Giving Voice: Guitar Explorations

Richard Osborn studied and performed with the legendary guitar trailblazer Robbie Basho in the early 1970's. Together with John Fahey who founded the famous Takoma label, Basho helped to revolutionize the approach to the acoustic steel string guitar, treating it for the first time as a concert solo instrument. Where Fahey had extended the blues and bluegrass fingerpicking traditions way beyond traditional boundaries, Basho opened the instrument up to the possibilities found in classical traditions throughout the world, especially in India, Japan and the Near East. Around 1980, Rich Osborn injured his left hand, making it impossible to play the guitar. So for almost 20 years he poured his creative energy into painting. But around 1995, he found that he had finally regained enough strength to start playing again. Needless to say, this was a joyous homecoming. For the first 10 years, he worked on classical guitar repertoire. This was because the nylon string guitar has about 40% less tension on the strings, and he felt that after the long hiatus he wanted to develop his 'chops' as completely as possible. But for the past 6 or 7 years, his creative energy has returned to the realm of the acoustic steel string guitar. Now fusing the 'free raga style' first developed by Robbie Basho with his ear for western classical music as well as other sources, Rich is opening up new music realms with his original compositions. He strives as much as possible to improvise, staying true in that sense to the approach to music of both Indian classical and jazz musicians. In 2010, Richard Osborn emerged back into public view for the first time when he was included on the compilation album 'Beyond Berkeley Guitar' on the Tompkins Square label. This was a concept album, showcasing current guitarists who are influenced by the great Berkeley-based innovators John Fahey and Robbie Basho. While the other guitarists on that album were mostly '20-somethings', Rich alone had actually performed with one of these guitar giants. His playing has been described in these ways by reviewers: 'Richard Osborn's 'A Dream Of Distant Summer' begins gently, in an evocative raga-esque mood, then builds in complexity and energy, giving the exhilarating sense of music being discovered as it is played.' (Dusted Magazine) 'Richard Osborn's gorgeously hazy 'A Dream of Distant Summer' demonstrates an amazingly patient, spacious, and quietly emotive style.' (Acoustic Guitar Magazine) Rich invites the listener to come with him and share in these journeys into the heart. From the opening 'invocation' of his piece 'Into the Silent Land' to the dark and dusky closing of 'Hard Time', you will traverse many new places as the guitar 'gives voice' to these hidden realms of the soul.