While working as a buyer at Aron’s Records in Hollywood during my youth, I came across ECM Records. Up until then, the only thing I had ever heard off of the label was Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert. As I was able to listen to promo versions of new releases, I came across Anouar Brahem, but forgot about him for over a decade. My friend, Max Franosch, whose photographs grace a few classic ECM releases, reminded by of his work via a post several years ago, and I’ve been following his music intently ever since.
Music Videos
[Video] Blind Willie Johnson – Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed
Pure gravel, sounding more like a preacher from down South rather than a typical blues-man, here’s Blind Willie Johnson tearing things up with a type of blues sermon.
[Video] Naná Vasconcelos – Saudades
Naná Vasconcelos is, perhaps, the finest jazz percussionist in the world. Having collaborated with the likes of Brian Eno, Jon Hassell and Don Cherry, among so many others, he has also been an extremely prolific composer and performer in his own right. This particular album is tonight’s soundtrack as I talk with my own Brazilian.
[Video] Peter Brötzmann / Shoji Hano / Tetsu Yamauchi / Haruhiko Gotsu – Dare Devil
Peter Brötzmann was my introduction to free jazz. The genre is full of brutal music, and it seems that Herr Brötzmann is its (vodka) king. It’s for a good reason. He is a tireless skronker, has more energy in his 70s that many fellow travelers do in their 30s. He also knows whom to collaborate with.
In this piece for the Japanese record label DIW (an old favorite of mine), he collaborates with Shoji Hano, Tetsu Yamauchi and Haruhiko Gotsu in a piece that melds free jazz together with a sort of broken blues. Yes, it’s a mess, but a lovely one.
[Video] Aphrodite’s Child – The Four Horsemen
In honor of the passing of the legendary Demis Roussos, as well as admiring the musicianship of Vangelis Papathanassiou, who was a monster keyboard player for Aphrodite’s Child before softening with Chariots of Fire.
[Video] Zoot Sims – A Time For Love (1984)
Though I love racket in all its forms, I’m also trying to wind down this evening. The gentle tenor sax of Zoot Sims has placed me into a very pleasant mood.
[Video] Nurse With Wound – Black Teeth
Avant-garde swamp blues? Well… Not exactly what one expects out of Nurse With Wound, is it?
[Video] Cibelle – Green Grass
Maybe it’s a sign of getting old that I’m enjoying sparse, folk-ish acoustic music, but there’s something sublime in the soothing voice of Cibelle.
[Video] Khalil Alinejad – Mola Janam
This isn’t anywhere near pop music, but Seyed Khalil Alinejad (or Alinezhad, as he is sometimes transliterated) was a master of the tanbur, an instrument popular among Iranian Kurds. He was murdered in 2001 by unknown assailants.
[Video] Agnes Obel – Dorian (Live Session, Berlin 2013)
Danish pop singer and pianist Agnes Obel is a new name to me. Perhaps it’s time to start listening to KCRW or indie radio again.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 