Tuck & Patti, whose stunning guitar/vocals fill the room with their astonishing melodies, funky grooves and adventurous improvisation will perform in concert at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. The duo will share the stage with Leo Kottke, one of the nation's foremost acoustic guitar soloists, who never fails to stir the soul with his velvet-hammer style of playing.

To understand Tuck & Patti, it's best not to start with their music. Instead start with the wellspring of love within them; then their music begins to make perfect sense. Now celebrating 22 years together as partners and soulmates, Tuck Andress and Patti Cathcart continue to stoke the fires, not only of their own love, but also of their love of life and their passion for making music. They have a long-standing tradition: minimalist arrangements featuring Tuck's extraordinary virtuosity and Patti's rich mezzo soprano with elegant brushstrokes of instrumental color here and there.

Their latest Windham Hill release, "Taking the Long Way Home," is a collection of ten new songs that showcase the duo's virtuosity as musicians as well as Patti's special talent for writing songs that convey the heartfelt messages of universal love, hope and tolerance that inspire and nurture their creativity. Since this husband and wife duo constantly strives to expand their musical horizons and surprise their fans, Tuck & Patti chart new territory on this album, their first devoted solely to original music and completely devoid of standards.

Innovative acoustic guitar virtuoso, Leo Kottke, absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone before trying his hand at the guitar at age 11. once the georgia-born musician discovered the guitar, he never looked back. "when it came along," he said, "i suddenly belonged to it. i knew i'd be playing the guitar, in some form, for the rest of my life."

Kottke went on to establish a bond with his audience that only strengthened over time. He has recorded 25 albums and toured the world several times over. Personal highlights include a series of concerts in the early '90s with fellow guitar masters Joe Pass, Paco Pene and Pepe Romero. Their joint concerts became the stuff of legend and often thrilled the musicians as much as the audience.

"The biggest dream I get," said Kottke, "is for another tune to come along. That's what got me into this in the beginning and what continues to be at the heart of it today." As his album, "One Guitar, No Vocals," proves, his dreams keep coming true. Whenever Leo Kottke steps up to the stage or into the recording studio, one thing is certain: it'll be a good night for the guitar.

Tickets for the Tuck & Patti/Leo Kottke concert are $30. Discounts are available for seniors, students and groups of 20 or more. To reserve, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.

Posted On: 10-24-2000 09:10 AM

Volume: 33 Number: 53