Chase Dabney

As a veteran music journalist and longtime guitar fanatic, I have had the privilege of interviewing innovative guitar greats Stanley Jordan and Tommy Emmanuel and seeing them perform several times. In their hands, the sonic possibilities seemed endless—yet I never thought any other guitarist could transcend that. It’s always a magical thing to be surprised, especially by an indie artist like Chase Dabney, who I first encountered a few years ago writing a bio for Burn To Shine, the rock band he was part of. I sensed there was more to this guy from Louisville, so I started reading up on his solo album releases, hundreds of performances and widespread critical acclaim. Now that I’ve been mesmerized by one of those live gigs myself, I feel challenged to come up with words to describe the experience—yes even after writing thousands of reviews about the greatest jazz musicians ever over the past 20 years! I like the Louisville Music News assessment of his acrobatic, percussive tapping technique as “acoustic guitar beatdown”—but to me that’s just a starting point. I bring up Jordan and Emmanuel because they are known for doing things with the acoustic (and electric) that no one else does. Dabney is an acoustic genius on their level.

Because he’s not super well known in Los Angeles, I was able to see him in an intimate, living room like setting at Amplyfi on Melrose, among a crowd of about 40 people. Though it was just one of many highlights in the middle of the set, I think “Table Dance” was the snappy, melodic wonderland of a tune that convinced me I was seeing a genius, something “other.” It’s a provocative title for sure, but the table he’s referring to is the one he lays his acoustic guitar on. Alternating hands, he doesn’t strum, but taps a lively melody out of the strings, punctuating with percussive beats on the wood. Because Dabney seems to be in a trance when he does this, it’s clear that he’s channeling something remarkable. For “Reborn,” he holds and strums (more like spirited caressing) his axe more conventionally, but the effect is the same—heart tugging emotion created by a wild wave of hand motions and expertly tapped notes and chords. “Thunderstorm” begins like a sensual melodic acoustic strum song before the wild hand and finger gyrations take over. Likewise with the opening number “Irish Mist,” which begins with some raucous strumming before he uses both hands to tap intricate melodies and harmonies on the fretboard—all of which works up a hypnosis shared by Dabney and the audience. I’ve seen Jordan do this using two stationary electric guitars; Dabney achieves the same magic using just one. Dabney has certainly thrived in the rock band situation, but his true gifts are as a one man orchestra. The guitar has never been this exciting and felt so loved and appreciated as it is in the joyfully frenetic—but sensitive when it counts—hands of Chase Dabney. - Jonathan Widran

Guitarist Chase Dabney plays an acoustic guitar like it’s his bitch, beating on all sides, slapping it, plucking it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled out his peter and slapped the strings with it. - Louisville Music News

The entertainment line-up reads like a Who's Who in Louisville music, and includes:......Chase Dabney. - Conserva Chick

I enjoy playing my guitar and writing songs, and would die happy if my music was ever aired on Triple J. I think the Indie Temple should re-open because it was probably the coolest venue ever and I miss playing shows with Chase Dabney - possibly the BEST guitarist in the world. Incredible. - Beth Lucas

A collective dispatch from the LEO MUSIC DESKStephen GeorgeIt’s hard, in a year marred by bookend natural disasters of an unholy scale (remember the tsunami?), the same dumb brute president with his wars and doublespeak, a new Ashlee Simpson record and the impending divorce of her brainless sis, to relax and focus on what’s in front of you. When asked to recall the best albums of 2005, for instance, my mind recoiled like a snake that bit the wrong bear, fell limp and blanked. It’s the Record Store Syndrome in grander fashion: I enter with a clear idea of what I want, and am instantly swept into the swirl of 20,000 things I don’t need.Such is the double-edged sword of maintaining the LEO Music Desk. Albums come in like winter mice to a warm house, every day and week and month, and it’s a little hard to keep it straight while simultaneously pushing an ear to the Louisville ground (most of our output, frankly, is worth more ink than anything with a national return address). But I’m not complaining, not at all, and should be mauled on general principle if I ever do. So, in the spirit of giving you last-minute ideas on albums to buy for someone who needs a turn-on this holiday, I’ll do as my esteemed colleagues have below and run off a few bands that still turn my mood whichever way they want. These Louisville folks put out records you need this year: ... - LEO Weekly

Chase Dabney from Burn To Shine (a one-of-a-kind acoustic beatdown) - Louisville Music News