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'''Steffen Basho-Junghans''' (born '''Steffen Junghans'''; 27 November 1953 – 1 December 2022) was a German guitarist and composer.

==Biography==
Basho-Junghans was born in North Thuringia in the former German Democratic Republic on 27 November 1953.<ref name="wilmoth">{{cite web|last=Wilmoth|first=Charlie|title=Steffen Basho-Junghans biography|url=http://allmusic.com/artist/steffen-basho-junghans-p230621/biography|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=13 January 2011}}</ref> At the age of 17 he taught himself to play acoustic guitar and in 1978 formed the folk music band Wacholder. In 1979, influenced by the American guitarist Leo Kottke,<ref name="jacobsen">{{cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Nils |title=Song of the Earth review|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/song-of-the-earth-steffen-basho-junghans-sublingual-records-review-by-aaj-staff|publisher=allaboutjazz.com|access-date=13 January 2011}}</ref> he began performing solo instrumental music on 6- and 12-string guitar guitar. Throughout the 1980s he became influenced by artists on John Fahey's Takoma Records label. During this period he discovered the music of [[Robbie Basho]], and consequently became interested in Japanese haiku poet Matsuo Bashō, who had influenced Robbie Basho. Steffen Junghans incorporated the name 'Basho' into his own,<ref name="tilland">{{cite web|last=Tilland|first=William|title=Rivers and Bridges - Steffen Basho-Junghans review|url=http://allmusic.com/album/rivers-and-bridges-r625259/review|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=13 January 2011}}</ref> as a mark of respect. Throughout the 1980s he lectured on acoustic guitar history and performed numerous concerts.

Basho-Junghans has released recordings on the German label Blue Moment Arts; the American labels Sublingual, Strange Attractors and Locust Music; the Italian label Sillyboy; the Australian label Preservation Records; and Kning Disk in Sweden, appears on several compilations. His music, unorthodox explorations between traditions and experimentation, is influenced by Native American, Asian, Contemporary classical and European classical music.

Basho-Junghans died from cancer on 1 December 2022, at the age of 69.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Harry |title=Dreaming with Steffen Basho-Junghans (1953–2022) |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2022/12/dreaming-with-steffen-basho-junghans-1953-2022/ |access-date=2 January 2023 |publisher=Folk Radio |date=6 December 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==
*''12-String Solo'' MC (Blue Moment Arts|Blue Moment Arts, 1989)
*''In Search of the Eagle's Voice'' CD (BMA, 1995)
*''Fleur De Lis 1 & 2'' 2x CD (BMA, 1996)
*''Song of the Earth'' CD (Sublingual Records, 2000)
*''Inside'' CD (Strange Attractors, 2001)
*''Landscapes in Exile'' CD (Blue Moment Arts, 2001)
*''Waters in Azure'' CD (Strange Attractors, 2002)
*''Rivers and Bridges'' CD (Strange Attractors, 2003)
*''7 Books'' dbl CD (Strange Attractors, 2004)
*''Unknown Music I: Alien Letter'' CD (Sillyboy, 2005)
*''Unknown Music II: Transwarp Meditation'' CD (Preservation, 2005)
*''In the Morning Twilight'' CD (Kning Disk, 2006)
*''Last Days of the Dragons'' CD ([[Locust Music|Locust]], 2006)
*''Late Summer Morning'' CD (Strange Attractors, 2006)
*''"IS"'' LP (Architects of Harmonic Rooms & Records, 2009)
*''Unknown Music III: O Som Naha'' MC (Beartown Records, 2010)

''Text adapted from Wikipedia.''
[[Category: East German Profiles]]