“Grim to the Brim”

The printed music for “Grim to the Brim” is sold as an individual transcription. “Grim to the Brim” was originally recorded on the LP Leo Kottke/Chewing Pine (Capitol ST-11446, 1975). This LP was subsequently available as a CD (Beat Goes On Records BGOCD148, 1996 and One Way Records S21-18466, 1996).

The same recording of “Grim to the Brim” was used for three compilations: Leo Kottke/1971-1976 (Did You Hear Me?) , (Capitol 11576, 1976) which was subsequently available as Beat Goes On Records BGOCD362, 1997; Leo Kottke/The Best of Leo Kottke (Capitol CDP 7 46486 2, 1987); and Leo Kottke/Hear the Wind Howl (Disky DC 868682, 1997). It is now also available on the compilation Leo Kottke/The Best of the Capitol Years (Blue Note Records BLN 23122).

“Grim to the Brim” was written in 1975 and remained in Leo’s concert repertoire for approximately eight years, from 1975-1983. Leo originally performed “Grim to the Brim” on a 12-string, but by 1982 he was playing it on a six-string as the middle section of a spellbinding medley consisting of “Egg Tooth,” “Grim to the Brim,” and “Orange Room.” Over this period, the tempo of “Grim to the Brim” slowed from a blistering half note = 116 to a more expressive half note = 104.

This transcription has been developed from the audio recording Leo Kottke/Chewing Pine with some clarification drawn from a live 1975 broadcast from Dutch radio station VPRO and from discussions with Leo Kottke.