The Coyote and the Badger – Guitar tales
Marc van Vugt – acoustic guitars
‘In “The Coyote and the Badger”, each guitar tells a story. The whisper of a gentle poem in your ear, the cry of a heartfelt drama, and in each, Dutch Grammy winner Marc van Vugt’s guitar speaks with its own voice. Beautiful acoustic guitar music in the tradition of Bill Connors, Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny and Egberto Gismonti.
In 2022 and then in 2024, Marc released the two albums ‘The Lonely Coyote’ and ‘The Curious Badger’, which received unanimous praise in the press. Marc was voted in the top 3 best acoustic guitarists in Benelux in 2023 and in 2024. Music from both albums is played on radio stations around the world. The single ‘Dancing in the Wind’ is in the top 10 of leading US website Allaboutjazz since January 2024.
Guitar tales
“My love for guitar started when I was 11 years old and heard the first chord of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. I was mesmerized by what I heard and was completely absorbed by that sound. At that moment I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
In ‘The Coyote and the Badger’, I decided to reduce my music to just ‘me and my guitar’. No big ensemble to orchestrate, no other musicians to work with. Not just one guitar: each composition is played on a different acoustic guitar, each with its own sound and voice. Each tells a different story, whispering in your ear or sometimes screaming with emotion. It feels like a pact between me and all these guitars. A wonderful combination like that of the badger (badger) and the coyote who sometimes choose to form a pack and hunt together.”
Marc van Vugt
Dutch Grammy winner Marc van Vugt is known as a musician and composer who constantly surprises with his own projects. These take place in the intimacy of smaller ensembles or in original cross-over projects such as with the Netherlands Chamber Choir and the Metropole Orchestra. Marc performs internationally with his own groups. His compositions reflect Marc’s experience in jazz and improvised music and contemporary composed music. The music is characterized by long, associative lines that often have melancholic overtones. Reviewers praise his eye for detail and the colorful harmonic elaboration that give the compositions their unique signature. “Music that stays in your head for a long time”. Marc has his own music series ‘Marc meets…’since 2015 in which he invites national and internationally famous colleagues in the intimacy of his ‘theater living room’ in the theater in his home town Houten.
Reviews
The press on The Lonely Coyote and The Curious Badger:
- This sounds unique – Steve Vai
- Very impressive technique, often alternating dense chords with single-note lines, but most importantly he is an instrumental storyteller – LAJazzScene
- Absolute mastery and exquisite playing – Akustik Gitarre
- A bleeding-heart album, this CD is magnificent – JazzNU
- A sampling of the ingenuity of a true guitarist – Jazz Bulletin
- Excellent all round – JazzHalo
- Eine großartige akustische Reise – Er-em-online
- A versatile, virtuosic and accessible album – Jazzenzo.nl
- Intimate and frequently crystalline music – The Scotsman
- One of his country’s strongest acoustic guitarists – Jazzquad
- Marc van Vugt’s compositions are a gift to his listeners – ****/* Keysandchords.com
- Van Vugt demonstrates not only his virtuosity on a wide variety of acoustic guitars, but also his compositional ingenuity, following in the footsteps of such illustrious predecessors as Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny and Egberto Gismonti – Heaven
- Van Vugt is an excellent guitarist and each of the pieces is unique and compelling – The Whole Note
