By Mark Ambrogi
Leo Kottke doesn’t worry about keeping a setlist to follow.
Each concert takes on a life of its own.
“Yeah, they vary,” Kottke said of the songs he performs at concerts. “I do just get lost and try to find my way through. I enjoy it. I like to be surprised by the music.”
Kottke, an acoustic guitar player who is known for his fingerpicking style, will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 25 at The Warehouse, 254 1st Ave., Carmel.
Kottke, who performs a variety of blues, jazz and folk music, is known for his rather unusual stage monologues and humor.
“I don’t really tell stories, I just start talking,” Kottke said. “Some subjects are familiar but I’d rather get lost. And I only talk so I know what to play next. Seems to work that way.”
Kottke, who often plays completely instrumental songs, has enjoyed doing vocals more in recent years.
“There’s nothing rational about performance, so it’s hard to find a reason for any part of it,” Kottke said “Dangerous, actually, to interfere. But I ran for a while and that gave me breathing. I had no idea that would happen. And breathing opened up everything from the neck up. And you can’t get there without opening up everything from the neck down. All of this was a shock, your body just kicks in. I guess I enjoy the singing now because it’s easier.”
Kottke, who turned 71 Sept. 11, has a simple explanation for why he keeps such a busy schedule.
“It’s good for me,” he said.
Kottke’s last album was a collaboration with Mike Gordon in 2005 called “Sixty Six Steps.” He has written new songs but has no concrete plans for a new album release yet.
For more on Kottke, visit lookoutke.com. For tickets, visit liveforthemusic.com.
