Richard Scott is a true eccentric- one of those rare guitarists whose gifts defy the generic boundaries assigned to his art. Scott, 34, is a guitarist and luthier who cites a broad base of influences spanning from Primus bassist Les Claypool to flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya. But Scott's musical vision is deeply rooted in blues, and even his most polished and studied compositions retain the unsettled and suspenseful qualities of roots music at its rawest. Scott has lived most of his life in rural Lee County, Virginia. Though he has included some bluegrass jams in live performance, Scott's music typically bears no resemblance to the mountain and ballad style associated with the region. His eclectic repertoire includes traditional and electric style blues, Latin and modal jazz, raggae, avant garde funk-jazz fusion, and improvisional flights of fancy that defy categorization. His often startling challenges to the instrument's sonic possibilities are created by the use of alternate tunings and custom hand-made eight string guitars that employ a combination of guitar and bass strings along with stereo effects and amping.