What are you listening to? June 2021

[JazzyRandy]

Skyzoo - All The Brilliant Things (2021)

 

[axolotl]

Carl Nielsen ~ Symphony No.4 "The Inextinguishable"; Helios Overture (1986)

(Esa-Pekka Salonen/Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra)

 

[axolotl]

Carlos Franzetti ~ Images Before Dawn: Symphonic Music of Carlos Franzetti (1995)

(Lotza people were involved)

 

[axolotl]

Richard Crandell ~ Mbira Magic (2004)



Minimalism

 

[Ojai Sam]

Lyle Lovett - Austin City Limits (ROIO 1996)



The math is simple: Artist + Band + Venue = Indispensible

I can't imagine why this kickin' show wasn't included in New West Records' extensive "Live From Austin TX" series.

Maybe MCA/Curb, Eraserhead's regular label, was already planning his first live album (which eventually surfaced in 1999 as the relatively underwhelming Live In Texas). Too bad, this one is a keeper. Our friendly bootlegger even threw in a duet with Lyle and the equally wry Randy Newman from a long lost appearance on Letterman.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

George Gershwin - Porgy and Bess (Williard White, Cynthia Haymon, et all; London Philharmonic · Sir Simon Rattle)

Aside from the many jazz renditions, I don't break out the full Porgy and Bess too often
I think this Amazon review is well written and encapsulates the opera's appeal:

Porgy and Bess is perhaps not an unqualified masterpiece, but it is still in very many ways a remarkable work; not the least of which being, of course, the way so many distinctive styles and cultures are synthesized into a very coherent musical language (spirituals, jazz, blues and not the least Ravel and Debussy); and of course there are all the memorably and impressively carried out individual numbers (both the well-known and the less famous) and the ingenious use of leitmotivs (sometimes emerging and reemerging in very different guises). In addition to the musical virtues, the opera benefits from the strength of a coherently told, genuinely touching story and Gershwin's unfailing theatrical instincts. In short, it has everything needed for sustaining a continued success on stage.

 

[axolotl]

George Gershwin - Porgy and Bess (Williard White, Cynthia Haymon, et all; London Philharmonic · Sir Simon Rattle)

Aside from the many jazz renditions, I don't break out the full Porgy and Bess too often
I think this Amazon review is well written and encapsulates the opera's appeal:

Is there any basis for my rank speculation that you decided to listen to this on the first day of Summer (i.e. "Summertime)?

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Is there any basis for my rank speculation that you decided to listen to this on the first day of Summer (i.e. "Summertime)?

"It Ain't Necessarily So"
Indeed, it's purely coincidental

 

[axolotl]

"It Ain't Necessarily So"
Indeed, it's purely coincidental

Have you listened to Nick's favorite from that opera?

I loves you Corgi

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

^

Watch yourself, Lilibeth loves her Corgis

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Gioachino Rossini - Overtures (Roger Norrington/London Classical Players)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention - Absolutely Free (1967)

I've always been fascinated with Zappa - his music is so much of everything (rock, jazz, satire, classical, doo wop, etc.) that it winds up almost being a whole different genre of its own. Of course, only the staunchist of Zappa lovers would attest to everything in his discography being great. So almost every year I start an overview of his music only to given up somewhere in the mid to late 70s. Will this be that time I get further - nah, probably not. The man has like 60+ albums BEFORE his death. But hey, don't mind at least starting with his Mothers stuff as it's wacky, unique and hilarious. Freak Out! earlier now this

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Part Chimp - Drool (2021)

 

[axolotl]

Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita ~ Transparent Water (2017)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Alban Berg - Wozzeck (Grundheber / Behrens / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Claudio Abbado)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention - We're Only In It For the Money (1968)

After the um...very interesting initial solo album Lumpy Gravy with it's mixture of modern classical, sounds and voice snippets, and surf music (which btw did precede Revolution No. 9 by a year to no acclaim), playing my favorite Zappa album - I find it quaint that I laugh at the same spots as when I first spun this in college when I first got it on CD (I would later get the original release on LP)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Neil Young - Zuma (1975)

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Waylon Jennings - Dreaming My Dream (1975)

 

[axolotl]

Gwilym Simcock ~ Blues Vignette (2009)



Jazz , Modern Classical