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

Fingerstyle Guitar Hangout Podcast with Adam Rafferty

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.

https://vimeo.com/678255603

(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

Jon’s Links

• Jon’s Website
• Jon’s Youtube
• Jon’s Facebook
• Jon’s Instagram
• Jon’s Twitter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GnAq6Znw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcmecyoZgjo

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