Read Ken's Blog: 2009 On The Road

See where Ken is performing in the UK, the USA, Australia & New Zealand:
2009 Gig guide, updated 1st July 2009 - click here

Guitarists . . . Check out Ken's four 'Clawhammer' instruction videos at kennicolmusic.com

Ken's latest album Initial Variations continues to get rave reviews.

Living Tradition says: I would urge even listeners who wouldn't normally subject themselves to an entire album of instrumentals to give this one a bash. . . KN at his best - roller coasters of musical virtuosity that spellbind . . .

Rock 'n' Reel says: Some of the later pieces demonstrate Ken's digital dexterity to particularly good effect . . . best of all is his avoidance of any accusation of noodling. These are well crafted melodies . . .

Stirrings says: Ken plays with great virtuosity and sensitivity, and recording and production values are excellent. Recommended.

Net Rhythms says: a brilliant sequence of ten finely-etched and well-contrasted instrumental pieces . . . a CD that will be a must for guitar aficionados, but its appeal is definitely more wide-ranging; there's intelligent and beautiful music here to suit all moods and tastes. Exquisitely crafted and melodically rich; deftly and stylishly played; and of course expertly recorded.
A lovely record.

Record Collector says: Guitar players will appreciate his masterclass style, while more general listeners will be aware that his gift for melody carries the album higher than the rest.

Read the full reviews here: Reviews.

To purchase the CD, or to download Initial Variations, click here: Initial Variations

This latest peice of work is totally instrumental, and though it features mainly steel strung acoustic guitar it also includes the sound of the classical guitar, dobro, mandolin, 5-string banjo, and even a touch of electric guitar.

Acoustic Magazine says: The musicianship is staggering, seldom are the compositions less than inspired.

Ken's new online store is developing fast; as well as having a growing number of albums in the form of CDs or downloads available, there is an ever increasing array of guitar instruction books, CDs & DVDs.

Now, just added is the new: '10 min Guitar Workshop' video series. The first two in this 'easy to download' and 'easy to follow' series focus on the 'Clawhammer', a style of fingerpicking that revolutionalised Ken's playing.
The lessons are approximately 10 minutes in length (for ease of download), and come with PDF files that illustrate each exercise with the use of tablature.
Check out this sample from lesson one . . .

Read in-depth interview with Ken on Italian website 'Il Popolo Del Blues'. The interview is in both English and Italian.

Read reviews of Ken's latest solo album 'Initial Variation' in latest UK editions of Record Collector, and Acoustic Magazine.

Check out Sara Holloway's YouTube vidoe: Jack O'Neill - Retired
Sara sets Ken's 'All He Wants To Do Is Go Fishing' to video clips from the cult television program: Stargate.

Ken on YouTube playing: In the Wake of Forward Motion.

STOP PRESS . . . You can now buy any of Ken's music, as well as his combined guitar instruction CDs & booklets at his new online store Kennicolmusic.

Discography page updated

'Swans In Flight' is a 16 track album of specially written songs using recording techniques which have pushed the boundaries of the acoustic guitar to new and previously unexplored dimensions. Energetic and highly melodic, the album is the work of songwriting partnership Hugo Montgomery-Swan and Mark Tucker and draws upon influences as diverse as 1920's jazz through to hard rock. The album also features key guests of world-class distinction. These include; James LoMenzo (Black Label Society/Megadeth), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy/Whitesnake), Kip Winger (Alice Cooper/Winger), Phil Johnston (The Robert Plant Band), Doyle Dykes, Ken Nicol (Steeleye Span), Robin Guy (Bruce Dickinson/Martin Gretch), TM Stevens (James Brown,The Pretenders), Ric Sanders (Fairport Convention), Johnny Mars, John Noyce (Gary Moore/Jethro Tull) and Michael Messer.

Take a look at the 'Swans in Flight' Myspace page.

FolkCast The first UK 'folk' podcast. Check out the latest 2008 August show.

Steeleye Span
2004 saw Steeleye visiting Australia, New Zealand, and on two occassions Scandinavia.
The band also completed two tours of the UK, played festivals during the summer months, and released two CDs and a DVD. For more details click: Park Records
To read Ken's tour diary from Feb to June 2004 click: 2004 World Tour Diary Spring / Autumn
To read Ken's tour diary of the 'Winter Tour' click: 2004 Winter Tour Diary
To read Ken's diary of the December 2002 'Reunion Tour' tour, click: Steeleye Span Reunion Tour.
Steeleye Span Pictures.
Pictures of the Queen Elizabeth Hall show 19th Dec 2002, taken by Chris Bates.
For information on Steeleye click here or / and visit the Park Records site.
Also, you could take a look at Richard Hollis's The Unofficial Steeleye Span site
Listen to samples from Ken's albums.

Please have a look around, and if you have time then please sign the Guestbook before you leave.
If there's anything else you'd like to see here, or if you find that anything isn't working, then please send Ken an e-mail and let him know. Please also drop him a line with your postal address if you'd like to be added to his mailing list.

Pages last updated:
Wednesday 1st July 2009