What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)

2 X LP - Pschent  : )

Ambrosia - A Reminiscent Drive
Where Do I Begin (Away Team Mix) - Shirley Bassey
Les Chrysanthèmes - Cosmos Sound Club
Hi-fi Trumpet (Boyz from Brazil Mix) - Stereo Action Unlimited
Yachts (A Man Called Adam Mix) - Coco Steel & Lovebomb

Late Lounge Lover - Hacienda
Latazz - The Funky Lowlives
Appollo (Adam Goldstone Edit) - Cujo & Superstars of Rock

Cruisin' - Can 7
Timeless (Orange Factory Remix) - Gazzara
PNC Aux Portes - Stephane Pompougnac
Cleopatra in New York - Nickodemus

Electrologe - Trouble Makers
Last Tango in Paris - Gotan Project
Every Time (A Man Called Adam Balearic Remix) - Lustral

Album released Oct 2000 / a.k.a. Hotel Costes Vol.3

~ < > ~

This is really growing on me - it's taken a few plays.

Gov't Mule - The Deep End Volume 2

My favourite Southern Blues band, and I had to be badgered into listening to them by this forum, many, many moons ago (You'll like them. No, you'll really like them. Look Nick, just LISTEN TO THEM). Which makes it slightly odd they don't get much of a mention these days.

Anyway, there are many album highlights (especially live) but this is a high highlight. When their original bass player, Allen Woody, died they invited some of his favourite bassists to play as guests on the next studio album. So many volunteered they ended up making two (and a live double). The guest list over the series is utterly stellar.

On Catfish Blues you get Billy Cox partnering Matt Abts in the engine room with Bernie Worrell adding swirls of Hammond, over the top of which Warren Haynes give you two magnificent solos. The first is a wild slide affair, the second a slightly more restrained picked, Hendrix-influenced one.

One of my lesser-played Mary Black albums.  And when I do play it I wonder why I don't play it more often !?

Vinyl

MDS posted:

One of my lesser-played Mary Black albums.  And when I do play it I wonder why I don't play it more often !?

I'm a big Mary Black fan,  I've seen her live numbers of times, last one was Northampton.  I was first introduced & had plenty of opportunity when I worked in Ireland (on & off for 32 years)  I've also had the pleasure of listening to her in small singing pubs around the west coast.

My album list is .......  Babes in the Wood,  Circus,  Full Tide,  No Frontiers, Shine, Speaking with the Angels, Stories from the Steeples,  Holy Ground,  plus numbers of her contributory albums – e.g. both the Women's Hearts..    

Mike-B posted:

MDS posted:

One of my lesser-played Mary Black albums.  And when I do play it I wonder why I don't play it more often !?

I'm a big Mary Black fan,  I've seen her live numbers of times, last one was Northampton.  I was first introduced & had plenty of opportunity when I worked in Ireland (on & off for 32 years)  I've also had the pleasure of listening to her in small singing pubs around the west coast.

My album list is .......  Babes in the Wood,  Circus,  Full Tide,  No Frontiers, Shine, Speaking with the Angels, Stories from the Steeples,  Holy Ground,  plus numbers of her contributory albums – e.g. both the Women's Hearts..    

I'm envious, Mike. I too am a big fan. I first came across her through a free sampler CD issued with Hi-Fi Answers magazine many years ago.  I've seen her perform live only once and that was a couple of years ago at Guildford and while I very much enjoyed it, I also felt that some of the power of her voice had faded and I came away with something of a regret that I hadn't taken the trouble to see her years ago when she was in her pomp. It must have been wonderful to see and hear her sing in the intimacy of a small Irish pub.

As to her albums, I would put No Frontiers, Babes in the Wood, By the Time it Gets Dark, and Without the Fanfare at the top of my list. Hard to rank those. Then 'Collected' and 'Mary Black'.  I've got the others you mention and enjoy them though for reasons I can't put my finger on  Full Tide has always left me a bit cold.

What you've also reminded about is the Women's Heart albums. I've got two somewhere in the CD rack and haven't listened to them in yonks. I will now correct that.  From memory, I think Mary's sister features on those.    

Vinyl

Next up and last for tonight.

 From memory, I think Mary's sister features on those.    

Yes Frances Black, on the first WH she sang the very non-Irish "After the Ball" & also “Wall of Tears”. To rub in the envy just a tiny bit more   , my old cmpy HQ was Galway & Dolores Keane had a pub on the harbour quay,  lovely voice, many a great night in her place.   I also organised dealer meetings & needed a small jigs & reels band to entertain a dinner for about 100 in a hurry.  One of our manufacturing engineers was a well known local guitar & banjo & he got together some unknown teenagers who (unknown at the time) included Eleanor McEvoy & Sharon Shannon;  himself & Sharron came back to our hotel & played exclusively for about 10 of us 'factory' guys in the bar 'til past 4 in the morning.  

No Frontiers is playing now  

Mike-B posted:

MDS posted:

 From memory, I think Mary's sister features on those.    

Yes Frances Black, on the first WH she sang the very non-Irish "After the Ball" & also “Wall of Tears”. To rub in the envy just a tiny bit more   , my old cmpy HQ was Galway & Dolores Keane had a pub on the harbour quay,  lovely voice, many a great night in her place.   I also organised dealer meetings & needed a small jigs & reels band to entertain a dinner for about 100 in a hurry.  One of our engineers was a well known local guitar & banjo & he got together some unknown teenagers who (unknown at the time) included Eleanor McEvoy & Sharon Shannon;  himself & Sharron came back to our hotel & played in the bar 'til past 4 in the morning.  

No Frontiers is playing now  

Duly rubbed, Mike. Great stuff!

Cyril, Gone Through Years, Tidal.

i really need to get this on CD. A fine prog album.

Pull Collins, Face Value, Tidal MQA via Audirvana/Hugo.  Not sure if it sounds any better than the 24 bit version yet but it does sound rather nice and the dynamics have got me into trouble with Mrs DayJay!  Still a damned good album

Lunatic Soul, Tidal.

because it is late and this is brilliant with my headphones.

Guitar music from the Balkan:

Recorded at the Harmony Hall, Matsumoto, Japan in 1991.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mUz4tHL6L8

Vinyl

Stephane Grappelli, Michel Petrucciani, Roy Haynes, George Mraz - Flamingo. 1995. CD Rip. Grappelli was 87 at the time but you wouldn't know it from his playing! Nice.

First go on this one. Seems like a good one to wind down and have a drink to.