Members Weekly Music Recommendations-Jan. 10

[thebes]

Great participation and great suggestions last week. glad to see some folks picked up some new tunes over the holidays.

Rules are simple, Artist/Group, Title, genre (blues, jazz etc.) type of music (lp/cd)

As usual I'll start it off with:

Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland "Showdown", lp, and cd, blues

Forget Stevie Ray Vaughan is you want to know what southern blues really sounds like this is the one for you. In continous production and availability since it's release in 1985 three of the blues mightest guitars and voices rock it up on this one. Recording quality is just a smidge above average but with 3 wailing Fenders who cares?

So what have you got for us this week:

[SCOOTERDOG]

I just got the new albim by Blackfield. It is a collaboration between Steven Eilson of Porcupine Tree and Aviv Geffen. This is an exceptional recording by two very talented people. It is a combination a of rock, prog rock. If anyone is interested go to this site for a video of the song "Blackfield".

http://www.porcupinetree.com/blackfield/blackfield_small.mov

scotter

ps. if you want more info go to www.PorcupineTree.com

[SCOOTERDOG]

Man I should have read that before I hit submit.

I just got the new album by Blackfield. It is a collaboration between Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Aviv Geffen. This is an exceptional recording by two very talented people. It is a combination a of rock, prog rock. If anyone is interested go to this site for a video of the song "Blackfield

[nicholtl]

Longwave's "Strangest Things" Alternative/Rock CD.

Billie Holiday's "Lady in Satin" Jazz/Female Vocal LP.

Yo-Yo Ma's "Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone" Classical CD.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend all 3 albums.

[theryugobuddy]

There are so many fans of Stevie Ray Vaughan on this forum, I wanted to recommend an album mage by Indigenous, who obviously were inspired by him. Boy, were they inspired--

They are a family of native Indians, and the guitar player is an absolute shredder of the blues. He plays riffs and licks fast and furious throughout-- The CD is " Live at Pachyderm Studio 1998". Don't bother with their other albums--lyrics are banal and the music's overproduced. This live in the studio album, though, just kicks butt--they really let loose.

[Frank Speaker]

The Best of Grace Jones

This is some older music but there are a few good tunes on it especially her version of Libertango (Ive seen that face before).

Libertango

She also does a version of Edith Piafs Vie En Rose.

Check out these clips, they are the same tune!

Edith Piaf "Vie En Rose"

Grace Jones Vie En Rose

[synthfreek]

I feel like such a slacker for not posting 2 weeks in a row. Here are a few:

Steve Reich-Drumming (1970-71. Deutsche Grammophon 2cd version). Modern minimalist classical? I still don't really understand why Reich's stuff is classified in most stores in the classical section. This is a VERY hypnotic percussion masterpiece played mostly in a room of tuned conga drums by 10 people or so. It starts off with just one steady bongo hit. Soon another joins in what seems like almost a random time. Slowly layer after layer is added and the final outcome is just this insanely intense drum monster. The sound is immediate and in your face. There are times when Reich utilizes his "phasing" technique by letting certain drums go out of tempo with each other by slightly increasing the speed of one until they're back in time. While not my favorite Steve Reich album(Music For 18 Musicians and the second half of Electric Counterpoint w/ Pat Metheny are my faves) this is up high on my list.

Michael Stearns & Ron Sunsinger-Singing Stones (1994. Fathom/Hearts Of Space. CD). Actual resonant stone recordings. Native American Ceremonials with Electronic Instruments. This is a great album of Stearns and Native American/Shaman Sunsinger "playing" stones with elk antlers. Sounds crazy but I swear you would never in a million years that that is what is making these sounds. Shamanic ritual music with some CRAZY but typical deep bass from Stearns. All of Stearns albums are impeccably produced with a "beyond the walls" soundstage.

Homemade Shred-Metal Guitar compilation(synthfreek records. 2005. CD) A friend started recently playing guitar and has never heard any stuff like this. I made him this cd. All the neo-classical playing is new to him to I stuck to the king Yngwie Malmsteen with the cuts Black Star & Icarus' Dream Suite Op. from his debut album Rising Force, Crying from his album Trilogy, Blues Saraceno-Never Look Back, George Lynch-Mr. Scary, Eddie Van Halen-Eruption and Racer X-Frenzy & YRO(which is an insane version of Moto Perpetuo on metal guitar). I think I forgot a few but you get the picture. Sound quality is mediocre at best on all those mid to late 80s albums.

[thebes]

Hey Synth, your into ambience etc. have you heard a group called Big Lazy a friend recommended them to me but I don't have any sort of feel for their music.

[synthfreek]

thebes you can check out their stuff at biglazymusic.com. I checked out a few tracks and it wasn't very "ambient" but it was interesting. Spaghetti western meets Tom Waits instrumentals. I think the band Japancakes do this sort of thing much better. I'd recommend their album titled Belmondo. Another band called A Small Good Thing also has similar stuff. The album Slim Westerns is classic.

[Woodog]

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On 1/12/2005 7:29:08 PM synthfreek wrote:

Michael Stearns & Ron Sunsinger-Singing Stones (1994. Fathom/Hearts Of Space. CD). Actual resonant stone recordings. Native American Ceremonials with Electronic Instruments. This is a great album of Stearns and Native American/Shaman Sunsinger "playing" stones with elk antlers. Sounds crazy but I swear you would never in a million years that that is what is making these sounds. Shamanic ritual music with some CRAZY but typical deep bass from Stearns. All of Stearns albums are impeccably produced with a "beyond the walls" soundstage.

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Gotta question Synthfreak.. I teach taiji and am always looking for good, spacious, meditative background music to accompany my lessons as well as my personal meditation. Would this fit into that category??

thanks,

Forrest

(I think I'll get the drumming rec just because I really dig percussion, but I would hardly call it conducive to meditation).

[synthfreek]

I would assume that the Singing Stones album would be more appropriate for shamanic/peyote rituals. It's no coincidence that Stearn's music is heard in the film Baraka with scenes of Tai Chi being practiced. I really like his album The Lost World for deep thought and meditation. It's also one of the few electronic albums repeatedly name-dropped by audiophiles. A few of my other favorites for meditation are: Pete Namlook-Air I&II(out of print double cd set readily available on eBay) is probably my very favorite. Very ethno-ambient featuring a huge variety of sounds and instruments. Very 3D/huge soundspace. Global Communication-76:14. Lush and orchestrated. Vangelis meets Tangerine Dream with a twist. Has occasional unobtrusive beats. Brian Eno-Neroli. Probably the ultimate in minimal ambient. Literally just a few notes randomly played for an hour. VERY good for sleeping or background wallpaper. Another favorite of massage therapists and yoga practicers is Steve Roach. I have over 50 of his albums and almost every one is fantastic. One of his most famous is titled Structures Of Silence. I think Yoga Journal or one of those yoga magazines named it best album ever for meditation. I really like his album The Magnificent Void. EXPANSIVE and CAVERNOUS. This style of ambient is usually referred to as isolationism because of the sense of space it creates. You can check out tons of his pieces at steveroach.com. He's done work with Stearns and Sunsinger and is a REALLY cool guy. One of the few artists setting up full-blown surround sound systems at his rare live shows. He has an event coming up in Tuscon that I will be attending(my first time seeing him). Check out the info on his site. Pillows, chairs, sleeping bags encouraged. I love it.

[Woodog]

AWESOME! Thanks for the information. I'll buy these based on that description. I really dig the 'expansive' sound for meditation and taiji practice.

As for new music I've been listening to this week...

Allison Kraus and Union Station 'New Favorite' (I'm a big bluegrass afficianado... must be the guitar picker in me)

Mary Chapin Carpenter 'Time *Sex* Love' bought as a result of a recommendation here... really good stuff... reflective.

A 'burnt' CD compilation of the Indian music producer A.R. Rahman, ... on of my student workers (from India) responded to my request that he share music he was passionate about... and this is extremely well produced east meets west played by some of India's finest talent. It really just blows me away. I'm going to have to seek out 'real' CD's by this fellow.. he has it together.

later y'all,

Forrest

[Steve_L]

My pick of the week, is another blues album and blast from my past.

I've got it on vinyl, but it is also available on CD.

This is arguably the best early Taj Mahal you will ever hear, with back-up vocalist help from The Pointer Sisters!

Taj Mahal, Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff - 1972

This is a half live and half recording studio album. The live side is Taj Mahal playing banjo and putting the Deliverence banjo duet to shame. He starts out with this very mellow Conch Intro piece to set the mood and develop a vibe, quieting the audience down to mellow. then, he builds a bit of excitement with the traditional Kalimba and then he just gets the crowd to it's feet with a fabulous Banjo show on Ricochet (this may be two banjo's I don't know, but the liner notes don't say on my original vinyl, if it's just him it is all the more impressive.) Finally, with The Free Song, he puts you in the some place in old south gospel reality with "Rise Up Children Shake The Devil Out Of Your Soul" a stand up and shout number and the crowd does just that.

Background vocals and handclaps by none other than the young and sweet Pointer Sisters, who have yet to hit it big on their own.

This is one fine album and something any blues fan who loves a bit of history and some great unplugged blues, before unplugged became stylish will love.

Check it out!