FGH 0025: Interview with Jon Gomm - Singer Songwriter and Fingerstyle Guitar Innovator

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Summary Episode 25:

Jon Gomm is a singer songwriter considered to be one of the world’s true virtuoso guitarists possessing a unique style most elite musicians consider revolutionary.

Jon was born and continues to live in the North of England. His songs are driven by his use of one acoustic guitar to create drum sounds, basslines and twisting melodies all at the same time with no external effects. The emphasis remains on his soulful vocals and songwriting with his original material influenced by everything from Robert Johnson to Radiohead.

His live shows combine deeply personal performances allied with a natural wit, with a once seen, never forgotten two-handed guitar style, both physical and complex, producing sounds people can barely believe are coming from a humble acoustic guitar.

(Timestamps are for audio version of the podcast.)

00:25 Introducing Jon Gomm
04:07 Jon recalls the gig with Adam
05:18 Graceland by Paul Simon – one of Jon’s earliest music inspirations
07:00 The Jeff Beck Influence
07:25 John describes his early frustration with electric
19:09 Jon talks about playing covers
20:51 Jon talks about the current pop music paradigm & asks should one compose?
25:34 Musical Segment: Jon plays his own composition “Passionflower”
32:20 Jon talks about his approach with unconventional tunings, techniques and percussion
33:34 His excitement with novel techniques – slide, flamenco percussion
34:13 Jon talks about the “Bukka White” style
34:57 Jon talks about playing electric guitar in bands at 13
35:29 Jon discovers Laurence Juber and Michael
41:31 Jon talks about gigging as a working country, metal and jazz player
43:34 How Jon is currently connecting with music emotionally
46:24 His new album which he describes as “quite emotionally intense”
52:59 Jon talks about doing music arrangements
1:02:46 Jon’s best advice for every guitar player!
1:08:24 Jon’s “last words” for the interview
1:08:45 Ending credits & podcast contact info