Members Weekly Music Recommendations-August 14

[thebes]

Thanks for helping out Grog, hope you have gotten the goodies by now.

Zero music for me last week, but I did set up my nephew with a killer

Klipsch setup as a graduation present when I headed home for a

vacation. Didn't have room in my car for my road rig, Klipsch

Promedia.

I did however, spend a few hours yesterday listening to some tunes and selected one I hope will be of interest.

Format's simple: Name of artist or group, name of album, type of music

as best you can (rock, blues etc.), and recording format (cd, lp etc.)

Bob Dylan, "Street Legal", folk, lp

One of Dylan's later efforts (1978) when his star was starting to wane

a bit, but worth it for "Senor" alone. Hey you either like Dylan

or don't but in recent years I appreciate his stuff so much more then I

did when he was at the height of his popularity. Added plus, it

was put out the Columbia label. He was their first artist of the

new generation, hell Mitch Miller was running the joint when he cut his

first album. Columbia did know how to record properly and the

sound is excellent.

So what do you have to share this week?

[grog]

Got my goodies!!

Thanks thebes!!!!

A little jazz pick this week.

Chico Freeman - The Emissary

# Audio CD: June 11, 1996

# Original Release Date: November 29, 1995

01 The Spirit Catcher

02 Mandela

03 The Emissary

04 Murcia

05 La La Means I Love You

06 Come On With It

07 The Streets Got Me Weeping

08 Guitar

09 I'll Write A Song for You

10 Seven Steps To Heaven

11 Jikele Maweni

12 Dun Dum Ba

http://www.chicofreeman.com/

Greg's pick: Track #01 - The Spirit Catcher

The deep sound of the SAX in The Spirit Catcher is played oh so fine against the stand up bass.

Biography

An excellent tenor saxophonist and the son of Von Freeman, Chico Freeman has had a busy and diverse career, with many recordings ranging from advanced hard bop to nearly free avant-garde jazz. He originally played trumpet, not taking up the tenor until he was a junior in college.

Freeman graduated from Northwestern University in 1972, played with R&B groups, and joined the AACM. In 1977, he moved to New York, where he worked with Elvin Jones, Sun Ra, Sam Rivers' big band, Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, and Don Pullen, in addition to leading his own groups.

He recorded a dozen albums as a leader during 1975-1982. Starting in 1984, Freeman has played on a part-time basis with the Leaders, he has recorded on a few occasions with his father and in 1989, he put together an electric band called Brainstorm. Chico Freeman has recorded through the years as a leader for Dharma, India Navigation, Contemporary, Black Saint, Elektra/Musician, Black Hawk, Palo Alto, Jazz House, and In & Out.

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

[oldbuckster]

ERIC CLAPTON Live on Tour 2001 DVD 5.1 DTS

"One More Car...........One More Rider"

I have owned this for awhile, played it maybe 3 or 4 times, and it wasn't until this morning did I realize just how good this disc is. Eric Clapton, backed by his usual cast of characters, plus Mr. Billy Preston, what a fine bunch of solid musicians this band is. If you are a Clapton fan, you know the names, been there 20 years I bet, with these band mates, and it shows. Right from the opening song, Key To The Highway, to the closing of Over the Rainbow, it's a non stop run through his career. Well to be fair, that's is my opinion, might not be someone else's, great mixture of material. Eric Clapton is a most versatile Guitarist, is there nothing he can't play, this disc covers many styles of music,and Eric plays them all,a BIG DOG, if you will, he gets better with age. Boy, he's done pretty good for an old Yardbird. If your a Clapton Fan, this is a Must Have, real nice picture, Excellent Sound.................Spend your money..........good shots of Billy Preston......

CLAPTON IS GOD.....................................maybe.............

[damonrpayne]

I've been getting into "Auracle" by Lesium. It is billed as "Sara Brightman meets enigma" and while I'm not sure that's quite accurate you can see where its going. Latin singing combined with female english vocals, some synth drums, very atmospheric

[Andronicus Dragon]

I have been listening to Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Sid n Susie Under The Covers Vol 1. CD .This is such a great reminder of how smart and intelligent pop used to beat at times.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sid (Matthew Sweet, after his character's name in the Austin Powers

band Ming Tea) and Susie (Susanna Hoffs, who joined him and Mike Myers

in belting out "BBC" on the soundtrack) are in as fine voice as ever on

Under the Covers, Vol. 1, a 15-song collection of tunes first

made famous by the likes of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Mamas and

the Papas, and the Who. And man, were they born to sing this stuff.

Both the Bangles and Sweet discographies are derivative--in the best

possible sense--of late-'60s pop-rock, and who didn't love the

Merry-Go-Round, Grass Roots, Simon & Garfunkel, and Big Star covers

Hoffs and company scattered among their originals? Recorded at Sweet's

home studio in the Hollywood Hills, the album opens strong with "I See

the Rain," a Marmalade song from 1967 that Jimi Hendrix called the

year's best British single but was a hit only in the Netherlands. Maybe

Sweet's stinging, ringing fretwork (he plays most of the non-percussion

instruments on this disc) and Hoffs's throwback vocals will rectify

that, nearly 40 years later. The two proceed to nail the Beatles' "And

Your Bird Can Sing," one of the high points on Revolver, and

score similarly with Fairport Convention's "Who Knows Where the Time

Goes?" (Hoffs in full ballad mode), the Stone Poneys' "Different Drum,"

the Who's "The Kids Are Alright," Love's "Alone Again Or," and a pair

of Neil Young numbers, "Cinnamon Girl" and "Everybody Knows This Is

Nowhere." Some of the selections do miss the mark--Hoffs's

smoky-sweet backing vocals seem a little misplaced on Dylan's "It's All

Over Now, Baby Blue," and "The Warmth of the Sun" was probably the

wrong Beach Boys track for Sweet to attempt (Brian Wilson himself

strains at those high notes nowadays). But by and large this is a

delightful power-pop excursion. Van Dyke Parks's liner notes,

keyboards, and string arrangements make it that much better, as do

Sweet collaborator Ric Menck's drums, Ed Fotheringham's illustrations,

and Henry Diltz's photographs (Hoffs looks as stunning today as she did

when laying down All Over the Place). --Benjamin Lukoff

[RichardP]

Here's one for all you oldsters, like me:

Traffic - Gold (CD, Universal-Island, 2005). It is a remastered 2-CD collection of all Traffic's hits. Most were recorded 1967-1971, with one album in 1974. The remastering is very good, with very few indications of how old the recordings are, i.e., no hiss like I hear on other remasters. The songwriting skill is very evident, as these are instantly-recognizable tunes that sound like no one else. If you like Traffic at all, or even Stevie Winwood's later stuff, you should like this one a lot.

[oldbuckster]

Here's one for all you oldsters, like me:

Traffic - Gold (CD, Universal-Island, 2005). It is a remastered 2-CD collection of all Traffic's hits. Most were recorded 1967-1971, with one album in 1974. The remastering is very good, with very few indications of how old the recordings are, i.e., no hiss like I hear on other remasters. The songwriting skill is very evident, as these are instantly-recognizable tunes that sound like no one else. If you like Traffic at all, or even Stevie Winwood's later stuff, you should like this one a lot.

That would be Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood...........FINE group............never really the same after Dave left............but I also loved Low Spark....and your right....Nobody sounded like Traffic.........loved the way Chris Wood worked in the flute...........always wished Welcome to the Canteen had been recorded better..........that's a killer Traffic album.................RIP Jim and Chris.........

[picky]

Since attending the Hope Pilgrimage in June, I've been editing the 7 hours of video footage I shot in order to be able to present a 1-hour presentation to the Klipschters that attend my BBQ event on the 26th. While editing this footage, there is a sequence in there where our illustrious Dr. Who is tweaking the sound board that was to be used for the Saturday evening live concert at the farmhouse. During that tweak-session, Dr. Who was using, ironically, "Test for Echo" by Rush.

In the process of editing, one tends to hear the same thing over-and-over-and-over again. So, I admit that I got kinda hooked on the music and I ran out and bought the CD yesterday. I found it highly listenable and quite interesting. Although, clearly not Rush's absolute best, it was refreshing to hear them do something different. Therefore, I wish to make "Test for Echo" by Rush, the 2004 Remaster version of this 1996 original album my weekly recommendation. I tend to agree with the following reviewer's comments:

Very Underrated, great music, June 15, 2006

Amazon Reviewer:

Dale A. Burket (Maitland, FL USA) - First of all, many people consider TFE as the weakest Rush album of the 90s, but all three (Roll the Bones, Counterparts, and TFE) are wonderful albums. While TFE is not as easily accessible as the other two, it has profound subject matter (as always with rush) and the writing on the band's part is great. Unlike other albums that this band does, TFE is better to listen to as a whole than as individual tracks. People look at "Half the World" and "The Color of Right" as filler tracks, but when listened to with the rest of the album, they help the music flow and create musical bridges between the melodies and lyrics. Overall, this is a great album all around and everyone should hear it at some point in their life.

1) Test for Echo - great opener; it does get long after awhile but it is a fun track (9.5/10)

2) Driven - Better live than on the album, it doesn't fit well with the surrounding tracks (8.5/10)

3) Half the World - Very fun lyrics, it is a catchy melody. Standard 90s song (8.5/10)

4) Color of Right - Another catchy melody, this one is heavier and better though (9.5/10)

5) Time and Motion - I love when Rush changes the Time Signature all the time 5/4 to 3/4...Yes, a heavy track! (8.5/10)

6) Totem - Back to the major key. Great relief of stress after Time and Motion (9/10)

7) Dog Years - No matter how many times I listen to this one, i can never catch on to it, its a good melody though (7.5/10)

8) Virtuality - This is a very fun song, it is fun to play too. If u like interesting chord structures, u'd love this track (9/10)

9) Resist - Wonderful Bridge track! It gets the listener thinking that the album is almost over. Its still better acoustic, though (9.5/10)

10) Limbo - I LOVE RUSH'S INSTRUMENTALS!!! This is another good one. They don't need lyrics, they tell a well enough story with just their instruments. Best song on the album (10/10)

11) Carve Away the Stone - Another song with an interesting time signature change, I think Resist would've been a better end to the album, but this works too. (8/10)

[Steve_L]

ERIC CLAPTON Live on Tour 2001 DVD 5.1 DTS

"One More Car...........One More Rider"

I have owned this for awhile, played it maybe 3 or 4 times, and it wasn't until this morning did I realize just how good this disc is. Eric Clapton, backed by his usual cast of characters, plus Mr. Billy Preston, what a fine bunch of solid musicians this band is. If you are a Clapton fan, you know the names, been there 20 years I bet, with these band mates, and it shows. Right from the opening song, Key To The Highway, to the closing of Over the Rainbow, it's a non stop run through his career. Well to be fair, that's is my opinion, might not be someone else's, great mixture of material. Eric Clapton is a most versatile Guitarist, is there nothing he can't play, this disc covers many styles of music,and Eric plays them all,a BIG DOG, if you will, he gets better with age. Boy, he's done pretty good for an old Yardbird. If your a Clapton Fan, this is a Must Have, real nice picture, Excellent Sound.................Spend your money..........good shots of Billy Preston......

CLAPTON IS GOD.....................................maybe.............

Oldbuckster, you're right on, in my opinion this is the BEST of numerous EC DVDs. Really an excellent concert. Everyone is at the top of their game and the audio and video are excellent.

He isn't God, but he's got a gift from God, that's for sure!

[Steve_L]

Okay, sorry I've been missing in action. I've just gotten back from the Newport Jazz Festival, which was fabulous this year, due to perfect weather and a couple of incredible performances, most notably from McCoy Tyner and Artruro Sandaval.. who I had never followed, but boy, I will now!

Anyway, this was Newport at it's best, fabulous misic, scenery (unbelievable boats in the harbor), people and of course great restaurants. It was impossible not to enjoy the Jazz Fest.

But, in 1956, it was even better!! Because that was the year of the most incredible jazz performance ever. Performed by none other than the Duke Ellington big band. This was all caught on tape and has been reissued as a fabulous 2-CD set that is a MUST OWN for any serious jazz collection.

the most important piece of this collection is the historic 27 bar sax solo of Paul Gonsalves. He takes a releativel simple piece and gets everyone in Newport up and dancing. Crank it up and enjoy jazz the way it was meant to be!!

Here's a quote from Amazon..

"Ellington got the lift he needed when he called "Diminuendo in Blue" with set-closer "Crescendo in Blue" tacked on the end. Tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves got the nod from Ellington to segue from "Diminuendo" to "Crescendo," and he blew doors. With one rousing 27-chorus solo, Gonsalves blew a fever into the crowd and jump-started Ellingtonia for another generation."

One of the things I find I really enjoy with my journey into jazz is not only the beauty, and spirituality of the music, but the history from where and when it came.

Enjoy jazz, big band genious of The Duke, and the great feel of Newport 1956.

[oldbuckster]

Steve, When I write Clapton is God, that is not a personal statement, there was a picture long ago of a dog peeing on a wall with graffiti that said, Clapton is God.......that's where that comes from......many years ago..................Duke Ellington Big Band.........personally speaking, there is nothing like a Big Band........the sound is amazing.........glad you had a good time..........Surprised you never make the Jazz Festival at Saratoga.........

[Steve_L]

Hey Oldbuckster I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound corrective.. sorry if I did!

I know you don't think Clapton is God, ..and I think I do have a bumper sticker hanging around here someplace that says that very same thing.

...besides, he can't be God, because Stevie Ray is God! silly!! []

I need to get up to Saratoga Jazz festival sometime, what month is it in? Still, nothing like the fabulous tradition and Old colonial beauty of Newport RI.

[dtel]

OldBuckster that is one of my favorite dvds.

"One More Car...........One More Rider"

Also need to find that Traffic cd, I always liked them.

Ok I know it is Aug but in the last week or so I have been going back and listning to some Cd's I haven't heard in a while.

When I put this on I had forgot how well it is recorded.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

It's more of a traditional style of Christmas music, a few 16,17 and 18 century carol's. Some a little unusual but all recorded very well. Recorded 1984

Some may have this one already, but the quality of the recording stood out from the average CD i had played.

It does feel a little funny listening to this when it's 98 degrees outside.

[oldbuckster]

Steve, No man, I just did not want to offend you, that's why I tried to clarify that point, some would find it offensive...................I also beg to differ with you about Stevie Ray, although there wasn't too many any better than him......Glad I had the chance to see him, another Fender Bender.........................Early July for the Jazz Festival, Saturday and Sunday, atleast 12 hours a day..........Main stage, and a small stage........Saratoga Performing Arts Center is a beautiful place to see a show..........keep it in mind......

[Steve_L]

Great set of recommendations this week. I wish we could get a few more of the members that hang out up in the two channel world.. I know there's some real musical dictionarys up there.

This is my favorite thread every week.

[Audible Nectar]

A rock selection..........

If this CD sounds like an intimate club show, that's because it is - Phish at Markthalle in Hamburg, Germany, 3/1/97. See what other musical teases you can pick out after "Mike's Groove"......