Playlist Week of 2016-11-05

* Bal-Kan: Honey And Blood: Cycles Of Life (Hesperion XXI/Savall) (Alia Vox 3SACD

* John Coltrane: Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings (Impulse! 4CD)

* Cecil Taylor: In Florescence (A&M CD)

* Brother Ah & The Sounds of Awareness: Key To Nowhere (Manufactured LP)

* Steven Halpern & Paul McCandless: Perfect Alignment (Inner Peace CD)

* David Arkenstone: Valley In The Clouds (Narada CD)

* Elephant9 with Reine Fiske: Silver Mountain (Rune Grammofon 2LP/CD)

* Neneh Cherry: Blank Project (Smalltown Supersound 2LP)

* Santana: Caravanserai (Columbia/Mobile Fidelity SACD)

* Heldon: IV: “Agneta Nilsson” (Urus LP)

* Goblin: Tour 2013 EP (Death Waltz EP)

* Goblin: Goblin Rebirth (Relapse LP)

* Pulsar: Halloween (CBS LP)

* Lifeguards: Waving At Astronauts (Serious Business LP)

* ESP Ohio: Starting Point of the Royal Cyclopean (GBV, Inc. LP)

* ESP Ohio: “Royal Cyclopean” (GBV, Inc. 7”)

* ESP Ohio: “Lithuanian Bombshells” (GBV, Inc. 7”)

* Lambchop: AWCMON (Merge CD)

* Lambchop: NOYOUCMON (Merge CD)

* Lambchop: Damaged (Merge CD)

* Lambchop: Mr. M (Merge 2LP)

* Lambchop: FLOTUS (Merge 2LP)

* Katatonia: The Great Cold Distance (Peaceville CD) †/‡

* Sunn O))) & Boris: Altar (Southern Lord 3LP)

* Wolves In The Throne Room: Black Cascade (Southern Lord 2LP)

* Beach House: Thank Your Lucky Stars (Sub Pop LP)

* True Widow: Avvolgere (Relapse 2-45RPM LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

I've been spending a lot of time in the studio this week -- I even got a chance to jam with the amazing local drummer, Andrew Dickson, who is usually off on tour. It went so well we are talking about doing something "serious" -- maybe even try to line up a gig in town. That would be cool.

Simultaneously, I am getting geared up for the annual holiday visit with Sam Byrd, which looks like it really will happen. I cannot tell you how excited I am! Additionally, we are also putting together a new Bandcamp album culled from last year's sessions. Stay tuned...

It's almost Christmas!

+++

Of course, we have to get through this election first. I try to avoid politics on my blog, but please, America, do the right thing.

Playlist Week of 2016-10-29

* J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations & Canons (Egarr) (Harmonia Mundi 2CD)

* Miles Davis: Ascenseur pour L’Echafaud Complete (Fontana/Polygram CD)

* John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (Impulse/Universal BD)

* Tom Dissevelt: El Fascinante Mundo de la Musica Electronica (Sonitron LP)

* Cambodian Cassette Archives: Khmer Folk & Pop Music (Sublime Frequencies 2LP)

* Genesis: From Genesis To Revelation (London LP)

* Genesis: Trespass (ABC/Impulse! LP)

* Can: Ege Bamyasi (Spoon/Mute SACD)

* Can: Future Days (Spoon/Mute SACD)

* Can: Soon Over Babaluma (Spoon/Mute SACD)

* Klaus Schulze: Dune (Brain LP)

* Gong: Radio Gnome Invisible Part 1: Flying Teapot (Virgin LP)

* Daevid Allen: Now Is The Happiest Time Of Your Life (Tapioca LP)

* Daevid Allen: N’Existe Pas! (Charly LP)

* Steve Hillage: Live Herald (Virgin 2LP)

* Steve Hillage: Open (Virgin LP)

* Le Orme: In Concerto (Philips LP)

* Grobschnitt: Jumbo (Brain LP)

* Tasavalan Presidenti: Lambertland (Sonet LP)

* Goblin: Roller (Cinevox LP)

* Goblin: Contamination OST (Cinevox LP)

* Goblin: Tenebre OST (Conevox LP)

* Richard Pinhas/Tatsuya Yoshida/Masami Akita: Process and Reality (Cuneiform CD)

* Steve Roach: Dreaming..Now, Then: A Retrospective (d.1) (Celestial Harmonies 2CD)

* Au Pairs: Playing With A Different Sex (Human LP)

* Stephen Malkmus & Friends: Can’s Ege Bamyasi (Matador LP)

* Steven Wilson: Hand. Cannot. Erase. (KScope BD)

* Steven Wilson: 4 ½ (KScope BD)

* Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain (Mute CD)

* Graves At Sea: The Curse That Is (Relapse 2LP)

* Survive: RR7349 (Relapse LP)

* Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein: Stranger Things Vol.1 OST (Netflix/Lakeshore 2LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

Last Sunday I drove over to Murfreesboro for another record show. It was a small group of vendors -- but that guy was there again...

Playlist Week of 2016-10-22

* A. Scarlatti: Il Giardino di Rose (Accademia Bizantina/Dantone) (Decca SACD)

* Dick Hyman: Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman (Command LP)

* Dick Hyman: The Age of Electronicus (Command LP)

* Wayne Shorter: Footprints Live! (Verve CD)

* Marion Brown: Geechee Recollections (Impulse! LP)

* Hamiet Bluiett: Clarinet Summit (Black Saint LP)

* Eberhard Weber: The Colours of Chloe (ECM LP)

* Eberhard Weber Colours: Silent Feet (ECM LP)

* Collin Walcott: Grazing Dreams (ECM LP)

* Tord Gustavsen Trio: Being There (ECM CD)

* Azymuth: Spectrum (Milestone LP)

* Francis Bebey: Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984 (Born Bad 2LP)

* Brixiga 70: Brixiga 70 (Agua Forte LP)

* Grateful Dead: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 10/29/85 (selections) (SBD 3 CDR)

* Grateful Dead: Carolina Coliseum, USC, Columbia, SC 10/31/85 (selections) (SBD 2CDR)

* Moby Grabe: Moby Grape (Columbia LP)

* Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (EMI/Analogue Productions SACD)

* Derek & The Dominoes: Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (Polydor/Mobile Fidelity CD)

* Joni Mitchell: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN 10/23/98 (SBD CDR)

* The Incredible String Band: “U” (Elektra 2LP)

* Sensations’ Fix: Fragments of Light (RCA/Superior Viaduct LP)

* Tasavalan Presidenti: Lambertland (Sonet LP)

* Dan Ar Bras: Music For The Silences To Come… (Shanachie LP)

* Opeth: Sorceress (Moderbolaget/Nuclear Blast 2LP/2CD)

* Kawabata Makoto: White Summer of Love Dreamer (Blackest Rainbow LP)

* Kylesa: Kylsa (Prank LP)

* Intronaut: Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones) (Century Media CD)

* Expo 70: Exquisite Lust (Sonic Meditations 2LP)

* Tire Fire: Aimless (Little L MC)

* Myrkur: Mausoleum (Relapse EP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

An exciting week, with a trip to the hospital -- but also the arrival of the limited edition box set for the new Opeth album, Sorceress. I made a video, if you're interested:

Playlist Week of 2016-10-15

* Purcell: Fantasias For Viols 1680 (Hesperion XX/Savall) (Alia Vox SACD)

* Balkan Spirit (Hesperion XXI/Savall) (Alia Vox SACD)

* John Coltrane: Offering: Live At Temple University (Impulse! 2CD)

* Bobby Hutcherson: Now! (Blue Note LP)

* Philip Catherine: Nairam (Warner Bros. LP)

* Dan Ar Bras: Douar Nevez (Hexagone LP)

* Kip Hanrahan: Days And Nights Of Blue Luck Inverted (Pangaea CD)

* Kip Hanrahan: Tenderness (American Clave CD)

* David S. Ware Quartet: Corridors and Parallels (AUM Fidelity CD)

* Roy Campbell Quartet: It’s Krunch Time (Thirsty Ear CD)

* DJ Wally: Nothing Stays the Same (Thirsty Ear CD)

* Francis Bebey: African Electronic Music 1975-1982 (Born Bad 2LP)

* Miguel: Wildheart (RCA CD)

* Alceu Valenca: Molhado de Suor (Som Livre/Sol Re Sol LP)

* Arthur Verocai: Arthur Verocai (Warner/Kindred Spirits LP)

* Hawkwind: Space Ritual (United Artists 2LP)

* Bo Hansson: Magician’s Hat (Charisma LP)

* Heldon: II: "Allez-Teia” (Disjuncta LP)

* Heldon: Stand By (Egg LP)

* Richard Pinhas: Rhizosphere (Cobra LP)

* Richard Pinhas: L’Ethique (Pulse LP)

* Goblin: Patrick OST (Cinevox LP)

* Goat: Requiem (Sub Pop 2LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

By far the weakest link in my Gretsch Catalina Club drum set has always been the kit snare -- which is to be expected, of course -- and I have always relied on other drummers to bring their own when recording in my home studio. In anticipation of some upcoming sessions, I decided it was time to rectify the situation.

As with most things, a high-quality snare drum does not come cheap -- and there is a bewildering variety of styles and construction available, each with their own specific character. Not being a drummer, I asked my nephew his advice and, without hesitation, he said, "Well, if you're only going to have one snare drum, you can't go wrong with a Black Beauty."

The Ludwig Black Beauty is handmade out of a seamless sheet of spun brass and has been heard on countless records over the decades, particularly the larger, 6.5" x 14" model. So I figured, "Why mess around?"

It arrived this week and, with the help of the Tune-Bot, I was able to get it tuned up and sounding absolutely massive. One of the key features of the 6.5" deep drum is it's deep tone and multitude of tuning options, from tight and crisp to warm and ring-y. The resonance and harmonics coming out of this thing are simply out-of-this-world and complements the rich, detailed sound of the K Zildjian cymbals.

A quick recording test shows that, like the cymbals, the Black Beauty was worth every penny. I can't wait for a real drummer to play it!