Re: OT: What's on your iPod/CDplayer/Turntable

[cpr@musetrap.com]

Tinariwen... Bajofondo.. and Buraka Som Sistema...

Quoting Rick Walker <looppool@cruzio.com>:

> I'm just loving a few things that I'm listening to right now
> and not only wanted to share them with you all but wanted
> to know what people are currently listening to.
>
> 1)  When I was in Zurich,  I got the chance to go see
> Nik Bartsch's RONIN play at their legendary 'Montags'
> shows  (with a really nice opening solo looping set
> by our own Bernhard Wagner).
> I was just blown away. It's the best live instrumental
> music I've seen in a very long time.  Minimal, textural
> compositions/improvisations exploring the realms of
> polyrhythms and odd time signatures.   Every member of his
> ensemble firing on all cylinders (bass and contrabass clarinet.
> innovative percussion, fretless 6 string bass and traspset) all
> mixing with Nik's amazing grand piano/prepared acoustic piano/
> electric piano improvisations.  Two fisted on two instruments he
> was playing simultaneously in two different time signatures in
> waves of acoustic 'loops' that cycled to and from each other.
> The sound was amazing to boot.  They record every night
> so they have the sound in this venue dialed in.
>
> Nik Bartsch's RONIN ----  'Holon' just doesn't leave my  car stereo for
> very long.   I'm in love and it's also inspiring because
> this music is just made for live looping experiments (as Bernhard's 
>lovely
> and funky set in Rome and Zurich proved.   2) All day (and as I type)
> I've been listening to the lovely new
>
> John Hassell CD , "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping its Clothes in the
> Street"
>
> .   This record is as good as any past Hassell records
> and that says volumes as he has a half dozen that are in my top 50 list
> of favorite CDs of all times.  It is beautiful, haunting, melancholy, 
>foreign
> and even alien sounding and as intelligent as it gets for a close to
> ambient record.   And thanks, Massimo, for hipping me to this little
> gem.   3)  Just recently I discovered the music of the superlative and
> creative jazz
> drummer/composer  Brian Blade so I've purchased both of his jazz CDs
> with Brian Blade and the Fellowship.
> In the past I've tended to avoid drummer led jazz projects (a horrid  
>  prejudice
> since I'm a writing drummer) but Blade completely avoids having his 
>records
> sound like vehicles for drumming.  He's a really good writer and these 
>are as
> good as any recent releases in jazz.
>
> Then when I heard that he was also writing singer songwriter material I 
>was,
> again, skeptical.
>
> Brian Blade  "Mama Rosa"     is just a revelation!
>
> He has written a beautiful melancholy meditation on growing up.  He has
> a lovely
> voice.  The songs are really well written.  His chordal vocabulary is
> sophisticated
> so the record is really interesting but it doesn't sound sophisticated.
> It's just simply put, lovely.       4) Chris and I are driving down to
> Los Angeles (500km) to see the British pop band, Elbow's only west coast
> appearance.    There first three CDs are fantastic and incredibly
> inventive.   The production is a marvel,
> full of fascinating timbral choices of traditional instruments, found
> sounds and electronics.
> Imagine if a band with the stylistic scope of the Beatles were playing
> in the Naughties only
> further north in England and with a decidedly darker/moodier and more
> melancholic vibe.
>
> Elbow  "Asleep in the Back'
> Elbow  "One of Thousands'
> Elbow "Leaders of the Free World"    (which I'd start with first,
> it's there third)
>
> I'm actually not as enamored of their latest release but it doesn't
> matter because the first three are so good.
>
> 5)    Then I sit not 100 feet away from the window of my brother's
> studio. He's writing, recording and developing material for his new CD.
>    For having played frequently
> with someone for a very long time, I"m always amazed that every couple
> of days I hear music
> come out of his studio (and it wafts through our compound on these hot
> summer days when
> the windows are open)  that is beautiful thought provoking and which
> has me constantly
> asking him,  "how did you do that".        I promote and demonstrate the
> Looperlative LP-1 but Bill is just becoming a master at using it and
> leaves me far in the dust
> in terms of his creative depth in using it.
> It's not out yet and I'd probably get one free for being family, but
> I"m gonna buy this
> sucker when it gets released.
>
> Bill Walker   "As Yet Untitled"
>
>
> What are you guys and gals listening too?