Playlist Week of 2016-02-27

* J.S. Bach/Sandor Veress: Suite No.1/Sonatas, etc. (Demenga, et al.) (ECM CD)

* Satie: Works for Piano (Ciccolini) (selections) (EMI 5CD)

* Alexander Knaifel, et al.: Lux Aeterna (Demenga) (ECM CD)

* Charles Mingus: My Favorite Quintet (Jazz Workshop/Fantasy LP)

* McCoy Tyner: Reaching Fourth (Impulse! LP)

* McCoy Tyner: Together (Milestone LP)

* Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures (Blue Note LP)

* Human Arts Ensemble: Whisper of Dharma (Arista/Freedom LP)

* Eberhard Weber: Yellow Fields (ECM LP)

* Enrico Rava: The Pilgrim and the Stars (ECM LP)

* Kip Hanrahan: Coup de Tête (American Clavé LP)

* Bill Connors: Step It (Pathfinder LP)

* Mark Nauseef/Ikue Mori/Evan Parker/Bill Laswell: Near Nadir (Tzadik CD)

* David Torn: Prezens (ECM CD)

* Bill Frisell: Before We Were Born (Elektra/Musician LP)

* Jon Hassell: Power Spot (ECM CD)

* Marcin Wasilewski: Trio (ECM CD)

* Marcin Wasilewski Trio w/Joakim Milder: Spark of Life (ECM CD)

* Christian Wallumrod Ensemble: Solfienberg Variations (ECM CD)

* Steve Roach: Streams & Currents (Projekt CD)

* Conrad Schnitzler: Ballet Statique (m=minimal LP)

* Grateful Dead: Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY 1981-03-13 Ix (SBD CDR)

* Grateful Dead: Manor Downs, Austin, TX 1981-07-04 (d.2) (SBD 3CDR)

* Mingo Lewis: Mingo (Columbia LP)

* Stomu Yamashta: Go Live From Paris (Island 2LP)

* Hawkwind: Space Ritual (EMI 2CD)

* Pete Bardens: Heart To Heart (Arista LP)

* Solution: Cordon Bleu (Rocket/MCA LP)

* Jennifer Warnes: Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (Cypress LP)

* Beck: Sea Change (Geffen/Mobile Fidelity CD)

* Beach House: Depression Cherry (Sub Pop LP)

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

* Wild Nothing: Gemini (Captured Tracks LP)

* Nothing: Guilty of Everything (Relapse LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

Daffodils! The harbinger of spring!

Playlist Week of 2015-09-26

* Rameau: Pièces de Clavecin en concerts (Leonhardt, et al.) (Telefunken LP)

* Reger: Clarinet Quintet, Op.146 (Leister/Drolc Quartet) (DG LP)

* Charles Mingus: Passions of A Man: Complete Atlantic Recordings (d.4-5) (Atlantic/Rhino 6CD)

* Wayne Shorter: High Life (Verve CD)

* Herbie Hancock: The Prisoner (Blue Note CD)

* Keith Jarrett: Bop-Be (Impulse! LP)

* Muhal Richard Abrams: Vision Towards Essence (Pi CD)

* Terje Rypdal: Waves (ECM LP)

* Dorothy Ashby: Afro-Harping (Cadet/Verve CD)

* Rabih Abou-Khalil: Blue Camel (Enja CD)

* Rabih Abou-Khalil: Tarab (Enja CD)

* Rabih Abou-Khalil: The Sultan’s Picnic (Enja CD)

* Ariel Kalma: An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings 1972-1979) (RVNG 2LP)

* The Pentangle: Cruel Sister (Reprise LP)

* Strawbs: Grave New World (A&M LP)

* Strawbs: Bursting At The Seams (A&M LP)

* Amazing Blondel: Fantasia Lindum (Island LP)

* Richard Thompson: Daring Adventures Polydor (LP)

* Van Morrison: Into The Music (Warner Bros. LP)

* Van Morrison: Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (Warner Bros. CD)

* Van Morrison: Poetic Champions Compose (Polydor CD)

* Van Morrison: No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (Polydor CD)

* Brian Eno: Here Come The Warm Jets (Island LP)

* Can: Live 1971-1977 (Spoon/Mute 2CD)

* Swell Maps: Collision Time Revisited (Restless/Mute 2LP)

* Mekons: Fear And Whiskey (Sin LP)

* Sunn O))): White 2 (Southern Lord CD)

* Ensemble Pearl: [ensemble pearl] (Thrill Jockey LP)

* Locrian: Infinite Dissolution (Relapse LP)

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

* Usnea: Usnea (Orca Wolf 2LP)

* Pallbearer: Sorrow And Extinction (20-Buck Spin 2LP)

* Lower Dens: Escape From Evil (Ribbon Music LP)

* London Grammar: If We Wait (Columbia 2LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

Autumn is one of those times of year when unusual birds show up at the bird feeders, some of them migrating south for the winter -- but other local species seem to come out of hiding as well.

One which I had never seen before was this male Summer Tanager, who was chowing down on suet cake the other day. Thankfully, he let me take a few snaps before flying into the woods. 

I did some research and I think I have seen the female around from time to time -- but she's a rather drab mustard color and I had mistaken her for some kind of oriole.

We do love bird-watching out our kitchen windows!

Playlist Week of 2015-09-12

* Buxtehude: Sonate a due op.1 (Kraemer, Quintana et al.) (Harmonia Mundi CD)

* John Coltrane Quartet: Ballads (Impulse! CD)

* John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman: John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman (Impulse! CD)

* Jose Roberto Bertrami: Blue Wave (Milestone LP)

* Afrique: Soul Makossa (Mainstream LP)

* Masabumi Kikuchi: Susto (Columbia LP)

* David Torn/Mick Karn/Terry Bozzio: Polytown (CMP CD)

* Anouar Brahem/John Surman/Dave Holland: Thimar (ECM CD)

* Stephen Micus: To The Evening Child (ECM CD)

* Myra Melford’s Be Bread: The Whole Tree Gone (Firehouse 12 CD)

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

* Ken Nordine: How Are Things In Your Town? (Blue Thumb 2LP)

* The Pentangle: Sweet Child (Reprise 2LP)

* Roy Harper: Stormcock (Harvest LP)

* Todd Rundgren: A Wizard / A True Star (Bearsville LP)

* Uriah Heep: Look At Yourself (Mercury LP)

* Uriah Heep: Demons And Wizards (Mercury LP)

* Ghetto Brothers: Power-Fuerza (Salsa/Truth & Soul LP)

* Mandrill: Mandrill (Polydor LP)

* Mandrill: Mandrill Is (Polydor LP)

* Mike Greene: Pale, Pale Moon (GRC LP)

* Mike Greene: Midnight Mirage (Mercury LP)

* Echo & The Bunnymen: Ocean Rain (Sire LP)

* Tones On Tail: The Album Pop (Beggars Banquet/PVC LP)

* Yo La Tengo: And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (Matador CD)

* Throwing Muses: The Rat, Boston, MA 1986-12-13 (AUD WAV)

* Expo 70: July 18, 2004 (Sonic Meditations LP)

* Chris Forsyth: Paranoid Cat (Family Vineyard LP)

* Beach House: Depression Cherry (Sub Pop LP)

* Myrkur: M (Relapse LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

As usual right after Labor Day, we are having a real cold snap, with temperatures plunging into the upper-40s at night and the crisp, cool air feels like autumn is already here.

This time of year always makes me nostalgic for my youth: the fresh start of a new school term, the smell of woolen clothing, touch football games in twilight. But the rapidly shortening days -- even more rapid as I get older -- are truly depressing. I am no longer young and there is no new school year to bring even false hope of change and progress. Tomorrow is just another day.

And yet I always feel inspired in the fall, aching to shake off the lazy days of summer and work on stuff. It's time to get off my butt and finish my next album. Maybe even get back to writing seriously on the blog.

Ha! We'll see about that.

I hope all is well in your world.

Playlist Week of 2015-09-05

* Ligeti: String Quartets Nos.1-2/Ramifications (Hagen/Lasalle, et al.) (DG CD)

* Margaret Leng Tan: The Art Of The Toy Piano (Point CD)

* John Coltrane: One Down, One Up: Live At The Half Note (Impulse! 2CD)

* John Coltrane: Live In Japan (d.3-4) (Impulse!/GRP 4CD)

* Chick Corea: Tones For Joan’s Bones (Vortex LP)

* George Benson: Weekend In L.A. (Warner Bros. 2LP)

* Brute Force: Brute Force (Embryo LP)

* Pat Metheny Group: American Garage (ECM LP)

* Pat Metheny: One Quiet Night (Warner Bros. CD)

* Rabih Abou-Khalil: Arabian Waltz (Enja CD)

* LTJ Bukem: Journey Inwards (Kinetic 2CD)

* Grateful Dead: Music Hall, Cleveland, OH 1978-11-20 (set 1) (AUD/SBD CDR)

* Val Stephen: Abstractum: The Electrogenic Music of Val Stephen (Dual Planet LP)

* Tangerine Dream: Tangents 1973-1983 (d.1) (Virgin 5CD)

* Johannes Schmoelling: Wuiven Riet (Erdenklang LP)

* Can: Soon Over Babaluma (Spoon SACD)

* Can: Unlimited Edition (Spoon SACD)

* Henry Cow: Legend (Virgin/Red LP)

* Massacre (Fred Frith/Bill Laswell/Fred Maher): Killing Time (OAO/Celluloid LP)

* The Golden Palominos: Boston Shakespeare Theatre 1985-02-23 (AUD WAV)

* Happy The Man: Happy The Man (Arista LP)

* Happy The Man: Crafty Hands (Arista LP)

* Mark Hollis: Mark Hollis (Polydor CD)

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

* Electric Wizard: Come My Fanatics… (Rise Above 2LP)

* Grails: Take Refuge In Clean Living (Important CD)

* Boris & Michio Kurihara: Rainbow (Drag City CD)

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

* Uncle Acid: The Night Creeper (Rise Above 2LP)

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

It's starting to look a lot like Fall out there. Happy Labor Day!