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;
Eoink posted:
Disc 4 from the fantastic box set, alternate versions of his music, and some fantastic live recordings. Pretty good sound quality, the Experience brilliant as ever, and Jimi is Jimi. If you love Hexdrix, this box set is well worth looking at, great rock music.
Good call, Eoink. I have that box-set but haven't played anything from it for ages. Must address that soon.
M
Now Playing......
Ron Miles - I Am A Man
Ron Miles (cornet), Brian Blade (drums), Bill Frisell (guitar), Jason Moran (piano), and Thomas Morgan (bass)
Streaming from TIDAL....... A fantastic album! Great interplay and space among these musicians and all highlighting their skills......at least that is how I feel after the first three tracks.
Review by Dan Bilawsky found at All About Jazz here:
......
The quintet that Miles assembled for I Am A Man capitalizes on long-lasting relationships and familiar figures. First and foremost on the list of old friends is Bill Frisell. The shared sensibilities that bind the cornetist and guitarist have been on display for more than two decades, highlighted on Frisell releases like the eerily wonderful Quartet (Nonesuch, 1996), the richly textured Blues Dream (Nonesuch, 2001), and the stylistically broad-minded History, Mystery (Nonesuch, 2008); collective concoctions, such as the two albums from Floratone; and a number of Miles dates, like the duo-licious Heaven (Sterling Circle, 2002) and the trio-centric Quiver (Enja/Yellowbird, 2012) and Circuit Rider (Enja/Yellowbird, 2014). Drummer Brian Blade, the third member of the trio on those aforementioned Miles albums, also returns for another ride here, bringing his inimitable touch and signature blend of grace and groove to the fore.
While Miles' past trio dates never wanted for anything or anyone, the two additives on this outing—bassist Thomas Morgan and pianist Jason Moran—prove indispensable, manifesting as the missing ingredients that nobody could've known were missing in the past. Morgan, who's Frisell's bassist of choice these days, is a highly skilled harmonic navigator and a rhythmic pillar, capably binding this band and craftily finding his way through solid checkpoints and the mists of uncertainty that occasionally create a fog. Moran, whose distinctive personality could theoretically threaten to overpower any situation, perfectly meshes with his band mates. At times he artfully weaves his keys into the tapestry, but he's equally comfortable standing out front to paint a pensive picture as an entryway ("Darken My Door") or add his two cents in a quaint and beautiful setting ("Mother Juggler").
The originals presented here are basically in keeping with the general theme and Miles' established persona. His cornet, with its sapphire-to-indigo blue streaks, provides a high level of warmth that draws in the ears, and his compositions inspire conversation, communication, and the occasional feeling of consternation (i.e. the core of "Revolutionary Congregation"). One number might be set off by a simple motif, inviting a lyrical strain to set in and a grooving gathering to take shape ("I Am A Man"); another might flow from the start, with an underlying swing pulse setting a curved course for cool ("The Gift That Keeps On Giving"); and a third may call on deep reflection ("Is There Room In Your Heart For A Man Like Me?").
There's great specificity in Miles' writing, yet the music is flexible enough to allow for these five beautiful and intrepid souls to make their mark within the established bounds. I Am A Man occupies a rare space, existing as a mark of musical pride and dignity, a statement driven by social activism, a history-propelled piece of art, and an album that challenges and unites. What's more, it scores incredibly high marks when viewed from each of those angles.
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
1970 - vinyl - UK first pressing...
Another great-sounding Yoshino SHMCD:
Kevin-W posted:Stunning-sounding (a flat transfer from the 2-track analogue masterin 96/24 by Kenji Yoshino) Japanese SHM-CD of Fancy, made in Memphis with a stellar lineup of musicians...
Beautiful Bobbie with her wonderful voice... Ode to Bobbie Gentry 
I haven’t listened to this for a very long time, spotted it while scrolling the Js and gave it a stream. The boys join forces on live recordings with Moroccan and Egyptian string musicans and a rock band, a few new songs, but largely reworkngs of Zeppelin numbers. It sounds dubious, but for me it works wonderfully. The strength of the songs shine through, the middle eastern style fits really well, I won’t leave it so long to the next play.
Now Playing.......
Bill Frisell Quartet
Bill Frisell (composer, acoustic guitar, electric guitar). Ron Miles (composer, piccolo, trumpet ), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), and Eyvind Lang (tuba, violin)
Streaming on TIDAL......
Note from TIDAL: Guitarist Bill Frisell has become well-known for his eccentric and highly versatile style. Able to sound like Jim Hall, a heavy metal player, or a Nashville studio guitarist at a moment's notice, Frisell has created sounds on the guitar that have never been heard before. This CD uses a rather unusual instrumentation, a quartet comprised of Frisell, trumpeter Ron Miles, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes and Eyvind Kang, who doubles on violin and tuba. Ten of the 13 Frisell originals on the release were originally written for films (including one for Gary Larson, "Tales from the Far Side," and one for a Buster Keaton movie "Convict 13"), and the resulting music is tightly arranged yet spontaneous, episodic, and sometimes a bit nutty, but also strangely logical. Whether it be the old-timey theme to "Dead Ranch," the blues in "Convict 13," a few somber ballads, or hints at early Duke Ellington (particularly by Miles' wah-wah trumpet), this is a continually interesting, offbeat set. ~ Scott Yanow
Just perfect for a late evening listen in front of a warm fire.
Considerably more remains of ancient Greek architecture than the music of this advanced and inspirational civilization. And although works explaining Greek music theory have survived, the actual existence of composed pieces from these times comes down to only a few scraps that survived on papyrus, marble columns, and other written sources. This Spanish ensemble under the leadership of Gregorio Paniagua pieced together these remains and performed them with reconstructions of instruments from ancient Greek sources, some of which, such as the bagpipe, remain in use today. Portions of the music included may remind listeners of very early classical music such as Gregorian chant, whereas other pieces will certainly cause an astonished reaction as they sound unlike any other music recorded. Some is sparse, floating, the melodic ideas developing very slowly. A few of the old-world Greek percussion instruments wind up sounding quite a bit like new-world electronic music.
\https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1z0zaGDzlQ
Now Playing.....
Guy Clark - My Favorite Picture of You
Guy Clark (vocals, composer, acoustic guitar), Shawn Camp (banjo, fiddle, guitar, guitar resonator, mandolin, octave fiddle, vocal harmony), Bryn Davies (bass, cello, vocal harmony), Chris Latham (guitar, guitar resonator, viola, violin, vocal harmony), Gordie Sampson (guitar), Verlon Thompson (guitar, vocal harmony), Noel McKay (nylon string guitar), Morgane Stapleton (vocal harmony)
Streaming on TIDAL....... Half way through this album and it certainly is worth the time to give it a listen.
Credits for composers include: Shawn Camp, Jeremy Campbell, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Morgane Hayes, Joel Hughes, Lyle Lovett, Noel McKay, Gordy Sampson, Chris Stapleton, and Ray Stephenson. Then there is Chris Stapelton's wife Morgane Stapleton singing with Guy on a number of tracks.
Note from TIDAL:
Now Playing......
Mary Black - The Holy Ground
Mary Black (vocals), Pat Crowley (accordion, piano), Garvan Gallagher (bass, clevenger bass, double bass), Dave Early (congas, drums, percussion), Frank Gallagher (fiddle, whistle, synthesizer), Declan Sinnot (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin, Spanish guitar, synthesizer, vocal harmony), Carl Geraghty (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone), Mel Mercier (tabla), Mired Ni Mhaonaigh (vocals)
Streaming on TIDAL...... An enjoyable album, easy listening at the dinner hour.
Note on TIDAL: Irish singer Mary Black is well known for deftly combining her Celtic roots with contemporary folk. On this release, she offers another strong set of songs, as she interprets songs from American folk favorite John Gorka ("Treasure Island") and connects with Anglo-folk tradition on the lovely "One Way Donkey Ride" (written by Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention fame). The acoustic instrumentation feature a rich blend of guitars, fiddles, saxophones, and accordions that add a timeless feel to most of her songs. The highlight of the album is "Loving Time," an emotional story of star-crossed lovers told with a bittersweet aching that few artists could deliver so poignantly. While a few songs towards the end of the album suffer from middle-of-the-road, adult easy listening arrangements, Mary Black's voice remains an incredibly expressive instrument that makes this another solid effort. ~ Vik Iyengar
Echavox- Queen of Heaven
'The Music of Keith Jarrett'.
Great music for my workout...
Concert For George. On 2-HDCD from 2003. As tribute concerts go this one has a real legacy of contributors and the performances are superb while genuinely heartfelt. Always a touching listen for me and a reminder of an indelible rock artist gone at only age 58.
Doobie Brothers - Livin’ on the Fault Line/Minute by Minute -UnitiserveSSD
They were very popular in the 70s particularly. The lead singer has an amazingly good voice. They are great musicians. The style is varied but there is a jazz flavour. The vinyl came out in 1977 and this CD with Minute by Minute in 2011. Try it on TIDAL.
Phil
Steve Lacy - Reflections. Recorded in 1958. 1991 CD-rip. Nice one.
The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars stating "All of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy's early recordings are quite fascinating, for during 1957-1964, aspects of his style at times hinted at Dixieland, swing, Monk, and Cecil Taylor, sometimes at the same time. For this CD reissue (a straight reproduction of the original New Jazz LP), Lacy teams up with pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Buell Neidlinger, and drummer Elvin Jones for seven Thelonious Monk compositions. The typical standbys (such as "'Round Midnight," "Straight No Chaser," and "Blue Monk") are avoided in favor of more complex works such as "Four in One," "Bye-Ya," and "Skippy"; the sweet ballad "Ask Me Now" is a highpoint. Lacy always had an affinity for Monk's music and, even nearly 40 years later, this set is a delight.".