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 2016-10-15

* 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!

Playlist Week of 2016-07-09

* Vivaldi: Cello Sonatas (ter Linden/Mortensen) (Brilliant Classics 2CD)

* Andrew Hill: Grass Roots (Blue Note CD)

* Anthony Braxton Quartet: [Quartet (Sao Paulo) 2014] (SESC 2CD)

* Evan Parker & Matthew Wright: Trance Map (Psi CD)

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

* Mark Isham: Vapor Drawings (Windham Hill LP)

* Jeff Parker: The New Breed (International Anthem LP)

* Rodger Coleman: Real Gone (NuVoid Jazz/BandCamp WAV)

* Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: Heeltop Home Studio, December 2015 (selections) (WAV)

* Frank Zappa: Lumpy Gravy (Verve LP)

* John Renbourn: The Nine Maidens (Transatlantic LP)

* Amazing Blondel: Fantasia Lindum (Island LP)

* Jade Warrior: Kites (Island LP)
* This Heat: This Heat (Rough Trade/Modern Classics LP)

* This Heat: Deceit (Rough Trade/Modern Classics LP)

* Opeth: Deliverance (Music For Nations/KOCH 2LP)

* Boris: Pink (Deluxe Edition) (Sargent House 3LP)

* Boris: Attention Please (Sargent House LP)

* The Sword: High Country (Razor & Tie 2LP)

* Windhand: Grief’s Infernal Flower (Relapse 2LP)

* Inter Arma: The Cavern (Relapse LP)

* Inter Arma: Paradise Gallows (Relapse 2LP)

* Usnea: Random Cosmic Violence (Relapse 2-45RPM LP)

* Myrkur: M (Relapse LP)

* Charles Rumback & Ryley Walker: Cannots (Dead Oceans LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

Ever since I got the Moog Sub 37 (and assembled the Moogerfoogers to build a semi-modular "Moogertron"), I have been recording a ton of music in my home studio. It is in the nature of analog synthesizers that patches are ephemeral and almost impossible to re-create after the fact, so I've pretty much been recording everything.

I've gathered some of this music into my first solo album, Real Gone, now available digitally at BandCamp. These are all live, electronic improvisations incorporating the Moog along with guitar, piano and MIDI synthesizers in various combinations and sequenced as a three-sided LP. I hope you enjoy the journey!

                                                     

Playlist Week of 2016-06-11

* Boulez: Explosante-Fixe, etc. (Aimard/Boffard/Ensemble Intercontemporain) (DG CD)

* Takemitsu, Hindemith, et al.: Five Pieces (Duo Gazzana) (ECM CD)

* Wayne Shorter: Moto Grosso Feio (Blue Note LP)

* Wayne Shorter: Native Dancer (Columbia LP)

* Art Ensemble of Chicago: Bap-Tizum (Atlantic 4MWB LP)

* Art Ensemble of Chicago: Fanfare For The Warriors (Atlantic/4MWB LP)

* Henry Threadgill Zooid: Tomorrow Sunny / The Revelry, Spp (Pi CD)

* Derek Bailey & Ruins: Tohjinbo (Paratactile CD)

* Borbetomagus: Snuff Jazz (Agaric LP)

* Combo FH: Veci (Things) (Panton LP)

* Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp A Butterfly (Aftermath/Interscope 2LP)

* Kendrick Lamar: Untitled Unmastered (Aftermath/Interscope LP)

* Bob Dylan: Fallen Angels (Columbia LP)

* Tim Buckley: Dream Letter: Live in London 1968 (Enigma Retro 2CD)

* John Martyn: Well Kept Secret (WEA LP)

* Vashti Bunyan: Heartleap (DiCristina LP)

* Bill Bruford: Feels Good To Me (Polydor LP)

* Curved Air: Second Album (Warner Bros. LP)

* Bob Marley & The Wailers: Catch A Fire (Island/Mobile Fidelity CD)

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

* This Heat: Deceit (Rough Trade/Modern Classic LP)

* Mekons: Crime And Punishment (Sin EP)

* Steven Halpern: Eventide (Halpern Sounds LP)

* Steven Wilson: 4 ½ (KScope Blu-Ray)

* Boris: Absolutego + Dronevil2 (Southern Lord 2LP)

* Boris: Noise (Sargent House 2LP)

* Animal Collective: Painting With (Domino LP)

* Locrian & Christoph Heeman: Locrian & Christophe Heeman (Handmade Birds LP)

* Nothing: Tired of Tomorrow (Relapse LP)†

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

When I set up my home studio a couple of years ago, I bought an Arturia 61-key MIDI keyboard which came loaded with the first iteration of Analog Lab and a collection of presets from their V Collection of instrument emulations. However, in order to actually edit or create sounds from scratch, you had to purchase the software package separately -- which, of course, I did.

While I thought the sound quality was generally pretty good, the GUI was an absolute nightmare to use: pretty pictures -- but ridiculously small, static displays with often unreadable text. Squeezing the wall-sized Moog Modular synthesizer into a 4"x 6" window made it all but impossible to use creatively. And although subsequent updates to the V Collection added additional instruments and functionality, the teeny-tiny GUI remained a big issue for me. In fact, it was partly my frustration with the Arturia software that led me to purchase an honest-to-god analog synthesizer, my beloved Moog Sub 37.

No regrets there! But I still desired the added instrumental colors (and polyphony) available with the software instruments. So, when Arturia announced the new V Collection Five -- finally featuring a scalable, re-sizable GUI -- I just had to go for it.

The new GUI is fantastic -- but Arturia has gone a step further and totally revamped the entire V Collection of instruments, including an entirely new sound engine. This is immediately apparent on old favorites such as the Oberheim SEM, Prophet 5, Arp 2600 and Solina emulations, which now come stunningly close to their analog counterparts. Moreover, the updated MIDI implementation is ingeniously simple, allowing for easy and flexible programming of my keyboard's knobs, sliders and pedals. Overnight, the V Collection has gone from good-sounding but nearly unusable to great-sounding and extremely expressive. Nice job, Arturia!

Additionally, several new instruments have been introduced in V Collection Five, including a Farfisa organ, the Synclavier digital synthesizer, a Fender-Rhodes electric piano, and a Hammond B-3 organ. Now, for me, the Rhodes and Hammond B-3 are two of the most iconic analog keyboard sounds ever. But, as much as I would love to own the real things, their rarity, immense bulk, and high cost of maintenance put them totally out of reach. And, given the complexity of these instruments, I was extremely skeptical of how useful these software emulations would be. 

But, I checked them out and, dang, I gotta say: These things sound mighty impressive!

What's most impressive is how they not only got the basic tones right but also the additional effect of amplification (and, in the case of the Hammond B-3, that crucial, swirling sound of the Leslie spinning speakers). All this gives these software emulations a remarkably realistic, three-dimensional quality that I was simply not expecting. Amazing to me how these harmonically rich, analog-like sounds are created with nothing but mathematics!

I was so inspired by what I was hearing, I quickly recorded this doodle the other day. Hear for yourself just how close these software emulations come to the real thing: