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Guy Buttery

As you drive about 13 miles north of Durban, the largest city in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, you pass a lush fertile belt where the rich green shades of the sugar cane meet the turquoise of the Indian Ocean. This is where on the 26th November 1983, guitarist and composer Guy Buttery was born and raised in a small coastal town along the North Coast. This is a place of enchantment, freedom, promise and where the creative spirit takes charge.

Besides being introduced to music at an early age through his mother who plays the piano and his older brothers who played guitar, the muse naturally took hold of Guy when he was ten. It wasn’t out of peer pressure, but out of the necessity to liberate the creative whirlwind which was ever prevalent during those early years. Just think about it. As rich as the soil for his feet to stand on, you had local Zulu tribesmen, playing their brand of music known as Maskanda on finger-picked oil drum guitars. They are South Africa’s blues men, or wandering storytellers, which hollered their song into a young Buttery’s heart. Across the valley, the sounds of tabla and sitar could be heard from one of the many Indian Hindu temples bringing a diversity of colour, spirit and enlightenment into such an enquiring mind.

Back in the Buttery household, the sounds of The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Dylan and Bob Marley made their way into the teenager’s songbook. Practicing hours every day on his older brothers ‘hand me down’ Sae Han guitar, these icons opened doorways and liberated Guy’s spirit. During these formative years, he got an understanding of rock and folk harmonies, almost serving an apprenticeship for greater things to come. When the guitar was put down, the inspiration was continually diverted and fed through the physical. Exploring the lush cane fields and living in the coastal forests, building secret tree houses and surfing the warm Indian Ocean currents only added to the deep well of inspiration. Many a profound event happened during these times.

After hearing John Paul Jones’ mandolin on Zeppelin’s, “Battle of Evermore”, Guy acquired a mandolin, and with the influence of Ravi Shankar being so close to home, purchased a sitar from one of the local Indian music shops. At the age of 13, Buttery was introduced to classical harmony through his first guitar teacher, Leandros Stavrou. The quest for new musical boundaries was inevitable, and through friend, guitar teacher and present collaborator, Nibs van der Spuy, Guy was introduced to fingerstylist extraordinaire, Michael Hedges. This only ignited the flame even bigger. Guy then went on to study Jazz at the Kwa-Zulu Natal Technikon and later on, at the Durban School of Music to reunite with Leandros Stavrou, to further his classical training. Soon after, the boundaries were pushed even wider by hearing the music of Oregon, Ralph Towner, Steve Reich, Egberto Gismonti and John Coltrane to name a few.

After opening a concert in early 2001 for well known Mozambican musician Gito Baloi and Nibs van der Spuy, both musicians were dumb struck at the virtuosity coming from the fingers of the 17 year old. Not being able to ignore this enormous talent, it was not long before Buttery sealed a deal with South African World/Jazz label, Sheer Sound. His debut album “When I Grow Up…” was released in late 2002 to great critical acclaim. Comprising of highly original self written acoustic fingerstyle compositions, Guy Buttery was the youngest nominee in the history of the SAMA’s (South African Music Awards) of the same year. He was nominated in both ‘Best Instrumental Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Newcomer for 2002’, at the tender age of 18. After creating such a unique hybrid fingerstyle technique, using both hands on the fret board, creating polyphonic, percussive and harmonic textures, it wasn’t long before he caught the attention of a loyal cult following. This in turn translated into being invited to all the prestigious music festivals throughout Southern Africa. The tapestry of sounds and stylistic influences coming from his guitar, never seem to be exhausted. Just when you think the journey is over, he will start playing a beautiful rendition of one of his favourite South African composers. Be it Vusi Mahlasela, Tony Cox or Steve Newman, Buttery never loses sight of where he comes from and the rich local influences all around him.

Exciting times lie ahead for this local giant. 2005 saw the release of his follow up album, “Songs from the Cane Fields” which was once again nominated at the SAMA’s for ‘Best Instrumental Album’. The music speaks of an unbounded freedom, where the landscape meets the Indian Ocean. The inspiration clearly speaks of anguish, from days gone by, the unleashed joy of new beginnings and spirit of travel along ancient African footpaths. The album is an ode to his rich surroundings, yet ironically, will be the creative spring-board that ultimately catapults him to far away nations, so all can share in such a rich talent. The period following his sophomore release, interspersed with exotic travel destinations and new found instruments, were times for branching out of the solo field into various interesting and historical collaborations. Having completed numerous tours around South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Australia and the U.K., Guy has performed, supported, recorded and toured with many African greats as well as many artists on the International field such as Vusi Mahlasela, Missy Higgins, The Violent Femmes, Madala Kunene, Greg Georgiades, Brendan Jury, Landscape Prayers, Nibs vd Spuy, Kesivan Naidoo, Farryl Purkiss, Shawn Phillips, Valiant Swart and Steve Newman, to a name a few.

As you listen to the creative genius of music-making whirlwind Guy Buttery, you can’t escape the feeling that this extraordinary musician has a mind of a prophet and the musical prowess of a Guru. Show less

Guy Buttery: A Trio Of Heart

by Mick Raubenheimer
July 1, 2022

Renowned for his--by all accounts--wondrous musicianship, expressed predominantly on guitar, Buttery is admired not only for virtuosic technique, but a subtle and highly emotive melodic sensibility, which often evokes an air of spirituality. Following his multi-award winning seventh album, aptly entitled Guy Buttery--as, at the time, it felt like his most personal to date (see the aforementioned spiritual quality of track 'The upper reaches')--Buttery was struck down by an undiagnosable malady which had him practically bedridden for several months. Towards ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Guy Buttery

Source: Michael Ricci
November 26, 2012

All About Jazz is celebrating Guy Buttery's birthday today!

108

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Guy Buttery

Source:
November 26, 2011

All About Jazz is celebrating Guy Buttery's birthday today!

117

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Guy Buttery

Source: Michael Ricci
November 26, 2009

All About Jazz is celebrating Guy Buttery's birthday today!

JAZZ MUSICIAN OF THE DAY Guy Buttery

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ACCOLADES:

Guy's debut album, "When I Grow Up..." was nominated for 'Best Instrumental Album of the Year' and 'Best Newcomer for 2002' at the South African Music Awards as well as being the youngest nominee in the history of the event. In 2003, the South African Rock Digest nominated “When I Grow Up..." as one of the top albums of the year. Guy’s 2nd release, “Songs from the Cane Fields” was also nominated for ‘Best Instrumental Album’ in 2006 at the South African Music Awards.

REVIEWS:

“… his music has a subtle grace and power all of its own. Though his technical prowess is also bewildering, Buttery immerses himself entirely into the soul of his guitar, coaxing sonic shapes and forms of such startling originality from it that his instrument acts as a kind of lightning conductor for the sound of another realm.”

ACCOLADES:

REVIEWS:

- The Mail & Guardian

"There's a great mind inside the string player. You WILL be bowled over by such huge talent in one so young."

- The Star “CD of the Week”

“Unorthodox twenty-something Guy Buttery throws down the gauntlet with an album of incredible versatility and imagination. There are times when it sounds as if there’s a seven-piece band backing Guy Buttery, so complex and rich is the sound, but it’s just him and his acoustic guitar exploring myriad textures and rhythms with an ingenious imagination and scant regard for music industry rules. It’s the kind of album that reveals something new at every turn, the kind of album that never gets old or outstays its welcome.”

- JHBLive

"Guy Buttery is the prodigiously gifted talent behind "When I Grow Up...” an instrumental journey with Buttery and his guitar through the emotional hinterlands of KwaZulu-Natal. The title of the album is both ironic and sweetly appropriate. Buttery is a mere 18 years old, yet the content of the album suggests a mind and a talent, decades older."

- The Independent on Saturday

"...the most exciting player I've seen in the last ten years, who is destined for greater heights."

- The Daily News

"In a country with a vast dearth of fingerstyle guitarists, Guy Buttery does my heart fiercely proud. He is part of the next wave of young guitar players who stands out head and shoulders above the rest. With music at once uncompromising yet intensely passionate and articulate Guy is on a major guitar roll - may it roll long and wide!"

- Tony Cox Winner of numerous National Music Awards - Renowned Acoustic Guitarist

"...the concluding piece, "Self Portrait", a meandering amalgam of harmonics, tapping, and picking - like something you might play sitting around some Sunday afternoon on the porch. That is, if you had the chops Guy Buttery does."

- Minor7th Webzine - USA's leading Acoustic Guitar Reviewer

"Guy Buttery is one of the premier up and comers in the world of fingerstyle guitar today. His raw, unrestrained sense of time and movement is such a nice change of pace compared to the endless boring fingerstyle stuff I seem to always get in the mail for review. Sign me up for all future releases from this 'Guy'..."

- Rob Eberhard Young - World Renowned Acoustic Guitar Fingerstylist

“… persuasively original instrumental architectures that flow from impressionist acoustic guitar sketches and quietly psychedelic sitar improvisations to mandolin- picked pastoral tone poems kissed with classical, folk, bluegrass, and avant-garde filters.”

- The Mail & Guardian

"I am honored that Guy sites me as an influence. His music has a very strong heart. The passion comes through like a tidal wave."

- Richard Leo Johnson - Legendary Acoustic Guitarist

"Incarnated with the joy of music in his fingers and an explorative curiosity in his mind, Buttery allows time to travel down the long neck of his guitar, writes poetry with his fingernails, chokes notes and then let’s them fly. And this is only the beginning…."

- Bejazzed Magazine

"At once sparse and perfectly complete, Buttery sings with his guitar previously unspoken words that are almost a language unto themselves. There is the echo of the Zulu guitar, the resonance of an emotional investment in landscape and the insular, imaginative mind of a talented young man."

- The Independent on Saturday

"The sound of the music is idyllic and tranquil, full of breath and sense of wonder."

- SL Magazine

“Put on this CD and you can almost feel the warm breeze off the Indian Ocean. Guy Buttery's music is all about atmosphere and contrast, and he's drawn from the sights and sounds of his South African surroundings and culture to conjure it all so magically. Somewhere halfway through "Cane Fields" a smooth transition from fingerstyle to ambient acoustic tone poems occurs, experimental ground cleverly foisted as traditional.”

- Minor7th Webzine - USA's leading Acoustic Guitar Reviewer

“Guy Buttery is something of an enigma. His art is the product of a lengthy relationship with the structured sounds we call music, a deep and sensitive relationship that is evolving constantly. Guy’s temperament is placid, to say the least, yet there is a firey undertone underscoring much of his articulately composed work. I am noticeably amazed by the sheer depth of the material and the obvious pride he takes in the art of composition. The man has the ability to select a specific scene, convey the surroundings musically and set us upon a journey, enhanced by his ability to create music that sharply focuses the listener’s emotional sensitivity. To hear a person speak this way through sound is to be blessed.”

- SubKulture CDzine

"...I closed my eyes and imagined a small band of wizened African minstrels that might be playing strange, esoteric instruments. When I opened my eyes, Guy Buttery was still there. A lone person, having a conversation with wood and steel in an empty room."

- The Saturday Independent - “Album of the Week”

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