Playlist 12-29-12

* Monteverdi: Marian Vesper 1610 (Concentus Musicus Wien/Harnoncourt) (Telefunken 2LP)

* J.S. Bach: Mass in B Minor (Collegium Vocale Gent/Herreweghe) (Harmonia Mundi 2CD)

* J.S. Bach: Motets (Collegium Vocale Gent/Herreweghe) (PHI CD)

* J.S. Bach: Catatas (Collegium Vocale Gent/Herreweghe): Brussells, BE 11-03-08 (FM 2CDR)

* J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos (Leonhardt, et al.) (Seon/ABC 2LP)

* Andrew Hill: Change (Blue Note CD)

* Andrew Hill: Grass Roots (Blue Note CD)

* Muhal Richard Abrams: Spihumonesty (Black Saint CD)

* Muhal Richard Abrams: Mama And Daddy (Black Saint CD)

* Muhal Richard Abrams: Blues Forever (Black Saint CD)

* Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House: Strong Place (Intakt CD)

* Kip Hanrahan: SOB’s, New York, NY 2-27-85 (AUD CDR)

* D’Angelo: Voodoo (Virgin CD)

* Frank Ocean: Channel Orange (Island/Def Jam CD)

* John Fahey: Dance Of Death and Other Plantation Favorites (Takoma/4MWB LP)

* John Fahey: The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party and Other Excursions (Takoma/4MWB LP)

* John Fahey: The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death (Takoma/4MWB LP)

* John Fahey: Days Have Gone By (Takoma/4MWB LP)

* John Fahey: The New Possibility (Takoma LP)

* The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour (2009 stereo) (Apple/EMI CD)†

* The Beatles: Past Masters Volume 2 (2009 stereo) (Apple/EMI CD)†

* The Beatles: “Christmas Time (Is Here Again)” (take 1, complete) (fan/boot CDR)

* The Beatles: From Then To You (The Beatles Christmas Record) (fan/boot CDR)

* Bob Dylan: Tempest (Columbia 2LP/CD)

* Bob Dylan: Christmas In The Heart (Columbia CD)

* Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour No.34: Christmas & New Year’s (DAB 2CDR)

* Grateful Dead: Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA 3-19-77 (selections) (SBD 3CDR)

* Grateful Dead: Capital Center, Landover, MD 3-16-90 (GDP/Rhino 3HDCD)

* Grateful Dead: Civic Center, Hartford, CT 3-19-90 (GDP/Rhino 3HDCD)

* Grateful Dead: Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario 3-22-90 (GDP/Rhino 3HDCD)

* Love: Forever Changes (Elektra/Rhino LP)

* The Moody Blues: Days Of Future Past (Deram/Friday Music LP)

* Chicago: V (Columbia LP)

* Chicago: VI (Columbia LP)

* Chicago: VII (Columbia 2LP)

* King Crimson: Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Inner Knot CD/DVD)

* Soft Machine: Triple Echo (Harvest EMI 3LP)

* Soft Machine: Universiteit Twente, Enschede, Netherlands 1-10-75 (AUD 2CDR)

* Kevin Ayers: Joy Of A Toy (EMI/4MWB LP)

* Caravan: In the Land Of Grey And Pink (Deram/EMI 2CD/DVD)

* Hatfield and The North: Hatfield and The North (Virgin LP)

* Jethro Tull: Thick As A Brick (Chrysalis/EMI CD/DVD)

* Emerson Lake & Palmer: Emerson Lake & Palmer (Razor & Tie 2CD/DVD)

* Emerson Lake & Palmer: Tarkus (Razor & Tie 2CD/DVD)

* Camel: Rain Dances (Decca/EMI CD)†/‡

* Camel: A Live Record (Decca/EMI 2CD)

* Cocteau Twins: Victorialand (4AD CD)

* My Bloody Valentine: Loveless (d.2) (Sony 2CD)

* Guided By Voices: The Bears For Lunch (GBV, Inc. CD)

* Porcupine Tree: In Absentia (Lava/Atlantic CD)

* Opeth: Heritage (Roadrunner CD/DVD)†/‡

* Grails: Deep Politics (Temporary Residence CD)

* Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls (ATO LP+7”)

†=iPod

‡=car

Commentary:

It certainly has been a fabulous holiday season here at chez NuVoid—just look at that playlist (and my Photostream)! To cap it all off, I once again had the pleasure of Sam Byrd’s company, who was in town visiting family. We had a great time yesterday hanging out, drinking beer, eating pizza and listening to records. Of course, we exchanged Christmas gifts of music: he kindly gave me the 4Men With Beards vinyl reissue of Kevin Ayers’s classic Joy of a Toy—a quintessential document of the “Canturbury Sound” (and featuring Robert Wyatt on drums, one of Sam’s big heroes) while I continued to foist my Opeth obsession on him with the Damnation, Ghost Reveries, Watershed sequence of CDs. What can I say? Opeth rules!

More interestingly, we recorded over an hour of music in my home studio: a couple of ruminative piano/drums duets and a 38-minute, prog-infused freak-out. Sadly, my antiquated recording gear is somewhat crippled and obsolete and I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do with these tracks (which actually sound pretty good). Anyway, it was a lot of fun, as always. I feel so lucky to get to see Sam—twice in one year! Although progress has inevitably slowed over the holidays, our forthcoming CD, to be titled, Indeterminate, will be going to press sometime in the next month or so. I’ll keep you posted as things progress. 2013 is going to be a very big year, with more musicking with Sam to come!