robbie-basho-bouquet-bonus-tracks
