What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Portrait of the Blues -- CD

Bobby "Blue" Bland

1991 Malaco Records

This 1991 release, along with YEARS OF TEARS from 1993, amply demonstrate the enduring power of Bobby Bland, a most singular blues singer. Justly hailed for his '50s records on the Duke label, Bland remained a powerful presence over the ensuing decades. As with all of his recordings for the Jackson, Mississippi-based Malaco label, the bulk of the songs were penned by Malaco's in-house writers. One of the set's only numbers from an outside source is the opening "Ain't No Love For Sale" by John Barranco.

With his characteristic snorts and growls, it's clear from the outset that Bobby "Blue" Bland is in command. PORTRAIT is his usual mix of bluesy shuffles, ballads, and soulful stomps. And any album that's got a song called "She's Puttin' Something In My Food" has got a leg up on the competition. Produced by Wolf Stephenson and Tommy Couch, PORTRAIT features a regal stable of players, including the durable Muscle Shoals rhythm section of drummer Roger Hawkins and bass player David Hood.

Track listing

1. Ain't No Love for Sale
2. Hurtin' Love
3. These Are the Things That a Woman Needs
4. I Can Take You to Heaven Tonight
5. Last One to Know, The
6. Just Take My Love
7. I Just Won't Be Your Fool Anymore
8. She's Puttin' Something in My Food
9. When Hearts Grow Cold
10. Let Love Have Its Way

LINKY -----> http://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Blue...1L0X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299362289&sr=1-1

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Botch]

...in 5.1 SACD... :music-listening:

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Good Modern Jazz? Sure, try this......

Somewhere Else Before CD

E.S.T.

2000 Columbia > Superstudio Gul Records

Jazz - the Next Generation, October 27, 2004
By Michael Morrison (FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)


This review is from: Somewhere Else Before (Audio CD)

E.S.T. coolly combines jazz virtuosity with rock and techno elements to make music that both immediately rewards (the catchy, propulsive "Dodge the Dodo" and the pensively melodic "From Gagarin's Point of View") and fosters repeat listening (hypnotic "The Wraith"). Piano man Esbjorn Svensson pours melodies from his fingers without being overbearing. Bassist Dan Berglund is not content to simply hold down the bottom; he uses the bow and electronic devices to bring his instrument to the forefront. Drummer Magnus Ostrom ties it all together with his battery of percussion. I've read some reviews that deride E.S.T. for their melodic and rhythmic accessibility. What rubbish! Jazz is more than Ornette Coleman. E.S.T.'s killer tunes and obvious musicianship mean more to me than all the 45-minute sax solos in the world. If that's what you like, don't pick up this album. But if you enjoy strong melody, rhythm and musicianship, buy this album (or indeed any of E.S.T.'s albums).

Track listing

1. Somewhere Else Before
2. Dodge the Dodo
3. From Gagarin's Point of View
4. Return of Mohammed, The
5. Face of Love, The
6. Pavanne (Thoughts of a Septuagenarian)
7. Wraith, The
8. Chapel, The
9. In the Face of Day
10. Spam-Boo-Limbo
11. Dark Water - (hidden track) <-----HIDDEN TRACK ALERT

 

[Dennie]

Uninvisible -- CD

Medeski Martin and Wood

2002 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

It's possible to admire Medeski Martin and Wood's craft and guile in pushing against stylistic restraints while recognizing that their music isn't quite as much fun as it once was--or that this hugely popular trio may think it is. Full of shaggy cross-textures, plummy grooves, and spooky electronic underpinnings, Uninvisible is a lively sonic stew. Once a universe unto themselves, keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood continue to smartly expand their jam-band base, here featuring a brash five-piece horn section from the Brooklyn-based Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, turntablists DJ Olive and DJ P Love, and, for a spoken-word number, craggy-voiced Southern rock eccentric Col. Bruce Hampton. When Medeski is riding that Hammond organ and the group is taking its patented soulful detours, as on "Pappy Check" and the Booker T-ish "Smoke," all is right with the world. But even with Medeski dabbling on a roomful of other instruments, including the Mellotron, mini-Moog, and Arp, the songs don't have a lot of variety. And crowded with effects, the music can bog down in its own abstract logic--though there's no resisting the ping-pong game being played on "Off the Table." The chief rewards of Uninvisible are in the details. Until further notice, a headphone advisory is in effect. --Lloyd Sachs

All tracks by Medeski Martin & Wood except where noted.

1. "Uninvisible" – 3:37
2. "I Wanna Ride You" (Medeski) – 3:28
3. "Your Name is Snake Anthony" (Hampton, MMW) – 3:12
4. "Pappy Check" – 2:46
5. "Take Me Nowhere" – 4:06
6. "Retirement Song" – 4:47
7. "Ten Dollar High" – 3:42
8. "Where Have You Been?" – 3:37
9. "Reprise" (Medeski) – 0:35
10. "Nocturnal Transmission" – 6:37
11. "Smoke" – 2:46
12. "First Time Long Time" – 2:52
13. "The Edge of Night" – 3:53
14. "Off the Table" – 4:15

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/Uninvisible-M...=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1299377159&sr=1-5

 

[Dennie]

ORANJ SYMPHONETTE PLAYS MANCINI -- CD

Oranj Symphonette

1996 Gramavision Records

From the Label

On this joint release from Gramavision and HIFI, thirteen of Mancini's most memorable tunes have been inverted and subverted by some of the Bay Area's finest improvising musicians. An inspired blend of weighty musicianship and giddy fun, Oranj Symphonette's bold creations could be labeled "savant lounge," "uneasy listening," and "acid 'zak" if one must pigeonhole these improv secessionists from the Cocktail Nation.

The quintet balances their serious jazz chops with madcap humor, from the spy-punk rampage of "A Shot In The Dark" and the cheesy exotica of "Lujon" to the fearsome psychosonics of "Mr. Yunioshi" and the drop-dead beauty of Brubeck's cello on "Moon River." "Free improvisation," notes Brubeck, "is a lot of fun for the musicians, but it has a tendency to leave the audience in the dust. However, when your original reference point is as well known as, say, 'The Pink Panther Theme,' you don't lose people on the ride. There is a long jazz tradition of reworking popular songs into vehicles for improvisation. This band just gets its material from some unusual sources."

Track listing

1. Shot in the Dark, A
2. Experiment in Terror
3. Pink Panther Theme, The
4. Lujon
5. Inspector Clouseau Theme, The
6. Moon River
7. Charade
8. Days of Wine & Roses, The
9. Mr. Yunioshi
10. Mr. Lucky
11. March of the Cue Balls
12. Baby Elephant Gunn

Oranj Symphonette: Ralph Carney (horns); Matt Brubeck (cello, bass); Pete Scaturro (Hammond organ); Joe Gore (guitar); Scott Amendola (drums, percussion).

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/Plays-Mancini...322Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299379151&sr=1-1

 

[Razz]

My first tubes on my speakers.....

.....that's what I'm listening to this weekend.

 

[Razz]

very good stuff.......

 

[smgreen20]

New Metal for me, Hatebreeds Jamie Jasta and Crowbars front man formed a side band..... Kingdom of Sorrow. It's not to bad, 7/10

 

[Botch]

 

[Dennie]

My first tubes on my speakers.....

.....that's what I'm listening to this weekend.

Sweet! :bow-blue:

How do you like the "Tube" sound Razz?

Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Blue Gardenia -- CD

Etta James

2001 Private Music

The legendary blues singer indeed lives up to the silly cliché about being able to sing the phone book and make it sound rich, meaningful, and soulful. Still, it's always exciting to hear her tackle materials she's missed before. Here she shifts gears impressively into the intimate jazz club mode, performing beautifully arranged takes on a wide variety of standards (from "Come Rain or Come Shine" to "Cry Me a River") under the direction of producer John Snyder and arranger/pianist Cedar Walton. Those two gathered a handful of great jazz players and recorded the initial tracks without James, who had a touch of the flu. A few months later she had recovered and did the amazing vocal sessions which truly sound live and in synch with the music. Beginning with the redemptive theme of "This Bitter Earth," each song allows her to explore both tenderness and guttural emotions, even a little irony on clever twists like "He's Funny That Way." There are also perfectly placed spotlights for the featured musicians. "This Bitter Earth" and "He's Funny That Way" feature a thoughtful improvisation by Walton, while Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" has a passionate interlude by tenor saxophonist Red Holloway. Most of the vocals are textured over a bed of simmering brass, adding to the old school big band flavor that creates the atmosphere for the project. It's certainly common for great artists to thank their parents for various influences, but James goes one step further on the title track, allowing her mom to sing the tune; mom is no match for her daughter, but it's still a unique touch that adds emotional dimension to an already emotionally rich affair. ~ Jonathan Widran

Track listing

1. This Bitter Earth
2. He's Funny That Way
3. In My Solitude
4. There Is No Greater Love
5. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying
6. Love Letters
7. These Foolish Things
8. Come Rain or Come Shine
9. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
10. Cry Me a River
11. Don't Blame Me
12. My Man
13. Blue Gardenia

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Gardenia...NHMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299428430&sr=1-1

 

[Dennie]

Something Cool -- CD

June Christy with Pete Rugolo and his Orchestra

1954/1991 Capitol Records

The ultimate collection for fans of the Misty Miss Christy, Something Cool features June at her best. The twenty-four songs on this CD cover the period between 1953 and 1954, the most productive and successful years of her career.

Eleven of the selections on Something Cool are from the original album of the same name which gave June her first real commercial success and convinced the critics that she was a capable jazz singer. The odd title song, with its sad rhythm and its lyrics about a pathetic woman lost in the haze of her own mind, is truly a classic. Most of the songs that June recorded fell into the category of ''odd,'' in a good sort of way. Many of the numbers on this CD are relatively unknown and little recorded, but June, with the help of arranger and orchestra leader Pete Rugolo, turned these oddball numbers into true gems of the ''smoke-filled room'' jazz variety. Those numbers that are familiar, like ''Midnight Sun'' and ''The Night We Called It a Day,'' are given the same twist as the unknowns, making the album, from beginning to end, flow quite dreamily through the unique world of Miss June Christy.

A definite recommendation.

Track Listing

* 1. Not I
* 2. Whee Baby
* 3. Why Do You Have to Go Home?
* 4. You're Making Me Crazy
* 5. Something Cool
* 6. Magazines
* 7. Midnight Sun
* 8. Lonely House
* 9. I Should Care
* 10. It Could Happen to You
* 11. The First Thing You Know, You're in Love
* 12. A Stranger Called the Blues
* 13. I'll Take Romance
* 14. Look Out Up There
* 15. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
* 16. Out of Somewhere
* 17. Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore
* 18. I'm Thrilled
* 19. This Time the Dream's on Me
* 20. The Night We Called It a Day
* 21. Kicks
* 22. Pete Kelly's Blues
* 23. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
* 24. I Never Want to Look into Those Eyes Again

 

[trash]

 

[Botch]

A big Thanks to Dennie for letting me know this even existed! :text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue:

 

[Dennie]

A big Thanks to Dennie for letting me know this even existed! :text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue:

No, No, don't send me any Money, Amazon already gives me a commission! :scared-eek: LOL

bscene-drinkingcheers:

I've really started looking for those Columbia/EPIC "Legacy" Editions. Top Notch!


Dennie

 

[Dennie]

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled program to Wish TEXAS a Happy 175th Birthday!

The Alamo Concert -- CD

Various Artists

2001 Alamo Classics CD 101
Orchestras/Ensemble: San Antonio Symphony
Composer: Tiomkin, Copland, Revueltas, R.X. Rodriguez
Works: Alamo, Salon Mexico, Noche de los Mayas, Piñata
Conductor: Christopher Wilkins
Label: Alamo Classics Catalog: #CD 001
Audio CD (September 1997)

 

[Dennie]

Thanks for Posting "The Guitar Trio" Trash. You reminded me of this one....

Friday Night In San Francisco - LIVE -- 24K Gold SBM CD

Al DiMeola - John McLaughlin - Paco DeLucia

1981 Columbia Legacy - Master Sound

Hot hot hot!!! Celebration of acoustic guitar by 3 masters, February 3, 2003
By
R. Svilpa "amigoboomer" (Seattle, WA, USA)
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Friday Night in San Francisco (Audio CD)

This album changed my view of jazz when I was 16 years old. Knowing about Return to Forever, Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra I'd never had the inclination to listen at this age. But our local college radio station had several jazz buffs as DJs, in addition to rock musicians looking to stretch their scope of influence who would play cuts from this and the other above groups' albums in between their trips of fancy in the Alternative Music scene. Phenominal music listened to individually as cuts on the airwaves, I rushed out and bought the album eager to have my boundaries stretched.

I wasnt disappointed, and even listening to it today I find that I hear new things each time. The improvisational sections (of which there are many) have recognizable themes mixed into free form playing which astound. The pieces that are full on compositions will leave you humming the chief theme melody for days after. The power that is derived just from three guitars in the hands of three very powerful players will leave you breathless.

If you're a musician young or old looking for something to stretch your limits and defy the concept you have of guitar, buy the album. As a jazz lover who can appreciate ingenious improvisation, buy the album. I cant recommend this album enough.

Side one

1. "Mediterranean Sundance/Rio Ancho" – 11:25
* Paco de Lucía & Al Di Meola
2. "Short Tales of the Black Forest" (Chick Corea) – 8:39
* John McLaughlin & Al Di Meola

Side two

1. "Frevo Rasgado" – 7:54
* Paco de Lucía & John McLaughlin
2. "Fantasia Suite" (Al Di Meola) – 8:41
* Paco de Lucía, John McLaughlin & Al Di Meola
3. "Guardian Angel" (Studio Recording) (John McLaughlin) – 4:00
* Paco de Lucía, John McLaughlin & Al Di Meola

 

[Dennie]

:bow-blue:

Gypsy Flame -- CD

Armik

1995 Baja/TSR Records

This Music Epitomizes Happiness and The Good Life, March 23, 2000
By Tome Raider (California, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Gypsy Flame (Audio CD)

Let me preface my comments with this background: I have shamefully purchased over 800 CD's in the last ten years, money that possibly could have been far better spent in most cases. Most of my collection is rock music, hard rock in particular. I also have a small classical section, and another section with "Ethnic/Exotic" music. Armik fits into this last category. My five Armik CD's would definitely be in my "Top Ten" list. That's right: Armik would compose half of my ten favorite CD's out of a universe of approximately 800. That's how good this music is.

I suggest that you buy Gypsy Flame first. Keep your computer booted up until the mail comes. If you like Gypsy Flame--and I can't fathom otherwise--you will be pleased to know that Armik's other four CD's are all equally incredible. This is happy music, music that celebrates the best of life. Another reviewer of one of Armik's CD's made a comparison to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, and I agree that that is a good basis for comparison because Herb Alpert and the TJ Brass also really has that classic upbeat ambience that immediately spices up any occasion. I listen to Armik when I commute into work in the morning, and it really puts me into a postive state of mind for the balance of the day. I roll into the office with the blood pressure of a guy who's been drinking wine and eating crab while gazing listfully over the Mediterranean. This music is instant vacation.

Let me emphasize: In the five Armik CD's there is not a single weak song, and each CD is a must-have. Furthermore, you will want to start giving these things as gifts. I have been proselytizing this music left and right and people are so receptive to this sound and Armik's virtuosity that it is amazing that he is not one of the most famous musicians in the world. He truly deserves to be.

LINKY ---> http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Flame-Armik/dp/B000001CBT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299448609&sr=1-1