The final post of 2016 is one of the most beautiful to my years. Many thanks to Jeff Gburek for some fine releases, and thanks to the readership for their friendship, their patience and the suggestions for music. Next year, we will add interviews to the website. I won’t post as much simply because the new job will be taking a lot of time, but expect me to point you to some amazing things. More to come soon, but for now, may you and yours enjoy the night in peace, and may you wake up to something better.
Month: December 2016
[Music] Goro Yamaguchi – Mukaiji Reibo
After a very noisy year, it’ll be nice to end it on a pleasant note. Many thanks to Miguel for posting this piece for shakuhachi by Goro Yamaguchi.
[Music] Wim Mertens (performed By Soft Verdict) - Maximizing The Audience
Wim Mertens is a minimalist composer out of Belgium whose work I’ve followed since at least 1990. He’s still releasing lovely music, but this particular piece is my favorite, from the album bearing the same title.
[Music] The Mariachi Men of Yugoslavia
Jonny Wrate of Roads and Kingdoms Magazine writes the article for the year for me!
Many years ago, while living in Macedonia, my friends and I would discuss music, and two, Igor and Goran, turned me on to the fact that Mexican music was actually a big deal in the former Yugoslavia. It was the most amusing thing I had ever heard, as I grew up with a lot of boleros in my house (Los Panchos, Los Tres Ases, and others, for example). It blew my mind that such a scene would exist, but they were emphatic in telling me that such a creature DID indeed exist. They even showed me record covers like the one above, recorded by the ever-tacky, ever awesome Ljubomir Milić.
Wrate’s back story really does a nice job of filling in the history of a very unique time in my beloved Balkans which ties into the music I loved as a child.
[Music] Gralitsa – Upon A Circle, Upon A Gold
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After a track on Soundcloud, I decided to purchase this mini-LP from Gralitsa, a musician whose work crosses the genres of world music, post-rock, progressive rock and soundtrack music with great ease. It’s worth picking up.
[Music] Perry Como – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
As Advent draws to a close, we prepare the house for Christmas celebrations with Perry Como booming in the background. May you and yours who celebrate on the Gregorian Calendar Sunday have a quiet peaceful one.
[Music] Fairuz – Christmas Songs From Syria فيروز أغاني الميلاد
An early Christmas present for my friends on the Gregorian calendar, courtesy of Fairuz.
[Music] Assa’d Khoury – Al Ghaba (1978)
All credit goes to my friend Thomas for hipping me to Assa’d Khoury, the king of Syrian electronic belly dance groove music.
[Music] Big Star – Jesus Christ
Big Star’s near perfect album, Third/Sister Lovers, is full of treasures, but this one is sublime, respectful of Christ, and perfect for the season.
[Music] The Ronettes – Sleigh Ride
Before Phil Spector lost his mind and murdered Lana Clarkson, he was terrorizing his stable of artists, include that of the group of his former wife, Ronnie, The Ronettes. Still, this is a happy Christmas ditty.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 