My latest find. What's yours?


Category: Music

I love browsing the music stores, looking for something new and interesting. I admit, the percentages are not good, buying cds unheard. I read reviews and browse through the racks losing track of time. It is so rewarding when I find that gem. The reason for this post is my latest find, my new favorite cd. Wow! Kenny Barron and Regina Carter, title, "Firefall", on Verve, 314 549 706-2. It's a jazz recording of piano and violin. Five star performance and sonics. There is a version of Sting's "Fragile" that is out of this world. The bass notes on piano are startling. There are also tracks by Monk, Wayne Shorter and Oscar Hammerstein.

Just to be clear, this is anything but lounge music. It is original, different and inspiring. If anyone takes a chance, I would love to hear your impressions.

Also, what recordings have you come accross, that make all those duds worthwhile?
blbloom
Two cds come to mind.

1) Grant Green - Idle Moments - really nice.
2) Ella & Louis - Verve Master Edition.- Killer performance.
(1) soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?": intro to American "roots music". Hear a 1959 Alabama chain gang sing an authentic spiritual/work song as they chop wood. Allison Krause floats with the angels on "Down in the River to Pray"; Ralph Stanley sings "O, Death" -- if that ain't the blues, nothing is.
(2) Keith Jarrett "The Melody at Night, With You": jazz piano in intimate setting (Keith's living room!)
Both selections are exquisitely recorded.
Hey, man... good topic. I've been thinking about starting a thread about what be ticklin' my ears lately, but have been too busy with listening and work, listening and work, listening and work....you get the idea. Thanks for getting me off my ass.

So here it goes:

"Avalon Blues, A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt" (Vanguard) - A compilation of artists and their take on the man's music.

"Scar" (Mammoth)- Joe Henry

"For The Stars" (Deutche Grammaphone)- Anne Sofie Von Otter Meets Elvis Costello

"Blue Boy" (Twangtust)- Ron Sexsmith

"Living The Blues" (Akarma) - Canned Heat

"The Lights Are Getting Dim" (Epitaph) - The Neckbones

"Temporary Shelter" (Koch) - Johnny Dowd

"Come On In" (Fat Possum) - R.L. Burnside

"Meet Me In The City" (Fat Posssum) - Junior Kimbrough

What about the rest of the Audiogoinisti? I want more...
Renee Fleming's "Beautiful Voice". I don't understand a single word she's singing but it's "Stop ya' in your tracks" beautiful! This disc will be a great test for your speakers and electronics.
Check out:

The Howard Fishman Quartet's two CD's:

1. Self Titled, on Monkey Farm (01)
2. I Like You A Lot, Monkey Farm (02)

can be found at www. howardfishman.com
An amazing little band, violin, trumpet, acoustic bass, various string instruments, vocal

Richard Julian has two CD's:

1. Self Titled, Blackbird 61014-2
2. Smash Palace, Blackbird 38005-2

He's a singer/songwriter who is a cross between Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. Original stuff. www.blackbirdusa.com

I saw both of these band perform this last week and was pretty blown away.

Another one that's come out recently is Los Super Seven's latest album "el Canto" It's very good.

Have fun
Los Super Seven's latest is damn, damn good. As you probably know, this band changes personnel regularly. "el Canto" is soooooooo good. Cuban sounds from guys that are mostly based here. The previous CD was Tex-Mex sounds, alos very good. Smwdrtwin, thanks for the reminder. I missed this one.
Several weeks a go I picked up "Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites Nos 1, 2, & 5" played by Edgar Meyer on the double bass. I simply can't stop listening to it -- the sound is completely captivating and his performance is fabulous. Its definitely worth a listen to if you get the chance.

Cheers,
Ken
speaking of bach...i'm not really a classical fan but love casals. however, even more dramatic and expressive (almost 'out there') i recently 'discovered' anner bylsma doing the cello suites. wow.

also edith frost - very cowboy junkies, especially her first album.
Front Porch String Band - "Lines and Traces" - Rebel Records. I'm not really a bluegrass enthusiast but I continue to be drawn back for another listen. The faithful recording (really very nicely done) and beautiful vocals of Claire Lynch just make listening an enjoyable experience. Listening to track 6, Kinnesaw Line, makes me realize why I strive for capable reproduction in the first place. Truth and beauty can pop up anywhere. I like this thread and plan to check out out some of the finds. Thanks.
Deborah Liv Johnson a singer songwriter from San Diego . Her CDs available through the eponymous .com are eclectic with songs varying from ballads to rock blues and Amazing Grace. Good sound too. Start with 'White'. I owe this to a fellow 'phile who brought the CD at the Niro Nakamichi's room at the NYC show.
If you like vocals like Diana Krall and Nat King Cole, check out the discs from Luqman Hamza.
A couple great CDs that I happend upon that made me smile:

The Meters "Uptown rulers"...if you want funk this is the ultimate...Neville brothers at their best, playing Paul McCartney's party on the Queen Mary.

Ry Cooder VM Bhatt "Meeting by the River"...a american plays the blues a la India and an Indian plays a la USA.

Sheila Chandra "Moonsung"...crazy voice on that lady.

Juan Carlos Formell, Songs From a Little Blue House" Get it, and if you don't like it, I'll buy it from you.

Todd
Terry Evans "Mississippi Magic" on Audioquest-- up there with T. Evans best blues. Craig
Here's the "Dirty Dozen" from the last few weeks of thrift shop picking. 1. "Cinema", Philp Aaberg (solo piano) on Winham Hill Records. 2. "New Jazz Conception", Bill Evans Trio on Riverside Records. 3. "Sunday at the Village Vandguard", Bill Evans Trio (Scott Lafaro on bass and his last recording) on Riverside Records. 4. "Conferring with the Moon", William Ackermann on Winham Hill Records. 5. "Give Him Cornbread, Live!", the late great Beau Jocque and his Zydeco Hi-Rollers on Rounder. 6. "Tales from the Acoustic Planet Vol. II - The Blue Grass Sessions", Bela Fleck and a major band on Warner. 7. "Tone Poems", Alex Lasarenko (self produced). 8. "Robert Burns the Complete Songs, Vol. I on Linn Records (what else). 9. "Blue Light Til Dawn", Cassandra Wilson on Blue Note. 10. "Playground", Michael Petrucciani on Blue Note. 11. "TXAI", Milton Nascimento on Columbia. 12. "Mexican Baroque", Chanticleer Symphony on Warner/Europe. These are all mint CD's and each and every one of them is a great listen. The total cost (for all) was approx. $30, so if you have the time, get out there and support your local charity thrift shops and pick up some new and unusual music while doing so.
Townes van Zandt "A Far Cry From Dead" - great band behind him, and "Live in Berlin" - not in the greatest of voice but a keeper nonetheless. Used at CDPlus for $20 Canbucks.
Mark Lanegan----Field Songs---nice acoustic,atmospheric modern blues from the guy who used to sing in the Screaming Trees.
Harold Budd-Luxa-had this for a few years but had forgotten how great it was-piano based ambient music-beautiful.
Lift To Experience-The Texas Jerusalem Crossroads--Texan trio only able to get a record contract in the UK(Bella Union)--far out guitar based independant rock with strong quieter melodic moments and songs-double concept CD-- that Texas is the new Jerusalem...kid you not......

Ben
Sorry, Blbloom, but I tried the Barron/Carter Freefall and do not care for it. Sound is very good, but the content just leaves me bored. I do like a lot of jazz, but mostly older stuff, or new stuff in the bop mode. I'm sure others will make a better connection, but I cannot recommend it.

So as to not offer only negative comments, my suggestion of a recent find, sonically and for content of more mainstream but still original music, is Jimmy Smith's "dot com blues". Way cool, swinging jazzy blues. These days, I keep only about one of every three CD's I buy. This is a keeper.
Mine is the group Galactic, specifically their release titled Crazyhorse Mongoose. They're sort of a jazz/funk sound. Recording quality is excellent and the music is just flat out fantastic.
I have found a group that plays kind of original rock and roll. ballads, to slide guitar to humerous lyrics. I started out with one and now have them all> The group is the Hosty Trio out of Norman OK (go sooners kicked seminole's butt) Can order from hosty.com. The cd's are all great music that can be listened to over and over. The cd 10lb hammer is country (be warned) I reallly dont like country but this is the funniest stuff you have ever heard.
Better get soon because hosty trio is now the hosty duo. Take a chance you will be glad you did.
"Molly Johnston"

titile is same

Cross between Holly Cole and a sultry voice of jazz singers of the past. From what I understand, she only has 1 CD out, but if this anything of what the future has in store...well, we will be in luck..

Check her out, she is acompagnied by some excellent musicians...

Matt
The Quincy Jones-Sammy Nestico Orchestra, "Basie & Beyond". My wife thinks that it sounds like Las Vegas music, but I like it (good players and a nice swing). The copy that I have is an album advance on CD, so I don't have any notes on who the players are. Also picked up a Billy Vera & Beaters CD. I don't know if they ever really made it big, but they were a great local LA band in the early 80's and put on a fun show. They used to let you walk in free at the Troubadour at around midnight and I would check these guys out every chance that I got.
Here are a couple of odd ball CD's that are both great. The first is "Nancy Wilson, Two Shows Live, at McCabes Guitar Shop", on Epic. The recordings were done in 1996 and this is the Nancy Wison, from Heart, playing acoustic guitar and singing with, at the most, a couple of backup singers on some of the songs. Good recordings as well. If you want to be gross consider it "Heart Unplugged". The second is "Jazz A Saint Germain", on the Higher Octave Jazz label. It is billed as being a tribute to the free spirit of Paris in the 50's and one of the selections is a duet by Francoise Hardy (a very poplular French singer for those who are not familiar with her) and Iggy Pop. There are many foreign artists on this CD that are new to me, but this one is a real killer and would make good party music as well. It was done in 1997 and the copy that I picked up was punched as a cut out, so look for it fast before it either fades away or becomes a collectors item.