What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Eh, as a pianist, I always thought Winston was a bit of a faker. DUnno... I would suggest you try some Philip Aaberg, his first album, High Plains, is sorta similar to Winston's style, but IMHO FAR FAR more interesting. Then Aaberg moves in a more jazzy direction and improves even further, one of my favorite artists.

I know what you're sayin' Pauly. But as you know, we don't always listen to music because it's The Best or Most Interesting, sometimes we just enjoy it!

I appreciate the "Philip Aaberg" album suggestion and I will past it along to my used music dealer and see if he can come up the it.


Dennie :music-listening:

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite -- CD

Modern Mandolin Quartet

1991 Windham Hill Records

Amazing, Joyful, has stood the test of time, November 19, 2007
By Peggy Zeigler "knitter, banjo picker" (Highland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite (Audio CD)

I purchased this CD many years ago. It has been a holiday classic since that time. I regularly purchase it as a gift for family and friends. Even those unfamiliar with the mandolin family have loved this, including my sister who "hates bluegrass". She plays it in her classroom and the kids love it, too. Along with Emmylou Harris' Light of the Stable and David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas, these never leave our player during the holidays. Those who love this will also love Evan Marshall's CDs.

The musicianship here is superb. The tone of the mandolins seems to be the perfect way to perform this favorite holiday classic. The music is light and cheerful; at holiday gatherings it makes a wonderful backdrop without overwhelming. Yet it also stands up to an audiophile or the most discerning musician really enjoying every nuance. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!

1. Nutcracker Suite: Overture
2. The Nutcracker Suite: March
3. The Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
4. Nutcracker Suite: Russian Dance
5. The Nutcracker Suite: Arabian Dance
6. The Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance
7. The Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Mirlitons
8. Nutcracker Suite: Waltz of the Flowers
9. Winter from the Four Seasons: Allegro Non Molto
10. Winter from the Four Seasons: Largo
11. Winter from the Four Seasons: Allegro
12. Overture from the Magic Flute
13. Winter's Chill

 

[PaulyT]

Eh, as a pianist, I always thought Winston was a bit of a faker. DUnno... I would suggest you try some Philip Aaberg, his first album, High Plains, is sorta similar to Winston's style, but IMHO FAR FAR more interesting. Then Aaberg moves in a more jazzy direction and improves even further, one of my favorite artists.

I know what you're sayin' Pauly. But as you know, we don't always listen to music because it's The Best or Most Interesting, sometimes we just enjoy it!

I appreciate the "Philip Aaberg" album suggestion and I will past it along to my used music dealer and see if he can come up the it.


Dennie :music-listening:

True 'nuff. Enjoy away! Sorry, George Winston is almost on the level of a pet peeve thing for me, sort of irrational and subjective as he's really not bad... Didn't mean to criticize anyone for liking him!

 

[heeman]

Eh, as a pianist, I always thought Winston was a bit of a faker. DUnno... I would suggest you try some Philip Aaberg, his first album, High Plains, is sorta similar to Winston's style, but IMHO FAR FAR more interesting. Then Aaberg moves in a more jazzy direction and improves even further, one of my favorite artists.

I know what you're sayin' Pauly. But as you know, we don't always listen to music because it's The Best or Most Interesting, sometimes we just enjoy it!

I appreciate the "Philip Aaberg" album suggestion and I will past it along to my used music dealer and see if he can come up the it.


Dennie :music-listening:

True 'nuff. Enjoy away! Sorry, George Winston is almost on the level of a pet peeve thing for me, sort of irrational and subjective as he's really not bad... Didn't mean to criticize anyone for liking him!

Never intended to imply that he is a great pianist.......

The first time I heard his December CD was at friends in Upstate NY during a small Christmas Party of close friends way back when. It was snowing, we were drinking great wine and the fire place was blazing.......the music fit purfectly and to this day when I play that CD, it all comes right back to me like it was yesterday..........

 

[Dennie]

Today's 27 degree (

) work truck music.....

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas -- CD

Ella Fitzgerald

1960/1988 Verve Records

Amazon.com

It'd be hard to imagine a happier wish than the one this jazz vocal legend wishes her listeners on this urbane-yet-homey collection of holiday favorites. The First Lady of Song recorded these tunes in 1960, at the peak of her interpretive powers. As such, she puts her singular stamp on everything from a sultry vamp like "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" to the sweet and cozy "The Christmas Song." Even potentially shopworn standards like "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" sound fresher when they're coming from Ella Fitzgerald. --David Sprague

"Jingle Bells" (J.S. Pierpont) – 2:21
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) – 2:56
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 2:56
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (Frank Loesser) – 3:32
"Sleigh Ride" (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish) – 2:56
"The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Bob Wells) – 3:00
"Good Morning Blues" (Count Basie, Eddie Durham, Jimmy Rushing) – 3:15
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:43
"Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith) – 2:16
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks) – 2:51
"Frosty the Snowman" (Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins) – 2:12
"White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 3:02

 

[Botch]

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Workingman's Dead -- CD

Grateful Dead

1970/1990 Warner Bros. Records

Just wow..., February 5, 2011
By Edd - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Workingman's Dead (Audio CD)

I am extremely surprised, I myself am a huge metal head. My friend gave me a heads up about these guys and I was like cool I'll check it out. When it arrived I started reading through it and was kinda upset that my friend said they were more rock and it was saying it had more of a blues feel to it. So I put it in expecting the worst and to my amazement I listened through the whole album and loved every moment of it. It's a very smooth feeling album, to the point of refreshing to what is out there now. Highly recommended to anyone that's a fan of ANY kind of music.

Side one

"Uncle John's Band" – 4:42
"High Time" – 5:12
"Dire Wolf" – 3:11
"New Speedway Boogie" – 4:01

Side two

"Cumberland Blues" (Garcia, Hunter, Lesh) – 3:14
"Black Peter" – 5:41
"Easy Wind" (Hunter) – 4:57
"Casey Jones" – 4:24

 

[Dennie]

Blind Melon -- CD

Blind Melon

1992 Capitol Records

Very underrated CD by a very underrated band, November 27, 2002
By seth luke (Springfield, Oregon) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blind Melon (Audio CD)

I remembering hearing "No Rain" when it first came out on the radio and it instantly became my childhood favorite [I was about 8 at the time]. "No Rain" is a good song and went on to be a decent hit, but unfortunately it turned out to be the only big hit by what turned out to be one of the most underrated bands of the 90's. After seeing the 'Behind The Music' on them I decided to get the cd and it wasn't a dissapointment at all. Sure, No Rain is great but so are "Dear Ol' Dad", "I Wonder", "Drive" and every last one of the songs on this album. There seriously isn't a single bad track [my personal favorite however, besides "No Rain", is "Change"]. If you like Jane's Addiction, The Violent Femmes, or heck, even Green Day then you'll probably like Blind Melon {I mean heck, I usually listen to grunge and hard rock and I still like them]. All of their albums are great and worth buying but their debut, in my opinion, is their best. So do yourself a favor and discover the wonders of Blind Melon!

Track List:

All tracks by Blind Melon unless listed.

"Soak the Sin" - 4:01
"Tones of Home" - 4:26
"I Wonder" - 5:31
"Paper Scratcher" - 3:14
"Dear Ol' Dad" - 3:02
"Change" (Hoon) - 3:41
"No Rain" - 3:37
"Deserted" - 4:20
"Sleepyhouse" - 4:29
"Holyman" - 4:47
"Seed to a Tree" - 3:29
"Drive" - 4:39
"Time" - 6:02

 

[Dennie]

ChangesBowie -- CD

David Bowie

1990 Rykodisc

Amazon.com

The 1976 best-of Changesonebowie (slyly named for a Charles Mingus disc issued the previous year) was the Thin White Duke's last major commercial hit of the decade. Collecting famed singles and album cuts from an amazingly fertile period, it clicked both with those who got into Bowie through his mainstream popularity and with the crowd who loved him for his challenge to it. This expanded edition goes forward from "Golden Years," the original closer, with a hopscotch through later radio favorites like "Let's Dance." Flaws? A remixed "Fame '90" that already sounded dated when it was new, and the disc's omission of almost all of Bowie's collaborations with Brian Eno. The upside? A generally smart update of a key compilation. --Rickey Wright

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Botch]

 

[mzpro5]

The GotRadio Christmas station.

I've tried several internet stations playing Christmas music and like this one the best.

 

[Dennie]

A Very She & Him Christmas -- CD

She & Him (Zoe Deschanel & M. Ward)

2011 Merge Records

2011 holiday release. A Very She & Him Christmas is a wonderful collection of holiday tunes from two of music's most impressive artists Zooey Deschanel (She) & M. Ward (Him). Inspired by seminal holiday albums by the likes of The Carpenters, Vince Guaraldi, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley and more, She & Him have set out to create an intimate holiday recording of Christmas classics that helps bring new emotions out of old songs.

With each purchase, a portion of proceeds from this album will be donated to 826National.

1. "The Christmas Waltz" Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne 2:37
2. "Christmas Day" Brian Wilson 3:24
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin 3:42
4. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram 2:26
5. "Christmas Wish" Joey Spampinato 2:58
6. "Sleigh Ride" Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish 2:44
7. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" Johnny Marks 2:00
8. "Silver Bells" Jay Livingston, Ray Evans 1:57
9. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Frank Loesser 2:17
10. "Blue Christmas" Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson 3:24
11. "Little Saint Nick" Wilson, Mike Love 2:10
12. "The Christmas Song" Bob Wells, Mel Tormé 2:26

BONUS PHOTO.....

 

[Botch]

On 5.1 SACD... :music-listening:

 

[Dennie]

Naughty But Nice: "Bad Girls" of the Movie Musical -- CD

Various Artists

1993 Sony Music

Before Madonna and countless others decided to dress up the diva in knowing irony, original glam queens like Marilyn Monroe, Lena Horne, Doris Day, and Rosemary Clooney did it naturally and with enough sex appeal to last a lifetime. This excellent and generous compilation brings the storied screen lives of these and other celluloid dames to wax with 16 original performances from several Hollywood movie musicals. The vaults of MGM and 20th Century Fox are gleaned for fine performances from Pal Joey, *** Yankees, Kiss Me Kate, and There's No Business Like Show Business. Topping off standout outings by Monroe and Horne, the likes of Gwen Verdon, Ann Miller, Angela Lansbury, Janis Paige, and Anita Ellis also come through with thoroughly entertaining fare. The music of Broadway gets the kind of dressed-up treatment only Tinseltown could provide. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide

1. Thanks a Lot, But No Thanks - Comden, Betty
2. Naughty But Nice - Mercer, Johnny
3. Red Garters - Evans, Ray
4. Always True to You in My Fashion - Porter, Cole
5. Two-Faced Woman - Dietz, Howard
6. Satin and Silk - Porter, Cole
7. Zip - Hart, Lorenz
8. Heat Wave - Berlin, Irving
9. Whatever Lola Wants - Adler, Richard
10. I'll Be Hard to Handle - Dougall, Bernard
11. Ladies in Waiting - Porter, Cole
12. Ten Cents a Dance - Hart, Lorenz
13. How'd You Like to Spoon With Me? - Kern, Jerome
14. Bored - Forrest, George
15. Honey in the Honeycomb - Duke, Vernon
16. It - Hammerstein, Oscar

BONUS PICTURE......

 

[heeman]

Frank Zappa!!!!


Side one

1."I Have Been in You" – 3:33 Basic track: January 25, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
2."Flakes" – 6:41 Basic track: January 25, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
3."Broken Hearts Are for Assholes" – 3:42 Basic track: January 27, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
4."I'm So Cute" – 3:09 (1995 CD) 4:20 (Vinyl and EMI CD) Basic track: January 24-28 or February 27-28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK

Side two

1."Jones Crusher" – 2:49 Basic track: October 31, 1977 - The Palladium, NYC
2."What Ever Happened to All the Fun in the World" – 0:33 See Läther
3."Rat Tomago" – 5:17 Guitar solo from The Torture Never Stops played live on February 15, 1978 - Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
4."Wait a Minute" – 0:31[6] See Läther
5."Bobby Brown Goes Down" – 2:49 (song sample, 600Kb)[7] Basic track: January 24-28 or February 27-28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
6."Rubber Shirt" – 2:45 Bass part: September 25, 1974 - Goteborg, Sweden
7."The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" – 3:56 Guitar solo from The Little House I Used To Live In played live on February 15, 1978 - Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
Side three

1."Baby Snakes" – 1:50 Basic track: February 28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
2."Tryin' to Grow a Chin" – 3:31 Basic track: January 24-28 or February 27-28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
3."City of Tiny Lites" – 5:32 Basic track: January 24-28 or February 27-28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
4."Dancin' Fool" – 3:43 Basic track: February 28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
5."Jewish Princess" – 3:16 Basic track: October 30, 1977 - The Palladium, NYC

Side four

1."Wild Love" – 4:09 Basic track: February 28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK
2."Yo' Mama" – 12:36 Vocal sections basic track: February 28, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK; Guitar solo: February 25, 1978 - Hemmerleinhalle, Neunkirchen am Brand, Germany; Part of the backing track for the solo: January 27, 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK

 

[Dennie]

Heart Of A Woman -- CD

Etta James

1999 RCA Victor

Amazon.com

There's no doubting the power and passion of Etta James's voice. That alone is enough for her to give Aretha Franklin a run for her money, and on Heart of a Woman she gives that voice free rein. Something of a companion to 1998's Life, Love & the Blues, Heart of a Woman takes what feels like a deliberately feminine approach, from the selection of the material to its arrangement. If there's a weakness to the result, it's that James's voice often overpowers the music, leaving the mood-setting piano and gentle guitar in the dust. The strongest moments occur when the music rises to match James's singing, as with the sax solo on "My Old Flame," the smoky piano on "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," and the overall building of intensity toward the end of "You Go to My Head." Another highlight is a reworked version of James's classic "At Last." --Genevieve Williams

Track listing

1. You Don't Know What Love Is
2. Good Morning Heartache
3. My Old Flame
4. Say It Isn't So
5. At Last
6. Tenderly
7. I Only Have Eyes For You
8. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
9. You Go to My Head
10. Sunday Kind of Love
11. If It's the Last Thing I Do
12. Only Women Bleed

 

[heeman]

Rush - Fly By Night! (1975)

Side One

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Anthem" Lee, Lifeson, Peart 4:36
2. "Best I Can" Lee 3:24
3. "Beneath, Between & Behind" Lifeson, Peart 2:59
4. "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" Lee, Lifeson, Peart 8:36

Side Two

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Fly by Night" Lee, Peart 3:21
2. "Making Memories" Lee, Lifeson, Peart 2:58
3. "Rivendell" Lee, Peart 4:57
4. "In the End" Lee, Lifeson 6:48
Total length: 37:18