What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017
2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread can be found here;
On CD:-
CD rips, 1st listen to:-
Steve Hackett - The Night Siren, pretty good album, more of his own style stuff. Multiple instruments and personnel. Slight criticism vocals are a bit weak, but nothing new there really. look forward to hearing some of these tracks live next month.
Genesis - Wind and Wuthering
On SHMCD
(1978 | 2008)
Tina Brooks is teamed with the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (on one of his earliest sessions), pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Taylor for a set dominated by Brooks' originals.
2014 Music Matters reissue of the 1960 Blue Note Records release... 
Horacio Gutiérrez (piano)
Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849): 24 Préludes, Op. 28
Robert Schumann (1810-1856): Fantasie, Op. 17
I have waited in anticipation for some time now to hear the Cuban-American pianist, Horacio Gutiérrez and with my obsession with Chopin's Préludes this is a serendipitous day indeed. What I find is that Gutiérrez produces a rather nice, hearty tone. Overall, he does not wear his heart on his sleeve and despite his brisk tempos his clarity does not suffer as a result.
The booklet notes for this CD, written by Stephen Wigler, are excellent and among the best that I can think of. What Wigler has profoundly alluded to in his notes are what I have gathered from playing this music over my lifetime, and that is that a vast majority of music is about (or hints at) death. In this case, Chopin's Préludes are a perfect example of a life's story - they are about love, death, struggle, beauty, our eventual doom and so on.
So how does one convey this music and its meaning? I would say that one of the biggest dividers in musical interpretation (and there are many but...) amongst us humans is in interpreting how we each believe something means. For instance, one side thinks that the notes speak for themselves (the mind readers) and the other thinks that the most meaningful way to understand something is to have a conversation and shape ideas into heartfelt emotions. I am not here to advocate for one side or the other including everything in between. The truth is that there is not one right answer for everyone but we each tend to be drawn to what may be true for us each on a personal level.
So, Gutiérrez triumphs here I think overall bearing in mind that out of 24 Préludes (plus the Schumann) you have times where fleetness and stoic fortitude is the aim but at other times this does not seem to be a appropriate response when you should convey some pain and suffering, for example.
Again, this is a personal thing. These days, with ADD running amuck expecting someone to put there *&^#ing devices down and stare in to space in reflection for a moment is like cutting off their oxygen supply and general will to live. For example, in the so called "Raindrop" Prélude you have people who judge it solely by time which means less than 4 minutes duration = GOOD and 4 minutes or more = BAD (of course, each additional second is just cause to hate it even more). 8 minutes plus is like the tragedy of tragedies for some. I ask, can you rush something that is melancholy or sad even and still understand these feelings? Can you rush a funeral march? (the answer is no!!!!!). The faster you play something that should not be played fast the more you feel like you are merely at the horse races where you tend to look at the clock at lot.
This is a good recording. Extra praise will come from the camp that believes it isn't good to show too much feeling/emotion in playing Romantic period music (or any music). Gutiérrez does display some empathy with the music but it is kept mostly in check and never exceeding a tiny amount. For some, this is perfect. I personally do not understand this fear that many have with reaching for some emotion to put the music in context, where appropriate.
This excellent retrospective from 2009..
Esbjörn Svensson Trio (or e.s.t.) was a Swedish jazz piano trio formed in 1993 consisting of Esbjörn Svensson (piano), Dan Berglund (double bass), and Magnus Öström (drums). EST music has classical, rock, pop, and techno elements. EST lists classical composer Béla Bartók and rock band Radiohead as influences. There style involves conventional jazz and the use of electronic effects and multitrack recording.
Esbjörn Svensson died in a scuba diving accident in Stockholm on 14 June 2008.
Double Vinyl.
Original vinyl
Why? The finest anfdmost underrated band ever to come out of Leicester deserve a spin now and then.
steve
A + 3 | WAV
(2006)
Super album and Mr. Petty doing a grand job here with a stripped down sound.
Coltrane on the Blue Note label.
Paper Plane posted:Original vinyl
Why? The finest anfdmost underrated band ever to come out of Leicester deserve a spin now and then.
steve
Fantastic band, enjoyed many a show of theirs and was very pleased to have worked at EMI when they were signed to them...
Did some secondhand Vinyl shopping today and picked this mint copy up for a £1.
John Lennon - Rock n Roll
apye! posted:
On vinyl...
What do you think of this, Andy? It's sitting in my river 'basket' but I haven't yet completed the transaction.
LP - Impulse 2016 : )
Madeleine Peyroux - vocals, acoustic guitar, guilele
John Herington - electric guitar, vocals
Barak Mori - upright bass, vocals
Recorded in a live setting at the Parish Church of Saint Mary The Virgin, Great Milton, UK. January 2016
Madeleine continues to evolve in her own style and away from the 'Billie Holiday' sound.
Very lethargic tempos, plod alone easy on the ear, this live recording has a cosy close up feel, the absence of a drummer increases the relaxed stance of this string trio. Some won't like the cardigan, slippers, and pipe style of play but it is well presented and very well recorded - especially the upright bass which makes it well rounded bass presence felt to good effect. Very short 1xLP album, 33 minutes in total, imho the material maybe a little weak in places but it oozes feel good factor and the quality of play is rather superb.
Original vinyl
Why? Time to listen to the whole thing and not just the 'hits' on the radio.
steve
What to say about this, just a stunning piece of work and probably his best.
Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks
24/96 Flac
Doug, you are pushing me into a Chopin mode:
There is no way that one could be a bad pianist with a name such as Witold Malcuzynski:
Been in a bit of a JW mood since the Doozy arrived - this just came in the mail today:
Raider posted:
What to say about this, just a stunning piece of work and probably his best.
A wheezy, garrulous Andy Kershaw was rather less equivocal on Today this morning!
Thanks Raider, an all time great record.
Chris
The cats and i are sat in the front seats of the opera tonight : )
Debs
Haim Ronen posted:Doug, you are pushing me into a Chopin mode:
There is no way that one could be a bad pianist with a name such as Witold Malcuzynski:
Haim, If that is all it takes? I'll get the paperwork started on Monday.
Regards,
Witold