Various

Imaginational Anthem Vols. 1-3 brings together all three volumes of the essential acoustic guitar series. Released in October 2005, Imaginational Anthem was featured on NPR's All Things Considered, and received 4 stars from Uncut ('Entrancing'), All Music Guide ('Masterful') and Mojo ('Groundbreaking'). Rolling Stone's David Fricke wrote, 'the history and beauty here speaks for themselves, at the perfect volume.' Jon Pareles wrote in The New York Times, 'old and new, the music meditates on blues, Appalachian music, raga and ragtime, and traditions are transfigured by a deep love for the sonority of the acoustic guitar.' Released in June 2006, Imaginational Anthem Volume 2 opened with the gorgeous 'River Of Heaven' by Tompkins Square recording artist James Blackshaw, and featured unreleased recordings by legends such as Michael Chapman, Fred Gerlach, Billy Faier, Peter Lang and Robbie Basho. The album was supported by a national Arthur Magazine-sponsored U.S. tour with Blackshaw, Sharron Kraus and Sean Smith. Pitchfork wrote, '[IA2] pairs some of the leading lights of the current avant-folk subculture with unearthed vintage folk rarities.' Tompkins Square has been steadily mining the genre known as 'American primitive guitar' with a string of acclaimed releases." Other artists include: Max Ochs, Brad Barr, Suni McGrath, Harris Newman, Harry Taussig, Jack Rose, Steve Mann, Glenn Jones, Gyan Riley & Terry Riley, Bern Nix, Bob Hadley, Janet Smith & Steve Mann, John Fahey, Kaki King, Sandy Bull, Jose Gonzalez, Jesse Sparhawk, Sean Smith, Christina Carter, Sharron Kraus, Richard Crandell, Ben Reynolds, Greg Davis, Nathan Salsburg, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Cian Nugent, Matt Baldwin, Mark Fosson, George Stavis, R. Keenan Lawler and Shawn David McMillen.