5 posts tagged “acoustic”
It
has taking me a minute to get another ThriftStoreGems converted but I
am happy to say it is...complete. This one I am really happy to bring
you because of the musicians I have had a chance to convert the
cassette LPs for me has been a blessing to sit back and listen to the
music. My main love with music is the instrumental tunes. Even before I
knew to call the instrumentals (back in the day I would call them
"music without words" or worse..."elevator music")
The four artists I will be showcasing I really enjoy listening to time and time again. One LP is a duo(Steve Rodby and Ross Traut) a pianist (Liz Story) and pianist/keyboardist (Fred Simon). Three of the artists have recorded on the Windham Hill Record label when Will Ackerman was at the helm (and to me that is when the record label was at its best). One thing about this selection of music is that it's cool to play this to unwind, when having dinner guest over, chilling with you and sweetheart.
One cassette I have had for over 10 years, one I found at the thrift store and the other I also have on CD but I converted the cassette to digital for sentimental reason(this cassette LP I have also owned for over 10 years). I have to admit the Duo Life cassette LP by Steve Rodby and Ross Traut had to grow on me. This is the cassette I have had in my possession for over 10 years and the other track I truly enjoyed was the cover song, "People Make the World Go Round". It was only this past week that sitting and converting it that I truly began to appreciate the great work by these two gifted musicians. Ross Traut being a talented guitarist who has played with Michael Franks(my hero), Jaco Pastorius, Gil Goldstein, Cliff Carter, Pat Metheny, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Morse, Mark Egan, Danny Gottleib and Hiram Bullock.
Steve Rodby first caught my ear when I heard him lay down the bass line on Fred Simon's "Usually/Always" tune. Later I found out that he has been with The Pat Methany Group for a while and he has also produced for Fred Simon and Michael Manring (another great bassist in his on right). I have a couple of Pat Methany CDs but I am blessed to have held on to his recording with Ross [Traut] and I blessed to have really come to appreciate his solo bass work on Duo Life.
Liz Story is one of the artists that began on the Windham Hill label. I first heard her play when purchasing the Windham Hill 86 Sampler(which I have that sampler on CD and cassette). I listen to her when I have had a stressful day and the only instrument I wish to hear is the piano. Some of her composition brings tears of joy to my eyes and sometime if I need to go to sleep I can through on a couple of tunes from this gifted pianist and I am off to la-la land. Imagine my surprise coming across a cassette LP of Ms. Story at our local thrift store. I snatched that up with a quickness and now I am able to bringing my favorite tracks from this cassette LP
The first time I hear "Usually/Always" track on the radio I admittedly called the radio station and asked what artist was that and when I found out it was Fred Simon I had to run out buy the cassette LP. This cassette is over 10 years old but I never grow tired this entire LP. It's a wonder I never wore out the cassette because I played it to death. I think Fred Simon has only recorded one LP on the Windham Hill label and I have to begin trying to find other recording by this wonderful keyboardist. Steve Rodby produced this LP and also places the acoustic bass on every track which is a true treat (this is how I find out about many musicians by reading the liner notes).
I was so tempted to put every track from this LP on this podcast but that would have been greedy and I truly think you should have this LP in your music catalog. I love the percussions, I love the vocal harmony, the synthesizers, for me it gives me that, "finding true love feeling" with most tracks. The only track that has a somber/dramatic feel to it is "Bad Lands" which I love the sliding guitar and strong drum line in this track. What was really cool is when I finally purchased the CD and it had an extra track on it (I will have to post that another time).
Enjoy this podcast because I had fun picking out the tunes.
click here to listen{right click to download}
Steve Rodby/Ross Traut-Duo Life
o1. people make the world go round(~o3:33)(o4:2o)
o2. don't make me over(~o7:51)(o5:o2)
o3. trout stream(~12:43)(o4:43)
04. Three Wishes(~19:o4)(o6:o9)
o5. It's Gonna Take a Miracle(~25:o2)(o5:42)
Liz Story-Solid Colors
o1. Wedding Rain(~33:1o)(o5:43)
o2. Hymn(~38:41)(o4:20)
o3. Solid Colors(~42:53)(o4:41)
o4. White Heart(~49:15)(o2:11)
o5. Water Caves(~51:18)(o3:10)
Fred Simon-Usually/Always
o1. Usually/Always(~57:52)(o5:34)
o2. Nin(~1:o3:15)(o5:21)
o3. That Fall(~1:o8:23)(o5:o2)
o4. Air for Sarah(~1:18:11)(o6:17)
o5. Badlands(~1:24:o6)(o7:o4)
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check out his latest podcast: OSW-Vernal Equinox, 2008
This
I think may be one of my favorite netcast to date. Back in the late
80's I was just coming into jazz music not knowing anything about new
age, folk, ambient music at the time. When I finally sat down and began
listening to Andreas Vollenweider for me that was an door opening for me that would never close.
I have other works by Andreas but this will always be my favorite by him. What blew me away was this was the only LP besides Pink Floyd's The Wall that just about every track blended into the next one. I could not pick out just one tune from Down To The Moon because for me that would break the mellow flow of this LP. I also included a couple of Windham artists that in the near future I will be doing a podcast devoted just to the early artists of Windham Hill. (if you get a chance check out Will Ackerman's site and his beautiful studio, Imaginary Road Studio...very nice indeed).
Now, this is a podcast where you really need to just find somewhere to chill, light some candles and just "be".
Enjoy
click here to listen{right click to download}
Down To The Moon-Andreas Vollenweider
TheNearSide
1. Down to the Moon
2. Moon Dance
3. Steam Forest
4. Water Moon
5. Night Fire Dance
TheFarSide
6. Quiet Observer
7. Silver Wheel
8. Drown in Pale Light
9. The Secret, The Candle and Love
10. Hush-Patience at Bamboo Forest
11. Three Silver Ladies Dance
12. La Lune et L'Enfant
A Mini Windham Sampler of What's To Come
13. Rameau's Nephew-Philippe Saisee
14. Because It's There-Michael Hedges
15. *Floyd's Ghost-William Ackerman
16. Another Country-Shadowfax
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intro music: Artie Traum: Mysterious Stranger
{from the Acoustic Jazz Guitar LP}
*correction-Floyd's Ghost is only on the Imaginary Roads LP and not on his Retrospective LP as I mentioned in the podcast. My apologies. 
My selections I bring you today from Govi and Suzanne Ciani are quite cool if I may say so. ^_^ Suzanne's Inverness is a great tune to wake up to this time of the year. Here in St. Louis the temperature has dropped but from my view to be able to see the lake in the back, the leaves are all but gone from the trees so to sit back and watch this view is pretty nice. I have always enjoyed piano solos and this track ranks very high in my book
Govi's composition Megallen's Beat is a great way to start off a nice Brunch with the one you love. The flute and guitar mixture is a great combination of intimacy, love feeling it brings to me when hearing this pleasant track. with the congos softly playing in the background brings a smile to my face. I hope you get a chance to listen to these two relaxing tracks before you start your day.
check out the tracks here
When I first heard of Govi I worked at the now defunct Nature Company stores. To be able to work there, to hear the music I truly enjoyed it was like heaven to me. I don't believe at the time too many blacks that I knew was digging musicians like Govi, David Lanz, Paul Speer, Michael Deep. To work there surrounded by nature products and relaxing music to match was really nice. The very first LP I heard from this artist was Sky High. I was listening to Acoustic Alchemy, Will Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, the late Michael Hedges but each guitarist has their own "signature" and Govi has his. When listening to him it truly took me to another place and time. This LP, Guitar Oddessy is pretty good. To be honest it sounds kind of "main stream" but it I like. What this makes me realize is that times truly do change and they do not remain the same. I wish The Nature Company stores were still around but sometimes we do not get what we want but to know you were apart of an organization from the beginning is a good feeling.
Suzanne Ciani I I have heard her material from time to time and to be able to get a hold of her recordings was a treat. I have heard her name but to be honest I never had a chance to check out this gifted pianist work. I was blessed to be able to check out three of Suzanne's "Pianissimo" LPs and this track comes from the Pianissimo I. As time goes on I will no doubt have more to say about this young lady. I hope you get a chance to check out my music blog all this week as I bring you tracks from these two gifted artists
To hear my Tuesday choices click here
Suzanne Ciani website
Information on Govi go here
I think last night I entered too many songs for people to view so I will do just 2 or 3 at a time from this time on. Thanx to everyone that has added me to their neighborhood and I hope the songs from my music library will have you expand your library as well.
Holla at ya later today everyone. :-)
