At the risk of sounding like a broken record, and since I'm the only one who seems to metion this one in the forums here, the Vancouver BC singer/songwriter Richard Buckner. Wonderful songwriting, great voice, wonderful acoustic guitar playing. CD's: the self-titled accoustic CD would be a good place to start. Devotion and Doubt, and Bloomed. Great stuff! Also, from the same subject answer to the same question in another thread, Anouar Brahem, Le Pas du Chat Noir. Haunting and beautiful trio of oud, piano and accordian. Very unusual and beautiful. Never has failed to impress visiting audiophiles. Few seem to know of Brahem, but those who do are more apt to love his music. All of the above are excellent recordings as well.
On the more pop side of things, staying with a more hauntingly beautiful theme, I do like Lori Carson's (Golden Palominos) solo efforts. I don't know how many would consider that 'obscure', but I don't think she'd qualify as mainstream to most folks. Another great band that is on the fringe of obscurity is Over the Rhine. Their latest double-album "Ohio" is fantastic, as is "Good Dog, Bad Dog" in a "Cowboy Junkies" kind of way. I think they used to open for them.
Celtic female vocals and songwriting: Katell Keineg.
Jazz blues....hmm..."Achirana" - outstanding jazz trio, with accomplished musicianship with an improv kind of sound. Fantastic recording too! Blues guitar - Junior Kimbrough "Sad Days and Lonely Nights"...mesmerizing blues from this (former) Fat Possum label artist...down and out, soulful, gutwrenching blues.
Classical....I'm too green in this area to really know what is obscure and what isn't. My tastes are widely varied here too. I'll leave that one to those better versed.
Unclassifiable/Unusual - Gavin Bryars, "Jesus' Blood Never Failed me Yet." (you will love it or hate it)...74 minute tape loop with orchestra culminating in Tom Waits joining the hobo who's been singing in the loop the entire time. Hypnotic and moving. Laurie Anderson, "You're the Guy I want to Share my Money with" - great spoken pieces by Anderson, William Burroughs and John Giorno. Anderson is hardly obscure but this one is hard to find, but worth the effort if you like her work as well as having some real gems from Burroughs!
Soundtracks-"Tous les matins du monde" - outstanding reissue of the Jordi Savall scored film - If you like early music this is a must-have. "Before the Rain" by Anastasia -Macedonian fusion music with powerful male vocals.
Marco
On the more pop side of things, staying with a more hauntingly beautiful theme, I do like Lori Carson's (Golden Palominos) solo efforts. I don't know how many would consider that 'obscure', but I don't think she'd qualify as mainstream to most folks. Another great band that is on the fringe of obscurity is Over the Rhine. Their latest double-album "Ohio" is fantastic, as is "Good Dog, Bad Dog" in a "Cowboy Junkies" kind of way. I think they used to open for them.
Celtic female vocals and songwriting: Katell Keineg.
Jazz blues....hmm..."Achirana" - outstanding jazz trio, with accomplished musicianship with an improv kind of sound. Fantastic recording too! Blues guitar - Junior Kimbrough "Sad Days and Lonely Nights"...mesmerizing blues from this (former) Fat Possum label artist...down and out, soulful, gutwrenching blues.
Classical....I'm too green in this area to really know what is obscure and what isn't. My tastes are widely varied here too. I'll leave that one to those better versed.
Unclassifiable/Unusual - Gavin Bryars, "Jesus' Blood Never Failed me Yet." (you will love it or hate it)...74 minute tape loop with orchestra culminating in Tom Waits joining the hobo who's been singing in the loop the entire time. Hypnotic and moving. Laurie Anderson, "You're the Guy I want to Share my Money with" - great spoken pieces by Anderson, William Burroughs and John Giorno. Anderson is hardly obscure but this one is hard to find, but worth the effort if you like her work as well as having some real gems from Burroughs!
Soundtracks-"Tous les matins du monde" - outstanding reissue of the Jordi Savall scored film - If you like early music this is a must-have. "Before the Rain" by Anastasia -Macedonian fusion music with powerful male vocals.
Marco