Playlist Week of 2016-05-28

* Vivaldi: “Con Moto”: Concertos, RV281, etc. (Accademia Bizantina/Carmignola) (Archiv CD)

* Stockhausen: Mantra (Mikhashoff/Bevan/Ørsted) (New Albion CD)

* Bobby Hutcherson: The Kicker (Blue Note CD)

* Bobby Hutcherson: Dialogue (Blue Note CD)

* Bobby Hutcherson: Head On (Blue Note LP/CD)

* Bobby Hutcherson: Cirrus (Blue Note LP)

* Cecil Taylor: Conquistador (Blue Note LP)

* Joe Zawinul: The Rise & Fall of The Third Stream (Vortex LP)

* Andy Bey: Experience And Judgment (Atlantic LP)

* Daft Punk: Random Access Memories (Columbia CD)

* Bob Dylan: Fallen Angels (Columbia LP)

* Tim Buckley: Lorca (Elektra LP)

* Linda Perhacs: Parallelograms (Kapp/Sundazed LP)

* Linda Perhacs: The Soul of All Natural Things (Asthmatic Kitty LP)

* Roy Harper: HQ (Harvest LP)

* Roy Harper: One of Those Days in England (Bullinamingvase) (Chrysalis LP)

* Roy Harper & Jimmy Page: Whatever Happened to Jugula? (Beggars Banquet LP)

* John Martyn: Solid Air (Island LP)

* John Martyn: Inside Out (Island LP)

* John Martyn: Glorious Fool (Duke/Atlantic LP)

* This Heat: This Heat (Piano/Modern Classics LP)

* This Heat: Health And Efficiency (Piano/Modern Classics 12”)

* Dorothea Raukes: Deutsche Wertarbeit (Sky/Bureau B LP)

* St. Francis Duo (Steve Noble & Stephen O’Malley): Peacemaker Assembly (Trost LP)

* The Mars Volta: Noctourniquet (Warner Bros. 2LP)

* Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band: The Rarity of Experience (No Quarter 2LP+7”)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

The latest addition to my home studio arsenal is a Yamaha DTX Multi-12, an electronic percussion module with 12 assignable pads which I've integrated into my acoustic drum set. Pre-loaded with thousands of sounds ranging from classic electro voices to gongs, bells, and all kinds of exotic percussion instruments, you can also create looping patterns and load up samples of your own creation via USB. With my current fascination with electronic music, it seemed appropriate to the give the drummer some.

Released way back in 2010, the DTX Multi-12 is perhaps a bit long-in-the-tooth in terms of cutting edge technology -- but that also means you can get them for about half of the original list price. And while the major complaint about these units over the years was the labyrinthine menu system (and teeny-tiny LCD screen), Yamaha didn't abandon its users: Just last fall, they announced the DTXM12 Touch app for the iPad, which makes using the thing much, much easier -- and more fun -- to use. Kudos, Yamaha!

I'm no drummer, but it's been a blast banging along to beats and creating crazy, layered sounds. It feels good to hit things hard with sticks. I really can't wait to have Sam Byrd back in the studio with me -- lots of new colors in the crayon box!