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;
Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading
Just love our Joan, though for me her early stuff is the best, but I was weaned on these early albums as a stoodent.
Nat King Cole - Where did everyone go?
Nice and relaxed music by Nat King Cole, supported by the arrangements of Gordon Jenkins.
Nice warm guitar sound...
When i went for my first proper hi-fi demo (Systemdek 2, Nad 3020, KEF Carlton 3) in a tiny little shop called Audio Excellence, this was the album used.
Loved it ever since.
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
(2012)
I heard a track of his on the ever excellent Radio Paradise and just had to take the rest of the album out for a try. An Aussie multi-instrumentalist. "He combines a love of surfing with a love of roots music. Like Ben Harper, he plays Weissenborn lap steel guitars. Utterly unlike both of those musicians, however, he has a unique setup. Rudd is a one-man band who plays surrounded by instruments in a complicated array: typically, he has three didgeridoos placed in front of him on a stand, a guitar on his lap, a stomp box by his habitually bare feet, and an assortment of drums, banjos, harmonicas, bells, and bass guitar near at hand, or near at foot, as the case may be. He takes this setup with him on frequent tours (as well as his surfboards), relying on word of mouth rather than record labels to speak for him. His albums, several of them live recordings, are most often for sale at these sold-out gigs."
(2013)
The closest that our Mr. Posford has come to writing a carol is here with the rather lovely Epiphany of Mrs Kugla.
Edna Stern - "Schumann: Fantisie, Opus 17" (2007)
Keith Jarrett - La Scale
From allmusic.com:
For this live solo concert (recorded at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano, Italy and released in 1997), pianist Keith Jarrett performs two lengthy improvisations simply titled "La Scala, Parts I and II." Most of the music is quite lyrical and romantic. The first part (which lasted nearly 45 minutes) does have a section using a droning rhythm reminiscent of American Indian music before resolving back into a ballad. The second section (a mere 27½ minutes) starts out dissonant, gradually evolves into a peaceful section, and then concludes with the original dissonant ideas. As an encore, Jarrett performs a melodic and very beautiful six-minute rendition of "Over the Rainbow," receiving a well-deserved thunderous ovation at its conclusion. The music overall develops slowly but always holds one's interest, reinforcing one's viewpoint of Keith Jarrett as one of the top pianists of the 1980s and '90s.
Jeroen20 posted:Keith Jarrett - La Scale
From allmusic.com:
For this live solo concert (recorded at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano, Italy and released in 1997), pianist Keith Jarrett performs two lengthy improvisations simply titled "La Scala, Parts I and II." Most of the music is quite lyrical and romantic. The first part (which lasted nearly 45 minutes) does have a section using a droning rhythm reminiscent of American Indian music before resolving back into a ballad. The second section (a mere 27½ minutes) starts out dissonant, gradually evolves into a peaceful section, and then concludes with the original dissonant ideas. As an encore, Jarrett performs a melodic and very beautiful six-minute rendition of "Over the Rainbow," receiving a well-deserved thunderous ovation at its conclusion. The music overall develops slowly but always holds one's interest, reinforcing one's viewpoint of Keith Jarrett as one of the top pianists of the 1980s and '90s.
Once in a while I surrender to the itch to re-listen to this concert which I consider one of the best of KJ‘s live recordings. I need to be open, prepared and willing, but if I am, it will result in one of the finest musical moments there are, out there.
Finishing Jan Garbarek / Hilliard Ensemble - Officium Novum, and enjoying it
(1993)
Stripped down ancient carols accompanied by some wines, fizzy stuff, egg nog and an array of various single malts for those wanting to dig that little bit deeper early doors.
"Hildegard of Bingen and Peter Abelard, he of Abelard and Heloise are the only two named composers on this disc. "English, 15th century" and Anon are the more common ascriptions to these medieval carols, sung with a blend of pungency and tenderness by Oxford Camerata. Not all are specifically associated with Christmas: there are hymns to the Virgin Mary, to St Stephen and, in Deo gracias Anglia. a celebration of Agincourt. But the jolly Spanish Riu riu chiu, together with the English Gaudete Christus en natus, Nowell Sing We and What Tidings Bringest Thou? encapsulate the Christmas message with touching simplicity." -- The Daily Telegraph, December 2006
On original vinyl
Why? I'm a sucker for Kayleigh...
steve
Following [@mention:1566878603919322] recommendation (again), and giving Sequentia - Voice Of the Blood a try
Herbie Hancock - "The Piano" (2004) a Haim Ronen recommendation from a few years ago, sublime. It is a piano morning and there is a dusting of white on the ground in Portland. Very pretty.
Continued with this one. A varied album, which when you have a moment where you don’t like it picks up quickly again...
Now moved to a nice swinging affair...
Wes Montgomery & Eddie Higgins - One night in Indy
This is a recording of a live concert in 1959. It was recorded on a 'homemade recorder', so the audio quality is not very good. But the music is!
2 x LP Fine Music © 2010 : )
Lhasa - heartbreaking final Record of an exceptional artist that had to leave too early. Way too early.
More original vinyl
Why? Another band I saw at the Hammy Odeon in 1980s. (And it's got naff all to do the Xmas)
steve
2 x LP - ECM 2010 : )
Nik Bärtsch - piano
Sha - alto saxophone, bass clarinet
Björn Meyer - bass
Kasper Rast - drums
Andi Pupato - percussion
Recorded at the Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines. March 2010
~ < > ~
Vista Chino. Good to go for tomorrow, time to chill at last with a glass of wine 
Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 2
Chris is blaring out of the MuSo Qb at the moment.
Brilliant (the album and the Qb).