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;
Arvo Part, Fratres. Soul-piercing Minimalism. If you don't know it, worth 11 minutes of your listening time to see if it affects you as it does me.
ewemon posted:
Allegedly, Pete Townsend hated "The Seeker" ................ funnily enough, it's always been a favourite of mine, as, for me, it encapsulates everything good about the early Who sound .................. essence of Who, in fact. 
Because I have to listen to it regularly, my favourite Floyd. I find it moving on so many levels.
kevin J Carden posted:Arvo Part, Fratres. Soul-piercing Minimalism. If you don't know it, worth 11 minutes of your listening time to see if it affects you as it does me.
I know,the version with Jarrett and Kremer from the ECM Tabula Rasa album (and the one with the cellos from the same album), I’ll have a listen to this one, it’s very moving music. I used to think that music described as minimalism would be intellectually interesting only, Part and Adams convinced me otherwise, Part’s music affects me deeply.
dave marshall posted:ewemon posted:
Well Ewen, you've certainly been promoting this album quite heavily over the last few days ................ so, to see what all the fuss is about, I'm Tidalising it right now ....................... not quite country, not quite bluegrass, a very good album indeed, great shout.
Had exactly the same thought as you Dave. If Ewe has put this on here more than once it must be quite special so have just this minute Tidalised it myself, though a bit late to play it tonight.
Eoink posted:kevin J Carden posted:Arvo Part, Fratres. Soul-piercing Minimalism. If you don't know it, worth 11 minutes of your listening time to see if it affects you as it does me.
I know,the version with Jarrett and Kremer from the ECM Tabula Rasa album (and the one with the cellos from the same album), I’ll have a listen to this one, it’s very moving music. I used to think that music described as minimalism would be intellectually interesting only, Part and Adams convinced me otherwise, Part’s music affects me deeply.
Funny you should mention John Adams as I would echo exactly your 2 choices for genuinely affecting modernist/minimalists. I've always loved 'short ride in a fast machine' (I have the Simon Rattle, CBSO version) and love this performance of the Violin Concerto. I intend to try more of Adams' back catalogue.
kevin J Carden posted:Eoink posted:kevin J Carden posted:Arvo Part, Fratres. Soul-piercing Minimalism. If you don't know it, worth 11 minutes of your listening time to see if it affects you as it does me.
Funny you should mention John Adams as I would echo exactly your 2 choices for genuinely affecting modernist/minimalists. I've always loved 'short ride in a fast machine' (I have the Simon Rattle, CBSO version) and love this performance of the Violin Concerto. I intend to try more of Adams' back catalogue.
Pieces I love include Harmonium, Fearful Symmetries, Wound Dresser, and his recent piece On the Transmutation of Souls.
dave marshall posted:ewemon posted:
Allegedly, Pete Townsend hated "The Seeker" ................ funnily enough, it's always been a favourite of mine, as, for me, it encapsulates everything good about the early Who sound .................. essence of Who, in fact.
Love the opening guitar riff and in total agreement with you Dave.
Another recent album I love and a great follow up to Sprained Ankle.
nigelb posted:dave marshall posted:ewemon posted:
Well Ewen, you've certainly been promoting this album quite heavily over the last few days ................ so, to see what all the fuss is about, I'm Tidalising it right now ....................... not quite country, not quite bluegrass, a very good album indeed, great shout.
Had exactly the same thought as you Dave. If Ewe has put this on here more than once it must be quite special so have just this minute Tidalised it myself, though a bit late to play it tonight.
It is not an album I think everyone will like in fact it has had kinda mixed reviews as it is as Dave says not quite country etc.
Jackie Shane.
Now playing......
Yelena Eckemoff - Leaving Everything Behind
Went with this album after a mention from Bert. He commented a bit latter he did not enjoy a violin in Jazz and that peaked my curiosity to give this album a listen. Reading the review and seeing that the title was based on her departure from the Soviet Union the inclusion of the violin made sense, at least for me. It would not be my favorite jazz album as I listen to it on this first pass. With that said, some of the tracks are quite lovely and enjoying it more as I'm half way through the 8th track. For me it has turned out to be worthwhile listen.
Yelena Eckemoff (piano), Mark Feldman (violin), Billy Hart (drums), and Ben Street (double bass)
Anyway review can be found at All About Jazz here and here.
Having trained as a classical pianist at the Moscow State Conservatory, Eckemoff's classical chops were finely honed. She became interested in jazz in her 20s, so even the oldest pieces here were born with jazz leanings. But Eckemoff considers 2010's Cold Sunher first true jazz album, making this music she describes as "music I composed when I knew very little—if anything at all—about the modern jazz field." Her jazz recordings have always had a strong through-composed element, giving them a classical chamber music foundation within an improvisational jazz setting. These pieces are the same, and indeed the listener is unlikely to notice their age. Instead they demonstrate a creative common thread present in Eckemoff's music for many years.
This quartet is well equipped for the challenge of revitalizing this older material. Violinist and improviser Mark Feldman (John Abercrombie, Uri Caine) is the lead voice, supported by bassist Ben Street (Danilo Pérez, David Virelles, Billy Hart Quartet), returning veteran drummer Billy Hart (appearing on his third Eckemoff recording), and of course the composer on piano. The opener "Prologue" sets the mood with a rubato feel, just piano and drums at first. "Rising From Within" continues with a dramatic motif, followed by a contrasting section that also provides the structure for the solos. "Love Train" is driven by Hart's vibrant groove, and he even takes a brief solo. The title tune has an especially striking Romantic theme, which Feldman makes the most of. Eckemoff recorded it by herself using piano with MIDI instruments on 2003's Piano Chronicles I. "Ocean of Pines" also had a prior recording, on 2006's The Call with the local ensemble Eckemoff led before she began working with international groupings.
In fact that band was the reason for the creation of these arrangements, as Eckemoff worked her old songs into trio, quartet, or quintet versions. For these sessions the improvisational element was further developed by the addition of structured improvisations, and in a few cases (e.g. "Coffee & Thunderstorm," "Spots of Light," "Love Train," and "Hope Lives Eternal") by inserting free group improvisation. Eckemoff describes her approach this way: "Traditionally, jazz is about extensive improvising on what might even be a simple tune...I provide a comprehensive, carefully thought-through musical framework...at the same time I leave much space in the framework for the creative reading by each band member." This band embraces both the compositional framework and the improvisational elements, producing a seamless, emotional result.
First spin:
Now Playing......
Lee Ann Womack - The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone
Thanks to all the mentions from EWEMON, DAVE MARSHALL, and NIGELB .......
Streaming from TIDAL.....
Five tracks down and whats not to like, great voice and some really good songs that were hits for others. Her husband produces the album back in East Texas where his wife was raised and his home state as well in the year where he has a 2017 AMC album of the year award. They also put together a group of musicians who have played and toured with some heavy hitters in the industry.
Eight tracks into the album and enjoying it quite a bit, definitely will be giving this a few spins in the upcoming days/weeks.
Casadesus/Van Beinum/Concertgebouw: Beethoven Piano Concerto NO.1 - '59 rec.
This is not my pick for Beethoven's piano concerto but Casadesus gets a major brownie points for playing his own cadenza in 1st movment.
This was the last commercial recording of Van Beinum. ( 10 days later he passed away from a massive heart attack on a podium at age 57 ) Interestingly recording balance on this record is more focused on orchestra than a piano.
Toscanini/Philly: Schubert Symphony 9 - rec.41
It's been a while since I listened to Schubert's Symphony. His later set with NBC sounds better and even tighter performance than this but still Toscanini's Schubert is one of my fave for a greater tension management and dynamics.
Clive B posted:MDS posted:Stevee_S posted:
(1969)
Sounding rather fab ripped from the 2013 half-speed remaster (by Stan Ricker) Japanese pressed SuperViny box-set .
Excellent, Steve. My favourite Beatles album
I like browsing this thread; it gives me clues as to what to listen to, what to buy etc. but there's never enough time to fit it all in. It is also a reminder of some fine music from days past. This album, 'Abbey Road' was only the second album I bought, and what an album it is. This will definitely go on my imaginary list of albums to remember to play this week.
*Edit I made an error with the information, this collection was half speed re-mastered in 1982 not 2013, my apologies for any confusion chaps that's what can happen when I try to type without concentrating! 
First impressions, muscular ....
Haim Ronen posted:Richard Morris posted:
Richard,
I have ordered it last week after acquiring lately:
Haim
Hi Haim, don't know the last one - will investigate.
Another Red…
