Larry Coryell Tricyles: his constant back & forth btwn fusion and st ahead jazz finally merges well in this trio format
Vital Information: Where Do We Come From: shows that all is not lost in fusion
Mofro: Lochloosa: incredible! southern funk from white boys, mostly acoustic
Jon Cleary: keyboardist for Bonnie Raitt: down & earthy r&b, funk, jazz
Madeline Peyroux: Besse Smith soundalike but not just imitation: puts Norah Jones to shame in a big way
Junior Brown: country music meets Hendrix! |
Mindy Smith, Gomez, Wilco, Jerry Garcia acoustic catelog with Dave G...??? |
Hey Rene - Nice of you to notice...I have not had much time to post recently because we've been working on a major renovation of our house since August 1 (actually well before, but the pros took over then). Anyone who's been through a major renovation will understand the lack of time. I've actually taken on a lot of my own work along with the subs, trying to keep pace with the demand of the pros. Up untill a few weeks ago when the drywall started, we were living in our house the entire time. Fun, stressful...like standing in a cold shower with your wife and tearing up five-hundred dollar bills. I didn't know Jim White had a new release out. I loved the previous one and if you have not heard it, definitely pick it up. I think the title is "No Such Place". His new title is hilarious! If you like White you may also enjoy Robert Earl Keen. I will check out Ali Khan. My Iranian friend has introduced me to some really wonderful Persian music. I recently did a photo shoot for a local concert for a very gifted Oud player named Hossein Omoumi. The CD available here of his is very beautiful, but not for everyone. It is quite a meloncholy instrument, especially played solo as it is on this CD. I do wish Waits performed himself more often. The last concert here in Seattle was in the 90's I think. It sold out faster than any concert in history as I recall from the radio. I also enjoy the early work, but my personal favorites are from the Swordfishtrombone - Rain Dogs phase where he began collaborating with his wife. Back to work! Marco |
Hi Marco, nice to see that you are still around. I haven't seen any posts of you
lately.
I really love this thread. Nice to see that it got revived again. Thanks for your
new suggestions, I will have to check out the Chemirani Trio's CD. I am
always looking for new Middle Eastern and Indian classical music. Another
Indian classical musician I can recommend to you is Amjad Ali Khan. I saw
him live here in ABQ with his two sons, which are both playing Sarod as well.
Amazing concert.
Also another CD I have to pick up sometime is: Jim White "Drill A Hole In That
Substrate And Tell Me What You See". I have been hearing the single "Static
On The Radio" a few times on Radio Free Santa Fe, and it got really stuck in
my head.
And yes the new Waits is pretty good. Although I am still more a fan of his
older records. I just really like the story telling in his older albums (Closing
Time, Heart of Saturday Night). I really enjoyed his early years albums as well,
which offer prerelease versions of his songs. Only Tom and himself in very
intimate recordings. On the other hand I am looking forward to a stage show
of Black Rider next Saturday in Calgary (even if Tom won't be there).
Hope to hear more suggestions here...
Rene |
"In Touch", Ray Holman, Ramajay Records... A very well recorded blend of steel pan and more traditional jazz instruments, this is for anyone with an interest or curiosity about steel pan music. |
MINDY SMITH. Relatively new on the singer-songwriter scene. Listen to "Angel Doves", track seven on her only major release "One Moment More" on your super hi-fi system. If you like female vocals, you will hear the voice of an angel. Breathtaking.
I can't stop listening to this record. Unfortunately it is not available in any high-resolution format.
Also, I was curious, so I went to see her live in SF recently. All the industry execs were there, arms crossed at first. By the end of the show they were drooling on themselves as if they just saw the next Norah Jones or something. I was completely floored by her stunning voice. |
Hey Rene- Thanks, I've been enjoying this one too as it is a steady
source for new material. Glad you looked into the Fado again...great
stuff!
Here's a few more recent discoveries that I've been introduced to in the
past few months:
My jazz-loving audiophile buddy brought over some classics audiophile
selections I had not heard, and very much enjoyed:
Joe Pass, "Virtuoso" - Great Jazz guitar. I think this one's
available in XRCD.
Sonny Rollins, "Way Out West" - Classic Jazz with 'western'
lyrical overtones.
Tom Waits, Real Gone - As Rsbeck said, little more to be said. Waits at
his best...stepping back from the two previous releases,
"Alice" and "Blood Money", to tunes more similar
to "Bone Machine" and "Mule Variations". If you
don't like Waits, no reason to go here, but if you do, you will not be
disappointed.
Lhasa - "Living Road" Rene, and others, you will like this one
if you enjoy Madredeus and Fado. Her first release, La Llorona, is
fantastic as well and a frequently played favorite for me.
One more I don't think I've mentioned. In the vein of traditional Persian
percussion, and challenging to find, Chemirani Trio's CD titled
"Qalam Kar". This one was gifted to me from an Iranian
friend who purchased it over there. EVERY person I've played this for
wants a copy and is wowed by this CD. Audiophiles are astounded by
the dynamics and spatial quality, as well as the music. This recording is
mostly percussion - I believe the trio is a father and his two sons who
play traditional Persian drums (Dumbek, I think it is called). This will
make anyone reconsider what percussion can sound like...a definite
must-have for anyone who loves percussion. Just remarkable! Great
music to move and work to by true masters of the instruments.
Marco |
Shostakovich, The Jazz Album |
Chopin Etudes, Murray Perahia, Sony, recorded 2001. An absolutely stunning CD! The best set of Chopin Etudes ever recorded, the best Murray Perahia recording he's ever made, and far and away the best piano sound Sony has ever offered. The sound is very vivid, immediate, close-up, with very full dynamic range and frequency range, good strong bass. This is NOT what you'd hear in the concert hall; instead, it's what you'd hear if your head was about three feet in front of the open lid of a Steinway concert grand. This won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is mine. |
|
Counting Crows - "Hard Candy"
Performance ****1/2 (of 5*)
Sonics ****1/2 (of 5*)
Great band! Great CD! As good as if not better than "August and Everything After"
Highly recommended!! |
Siliab - I've loved the Daktaris disk ever since I stumbled across it a few years back, but I've never heard that backstory about who was responsible. In fact, not only does the jacket list all those African-sounding names of the players, but also specifies it as having been recorded in Lagos, Nigeria. Although it states it was mixed in NYC by the same guy (who doesn't have an African name) credited as recording producer, I kind of wondered - since the topic isn't addressed elsewhere - whether this really was supposed to mean remastered for CD. But there were more seeds of doubt: not all the players' names sound genuinely African or even real, no year of recording or original release is listed, and the liner notes and cover photo of a lion with vultures chowing down a kill on the savanna seem a bit arch and fakey. And why don't I see the Daktaris on any Afro-funk comps? But the sound - how could that deliciously dirty voodoo soul stew (to quote one of the song titles) not be authentic? It fairly screams 'vintage'. Could that have been achieved synthetically? And the tunes are too great not to strike me as being the real deal straight outta mother Africa. But at the end of the day the record's just so damn good I decided not to worry about where it really might have come from and simply enjoy it. Still somewhat of a mystery, but I heartily second the recommendation. |
Volebeats:Country Favorites (subtitled Detroit, Michigan). A great sounding alt.country cd with fine vocals and guitar work. Runs the gamut from hard honky tonk to grunge country to pop rock to bluesy stuff. For once a cd without at least 6 songs of filler. It's Buddy Holly meets REM meets the Beach Boys meets 60s garage. Fun cd.
Drive By Truckers:Dirty South. Another great sounding alt.country cd with good vocals and triple guitar attacks. It's the Outlaws meets REM. Absolutely first rate lyrics. A good one to crank up the audio rig. |
The Daktari's Soul Explosion is a great set of Afrofunk tunes in the James Brown via Fela vein. Basically a group of Brooklyn session guys with fake Nigerian names but the music works great...big, fat bass lines and great horn work. Has that authentic retro, swimmy, fat-bottomed 70s funk sound. On permanent rotation on the car CD player. |
Marco - This is a really great thread. I have been running out of new music recently, since I just enjoy listening too much after finishing the setup of my new system. I picked up several suggestions here and still have long list left.
Following some of the recommendations here, I went out and got the following records:
White Stripes - Elephant
Patty Griffin - Living with Ghosts, Flaming Red
Crouching Tiger - Soundtrack
Madredeus - Anthologia, Ainda
Misia - Ritual
Amalia Rodriguez - The history of Fado
I guess I really got into Fado. I had already seen Lisbon Story a while ago and liked the music but never picked up on it. I haven't had much of a chance to listen to the history CD but it looks like it has a really good collection of traditional Fado singers (Including Amalia Rodriguez and Maria Teresa de Noronha) Not the best recording but worth having.
On the more modern site I'll probably start picking up some more White Stripes Album. I kind of left alternative for a while after leaving my teens and early twenties behind, this one was really refreshing though.
And since this thread is really more about discoveries, here are some of my suggestions:
Rabih-Abou Khalil - Sultans Picnic, Arabian Waltz
This is one of my favorite artists: great original compositions, great soloists and the band exhibits real coherence when playing together. Listen to Sunrise in Montreal on Sultans Picnic, the Harmonica solo is brilliant and fits in surprisingly well into this Middle Eastern/Western fusion jazz. Arabian Waltz is quite different, mixing in elements of western classical music. Also Enja Music does a wonderful recording job on all the records. And if you are lucky you can find them on vinyl.
Zakir Hussein and the Rhythm experience - The Rhythm Experience
Wonderful slightly modern perspective on Indian Classical Music, one of the best Tabla players in the World. And great to watch at a concert (He appears quite often on the west coast in concerts since he is living in LA).
Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy - The Fire this time
Great live big band brass album. Great recording as well.
Tom Waits - Real Gone
No need to say much about this one...
That's at least a short selection of my current favorites.
Best wishes,
Rene |
I picked up The Song Remains the Same concert DVD from Zeppelin about a year ago. I've gone through phases where I spend all of my music time watching it. I'm watching it right now actually. I love watching Page and Bonham. Also Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon. I'd always liked this album, but I really started listening to it about a month ago. |
Autechre. Classical Electronic music, if there is a category. Extermely Intelligent avante garde music. No Comparision out there. After I bought their latest 'Draft 7.30', in two weeks I bought their all past CDs-full length and singles. Every track is a trasure. Have been listening to this kind of music for last 15+ years and never occured to but one of their Cds!! Well I made up for it in two weeks!! |
Crowded House -- Woodface. |
Butch Walker: Left of Self-Centered. Former bassist for Southgang...yes, the hair-metal band from the late 80's/early 90's, but forget all about that. Totally different sound as Butch is frontman now. Unique and surprisingly good voice, wry wit and parody of today's rock singers (and not just on "Rock Vocal Power"). If you like to laugh, get this album and you will get some really good original music as a bonus...especially "My Way" and "Suburbia". |
Alex Skolnick Trio "Goodbye to Romance". Yes, the title and the song are originaly Ozzie Osbourne; but who would ever think of putting this up as a jazz trio. Alex Skolnick, guitarist of the former heavy metal group Testament new release "Goodbye to Romance" The cd contains tunes by the Scorpians, Kiss, Aerosmith and others with a couple originals. The trio consist of guitar, double bass and drums. If you know the original songs, then this cd will really "click" if you know what I mean. They are touring in New York state right now, check them out. |
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones ----- Live Art. |
Sean 'Hurt' by NIN?? OMG! I have to hear that! |
I had the opposite experience Edesilva; I was introduced to Patti Griffin through her two accoustic albums, and her largely accoustic performance. Consequently Flaming Red was really hard for me to listen to, but I did come to like it very much. Love the third cut, "Tony" and then the only cut that seems to harken to her accoustic side, "Mary", a song about her grandmother. I haven't heard the song "Silver Bell" but would love to. Is that on an available compilation, or is it something someone put together for you? Anyway, hope you come to enjoy the other two as much as you like Flaming Red.
Best,
Marco |
Thanks Marco, I actually have gone out and bought both the other two. Its strange, with the intro to PG being "Silver Bell," and then Flaming Red, its harder for me to get into 1000 Kisses or Living With Ghosts. The oddities of expectations, I guess. What I really don't understand is why the song "Silver Bell" isn't on any of her albums... |
Edesilva - If you like Flaming Red then you owe it to yourself to see just how versatile Patty Griffin really is. I am a big fan of hers and have seen her live in a wonderful accoustic performance here in Seattle. One of the best live concerts I've heard in a long while. Anyway, I'd be interested to hear whether you like either of her other two albums as they are MUCH more acoustic-oriented and highlight her vocal range and songwriting even more than Flaming Red does. Those other two are "Living With Ghosts" and "1000 Kisses". IMO both are much 'easier' to listen to than Flaming Red (which took me a while to enjoy as much as I do the other two). I have not tired of any of her albums. A warning to others who may be considering her; Flaming Red is her only 'hard-hitting' "plugged-in" album whereas the other two are accoustic and easily accessable. Outstanding artist and songwriter! Great poetic lyrics! Others in her genre that I also enjoy, though none puts it all together as Patty Griffin does: Patty Larkin (If you like Flaming Red you'd probably like "A-go-go"), Deb Talan, and Dar Williams.
Marco |
David Knopfler (of Dire Straits) "Wishbones". All original music with some haunting melodies. Guitar and piano are well recorded, and his voice is as capturing now as it was with Dire Straits. |
Someone threw a track called "Silver Bell" by Patty Griffin on a compilation that got send to me. I immediately went out an bought Flaming Red, which is an awesome record--she shows incredible versatility, going from slow cynical songs to upbeat cynical songs. Er, maybe she's a bit cynical, but musically its a nice variety. I had never heard of her.
I'll also throw Down with Wilco by the Minus 5. If you liked Wilco's YHF, this one is in the same vein. It ought to be, I think all of Wilco shows up on the album. Kinda of like YHF-lite. |
I have been listening a little bit of disc one of Aretha Franklin Queen in Waiting. I had no idea she recorded with jazz musicians at the start of her career at columbia. |
second Jorma Kaukonen's "Blue Country Heart" - stunning |
TINDERSTICKS II I bought about 200 cd in last few months and this cd stoned me.For me much better then any Nick Cave's work.Get it NOW!!!!!There is something for anyone. |
Ditto on The Jayhawks "Rainy Day Music". Decent sounding in CD format. I just got the vinyl version, but I haven't had the chnce to play it yet. |
White Stripes: Elephant (nt) |
I would never have discovered these two New Orleans traditional style jazz CDs except I was there recently and and wandered into a music store.
New Discovery #1: Leroy Jones "Back To My Roots"
This trumpet, trombone, piano, bass and drums combination is well recorded and uniquely origional. "Tea for Two" is a great test track.
New Discovery #2: Bonerama "Live at the Old Point"
If you like live recordings with great power and excitement, this combination of 5 trombones interlaced with a sousaphone and backed up by drums will really get you going. These guys are really fun. This will test your sub woofer!
Good listening... |
Jayhawks, "Rainy day music", most excellent even w/out Mark Olsen. |
Hadn't heard of Sonny Stitt until I was browsing in Reckless Records (Chicago). Picked up a near mint copy of "Kaleidoscope" and have been looking for more of his LPs ever since. |
Jorma Kaukonen - Blue Country Heart |
Seether's latest CD "Disclaimer". If I remember correctly, I purchased it at Target. |
I just found Jean-Luc Ponte in used bins.The discovery really is several used CD's for $2 or less.A real bargain.I remember JLP from the 70's and just rediscoverd through used Bins at the local CD store in Maine! |
Here's another one that listening to "Misia" brought to mind.
Azam Ali "Portals of Grace" on the Narada/World label.
It's a contemporary collection based on medieval Europe/other music.
Azam (the female vocalist) was born in Iran and raised in India.
Another interesting CD is the "Klezmer Nutcracker Suite" on the Newport Classic, Ltd. label. Eastern European jazz meets "The Nutcracker Suite". |
Thanks for the tip, Jax2. Have you heard any of the Biber Mystery Sonatas? I am wondering if they are similar as well. |
Gabbro - If you like that Biber disc also try "The Seven Words" (Haydn), performed by Rosamunde Quartett on ECM New Series. It is a contemporary take on that piece with no ominous vocals that are usually a part of the piece. It is purely instrumental. Really great performance and recording...another in the same vein of the Biber that stayed on my system(s) for a long time!
Dekay - Some of the older Fado singers (in the traditional realms of Fado) are quite remarkable as well. While in Portugal I got a disc by Maria Teresa de Noronha: WOW! Hard to find here, but worth looking for. She is considered one of the best ever. It's an interesting to hear the older performances of the same traditional songs, in contrast with the same songs by Misia and other contemporaries. I agree, "Ritual" is great! Fado is very emotionally charged and spiritually pure music! Just goes right to the heart! |
Jax:
Yes, Misia "Ritual" is very nice. |
T bone- If you enjoy a modern twist on Fado singing, and you haven't yet heard them, DEFINITELY check out Madredeus. I have too many of their albums, and enjoy all of them so it would be difficult to list a favorite, but there is a good compilation disc called "Antologia". Teresa Salgueiro's vocals are so beautiful at times they will make you weep. "Ainda" is also a favorite album of theirs.
For more traditional Fado singing, but still from a contemporary style, check out the discs by Misia. I love Fado music and had the great pleasure of spending a couple of weeks in Portugal back in 97' where you can still go out any night of the week and listen to traditional Fado. Beautiful country. Very warm and friendly people who live life at a much slower pace than most Western countries I've ever been too. Some of the craziest drivers I've ever encountered though, which is so ironic as everything else about Portugal is so laid back, slow and traditional. Gorgeous music though...you certainly don't need to understand the language to appreciate how beautiful Fado sounds. |
I like Pbb's format so I'll copy it... (all on CD or SACD)
New discovery #1: Mariza, a fado singer with an absolutely beautiful voice who arrived on the fado scene a couple of years ago (the Portuguese Norah Jones?). I have recently been listening to her albums called "Fado curvo" and "Fado em mim" (my copy is a double CD where the 2nd CD is from a performance at WOMAD 2002 UK). The CD liner notes have the lyrics in English as well so those of us who are Portuguese-challenged may understand if it strikes us - though it is utterly unnecessary to have them in order to appreciate the music. Beautifully-sung music, and very well-recorded to boot.
New discovery #2: Eminem. May be a shocker to some but I'd heard enough snippets to be impressed with his artistry so recently bought the Slim Shady LP, Marshal Mathers LP, and The Eminem Show. So far, I've stuck to Slim Shady. I'll probably start in on Marshall Mathers this week. (May be time to think about getting headphones....)
Re-discovery #1 (not new but recent and still on heavy rotation): Dire Straits remasters. Especially "Love Over Gold", which sounds SOOOO much better remastered.
Rediscovery #2 (not new but recent purchase in new format): Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus on SACD. Wonderful.
Interesting discovered "covers": "Basie Meets Bond". In 1965, Count Basie got together and covered about a dozen tunes from the first four James Bond films. The 24-bit remastered CD sounds surprisingly good and above all, it is a lot of fun (though is probably a pass if you hate James Bond films/music).
Can't recommend Mariza's live cuts from WOMAD enough so will plug them again :-) |
Afro Celt Sound System. Excellent recording quality. This is really worth checking out for something different. |
The Asylum Street Spankers, "My Favorite Record". If you guys don't know the Spankers check them out, they are fabulous! |
George Thorogood's new CD "Ride 'Til I Die". GT and the Destroyers Rock! I also like Lucinda William's latest CD "World Without Tears". One reviewer called it much too "dark" and generally bad mouthed it, but if you delete 2-3 songs, the rest of the music is excellent. Well recorded in HDCD too. Cheers. Craig |
Kari Bremnes, a Norwegian singer/songwriter. I first heard her on Tom Russell's "The Man From God Knows Where" (also on that cd are Iris Dement and Dolores Keane). Hard to describe Ms. Bremnes music, and only one of her cds is in English. I'd recommend the Tom Russell cd, and then if you are as taken with her voice as I am, try some of her own cds from
www.kkv.no
or, another discovery of sorts, Harmony Ridge Music, www.hrmusic.com, specializing in women singer-songwriters, with a large and interesting catalog. |
I'm taking some good notes here too...thanks folks! I've got some great recommendations from this list over many threads like this! I'll second the recommendation for Biber's Unam Ceylum: Wonderful Disc which I got a while back and couldn't stop playing. In that same purchase (I usually tend to get three or four at once) I also enjoyed Silencio, which is I think is a Nonesuch disc with Gidon Kremer and his ensemble playing some more modern compositions by the likes of Arvo Part.
I had some friends stop by yesterday who wanted to hear my home system, and I always ask when people come by that they bring some of their current favorite disks with them. Great way to share the music and the passion. Here's two notes I took down after yesterday's session having only heard a few cuts of these discs (hence not detailed comments other than that I enjoyed what I heard). I'll certainly get both of these discs:
Roger Waters, Amused to Death (carrying on in the tradition of Pink Floyd...the sound and engineering is unmistakable)
Axiom of Choice, Beyond Denial (both cuts were very powerful, East meets West fusion...reminded me a little bit of Dead can Dance) |
Paul Curreri, "From Long Gones to Hawkmoth", on City Salvage Records (limited availability--I bought from a cool online record store in Oregon). I first heard him when he opened for Kelly Joe Phelps at a show I saw last year, and I was mighty impressed. A young singer-songwriter of considerable talent and traditional sensibilities. His singing voice reminds me a little of Ramblin' Jack Elliot, but his songwriting is surely his own. I doubt he'll ever be big (no catchy hooks), but he sure is good. |
