What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Genius Loves Company -- SACD

Ray Charles and Lots of Friends

2004 Concord Records

Amazon.com

The fact that Genius Loves Company will be Ray Charles's final new album inspires an unavoidable blue feeling. But it's also a happy reminder that the man spent the last months of his life at work doing what he loved. The overall effect of these dozen duets is autumnal and smooth. Brother Ray is on point and cruising here. Fine moments abound--you can hear his delight even in the rather stiff company of Diana Krall and Natalie Cole. His voice sounds a bit frayed by ill health at times, but it also allows for great performances like the slyness behind the ache in his version of the old soul hit "Hey Girl" with Michael McDonald and a grand "Crazy Love" with Van Morrison. Potently, he and Gladys Knight remind us of the continued timeliness of Stevie Wonder's "Heaven Help Us All." Its best moments make Company one more essential purchase for Ray Charles fans. --Rickey Wright

1. "Here We Go Again" (feat. Norah Jones) Laniel, Steagall 3:59
2. "Sweet Potato Pie" (feat. James Taylor) James Taylor 3:47
3. "You Don't Know Me" (feat. Diana Krall) Eddy Arnold, Cindy Walker 3:55
4. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (feat. Elton John) Elton John, Bernie Taupin 3:59
5. "Fever" (feat. Natalie Cole) Eddie Cooley, Davenport 3:30
6. "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?" (feat. Bonnie Raitt) Burnette, Smotherman 4:34
7. "It Was a Very Good Year" (feat. Willie Nelson) Ervin Drake 4:59
8. "Hey Girl" (feat. Michael McDonald) Gerry Goffin, Carole King 5:15
9. "Sinner's Prayer" (feat. B.B. King) Lowell Fulson, Lloyd Glenn 4:25
10. "Heaven Help Us All" (feat. Gladys Knight) Ronald Miller 4:32
11. "Over the Rainbow" (feat. Johnny Mathis) Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg 4:54
12. "Crazy Love" (feat. Van Morrison) Van Morrison 3:42

 

[Dennie]

crap, no , I forgot, and I'm listening to Chase now; if I hit Eject before it's over I'll be struck dead by the trumpet gods. I'll try to remember to try it tomorrow morning... :text-imsorry:

No hurry, just see if "Stereo" is "DTS", next time you play it. Don't go out of your way, I was just curious.


Dennie :eusa-whistle:

 

[Botch]

A nice cool off from Chase, just before I go to bed. :music-listening:

 

[Dennie]

Nice choice Botch, it is one of my favorites!

My last one for the evening.....

My Romance -- CD

Scott Hamilton

1996 Concord Records

Review of Soctt Hamilton's My Romance, December 28, 2009
By C. Adewoye "Kris"
(REAL NAME)


This review is from: My Romance (Audio CD)

This was the second album that introduced me to the music of Scott Hamilton (after listening to and thoroughly enjoying Race Point - especially the track Alone Together) back in 1996. All tracks are by a four piece jazz band with a varying range of moods and melodies. The three tracks that stand out for me are Poor Butterfly, Jan and Sugarchile.

When I met Scott Hamilton after his performance at the Pizza Express Jazz Cafe in London in 2001 (he was of the opinion that the Album didn't sell well becuase of the dark art design on the cover), I gave him my compliments and commented on the outstanding performance of the trombonist on Poor Butterfly (with emphasis on the solo), his response was "He's good, isn't he?".

The proof of the pudding is in the eating...enjoy and then review: a tip - this is a lovely album to play in the background during a romantic candle-lit dinner.

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/My-Romance-Scott-Hamilton/dp/B0000006PW/ref=pd_sim_m_7

 

[Dennie]

Maiden Voyage -- CD

Herbie Hancock

1965/1990 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com essential recording

In the mid-'60s, a distinctive postbop style evolved among the younger musicians associated with Blue Note, a new synthesis that managed to blend the cool spaciousness of Miles Davis's modal period, some of the fire of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and touches of the avant-garde's group interaction. Maiden Voyage is a masterpiece of the school, with Hancock's enduring compositions like "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" mingling creative tension and calm repose with strong melodies and airy, suspended harmonies that give form to his evocative sea imagery. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was at a creative peak, stretching his extraordinary technique to the limits in search of a Coltrane-like fluency on the heated "Eye of the Storm," while the underrated tenor saxophonist George Coleman adds a developed lyricism to the session. --Stuart Broomer

LINKY ------> http://www.amazon.com/Maiden-Voyage...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1297618879&sr=1-2

 

[Dennie]

Inventions and Dimensions -- CD

Herbie Hancock

1964/1990 Blue Note Records

One of the greatest "trio" records ever, June 3, 2004
By Jess Row (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)


This review is from: Inventions & Dimensions (Audio CD)

"Trio" in quotation marks, of course, because there are actually two percussionists on this date, working as a single Afro-Cuban unit. I've always thought that Hancock's piano work is often overshadowed by the musical contexts he chooses to work in; this record is a rare example of Hancock alone at the helm, and it's a pure joy to listen to--an approach to "free" jazz that is relaxed and loose, critiquing jazz traditions without tearing them apart, as in the best work of Eric Dolphy (whom Hancock played with shortly before this recording). In some ways this record is similar to McCoy Tyner's "Plays Duke Ellington," especially in the mixture of Latin textures with jazz harmonies and structures. This is an overlooked gem which belongs in any Herbie Hancock collection.

1. "Succotash" – 7:40
2. "Triangle" – 11:01
3. "Jack Rabbit" – 5:57
4. "Mimosa" – 8:38
5. "A Jump Ahead" – 6:33

 

[Botch]

Well, it should be obvious Botch, set it to Stereo if you want DTS! Duh!! :text-lol:


Dennie :think:

crap, no , I forgot, and I'm listening to Chase now; if I hit Eject before it's over I'll be struck dead by the trumpet gods. I'll try to remember to try it tomorrow morning... :text-imsorry:[/quote]
It works just fine now, but I did notice the three selections for audio were confusing (you can highlight one choice, then to back to the original screen, but if you don't hit "OK" first the highlighted selection ain't selected). I guess I was in an easily-confused state last night... :text-nocomment:

 

[Dennie]

Well, it should be obvious Botch, set it to Stereo if you want DTS! Duh!! :text-lol:


Dennie :think:

crap, no , I forgot, and I'm listening to Chase now; if I hit Eject before it's over I'll be struck dead by the trumpet gods. I'll try to remember to try it tomorrow morning... :text-imsorry:

It works just fine now, but I did notice the three selections for audio were confusing (you can highlight one choice, then to back to the original screen, but if you don't hit "OK" first the highlighted selection ain't selected). I guess I was in an easily-confused state last night... :text-nocomment:[/quote]

Hey, you know how these "new fangled" things can be. So many prompts, so many buttons, so many choices! ( bscene-drinkingdrunk: )

I often say, "There was a nut loose behind he wheel". In your case it was "behind the remote"! :laughing-rolling:

It has happened to all of us! :liar:

Thanks for getting back to me,

Dennie :eusa-whistle:

 

[Dennie]

Empyrean Isles -- CD

Herbie Hancock

1964/1999 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

Pianist and composer Herbie Hancock has had a long and varied career, during which he's enjoyed both creative and commercial success, though seldom at the same time. For many listeners, his creative peak came early, on two stunning Blue Note recordings, Maiden Voyage and the less celebrated Empyrean Isles. Recorded in 1964, Empyrean Isles is the earlier of the two and also the most radical. Hancock's quartet features Freddie Hubbard substituting a cornet for his usual trumpet, and getting a more burnished, slightly warmer sound. Without the jazz-typical saxophone present, Hancock's is almost a naked band, and the single horn blurs the lines between the pianist's mood-rich compositions and improvisation. The group uses the increased sense of space for intense collective creation, with Hancock and drummer Tony Williams pressing far beyond their instruments' usual roles and engaging Hubbard in edgy, complex dialogue, while bassist Ron Carter anchors the performances. Hubbard rises to the occasion with brilliance, responding to the stimulus with a fluency of thought and execution--a daring that built on his avant-garde experience with musicians like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Eric Dolphy. From the breezy "Oliloqui Valley" to the funky "Cantaloupe Island" and on to the dissonance of the extended "Egg," this is one of the most significant documents of the Blue Note style that emerged in the mid-'60s. It's music that tests the balance of control and risk, and Hubbard's is also one of the great performances by a trumpeter in modern jazz. --Stuart Broomer

1. "One Finger Snap" – 7:17
2. "Oliloqui Valley" – 8:27
3. "Cantaloupe Island" – 5:30
4. "The Egg" – 13:57
5. "One Finger Snap" (alternative take) – 7:33
6. "Oliloqui Valley" (alternative take) – 10:45


* Herbie Hancock − Piano
* Freddie Hubbard − Cornet
* Ron Carter − Bass
* Tony Williams − drums

LINKY ---> http://www.amazon.com/Empyrean-Isles-Herbie-Hancock/dp/B00000I8UG/ref=pd_sim_m_3

 

[Botch]

 

[Dennie]

Wish -- CD

Joshua Redman

1993 Warner Bros. Records

Tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, the son of the magnificent but undervalued Dewey Redman, was touted as one of the young lions of jazz in the 1990s, spearheading a neo-bop revival upon the release of his 1992 debut. The acclaim was quickly followed by charges of hype, but on his second album, Wish, Redman proved worthy of the accolades. This is a surprisingly mature work for such a young player. Redman's soloing is assured, conversant with the blues, and filled with minor surprises. His exchange with guitarist Pat Metheny is superb, and the master rhythm section of Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums affords Redman plenty of rhythmic subtlety to apply his nuanced playing to. --John Swenson

1. Turnaround
2. Soul Dance
3. Make Sure You're Sure
4. Deserving Many, The
5. We Had a Sister
6. Moose the Mooche
7. Tears in Heaven
8. Whittlin'
9. Wish
10. Blues For Pat

Recorded at Power Station and live at The Village Vanguard, New York, New York.

Personnel:
Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone)
Pat Metheny (acoustic & electric guitars)
Charlie Haden (acoustic bass)
Billy Higgins (drums)

LINKY -----> http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Joshua-Redman/dp/B000002MLX/ref=pd_sim_m_11

 

[heeman]

Spent a couple of ours on the Patio today....approx. 74 degrees and sunny listening to the out door system

Great Covers on these 2.........the listening to some Gary Moore; RIP!!

What a great day!!

 

[Dennie]

Hey Heeman, you must be on the "Left Coast" also, as we in Sacramento are approaching 70 degrees also! Beautiful February Weather!


Changing gears......

Magic Time -- CD

Van Morrison

2005 Geffen Records

Amazon.com
Like a human infusion of chamomile tea, hearing Van Morrison's voice has the effect of instantly soothing even the most stressed listener. That said, some of his releases have been so mellow that they muted the '60s soul influences that had been a part of Van's appeal. Not so with Magic Time, a wonderful balance of groove and smoothness, with a "live off the floor" feel evident throughout the disc. Right from the start "Stranded" shows Van at his crooner best--relaxed, present, and joyful. "Celtic New Year" comes next with a very Astral Weeks feel, leading one to believe that this disc might be sedentary through and through… until "Keep Mediocrity at Bay" kicks in, a feisty blues romp proving that though in his sixties, Morrison still has the sass of his best previous days. Morrison's cover of Sinatra's brassy "This Love of Mine" and Perry Como's "I'm Confessin'" are full of cheek and charm. Morrison-as-producer has chosen stellar horn sections that elevate the music from good to great and come from an obvious deep love of classic blues and soul. He's a lover and a fighter (the disc has two references to his disdain of the music industry: "They Sold Me Out" and "Carry On Regardless"), but ultimately true to his own musical vision. This destined-to-be-classic release will please a wide variety of his fans. --Denise Sheppard

All songs by Van Morrison (unless noted otherwise)

1. "Stranded" – 5:34
2. "Celtic New Year" – 6:10
3. "Keep Mediocrity at Bay" – 3:44
4. "Evening Train" – 2:48
5. "This Love of Mine" (Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra) – 2:42
6. "I'm Confessin'" (Doc Daughtery, Al Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds) – 4:29
7. "Just Like Greta" – 6:25
8. "Gypsy in My Soul" – 4:04
9. "Lonely and Blue" ("Black and Blue" with altered lyrics) (Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller) – 3:41
10. "The Lion This Time" – 4:56
11. "Magic Time" – 5:06
12. "They Sold Me Out" – 3:11
13. "Carry On Regardless" – 5:54

LINKY ---> http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Time-Van-Morrison/dp/B0009298OI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297632109&sr=1-1

 

[Dennie]

His Band and The Street Choir -- CD

Van Morrison

1970/1990 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

His Band and the Street Choir appeared at a time--1970--when Van Morrison was building on the great critical successes of Astral Weeks and Moondance. His third Warner Bros. album contains a number of radio-friendly tracks clearly aimed at the singles market and few clues of the serious, brooding melancholy of Astral Weeks. Kicking off with the jaunty "Domino," the album is generally dominated by uptempo swingers such as "Call Me Up in Dreamland," "Give Me a Kiss," and "Blue Money." The cover photography and liner notes by then wife Janet Planet reveal a smiling Morrison and hint at a newfound personal contentment. This mood did not last long after Van left the artists' community of Woodstock. But even here, in "I'll Be Your Lover Too" and "Crazy Face," there are moments that are essential listening for fans of his sullen splendor and mysticism. --Rob Stewart

BONUS PICTURE:

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/His-Band-Street-Choir-Morrison/dp/B000002KBD/ref=pd_sim_m_4

 

[Dennie]

Astral Weeks -- CD

Van Morrison

1968/1990 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Never mind that Van Morrison is one of the most indelible songwriters of the 20th century--take each album on its own terms. On 1968's seminal Astral Weeks, a twentysomething Van Morrison can be found belting his gospelly, bluesy vocals in just as fine a form as he would be 20 years hence. In the sociopolitical context of the times, the album cried out about such ubiquitous '60s themes as cultural oppression and social upheaval. But it is Morrison's vocal dexterity and passion that maintains such timeless appeal. Take tracks like "Madame George" or "Cyprus Avenue" and you'll find such beautiful mourning, it'll be clear why modern songwriter Sinéad O'Connor once publicly exclaimed: "Van Morrison should be friggin' canonized." --Nick Heil

All songs written by Van Morrison

Side one

1. "Astral Weeks" – 7:06
2. "Beside You" – 5:16
3. "Sweet Thing" – 4:25
4. "Cyprus Avenue" – 7:00

Side two

1. "The Way Young Lovers Do" – 3:18
2. "Madame George" – 9:45
3. "Ballerina" – 7:03
4. "Slim Slow Slider" – 3:17

LINKY -------> http://www.amazon.com/Astral-Weeks-Van-Morrison/dp/B000002KAT/ref=pd_sim_m_4

 

[Dennie]

Moondance -- CD

Van Morrison

1970/1990 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Van Morrison went a long way towards defining his wild Irish heart with his first two classic albums: the brooding, introspective Astral Weeks (1968), and the expansive, swinging Moondance. If the first was the work of a poet, its sequel was the statement of a musician and bandleader. Moondance is that rare rock album where the band has buffed the arrangements to perfection, and where the sax solos instead of the guitar. The band puts out a jazzy shuffle on "Moondance" and plays it soulful on "These Dreams of You." The album includes both Morrison's most romantic ballad ("Crazy Love") and his most haunting ("Into the Mystic"). "And It Stoned Me" rolled off Morrison's tongue like a favorite fable, while "Caravan" told a tale full of emotional intrigue. Moondance stood out in the rock world of 1970 like a grownup in a kiddie matinee. --John Milward

LINKY -----> http://www.amazon.com/Moondance-Van-Morrison/dp/B000002KHF/ref=pd_sim_m_1

 

[Dennie]

 

[Dennie]

Greatest Hits -- CD

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

1993 MCA Records

Amazon.com

He's sold millions of albums, filled arenas, and hobnobbed with George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison, but Tom Petty's driving heartland rock has often been taken for granted by the same critics who hail John Mellencamp as a genius. Greatest Hits is an airtight argument for Petty's own greatness. Starting with "American Girl," the rollicking, Byrds-inspired single from Petty's first album in 1976, this compilation presents a chronological overview of the guitarist-vocalist's career with and without the Heartbreakers, also chronically underrated as one of today's best bands. Every one of the 16 older tracks is a well-crafted gem, full of solid guitar hooks ("Here Comes My Girl"), arresting images ("Don't Come Around Here No More") and simple but poetic lyrics ("The Waiting").

Petty isn't an innovator; he's a talented craftsman with impeccable taste and a strong sense of rock history, internalizing influences ranging from the Beatles' psychedelic masterpiece, Revolver, to the best of '70s punk. (It's interesting to remember that early efforts such as "Refugee" and "Don't Do Me Like That" first won Petty attention as a New Wave artist). With his Dylanesque vocals and chiming 12-string guitars, Petty is more often linked these days with the sounds of the '60s. But recent tunes such as "Learning to Fly" and "Into the Great Wide Open" are as smart, relevant and (dare I say) alternative as anything in MTV's Buzz Bin. --Jim DeRogatis

1. "American Girl" (Tom Petty) – 3:35
* (Originally released on the album Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.)
2. "Breakdown" (Petty) – 2:44
* (Originally released on the album Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.)
3. "Listen to Her Heart" (Petty) – 3:05
* (Originally released on the album You're Gonna Get It!.)
4. "I Need to Know" (Petty) – 2:26
* (Originally released on the album You're Gonna Get It!.)
5. "Refugee" (Petty, Mike Campbell) – 3:25
* (Originally released on the album *** the Torpedoes.)
6. "Don't Do Me Like That" (Petty) – 2:44
* (Originally released on the album *** the Torpedoes.)
7. "Even the Losers" (Petty) – 4:01
* (Originally released on the album *** the Torpedoes.)
8. "Here Comes My Girl" (Petty, Campbell) – 4:27
* (Originally released on the album *** the Torpedoes.)
9. "The Waiting" (Petty) – 4:01
* (Originally released on the album Hard Promises.)
10. "You Got Lucky" (Petty, Campbell) – 3:38
* (Originally released on the album Long After Dark.)
11. "Don't Come Around Here No More" (Petty, David A. Stewart) – 5:07
* (Originally released on the album Southern Accents.)
12. "I Won't Back Down" (Petty, Jeff Lynne) – 2:59
* (Originally released on the album Full Moon Fever.)
13. "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Petty, Lynne, Campbell) – 4:25
* (Originally released on the album Full Moon Fever.)
14. "Free Fallin'" (Petty, Lynne) – 4:18
* (Originally released on the album Full Moon Fever.)
15. "Learning to Fly" (Petty, Lynne) – 4:05
* (Originally released on the album Into the Great Wide Open.)
16. "Into the Great Wide Open" (Petty, Lynne) – 3:45
* (Originally released on the album Into the Great Wide Open.)
17. "Mary Jane's Last Dance" (Petty) – 4:35
* (First release.)
18. "Something in the Air" (John Keen) – 3:17
* (Thunderclap Newman cover.)
* (Originally released on the album Hollywood Dream.)

LINKY ----> http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Petty-Hea...2OO0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297649568&sr=1-1

 

[Dennie]

The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2 -- CD

Bela Fleck

1999 Warner Bros. Records

Make Room In Your Heart For the 5-String Banjo, March 31, 2000
By Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)


This review is from: The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)
This album is a joy from start to finish. As much as I enjoy the innovative work Bela Fleck has done in the past decade with the Flecktones and pushing the boundaries for the banjo as a lead instrument outside the context of bluegrass music, I have always had a passion for straight ahead bluegrass music. Over the past twenty-plus years, Fleck as earned the right to be mentioned in the same company as Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe and Tony Trischka as a pioneer of the banjo. Beginning with his formative years alongside mandolinist Jack Tottle in Tasty Licks to joining Sam Bush and John Cowan in the Newgrass Revival, Fleck has showed impeccable taste in his playing.

On The Bluegrass Sessions, Fleck has collected a virtual Who's Who of bluegrass superstars: Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush and a guest performance by Scruggs himself. But don't be misled by the album title. There are a only a handful of songs that might qualify as traditional bluegrass--"Blue Mountain Hop," "Polka on the Banjo" (the only vocal--provided by John Hartford), "Ode to Earl," "Home Sweet Home" and "Foggy Mountain Special"--most of the album mines a new acoustic groove which melds bluegrass and jazz into a fusion long championed by Tony Rice and David Grisman. [In fact, in his liner notes Fleck recommends several albums including Rice's Manzanita and Grisman's The David Grisman Rounder Album.]

This is a wonderful collection and an excellent companion to Tales from the Acoustic Planet. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

1. "Blue Mountain Hop" – 4:26
2. "Buffalo Nickel" – 4:38
3. "When Joy Kills Sorrow" – 5:10
4. "Spanish Point" – 5:36
5. "Polka On The Banjo" – 4:04
6. "Clarinet Polka" – 1:33
7. "The Over Grown Waltz" – 3:42
8. "Ode To Earl" – 3:09
9. "Home Sweet Home" – 2:20
10. "Valley Of The Rogue" – 5:12
11. "Plunky's Lament" – 2:17
12. "Maura On A Bicycle, Stout And Molasses, Way Back When" – 9:41
13. "Dark Circles" – 5:13
14. "Old Jellico, Puddle Jumper, Dead Man's Hill" – 6:08
15. "Katmandu" – 4:23
16. "Do You Have Room?" – 1:17
17. "Foggy Mountain Special" – 2:12
18. "Major Honker" – 4:38

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman -- CD

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman

1991 Acoustic Disc

Amazon.com essential recording

After nearly dying in 1986, Jerry Garcia not only spiritually revived the Grateful Dead but also rekindled his love for acoustic music. To that end, in 1989 he recorded Almost Acoustic with his 1960s Palo Alto folkie pals and also began collaborating with his longtime friend and mandolin master David Grisman. This 1991 set offers a brilliant assortment of acoustic music that ranges from bluegrass-inspired stomps to B.B. King covers, age-old folk songs, standards by Irving Berlin and Hoagy Carmichael, and an exotic album-ending modal-jazz journey. The playing is stellar throughout, but the mood is warm and welcoming as well. --Marc Greilsamer

1. "The Thrill is Gone" (Hawkins, Darnell)
2. "Grateful Dawg" (Garcia, Grisman)
3. "Two Soldiers" (traditional)
4. "Friend of the Devil" (Garcia, Hunter, Dawson)
5. "Russian Lullaby" (Berlin)
6. "Dawg's Waltz" (Grisman)
7. "Walkin' Boss" (traditional)
8. "Rockin' Chair" (Carmichael)
9. "Arabia" (Grisman; middle part based on the Cuban folk theme "Hasta Siempre")


* Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
* David Grisman – mandolin
* Jim Kerwin – bass
* Joe Craven – percussion, fiddle