Acoustic Sketches is the 16th solo and 4th all-instrumental album by Christian
singer/songwriter/guitarist Phil Keaggy. It was originally released through his fan club PKC (Phil Keaggy Club) around February 1996. Keaggy produced the album with John August Schroeter.
Featuring mostly original compositions, it is Keaggy's second acoustic instrumental album, following up his 1991 release Beyond Nature. Keaggy does an abridged arrangement of "The 50th," first heard on his 1994 reissue of Way Back Home as one of the bonus tracks. Keaggy wrote this in memory of his grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. There is also a cover of the spiritual hymn "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," which was an outtake from Beyond Nature featuring Phil Maderia on slide guitar. Keaggy writes about each track and how it was made and composed in the CD liner notes.
Two years later in 1998, Acoustic Sketches was released nationally by Sparrow Records for wider distribution. Keaggy won his third Dove Award for Instrumental Album of the Year in 1999 at the 30th GMA Dove Awards. The album was reissued as a deluxe edition in 2023 by Strobie Records featuring four bonus tracks: a reading by Keaggy titled "The Marionetta" plus live tracks of "Metamorphosis," "Nellie's Tune" and "Legacy."
Track listing on the 2023 deluxe edition
All songs were written and composed by Phil Keaggy, except where noted.
1. Metamorphosis -4:55
2. Rivulets -3:01
3. Nellie's Tune -3:27
4. Passing Thought -1:33
5. The Marionette -3:51
6. Del's Bells -1:33
7. Looking Back -0:41
8. Paka -2:59
9. Spend My Life With You -5:56
10. Jam in the Pocket -4:12
11. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Wallace Willis, Minerva Willis; arranged by
Phil Keaggy) -3:22
12. The 50th -7:03
13. Morning Snow -3:18
14. Spanish Fantasy -1:52
15. On Some Distant Shore -5:07
16. Icicles -2:20
17. On Second Thought -2:34
18. Griegarious -0:16
19. Legacy -5:27
BONUS TRACKS:
20. The Marionetta (read by PK) -3:54
21. Metamorphosis (live) -4:16
22. Nellie's Tune (live) -8:41
23. Legacy (live) -5:13
Accolades
Dove Award -Instrumental Album of the Year (Acoustic Sketches)
Previous release: 1970 - 1995: Time Volume 2 (1995) (compilation album)
Next release: 220 (1996) (instrumental album)
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