| The Best | |
| Type: | greatest |
| Artist: | Leo Kottke |
| Cover: | Leo_Kottke_The_Best.jpg |
| Released: | 1976 |
| Genre: | Folk, new acoustic, American primitive guitar |
| Label: | Capitol (11867) |
| Producer: | Denny Bruce |
| Prev Title: | Leo Kottke |
| Prev Year: | 1976 |
| Next Title: | Burnt Lips |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
The Best is a compilation double album of American guitarist Leo Kottke's releases on the Capitol label. The liner notes were written by Dr. Demento.
The Rhino box set release Anthology covers the first 15 years of Kottke's career and includes selections from the Takoma, Capitol, and Chrysalis releases along with extensive liner notes. Capitol later released another compilation package titled The Best of Leo Kottke. Chrysalis released Essential Leo Kottke covering Kottke's mid-career releases on that label. Blue Note Records also released two compilations, The Best of the Capitol Years and The Best of the Chrysalis Years on CD in 2003.
The Best was re-issued on CD by BGO (CD277) in 1996.
In their 1996 review, Dirty Linen stated "...Combining equal parts acoustic, electric, live, and vocal material, the compilation is an ideal introduction for new listeners...",[1]
In his Allmusic review, critic Thom Jurek called it "...the best one for the money. Sonically it is superior, using later-phase master technology, and its presentation is sleeker as well. The biggest asset here is that this collection does feature some of the more well-known vocal selections closely associated with the guitarist..."
Music critic Robert Christgau stated: "Much as I admire John Fahey, I'm no aficionado of the school of solo guitar he inspired, and though I once complained that Kottke lacked Fahey's "courage and clarity" I think what I really meant was genius—and I have no idea what that means. If a guest were to request Kottke I'd play Capitol's The Best twofer, which I enjoy under duress—the sides he doesn't sing on, that is."[2]