This is the part where the artist has to classify himself so people can know what he's talking about, but he doesn't want to because it's so limiting when you put labels on yourself. Like, why can't they just know what I mean? But I really am trying to communicate, so here goes.

• Fingerstyle Guitar: I hardly ever use a pick. I like the sound on the early Chet Atkins records, most of the country blues icons, Eric Clapton, Jorma Kaukonen, and other names worthy of dropping.

• Jazz Arrangements: Imagine the Rev. Gary Davis playing Basie music. Or Mississippi John Hurt playing Duke Ellington. My mind does this to me late at night sometimes. Nat Cole's piano arrangements from the 1940's won several Esquire Jazz Poll awards in a row. This is fun to transcribe and perform on a guitar. Nat's original guitarist, Oscar Moore, was a true pioneer and never got enough credit.

• Blues Standards: When you live in Chicago you hear more blues by accident that you can find on purpose anywhere else. When I moved here in 1971 I began to try to learn about playing this stuff and I'm still learning. Of course the harp comes in here. More like Muddy Waters than Bob Dylan.

• Classical Guitar: After a few years of lessons, I have kept the fingers limber for the "serious" music of 100-300 years ago. But it's even more fun to give a classical treatment to some of the more familiar music. Segovia was the 20th century's best: too bad he didn't do any digital recording. I like the way Julian Bream sounds and the way Francisco Tarrega conceived a melody.

• Spirituals: Some of the earliest descriptions of music are in the Old Testament and one of music's first purposes was to stir the spirit. It would have been fun to jam with David.