random tunes part 2

sunday evening
should be doing something more productive
than playing russian roulette with my iriver
but it's too cold and dark to venture forth
and there's nothing too appealing on tv
besides i have work to do
but mr procrastination is in the room
and has taken charge of proceedings
although seems to be as keen as i
on having another 10 random tracks to comment on
maybe they will provide the spark i need...
tears transforming by the tord gustavsen trio
i first encountered this trio at the wangaratta jazz festival in 2004
saw them 3 times in 3 days
i don't want to sound over the top here
but my love of music expanded over those 3 days
because of this trio from norway
this one is a beautiful example
of their sense of melody and lightness of touch
wulu sky by david darling and the wulu bunun
talk about an unlikely pairing
classical celloist
meets forest dwellers of inner taiwan
known for their a cappella singing
this one is a teaser at 1 minute and 21 seconds
cello being gently plucked
with backing from a cacophony of birdlife
sometimes by the laughing clowns
mr ed played this one live a lot
after the demise of the clowns
it's a great rock track featuring a very raw saxophone
and an assertive chorus of...
anyone at all - i just can't live with anyone at all
repeat
repeat
repeat
untitled #2 by the pat metheny group
this 20 minute opus is part 3
of a 4 part recording on an album released in 2005
titled the way up
it's an extraordinary album
so much going on musically
this track builds and builds
it conjurs up images of a wild storm at sea
then suddenly all is calm
and we are left drifting....
pat metheny had no intention of playing the album live
but they got it together
and it's been captured on dvd
that is another story for another post
i will find the way by pat metheny
this one from the one quiet night album
according to the liner notes it literally
is him and an acoustic guitar
with all the tracks recorded in one session
i swear i can hear multiple guitars being played here
but that is the musical genius of the man
i am a wicked child by radiohead
these guys never fail to surprise me
with the diversity of their repertoire
i bought a cd earlier this year
of b-sides and random outtakes
intended for the japanese market apparantly
it has some gems on it
radiohead does the blues...
if i coulda kept on the straight and narrow
i might not have broke your heart
machengoidi by ali farka toure
from his last ever studio recording (rip)
another blues feeling track
his trademark guitar right out front
this could be a chant from the deep south of america
not the west coast of africa
but of course it's amazing how small this planet is
even if the mode of transport is a slave ship
tranquility by the church
from their 1998 album hologram of baal
clocks in at nearly 8 minutes
one thing about the church
is that every track is different
and is expertly produced
on this track we go on a gentle musical journey
i heard about maria she hated the rat race
and she escaped to a beautiful place
birds of neo-paradise groove in the trees
the name of her town is tranquility
keep the car running by the arcade fire
band of the moment
straight up songs
inventive instrumentation
i'm not that good at, or interested in
defining music and musicians by their apparant influences
but in this case i can hear echo and the bunnymen
loud and clear on this track
which is ok by me as i loved the bunnies back in the 80's
i shall be listening to more arcade fire
hommage a tonton ferrer by orchestra baobab
had the great pleasure of seeing orchestra baobab
twice at womadelaide in 2006
they were as big as an african (senegal) band
could get in the 70's and 80's
reformed recently and put out a gorgeous album
titled specialist in all styles
a bold claim but this track leaves no doubt
as to their ability at their traditional afro-cuban style
ain't collaboration a beautiful thing....
that's it folk(s) - another 10 tracks
now mr p says we need to go out for a walk
to check out the blue moon
on this winter night