Movies We've Just Watched discussion
LISTS, LISTS, AND MORE LISTS
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Stuff We've Just Listened To
after reading that new bio on billie holiday, i wanted to pick up some willie the lion smith, one of the great early harlem stride pianists, who was flitting around the harlem scene when billie holliday was still a teenager. it's SO GOOD - masterful piano playing in the wonderful early style that gave birth to jazz.
lots of ambient brian eno on the stereo this morning .. just chilling out before i go on tour for several days on the east coast, then 10 days vacationing on the maine coast with my homegirl, then more touring in detroit and selected spots in the midwest.i think the phrase is quiet before the storm.
I dug upon some Prokofiev the other day -- lovely Classical Symphony and the massive Fifth Symphony, in a marvelous recording by Bernstein with the NY Philharmonic.
I am listening this morning to Didyula--cool Arabic/Spanish+ guitar stuffhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzoQc...
Tom wrote: "I dug upon some Prokofiev the other day -- lovely Classical Symphony and the massive Fifth Symphony, in a marvelous recording by Bernstein with the NY Philharmonic."the first movement of his 5th symphony is one of the most marvelous things ever ... never fails to blow me away.
I got John Adams' ABSOLUTE JEST the other day, and am enjoying the hell out of it. A piece for string quartet and orchestra, based it seems upon Beethoven's Late String Quartets, it's a real delight to listen to. I highly recommend it.
Fripp & Eno's EVENING STAR fell into my hands recently, and I'm liking it a lot. Good guitary ambient stuff.
i picked that up circa 1977 on LP, and kind of wore it out. it was released before the formal ambient music series that eno released. i seem to remember they did another one, but i never heard that. the adams sounds good, especially because i'm such a fan of the late beethoven quartets. pure mastery.
I picked up the other Fripp & Eno: NO PUSSYFOOTING, which may become my new workout music. A two CD set with the music presented properly, then backwards (literally backwards, to commemorate the first radio performance of the work when the BBC reversed the tape and played it in reverse), and even at half speed. Cool.I'll send you the Adams, if you like.
oh, yeah, that's what it was called adams: yes please!
Tom wrote: "Fripp & Eno's EVENING STAR fell into my hands recently, and I'm liking it a lot. Good guitary ambient stuff."Great Album
file under guilty pleasure: while staying in coastal maine, i found NEVER A DULL MOMENT, an early release by rod stewart and the faces ... i saw them in 1971 at the hollywood palladium - my first rock concert! and they were fantastic. just good ol' rock n roll served up loud and bawdy. this album is from that period, long before anyone in america even heard MAGGIE MAY, or the big disco hits that put rod over the top. the album reminds me of the days when you could walk into a bar and hear a band going off ... all the way off.from the not so guilty pleasure file, in fact, not guilty at all, i also found peggy lee's I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU, just a compilation featuring a nice array of her hits, covering slow sultry ballads, fun romps like IT'S A GOOD DAY, and calypso, tango, mambo, and samba grooves behind classic jazz standards (cole porter and the like). i think it's time to deepen my research into peggy lee. i don't know why i've mostly overlooked her all these years.
and, now playing, chuck berry's YOU CAN'T CATCH ME - 30 ridiculously fun hits.
bought all of these at the goodwill in gouldsboro maine - each disc was $2.99 ... unopened, new discs. whenever i drop in there i have found at least two classic recordings for that price. last time it was the two discs that john lee hooker recorded in chicago in 1962 under the heading of MORE FOLK AND THE BLUES, if you run into either of those discs, grab them with both hands.
sometimes life is good.
Phillip wrote: "file under guilty pleasure: while staying in coastal maine, i found NEVER A DULL MOMENT, an early release by rod stewart and the faces ... i saw them in 1971 at the hollywood palladium - my first r..."Well, if we're doing Faces, how about this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOFm...
it's a very different sound, eh? well, it's the 60's, so there's all that hazy lazy vibe rolling around. naw, i like the band in the 70's ...
here's a link to the full album i was talking about ... nothing lazy about this groove
https://youtu.be/iBpCFpJgbZk
the good news is that i'm back to work (as it happens every september) and i've been researching things to play with the jazz ensemble and the orchestra that i lead (as a teacher) ...so, for the jazz band, i think we've come up with a suite of ellington to play as a single, uninterrupted piece:
THE MOOCHE - SMADA - EAST ST LOUIS TOOTLE-O - ROCKIN' N' RHYTHM - IN A MELLOW TONE - MOOD INDIGO
great pieces here - if you don't know them, check it out. i will have the students figure out how to arrange the pieces and make the transitions seamless
for the orchestra, it looks like we are going to play three pieces from handel's suite in F major (water music) ... nice mix of textures and tempos ..
the kids want to do the theme from JOHN ADAMS - the show ... it's kind of nice. and they also want to do one of the big themes from NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS ... seems like a nice mix of material.
meanwhile, i'm listening to so much big bill broonzy and mance lipscomb ... classic blues cats
Phillip wrote: "the good news is that i'm back to work (as it happens every september) and i've been researching things to play with the jazz ensemble and the orchestra that i lead (as a teacher) ...so, for the ..."
Oh, man my two favorite Ellington's: East St. Loo and Mood Indigo--much love!!
woke up on 9/11 thinking about a lot of things, including the music of william byrd ... here's some gorgeous music for lute, if you're in the mood ...https://youtu.be/tzpOgwiKgw4
composed circa 1575 ....
my girl was in town for a week and we were talking about living composers and i said what about john adams, and she said, i probably haven't heard the good stuff, just a lot of mediocre stuff that choreographers use ... so i played his HARMONILEHRE (theory of harmony), conducted by the great simon rattle and it just blew her mind.
great early work by mr adams.
Which reminds me, I've got some CDs for you. Get her to listen to some Jonny Greenwood, too.
thanks you!she's gone for a month, but yes, when she returns ... she really liked the INHERENT VICE soundtrack
Been digging on a Jonny Greenwood playlist, music from film scores and his own instrumental pieces. Excellent gym music.
and a packet of john adams arrived the other day, a fine gift from our friend tom - thanks so much for that. just getting into them, having way too much listening to do for the classes i teach these days while we are sorting out the repertoire we're going to play. but they have been a most welcome addition to my automobile's CD player.more soon
The joy of Used CD Stores -- finding that long out of print CD that you've been kicking yourself for not having purchased all those years ago, and you've seen it for sale at outrageous prices online and then one day you wander into a used CD store in a strange town while on vacation and behold, there it is, for a mere $10.00 and you try to contain your excitement as you pay the ridiculously low price and leave the store and allow yourself that little "yeehaw!" of delight and triumph.I have known this joy. Yesterday. It is GOOD.
Tom wrote: "The joy of Used CD Stores -- finding that long out of print CD that you've been kicking yourself for not having purchased all those years ago, and you've seen it for sale at outrageous prices onlin..."What did you buy? I hardly buy Cds anymore, let alone vinyl--but I miss those days.
Tom wrote: "The joy of Used CD Stores -- finding that long out of print CD that you've been kicking yourself for not having purchased all those years ago, and you've seen it for sale at outrageous prices onlin..."indeed - that is a lovely experience ... you think: how is it that this was overlooked?!?!?!?!?
i buy CDs all the time, or, rather every pay day.
still working my way through the pile of john adams' music that tom sent. great stuff, all of it!
I found a CD of Wendy Carlos's score for THE SHINING, a lot of it unused stuff, and kind of wonderful. Also Jerry Goldsmith's score for Joe Dante's underrated EXPLORERS, a score I like a lot.
that SHINING soundtrack is marvelous ... so much good stuff on there. the last time i watched the film i was so tuned into the music. don't know the film EXPLORERS, but jerry goldsmith has produced some great soundtracks.
really enjoying some discs that tom sent - put john adams' SHAKER LOOPS on continuous play and listened to it five times yesterday and three times today. i had the LP in the late 80's and wore it out but haven't had it on hand for a while. inspired me to want to play it with my students next year.
Someone introduced me today to a Cape Verde singer: Cesaria Evora. Wow, some nice stuff there--the song "Sodade"?
yeah, she's a jewel - glad you met her
P-- glad you're digging the Adams. Is there a specific SHAKER LOOPS you prefer? ABSOLUTE JEST has been in constant ipod rotation for a while now for me. EXPLORERS is a little film by Joe Dante, it was his follow-up to GREMLINS, and the tone's a lot sweeter. It follows three kids, two of whom are played by River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke, who start receiving messages in their dreams that lead to them building a homemade spaceship -- their trip to an alien ship is funny and surprising and a bit discomforting. A lovely little movie that got unfairly swept under the rug.
Tom wrote: "P-- glad you're digging the Adams. Is there a specific SHAKER LOOPS you prefer? ABSOLUTE JEST has been in constant ipod rotation for a while now for me. EXPLORERS is a little film by Joe Dante, i..."
That sounds pretty good--plus two good young actors (then).
Tom wrote: "P-- glad you're digging the Adams. Is there a specific SHAKER LOOPS you prefer? ABSOLUTE JEST has been in constant ipod rotation for a while now for me.no, i just think the whole thing is great - that last piece with the voiceover ... maybe not as much, but the string writing really pleases me! going to play it for my students today, in fact. maybe we will perform it next semester.
definitely in pursuit of EXPLORERS.
yow! found it, put it in the queue.
For those in the Bay Area -- a strong recommendation if you can make it. Mr. Dave Malloy's GHOST QUARTET, a haunting song cycle performed live, one of the loveliest things out there.http://sfcurran.com/event/ghost-quartet/
Tom wrote: "P-- glad you're digging the Adams. Is there a specific SHAKER LOOPS you prefer? ABSOLUTE JEST has been in constant ipod rotation for a while now for me..."just about to get to ABSOLUTE JEST .. been some interruptions around here.
Stupid interruptions.I got a live concert from Zappa, entitled BUFFALO, that's a real treat. Funny and engaging, and damn could that man play guitar when he had a mind to.
Tom wrote: "Stupid interruptions.I got a live concert from Zappa, entitled BUFFALO, that's a real treat. Funny and engaging, and damn could that man play guitar when he had a mind to."
I saw him a few years before he died--it was like nothing else. We have a local group here called Bogus Pomp that has license from Zappa's estate to do an annual show. I know that's a rarity.
SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR is always a good one to illustrate just what a ridiculously great guitarist zappa was ... i saw him several times in numerous configurations, but one really memorable show at the palace in LA presented zappa with a pretty big band that featured (steve vai AND) johnny guitar watson, who was one of zappa's boyhood heroes and big influences. zappa gave watson lots of room to stretch out and they had a few fiery duo exchanges. you could tell frank was just in heaven. that was a great band all around, circa 1987 or 1988.
SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR was another of those OMG There It Is At Long Last Affordably Priced On CD!!!! kind of deals for me -- amazing album(s).
http://www.tbo.com/events-tampa-bay/t...This is what I've seen, been lucky enough to live near. They have this annual Show, called ZAPPAWEEN every fall.
I'm telling you, these guys are good.
Tom wrote: "SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR was another of those OMG There It Is At Long Last Affordably Priced On CD!!!! kind of deals for me -- amazing album(s)."nice!
Tracy wrote: "http://www.tbo.com/events-tampa-bay/t...This is what I've seen, been lucky enough to live near. They have this annual Show, called ZAPPAWEEN..."
it's nice someone is dedicating some time to frank's book of music. there's a tremendous treasure chest of work there.
got around to listening to ABSOLUTE JEST, a present from our friend tom. it's a strange work for john adams ... would love to read some liner notes on it. here is adams, quoting generously from beethoven's 3rd, and a few other works that sprang from vienna ... i think there's stuff from the 5th and 9th symphonies floating around as well.the work seems to be dealing with beethoven's late obsession with variation. adams takes themes and fragments from some of the works and develops them in unusual ways. there's a lot there to digest, looking forward to giving it some more time.
been mixing two new albums lately, so there hasn't been a lot of time for other things ... along with working towards some new projects.
animals and giraffes: JULY - is a record i made over a year ago with the writer claudia la rocco, pairing her up with many of the great free improvisers here in the bay area. it's a beautiful record - finished mixing it yesterday, sending it off to the label on monday.
PG13 - my loud ass rock band that flirts with metal, punk, thrash, prog, etc. we recorded the record in may and finished mixing it about three weeks ago. sent it to a producer down south who is shopping it to some labels.
and, going into the studio to record several BARBEDWIRE scores that i composed for trio this past january, with pioneer electronic musicians john bischoff and tim perkis.
then, in february, it's time to record my next solo album. this will be my 5th.
lots to listen to these days.
I listened to, live, last night, John Lydon and Public Image Limited. Their recordings don't come close to matching their live performances, especially when they resort to tricks like using the bass vibrations to send sound waves into the audience you can feel as well as hear. There is no getting around it, they are a metronomically tight band, and it's good to know guys my age can still bring the intense rock.
they're still together? i saw them whoa, back in the 80's ... maybe 83? they were really good. BAD (big audio dynamite) was on the bill as well, and they hadn't quite found their sound yet.
Phillip wrote: "they're still together? i saw them whoa, back in the 80's ... maybe 83? they were really good. BAD (big audio dynamite) was on the bill as well, and they hadn't quite found their sound yet."Still together. John wore something that looked like a prison uniform (the old striped kind) , still has a rooster mohawk, and go the crowd chanting "Anger Is AN ENERGY" (my favorite line) about 100 times.. I loved it.
That would be great--i'm just using an online Ultimate Guitar thing. I would love to hear your version! I also realized that Knives Out has a ver y similar chord structure to "Paranoid Android"....