Been all over the vinyl map. To get my writing juices flowing, I started out listening to Fallen Trees by Lubomyr Melnyk, Ukrainian composer and pianist who delves into "continuous-music". Then I slipped over to Ornette Coleman’s Science Fiction, which transcended the Free Jazz genre he created to something even freer, filled with poetry, song, overdubs and his squawky alto sax. From there, I went to Mr. Heartbreak by the great Laurie Anderson, who always creates these special song landscapes. Aguirre came next from Popol Vuh, the German electronic ensemble who made some of these 1972 tracks for Werner Herzog’s "Aguirre, The Wrath of God." Then it was Kamasi Washington’s Harmony of Difference, a jazz EP of the warmest resonance built on a jazz ensemble, a full orchestra and a gospel choir to boot! A completely unlikely segueway to Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn who let their banjos Echo in the Valley and across my room with great neo-folk elegance. What’s on my list for later tonight? Takk... by Sigur Rós.... and then maybe some Sonny Rollins, his 1991 release Here’s To The People, which finally came to on top-notch vinyl in 2015. The late Roy Hargrove plays trumpet on this album and it is the sweetest sound.
