Damon Buxton

Damon Buxton is an American contemporary classical acoustic guitarist and composer. He uses silent spaces, open tunings, natural reverb, and double picking. Buxton is a self-taught musician who began playing the guitar at age 21 and developed his trademark fingerpicking style. He currently lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife, the artist and author L.A. Smith.

Early life and education

Buxton was born in 1958 in La Mesa California. His father was a businessman who negotiated the manufacture of aircraft components in Naples, Italy, and played the Hammond organ and accordion. His mother was a homemaker and church singer. The two provided a musical foundation and example of music as underpinning to a satisfying life. A 1969 family trip to Italy cemented an interest in the classical arts with a global perspective. Buxton attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.[1] In 2004, his work for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center was recognized with a Sappi Ideas That Matter award.[2]

Career

Composing & Performing Style

Buxton employs a tempo and volume dynamic in his compositions preferring to let the sound of notes and chords ring out in a contemplative space to achieve a greater dynamic range. Zone Music Reporter reviewer Bill Binkelman places Buxton at the top tier of guitarists,[3] calling him "A rare, unique visionary on the acoustic guitar."[4] Damon Buxton is a Hannabach strings artist and has used their strings exclusively since 2006.

Forgiving Dreams and collaboration with William Ackerman

After initial success with a demo release, "Sketchbook One," Buxton established a recording collaboration with William Ackerman, Grammy award-winning founder of Windham Hill Records, who produced his 2007 release, "Forgiving Dreams."[5] Of this recording, RJ Lannan of Zone Music Reporter wrote, "Like a writer who speaks volumes with a few words, Buxton's sparse style shouts to the rooftops that the musical voice you hear is one to be reckoned with."[6] Lannon later compared Buxton's talents to his mentor's, saying, "His talent is equal to Ackerman's on many levels."[7]

Recordings with Corin Nelsen

In 2010, Buxton began a separate collaboration with Corin Nelsen, house engineer and builder of the studio at Ackerman's Imaginary Road Studios.[8] Nelsen designed an individual space to let Buxton record instruments with microphones placed close to the artist to deliver an experience much like the performer sitting in the room next to the listener as possible. Nelson continues to mix and master Buxton's releases.

This collaboration produced six additional recordings that leverage this technique.[9]

Many Miles Music

Buxton founded the record label Many Miles Music to distribute his own releases and produce compilation works of similar artists in the New Age genre. Three compilation recordings sprang from this effort - Winter Gifts, Winter Gifts II, and Roads.[10]

Other Collaborations

Buxton's piece "Unbroken" appears on the 2013 compilation The Best of Reviews New Age: The Guitar alongside works by guitarists Alex de Grassi and William Ackerman.[11]

Buxton's 2011 "Unbroken" and "Book of Ruth" feature accompaniment by Paul Winter Consort cellist Eugene Friesen.[12]

Notable Concerts

Kirkland Performance Center with Heidi Ann Breyer - 2013[13]

Bastyr University Chapel - 2015 [14]

Bastyr University Chapel - 2017 [15]

Discography
  • Sketchbook One - 2006
  • Forgiving Dreams - 2007
  • Rotation of Earth - 2010
  • Winter Gifts: The Many Miles Music Artists - 2010
  • Unbroken - 2012
  • Winter Gifts II: The Many Miles Music Artists - 2012
  • Visitations - 2013
  • The Best of Reviews New Age: The Guitar - 2013
  • Roads: The Many Miles Music Artists - 2014
  • A Trick of Light - 2015
  • Another Sunday Drive - 2017
  • A Winter's Night - 2018
  • The Golden Age - 2019
  • Someday - 2020

References
  1. "Cornish College of The Arts Viewbook 2014-2015, pages 62-63". 2013-07-01.
  2. "Sappi Ideas That Matter Recipients 2004". 2004-07-01.
  3. Binkelman, Bill (2012-11-16). "Bill Binkelman review of Unbroken for Zone Music Reporter".
  4. Binkelman, Bill (2013-12-12). "Bill Binkelman review of Visitations".
  5. "AllMusic.com database credits for Forgiving Dreams".
  6. Lannan, RJ (2009-01-18). "RJ Lannan review of Forgiving Dreams for Zone Music Reporter".
  7. Lannon, RJ (2010-04-08). "RJ Lannan review of Rotation of Earth for Zone Music Reporter".
  8. "William Ackerman Biography, SRO Artists" (PDF).
  9. "Damon Buxton Music Catalog".
  10. "Many Miles Music Catalog".
  11. "The Best of Reviews New Age: The Guitar on Spotify".
  12. "Eugene Friesen credits at AllMusic.com".
  13. "Seattle Times 2013 concert calendar description".
  14. "All Events page for Bastyr University Chapel Event".
  15. "Bastyr University Chapel Event Page".
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