Steve Tibbetts - Interview with Guitarist on Release of Album "Close"

by John Malkin (jsmalkin [at] hotmail.com)

Fri, Dec 5, 2025 4:16PM

Interview with guitarist Steve Tibbetts on his eleventh ECM recording "Close." This interview was originally broadcast on Dec. 4, 2025 on "Transformation Highway" with John Malkin on KZSC, 88.1 FM / kzsc.org at the University of California Santa Cruz

Listen now:

Copy the code below to embed this audio into a web page:

Download Audio (96.4MB) | Embed Audio

Audio interview with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Tibbetts. His new album "Close" was released on October 24, 2025 and is Tibbetts’ eleventh album released by ECM. On "Close" the Minnesota-based guitarist continues his exploration of 12-string and electric guitar played over layered loops and drones, enhanced by the energizing percussion of Marc Anderson and JT Bates.

From the liner notes for "Close" by Steve Tibbetts:
"Music is as close to magic as we mortals have. Musicians do revel in being thought of as wizards or shamans or conduits or vessels or prophets. News flash: we have no idea what we’re doing.  Music is a twilight language. The job is to translate some shadow into sound."

For more information: https://stevetibbetts.com/

§Steve Tibbetts "Close"

by John Malkin

Fri, Dec 5, 2025 4:16PM