"The Last Day of Summer" (Eric Skye) - Video, Music & Tab

GTC

I was working on an arrangement recently and a phrase kept going through my head. With a bit of memory jogging I realised it is from the piece "The Last Day of Summer" - by jazz guitarist Eric Skye (he of the wildly expensive Santa Cruz signature guitar - not to be confused with the late comedian and recreational classical guitarist Eric Sykes!)

With a bit of searching a found this YouTube clip of Mr. Skye playing the piece on the guitar which bears his name - and also a free downloadable version of the piece (standard notation and tab).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KPEqz4Tj4A

 http://dcoombsguitar.com/Temp/TheLastDayOfSummer.pdf
 
It isn't particularly challenging to play nor, in my opinion, is it the most interesting of pieces. However, it has a strange hypnotic quality and also lends itself well to improvisation and augmentation - as demonstrated in another YouTube clip from Geerd Tweedolin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLhT-T5Vgac 

As you roll the barbeques out this weekend, perhaps for the last time this year, I hope you enjoy it.

malcolmkindness

Eric Skye is a wonderful musician and not very well known this side of the Atlantic. I have actually played one of these guitars and they are very fine indeed, whether they are worth the money or not, is up to the individual.

GTC

malcolmkindness said:

Eric Skye is a wonderful musician and not very well known this side of the Atlantic. I have actually played one of these guitars and they are very fine indeed, whether they are worth the money or not, is up to the individual.

I agree from the YouTube clips I've seen of his playing. The piece featured here is one of his simpler arrangements - but none the poorer for that. Being left-handed, I got quite excited when I came across a lefty version of the 00 Santa Cruz Eric Skye signature guitar on Reverb for £4k a while back - only to find on enquiring that it was no longer for sale. They normally sell for approaching £7k.

MichaelWatts

Eric is a legend and a lovely man. Great playing as always 

GTC

Here's a more typical Eric Skye piece and one of my favourites - the Mingus jazz classic "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat". There's plenty more examples of his work on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D9VbLP3Iu4

It is probably the cleanest sound I've heard from someone playing fingerstyle with both finger and thumb picks