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

Prompted by another excellent post on London Jazz Collector

Edit: just noticed the post by Jeroen20 who also recommended this.

Wes Montgomery - Some much guitar.

Fine jazz by Wes Montgomery.

Allmusic.com:

One of Wes Montgomery's finest recordings, a Riverside date that showcases the influential guitarist in a quintet with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lex Humphries, and the congas of Ray Barretto. All eight performances are memorable in their own way, with "Cottontail," "I'm Just a Lucky So and So," and a brief unaccompanied "While We're Young" being high points.

The Wailin' Jennys  - Fifteen   

2017.  CD.  First listen

An album of their favorite covers.  They harmonize very well.   I enjoyed all of the songs, but the ones which stood out to me were Paul Simon's "Loves Me Like a Rock", Patty Griffin's "Not Alone", and Warren Zevon's "Keep Me In Your Heart".   Looking forward to repeated listens.  

  Eva Cassidy - Nightbird.

  Keen to see what all the recent fuss has been about this lady, here in the Music Room, I picked this up today.

  Wow! What a voice .................. can't believe I've left it so long so listen to Eva. 

  Thanks again to this great forum thread for pointing me in the right direction. 

2014.  CD

Debussy: Steven Osborne (piano)

Chamber music has taught me that music is about relationship.  In fact, I could go on quite avidly about how the best examples of chamber music playing can illustrate some of the secrets of the best marriages.  It is about the interplay, give & take and a focused back and forth conversation - picking up signals and responding appropriately.  So what has this got to do with Debussy's solo piano music?

Maybe nothing but only to say that in solo music there must also be some sort of relationship that one experiences as well.  As a pianist, when I sit at the piano it is between myself and the composer.  As a listener, it gets even more complicated as it becomes a sort of ménages à trois.  One is still married to the composer, so to speak, as one (at least I do) seems to have some sacred covenant with them.  But to add a little flavour to this relationship one invites someone from the outside in to add to the conversation.  The risk is that these interpreters can either challenge us (raise an eyebrow) or comfort us by adding to our already complimentary union.

I have become resigned over the years to be careful about judging this 'third wheel' who comes into this relationship.  In something as subjective as musical interpretation their is no such thing as right or wrong.  It is more about who do I want to spend my time with?  In the end, it is a matter of respect then accepting what someone else has to say.  It is not for me to say that some interpreter should change something to meet my expectations, rather, it is a matter of me allowing myself to change instead.

So this is an album of contrasts - some good and some not especially in compliance with my personality.  Technically superlative but musically not as pleasing.  So here is where I state quite categorically that I am not an easy person to please in this department.  My nature is to try and make something better always by pointing to some glorious ideal.

My general beef is that I am not fond of the slightly percussive piano (either the piano or recording outcome?).  Secondly, I prefer my Debussy to be more on the softer, dreamier side.  Look at the cover, for instance.  It is film vs. digital.  The cover is about making time stand still as opposed to a detailed approach of looking pixel by pixel harsh approach.  I would put Osborne in the same category as a Pollini who both tend to lean into the colder side musically.

A good comparison of contrasts starts this disc off with Masques, then D'un Cahier D'Esquisses and L'Isle Joyeuse.  Three pieces all written around 1903/1904.  With Masques one gets the sense of a muscular Debussy while the softer side is suddenly evident in D'un Cahier D'Esquisses and then L'Isle Joyeuse returns to an island of muscular beings with six packs.  

Masques could be played like it is Prokofiev but really all the clues are given in the score.  Very rhythmic but also, generally on the soft side.  This is sombre music but filled with a certain angst and tragedy that reflects a difficult period for Debussy after a difficult separation from his first wife.  I could go on and on with each piece illustrating how I don't feel a true sense with what Debussy has confided to me through his music.

Should Debussy be muscular?  Well, occasionally but very rarely.  I need to hear softness, nuance, freedom at times - rhythmic at other times.  With a certain softness you should hear swells as if from a harp where you don't hear individual notes but you hear an emotional effect.  Mostly soft with the swelling of emotion given slight crescendos when called for.  Think about the mathematics of motion in laying on a small boat rocking in the waves while watching clouds change shape.  Very complex to describe but simple to experience.  You don't quite know which way you will move next but you still are comforted and hugged by the predictability of a rocking chair except there is no predictability.  Kind of like life.

Anything I say is merely my opinion.  What do I know, after all?  I only follow my heart and simply prefer a much softer and slower rendering of this music overall.  This puts me at odds with a culture that mostly sees faster and louder as the key ingredient to 'entertainment.'

(2014)

Time for some Swedish progressive metal / alternative rock, some make comparisons to Tool which is high praise but I feel that even on this, their second album that they have their own style. 

Stevee_S posted:

(2014)

Time for some Swedish progressive metal / alternative rock, some make comparisons to Tool which is high praise but I feel that even on this, their second album that they have their own style. 

 

Excellent choice!

Florestan said:

"Anything I say is merely my opinion.  What do I know, after all?  I only follow my heart and simply prefer a much softer and slower rendering of this music overall.  This puts me at odds with a culture that mostly sees faster and louder as the key ingredient to 'entertainment.' "

Like.

C.

Debussy:  Seong-Jin Cho (piano)

So it comes down to personality.  For me, here is a quite, unassuming, humble 23 year old who gets closer to the ideal of what Debussy anticipated than most do in a lifetime.  Seong-Jin Cho creates an atmosphere that just pulls me in.  It is really the whole package - his personality, his musical ideals, his musical knowledge and then you get into the physical side in how he approaches a piano.  Very few have this sort of ethic.  Just look how he caresses the keys and produces such a lovely softness and beautiful aura.  This is the musical ideal for producing truth and meaning.  Just watch the third link below of La plus que lente and L'Isle joyeuse.  He approaches the keyboard as if dusting it with 10 feathers.  The outcome is simply intoxicating.

This album is really quite good for me.  I do have some areas where I would have preferred this or that to be slightly altered but really as is this album really inspires me.  The touch and softness of sound (helped by a phenomenal recorded sound), the imagination, the voicing, the phantasy - all really outstanding.

Again, one can directly compare Images I & II, Children's Corner and L'Isle joyeuse directly with the previous album above.  With Osbornes more percussive piano/playing/recording the outcome is different.  In my view, with Cho's softer touch, more interesting interpretation and slightly slower tempos in general this album is a winner.

The music just breathes here.  There is also a sense of atmosphere and character.  Full disclosure is in order.  Cho is the most recent winner of the 17th Int. Chopin Piano Comp. and in my opinion one of the best to come out of that in many, many years.  So I have a slight bias already before I even listened to one note.  Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but for me I think this guy is the direct antidote to the likes of the Lang Langs and Yuja Wangs of the world.  I only wish he never caves in to the pressure of an audience and marketers who would want him to change to appeal to a broader market.  For me, if he remains focused on the music then I look forward to see what he will rise to musically.  A real treat for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1sEftVPrds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35eWi71xmZQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J-kmoP0tJM

Post ninties deep house from Kenneth Graham.

(February 2017)

A deep breath and on to their fine latest release. 

Miles Davis - Seven steps: the complete Columbia recordings of Miles Davis 1963 / 1964

Another good one from Miles Davis.

  Fantastic Negrito - The Last Days Of Oakland.

  You know those times when, staring at the iPad, faced with a choice of hundreds, nay, thousands of albums from which to choose,

  you find yourself just stabbing "Play", in the the knowledge that the chosen album will clarify things for the rest of the evening?

  Well, this is one of those albums, impossible to assign to any given genre, a bit random, but awfully  good.

   It's on Tidal, so, go on, give it a bash. 

40th Anniversary Deluxe. I was luckily enough to be at their very first gig in the UK at the Roundhouse

Old vinyl

Why? Well, sometimes you just have to...

steve

 Jools Holland & Jose Feliciano – As You See Me Now       From HRA in 24/44   it comes in FLAC,  but dBpoweramp fixed that little problem. 

A really really enjoyable album,  nothing to take seriously,  just kick of your shoes & enjoy.  A mix of classics from jazz & blues & a hint of pop.  The boogie power of the R&B Orchestra & the great guitar of Jose Feliciano,   a magic mix.  

(September 2017)

Thanks to our Naim Nymph for highlighting this one. I played it a few nights ago and playing it again now, its well up there with some of Savoy Brown's  early material. Another one that is going into the shopping basket, lovely stuff. 

1994 - vinyl - UK first pressing...

Paper Plane posted:

Old vinyl

Why? Well, sometimes you just have to...

steve

See my previous post regarding indecision, when faced with an iPad choice of thousands of albums.

You're right, Steve, and that's me signing off for tonight, for an evening of high drama .............. mind you, ............. LOUD!!! 

1993 - vinyl - UK pressing...

Recording Otello in this day and age takes guts. Singers that are able to do justice to the three lead roles are few and far between, and will inevitably be compared to the greats from the past. But I’m very much enjoying this latest - studio! - effort from Pentatone.

For starters, we have here, for the first time in Otello, a first rate orchestra and choir, recorded in high definition. Lawrence Foster conducts a natural performance, fluid and passionate where required. He has the measure of the work, and really delivers impressive work.

All the singers are new to me. Nikolai Schukoff is, on this evidence, a very good Otello. His baritonal tenor is full of colour and he has the charisma, stamina and power for his big scenes. His approach is a bit primal, lacking the subtlety of the older Domingo, with some extra musical effects (whispers, some cries, etc - it never gets too bad).

Melody Moore has a very pleasing sound, and is a moving Desdemona - in style and voice, she blends well with Schukoff. Lester Lynch as Iago took some getting used to. There is a slow wobble in his voice, and at first I thought his voice lacked colour and substance. But I’ve warmed to him, he presents a believable person, a less overt schemer than usual.

So, who knew, a new favorite performance of Otello on record. Warmly recommended.

Listened in sacd-stereo.

cheers,

EJ

Strewth, ‘like a fool’ can drill a hole straight into your soul..

(January 2017)