Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith's self titled album from 1995. On one of my favorite names for a record label: Kill Rock Stars Records.

A singer/songwriter affair, mostly acoustic. Beautiful and haunting. There's a feeling of sadness behind the songs. Backing vocals on one song are contributed from Rebecca Gates of the Portland band, The Spinanes.

Towner & Moore

Ralph Towner with Glen Moore - 'Trios / Solos'

Vinyl from 1973 on ECM Records. I've been finding several of these 1970's, ECM vinyl recordings lately. 

Ralph Towner is a guitarist. Glen Moore plays bass. Both are members of the group, Oregon. The sound is a fusion of elements of Jazz, Classical, Folk and World music. 

My interest in ECM started with hearing Keith Jarrett's improvisational solo piano, 'Koln Concert' on late night radio many years ago.

Not the easiest listen but I certainly appreciate the skill of the musicians.

ECM's slogan .... "The greatest sound next to silence."

On The Radio

Sometimes you hear things for the first time on the old school radio station. Driving around town this afternoon I was introduced to: 'Sunbath' by Woody Shaw. Trumpet fueled and soulful. I read that it's from 1975. Woody Shaw - Sunbath

Prior to that, I heard a piano ballad tune called, 'Fix It' sung powerfully and beautifully by Lady Blackbird. Lady Blackbird - Fix It. The opening piano notes had me thinking of the classic song, 'Peace Piece' by Bill Evans but then she starts singing and not to lessen Bill Evans by one ounce, but WOW!! It's from an album titled, 'Black Acid Soul' and it's been ordered without any additional research or song sampling. This voice deserves to be coming through my speakers with the volume turned up. 

Phineas Is Back!!

The Phineas Newborn Trio - Look Out - Phineas Is Back!

From 1978 on the Pablo Records label. On vinyl. Piano Jazz.

The result of a spontaneous visit to the only remaining record store in Salem. The owner has three boxes on the floor of unpriced records. Mostly 'soft' Jazz titles that I'm not interested in but occasionally I've found gems in those boxes. So I'm flipping through the records and I suddenly come to this. One keeper hidden among all the elevator Jazz. There's a long wait while the store owner is doing research .... discogs I imagine, while he decides what he "wants to get for it." He finally quotes a price that fails to scare me off. He asks if I know of the musician. "A little bit"  I reply. As if he's not really wanting to sell it he says: "If you hate it, feel free to return it." So I'm thinking to myself that he's really eager to make a sale here. That he's really making his best effort to sell this record. Eventually I get out the door with it. 

I wonder what I may have missed in these boxes between my visits? These four or five found titles that I've come across on separate stops, were not there on my previous visits. It's like the owner replaces one title of interest with another. I never find two records in a single visit. 

Another Saturday Night Random Playlist

Random Playlist for a April Saturday night in Oregon. Because I'm nothing at all if I'm not Oregonian .... and random.

• The Jayhawks - Society Pages .... Not sure if I'm crazy or not but I'm always hearing little bits and pieces in their music that brings to mind, The Beatles. 
• Pete Yorn - Old Boy .... Had the thought while listening, Whenever my spirit  decides it's time to give up and move on to whatever is next, I hope I'm sitting here like I am now, listening to music. This song would be fine to be listening to as I fade away.
• Paul Weller - You Do Something To Me .... Occasionally (rarely) you cross paths with someone who truly moves your soul.
• The Church - Under the Milky Way .... In my mind, the end of the 1980's.
• Robert Palmer - One Last Look .... "Take one last look at the love we're leaving behind."  In the last year or two, this song has become a desert island tune for me. 
• Dionne Warwick - Walk On By / I Say a Little Prayer  .... Don't know how the previous tunes led me here but here I am. Swept up in waves of bittersweet and haunting nostalgia. 
• The Bats - Rooftops 
• Mothers of Invention - Directly From My Heart to You .... I'm only half a century tardy but I just picked up my first Mothers of Invention album last weekend.
• The Bats - Free All the Monsters .... Returning for more Bats. Infectious sounds. 
• Justin Hayward - Forever Autumn .... From 1978's, 'The War of the Worlds' recording narrated by Richard Burton.
• Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds .... Since I played the Justin Hayward tune and referenced the entire recording, I might as well go and listen. Now experiencing flashbacks to the first time I heard this, over forty years ago, also late at night.
• George Harrison - Looking For My Life .... I'm still stuck in the days of the iPod. I may just empty mine out and put this song on it and drive around along rural roads with the volume way up.

David Friesen Circle 3 Trio

David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Triple Exposure

From 2016. David Friesen is a Jazz bassist playing contemporary and original jazz. 

Everything the trio plays is colored with a pronounced individuality. The harmonic depth, intense rhythm and subtle interaction they employ mesmerizes an audience. ' - --Downbeat Magazine

''Once in a great while, a musician emerges with such authority and such seemingly effortless originality that his place in the front ranks of his instrument is unquestioned. So it is with David Friesen. ' - --Nat Hentoff

The 80's

Been attempting lately to upgrade or catch up a bit with my records from the 1980's. New Wave, Post Punk, whatever you want to call the decade. Some titles I've picked up:

• The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
• The The - Soul Mining
• The Cure - Faith
• The Fixx - Phantoms
• Broadcast - Haha Sound .... Well this isn't from the 80's but for some reason, at the time of acquisition, I thought it was.

.... and I'll be looking for more. 

I used to think that the only good things from the 80's were, Peter Gabriel's, 'So' album and U2's, 'Joshua Tree and 'The Unforgettable Fire. 'But there's much more in my collection that I love .... The Police, Big Country, Tears For Fears, China Crisis, General Public, John Mellencamp,  REM, Psychedelic Furs, just to name a few. But it's all those "The" groups where I'm lacking. The search will continue.

Soul Mining

'Soul Mining' from The The. From 1984. A recent vinyl find for me. A grail!!! I literally was flipping through a bin of new arrivals in an antique store that I frequent. AND THERE IT WAS!!! I almost fell over.

What a great, original name for a band .... The The.

That early to mid 80's, synthesizer driven sound that was trending for a few years. Feels a little like the progressive side for that genre. The songs are a little more quirky, which is part of its fascination.

'This Is the Day' and 'Uncertain Smile' are the highlights. 

Every Note Is True

'Every Note Is True' from Ethan Iverson. A new release (2022) on compact disc from Blue Note Records .... Always a reason for trust that the sounds will be enjoyable.

Contemporary Jazz trio, discovered while looking through Jazz Times magazine. 

Ethan Iverson is a piano player. Jack DeJohnette supplies the drumming and Larry Grenadier, the bass. Ethan Iverson wrote all but one of the tunes. Fresh sounds for a new year!!

Flashing Back Playlist

 Playlist from days long ago and not to be forgotten .....

• Robert Palmer - Every Kind of People .... Didn't appreciate it then. Love it now!!
• Robert Palmer - One Last Look
• Tower of Power - You Got to Funkifize
• Eric Burdon & the Animals - San Francisco Nights
• Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie
• Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know It All .... My college roommate was named Steve. Friends referred to him as, "Wonder."
• Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze .... The cause of instant bittersweet memories of high school years. Both old friends I still cross paths with occasionally, and the friends made long ago who have passed away since. 
• The Eagles - Try and Love Again .... They kind of lost me after their, Desperado album. This song was an exception. And yes!! I harmonize along with them when it gets to the chorus.
• Chicago - Saturday In the Park

It really is true! The 70's had the best music. A different kind of songwriting that fit and defined those years so well. I guess one had to be there. And I was. 

• Laura Nyro - Stoned Soul Picnic
• Steely Dan - Doctor Wu .... "You walked in, and my life began again"

Son of a Math Teacher

Sam Bisbee - Son of a Math Teacher. From 2009.

Singer/Songwriter. Proving that there's always something new to discover. 

Highlights are the songs: "Never Fall In Love," "Vermont" and "Verge of Extinction."

I've forgotten how my initial discovery of his music came about. An itunes files download from two years ago that I'm just getting around to listening to. I shouldn't have waited so long.  

Introspection IV

Introspection IV from 1960 on the Warner Brothers record label. On vinyl.

Just stumbled across this earlier today.

How to describe this? I'm just going to steal a sentence or two from the album sleeve: "A study in the weird wanderings of the mind. Relationship of outre tales to modern music ...."

Short stories with music. Listening to the tone of the spoken word narration, I was reminded of the original, Little Shop of Horrors movie, which also came from 1960. 

The sort of oddball recording that I love having in my collection. In fact, I found this in a bin marked, "Oddities." And according to the title, there's at least three more in the series to be found. Not sure that I want all of them but one certainly ups the coolness level of my collection.