Tim Sparks: “Chasin’ the Boogie”

Fingerstyle guitar virtuoso plays an original up-tempo blues.

August 2, 2016

Tim Sparks has been one of the most creative forces in contemporary fingerstyle guitar since 1993, the year he won the Walnut Valley Fingerstyle Guitar Championship and released his album The Nutcracker Suite, which included Tim’s version of the Tchaikovsky classic as well as arrangements of traditional Balkan pieces. In the two decades since, his recordings have included original material, traditional Jewish music, and country-blues. Tim’s latest album is 2014’s Chasin’ the Boogie, which includes originals and arrangements of American traditional and pop songs.

In this video, recorded while Tim was in the Peghead Nation video studio to record a segment for the Advanced Fingerstyle Workshop (where he teaches his reharmonized arrangement of “Wayfaring Stranger”), he plays the title tune of Chasin’ the Boogie, an original based on country-blues traditions. Tim plays his 2004 Charles Hoffman guitar (click here for a demo of the instrument), through an AER Compact 60 amp, using K&K pickups.

Tim will be teaching a workshop based on “Chasin’ the Boogie” at the upcoming 2016 Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration, held in Santa Barbara, California, from September 29 to October 1.

Peghead Nation’s Advanced Fingerstyle Workshop features lesson with 15 contemporary fingerstyle guitar masters. Enroll in the course today!

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