MUSIC
NEWS & NOTES SPOTLIGHT
DECEMBER
2010 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
AMERICAN LAUNDROMAT RECORDS - Since the dawn of the CD in 1984,
tribute albums have turned into a cottage industry, often with positive
results—case in point being a 2010 double CD tribute to the great
Neil Young entitled Cinnamon Girl: Woman Artists Cover
Neil Young For Charity. Producer Joseph H. Spadaro
has done a splendid job putting together this amazing undertaking.
The liner notes are truly touching and without getting into the details,
women are the key to Young’s great early sound and on this 26
track CD there are an equal amount of ladies to put a timeless spin
on Young’s best music. Best of course is the early stuff from
1969 and ‘70, ‘71...you get the picture. Artists taking
part include Tanya Donelly, Kristin Hersh, Cindy
Wheeler, The Watson Twins and many more. Just about all
the tracks renewed here are delivered with verve and are quite superbly
recorded and produced, with such a wide mix of singers making good
on the promise of Young’s indelible songs. Loud, soft and everything
in between, just like Young and his muse, Cinnamon Girl moves
from folk-rock to rock and back again and is always tasty and fresh.
www.AmericanLaundromat.com
ASTRALWERKS
- Pop icon Bryan Ferry reconvenes key bandmates from the
Roxy Music days including Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and
Andy Mackay for his 2010 CD Olympia. Released
by NYC based Astralwerks here in the U.S., the ten track CD makes
for a veritable who’s who of musicians’ musicians and Ferry’s
music is still quite evocative, especially when backed up by such
a stellar crew of players. Production from long time Roxy studio man
Rhett Davies takes you back to the heyday of the ‘70s,
retrofitted with a glossy 21st century afterglow. A definite highlight
here is Ferry’s cover of the 1967 Traffic classic “No Face,
No Name, No Number”, which, as per the sonically charged ambiance,
is strategically revamped for the now generation. www.BryanFerry.com
BALINCE MUSIC - One of the "voices" of the ‘60s
hippie generation, Marty Balin—co-founder of Jefferson
Airplane and Jefferson Starship fame—retraces his rock roots
for a truly amazing 2010 album called Blue Highway.
Balin’s Blue Highway is anything but blue and on the
fourteen cut CD, Marty delivers on an album that sounds like a logical
rock extension of his more upbeat, less psychedelic Starship years
in the late ‘70s, although there’s absolutely nothing here
for diehard Airplane fans to sneer at. Throughout Blue Highway,
Marty is backed by studio greats, including rock guitar icon Mark
“Slick” Aguilar, percussionist Joe Lala and well
over a dozen more top players. In other words, Blue Highway isn’t
some laid back acoustic type set. Instead, the CD is really rockin’,
even near discoid in places, and combines for a solid cross between
smooth fusion and classic Top 40 rock style tracks that also echoes
the innovations Balin brought to the world of FM rock back in the
late ‘60s. In fact, Balin sounds more energized and rocked out
here than guys half his age. I can see Marty Balin’s Blue
Highway crossing over generations of rock fans still in search
of the perfect song. www.MartyBalin.net
CLUTTER FAMILY - You know you're getting old when you can’t
even read the text at the bottom of CD artwork. But L.A. based Clutter
Family gets in on the headlines with their self-titled CD, also
entitled The Clutter Family. Whether or not pointing
fun at the trials and tribulations of living in 21st century America,
this family always keeps their rock cool. Sometimes, as in the case
of Sarah Palin, Clutter Family verbally spray paints the famous Alaskan
with the sharp tongued “She’s A Moose Killing Cunt”.
Backed by a tight rhythm section, guitarists / songwriters Jim
Earl and Chris Hobbs mix socially satirical humor and a
neo country rock sound to great avail so you can follow the bouncing
ball while trying to make out the pointedly sarcastic lyrics that
aren’t afraid to kick the squirm factor up to 10. www.jimearl.com
FORTUNA POP - Sounding influenced by the late ‘60s / early
‘70s ABBA genre, English pop group The Pipettes strike
dance pop gold with a twelve track, 2010 album entitled Earth
Vs. The Pipettes. The sound is very Phil Spector meets
Bananarama in a disco kind of space way. The two gals fronting the
six piece band are really special and exude a splendid musical chemistry.
Interestingly, this CD says it was produced by English pop producer
Martin Rushent, who worked in his heyday as engineer for Fleetwood
Mac on their best albums from the early '70s. Other tracks here combine
influences from Motown, Philly Soul as well as Rushent’s other
productions for Buzzcocks, The Stranglers and The Human League. www.FortunaPop.com
/ www.ThePipettes.org
FREE
HAM RECORDS - The sound of jazz is alive and well on the 2010
CD from singer Charmaine Clamor, entitled Something Good.
A Filipino-American jazz singer, who specializes in what she calls
“jazzipino”, Ms. Clamor combines jazz, World Beat, blues
and funk with pop and the results offer a stylish CD filled with tracks
that groove and swing. “Doodlin’ In Taglish” touches
on her country’s native Tagalog language and other highlights
include a tribute to Stevie Wonder called “Feelin’ Stevie",
written by Free Ham label head Michael Konik, and there’s
even a group of three tracks here called “Mother Nature Suite”
that puts into song the strong feelings Charmaine has about preserving
the ecology of the planet. Even the CD tray of the attractive digi-pak
packaging is made out of some type of potato based material so the
whole thing is one hundred percent recyclable. A pick to click among
fans of the finest jazz vocalists, Ms. Clamor gets excellent support
from a range of players and songwriters including guitarists Richard
Ickard and drummer Abe Lagrimas. www.FreeHamRecords.com
/ www.CharmaineClamor.com
PINK HEDGEHOG - Thank God the English have kept their sense
of humor considering everything that’s happened in the past ten
years. Who else would name a record label Pink Hedgehog anyway? Case
in point is English music impresario Simon Felton, who continues
to release excellent pop and rock, mostly under the radar, luckily
catching the ear of certain discerning listeners. High on the list
of classic pop releases from PH is the self-titled CD debut from The
Inexperienced. Simply titled The Inexperienced, the
CD sounds inspired by the pop side of early Traffic combined with
the production techniques of the post Art Of Noise era madness that
changed U.K. music forever, some say for the better, I can’t
say. Anyway, The Inexperienced features the music arrangements
and production from Alex Meadows, who is joined by a fine band
and a host of revolving vocalists. The ‘60s feel is enhanced
by some fine modern production techniques. Also available from Pink
Hedgehog in 2010 is Don’t Sleep from the band Eye.
Get it? As in Eye - Don’t Sleep? Pop pundits who
know about such things are comparing Eye, fronted by songwriter Rick
Hammond, to other current bands like Radiohead and Elbow, so there
you go, check it out. Simon Felton himself may be the genius
behind the Pink Hedgehog label but he’s also one of the recording
artists on the roster. Displaying his keen skills as a lead singer,
bass player and keyboardist, Simon keeps his musical direction right
side up on the new CD entitled More Sense Than Money
from his band Garfield’s Birthday—the group he formed
brother Shane Felton (guitars, keyboards, vocals). Here the
brothers are joined by guitarist Leighton McGrath and drummer
Adrian Payne. On a CD that follows up the 2008 CD release
of Let Them Eat Cake, this 2010, twelve cut release of all
original compositions underscores the Felton brother’s collective
affinity for ‘60s influenced power pop icons like XTC, Big Star
and Teenage Fanclub. In their own way, Garfield’s Birthday and
the other Pink Hedgehogs are shining a light on some quite appealing
pop releases that follows English pop traditions, yet sounds fresh
and exhilarating. www.PinkHedgehog.com
PLUGGED MUSIC DISTRIBUTION - The influence and life and legacy
of Jimi Hendrix continues to grow, now 40 years after his mortal coil
expired. A five disc box set called West Coast Seattle Boy and
a slew of upgraded remasters will no doubt continue to unveil Jimi’s
majesty as a guitarist and singer-songwriter to new generations of
music fans as time goes by. Complimenting the 2010 release of Standing
Next To A Mountain from guitarist Steinar Gregertsen, late in
2010, yet another Scandinavian guitarist, a gifted Swede called Slowman
(real name: Svante Törngren) has assembled yet another
Jimi tribute called Hey Jimi - Slowman & Friends Play Hendrix.
Featuring the excellent musicianship of some fine players Slowman
& Co. burn their way through fresh versions of ten of Jimi’s
best tracks—and a lead off original tribute called “Electric
Angel”—that should find a home with true believers and young
kids looking to keep the rockin’ Hendrix sound alive. With its
one, two Hendrix punch, Hey Jimi is a winner start to finish.
www.slowman.se
VAGRANT
RECORDS - Based out in beautiful Santa Monica, Vagrant Records
is offering some amazing releases in 2010, topped off the latest CD
from School Of Seven Bells entitled Disconnect From Desire.
Featuring the heavenly vocals of sisters / singers Alejandra Deheza
and Claudia Deheza backed by guitarist / producer Benjamin
Curtis, the wall of harmony vocals evokes ‘80s groups like
Book Of Love and Humpe Humpe (also a sisters singing band), ‘90s
groups like Stereolab and others. Even so, the School Of Seven Bells
sound is really up date and quite experimental and different sounding
while the wall of female vocals really shines with the sparkling production
and sonic guitars of Curtis. The CD is creatively packaged and comes
with a complete lyrics sheet. Also out on Vagrant in 2010 is PY
from singer-songwriter / guitarist Pete Yorn. Yorn’s
fifth solo album and Vagrant debut, PY moves away from the
Baroque rock leanings of earlier efforts in favor of a more rock ‘n’
roll based sound. Finding Yorn supported by a solid group, PY is
free from overdubs and pop hooks while the raucous production from
Black Francis (a/k/a Frank Black) kicks up some
serious rock dust. www.Vagrant.com
INSTRUMENTAL
ARK
MUSIC - Wow, I can’t believe it’s Christmas already.
Another year has come and passed and to help ring in the holidays
what better way than to spin the 2010 CD from Washington state keyboardist
Jeff Johnson. Backed up by Brian Dunning (flute, whistles,
accordion) and Wendy Goodwin (violin), Johnson’s gift
to the spirit of the holidays is called Under A Wonder Sky.
Honoring the spirit of Christmas and the changing of the year,
Johnson’s recent CD is both meditative and inspirational. Much
like his work with guitarist Phil Keaggy on the 2008 release of Frio
Suite—which actually started out with the two musicians sending
tracks back and forth over the internet—Johnson is masterful
at merging his fondness for inspirational music within the context
of New Age and neoclassical, with the accent here being on the spirituality
marking the descent into winter, that often recalls the sacred covenents
of death and rebirth. Recording nine Christmas carols with two originals
at his studio, also called The Ark, Johnson is in rare form throughout
the engaging instrumental set and, guest spots from Tim Ellis (guitar),
Phil Baker (bass) and Mike Snyder, helps make Under
A Wonder Sky what’s certain to become a seasonal spiritual
CD favorite for years to come. www.ArkMusic.com
AUDIO CHOCOLATE - Here’s one I couldn’t figure out
if it was going to go under instrumental or rock as there’s an
impressive cross-section of both on the 2010 CD from guitarist Paul
Tauterouff called Audio Chocolate. From full
blown fusion in the spirit of Vai and Satriani through to tributes
to hard rock and Southern rock, Tauterouff covers a lot of ground,
performing most of the guitars, keyboards and vocals with the solid
backing from drummer Phil DiRienzo and a bunch of guest players
including vocalist Johnny Ryan and former SYN guitarist Shane
Theriot. Whether you dig hard rock or atmospheric New Age instrumental
rock, Audio Chocolate makes for an interesting ear meal. www.PaulTauterouff.com
DAYWOOD DRIVE RECORDS - Based out on Long Island, NY., Daywood
Drive Records strikes jazz guitar gold with the 2010 CD release from
Brazilian guitarist Sandro Albert. Albert has a string of fine
releases to his credit including his 2005 CD, The Color Of Things,
which featured guest artists like Airto and Robben Ford. On
the 2010 CD release of Vertical Albert joins forces
with fine players, including Rodrigo Ursaia (flute), Michael
O’Brien (bass) and Richie Barshay (drums), on an album
that can be described as a kind of timeless chamber jazz that sounds
like it could have been recorded in the early mid ‘60s. The mood
is quite relaxed and, far removed from the rough and tumble jazz-rock
world, the sound is at once unique and musically exhilarating. Commenting
on the release Albert adds, ‘When I wrote Vertical, it
was originally intended to be a solo guitar record. Then as I listened,
I heard that I could put a different instrument on top, like flute,
which we did end up doing.’ The guitarist also claims, ‘A
lot of Vertical is thinking of the guitar as an orchestra.
I can envision a string quartet on my guitar. It’s almost like
a chamber ensemble.’ The end result is a kind of buoyant Brazilian
flavored jazz that blends in flavors from Albert’s influences
like fellow guitarist, the late Jimmy Wyble, Brazilian music icon
Hector Villa Lobos as well as jazz guitar icon George Van Epps. Breezy
instrumental jazz, played by a Brazilian guitarist, who was based
in L.A. and now resides in NYC, Vertical is the finest album
yet from Sandro Albert, who continues to stake a claim for musical
originality in the 21st century. www.DaywoodDrive.com
DECCA
RECORDS - Back in the 1980’s, Japan's rock legend Ryuichi
Sakamoto was a king of the international avant gard rock world—at
his peak releasing several fascinating instrumental / rock albums
on Sony and Virgin in the late '80s. Over time Sakamoto has maintained
his unique status as one of Japan’s greatest musical architects
of the 20th century and he serves his legacy well with his 2010 double
CD entitled Playing The Piano / Out Of Noise. Always
a meticulous sound craftsman whether playing rock, electronic, soundtracks
or avant gard / neoclassical instrumental, Sakamoto sounds right at
home on this double album classic on Decca. Combining atmospheric
neoclassical solo piano-esque music with a more avant gard eclectic
approach, Sakamoto strikes a unique chord for the state of the art
of 21st century music. The first CD here, Playing The Piano is
essentially a self-covers album with Sakamoto performing solo piano
versions of his famous movie themes and more while disc two is rightly
heralded as being among Sakamoto’s most ambitious albums to date.
Very soundtrack oriented in places, Out Of Noise features several
other musicians and incorporates sounds Sakamoto recorded in Greenland
with the Cape Farewell Project, as part of their cultural response
to climate change. Ryo even recorded under the surface of the waters
of the Arctic Sea and on the surface of glacial ice while always maintaining
an eco-friendly approach to energy saving recording techniques. On
Out Of Noise, several like minded avant gard musicians—including
guitarists Christian Fennesz and Cornelius—assist
Sakamoto in his unique way of combining New Age piano soundtracks,
avant-garde, electronica, chill-out music and more. Whatever you want
to call his music, Playing The Piano / Out Of Noise combines
for a unique listening experience, and is classic Sakamoto. www.DeccaRecords-US.com
ELDANKA - Finland is such an amazing country filled with some
of the most illuminating musical intelligence on planet Earth. Although
the Finns are at home with classical geniuses like Sibelius and the
scintillating, pioneering jazz-rock sounds of the late great music
maestro Pekka Pohjola, they’ve also reembraced the genre known
as surf-rock over the last fifteen years. The sounds of great bands
have come and gone and come again in the land of the midnight sun,
as in the case of Eldanka, who strike a blow for surf-rock
greatness on the 2010 CD release of Twangin’ Tritones.
On the 12 track CD, guitarist Mika Jämsä is joined
by his astute band mates on an album that crosses over from traditional
surf-rock ala the Ventures and Shadows, to a post modern Scandinavian
style instro surf rock sound made famous by countless great Swedish
and Finnish bands like the great Swedish band 1961 and, in more recent
times Laika And The Cosmonauts, featuring the brilliant drummer Janne
Haavisto, brother of Finland’s great steel guitarist Olli Haavisto.
Of course the sound of Eldanka is pure guitar instrumental rock and
throughout the CD, Mika coaxes some fantastic tones out of his guitars—to
say nothing about the excellent, rockin’ original tracks he’s
composed for his band’s Twangin’ Tritones CD. Close
your eyes Dan...it’s 1961 all over again. And not a second too
soon. Surf’s up. www.MySpace.com/Eldanka
ELEPHANT SYMPHONY RECORDS - Okay, I might not be up on the
latest heavy metal instrumental bands and hard rock guitarists but
I know good guitar when I hear it. Dave Celentano is one of
those hard rock instrumental guitarists that just seems to dazzle
listeners with an amazing sound, technique and musical vision. Clearly
a great guitarist, Celentano has chosen the instro hard rock (a/k/a
heavy metal) sound to encase his amazing approach. Celentano makes
me think of a cross between hard rock guitarists Marty Friedman and
Yngwie but with the chops of Andres Segovia! Case in point is Dave’s
2008 CD Wicked Musical Box, which simply smokes
with heavy rock and intriguing musical atmospherics. In addition to
his CDs, Celentano is also established as a guitar instructor and
guitarists can pick up on his recorded music and thirty instructional
books and DVDs at his web sites. On Wicked Musical Box, Celentano
gets able support from a range of hard rockers and the same pretty
much can be said about his other CD from 2004, entitled Guitar
Stew. www.DaveCelentano.com
/ www.ElephantSymphony.com
EPIC
RECORDS - Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 23 years since
the 1987 release of Surfing With The Alien, and marking that
time, Joe Satriani returns in 2010 with his 14th studio album
Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards. With the Black
Swans part of the title brought to bear by the passing of his
mom in 2009, Joe puts his emotions into context on the track “Littleworth
Lane”, named after the street his mom lived on out in Sea Cliff,
Long Island adding, ‘So I wanted to pay tribute to her by writing
the kind of song that she would really like, one that summed up her
spirit.’ Having truly come into his own over the past decade,
Satch is a modern day guitar wizard when it comes to bringing mood
and melody together in the composite of instrumental rock. Most of
the tracks here wear their emotions out on their sleeve, with Joe’s
majestic melodies triumphing over the brutal savagery of the driving
hard rock instrumental beat. Before appearing on the Experience Hendrix
Tour, Joe really put a great deal of work into this finishing this
amazing instrumental rock classic, and all that hard work and depth
defying talent comes out in the musical telepathy of the musicians
here, featuring Satch backed up by top players like long time drummer
Jeff Campitelli, bass player Allen Whitman of The Mermen
and guitarist turned keyboardist Mike Keneally. www.satriani.com
HRANT BEDOYAN - His name may be a little hard to pronounce
but there’s no denying the ease with which he gets his music
across. Armenian / Canadian guitarist Hrant Bedoyan finds a
unique groove and musical niche on his 2010 CD Unleashed.
In fact, I heard Hrant's record the same day I wrote the review
of the 2010 Joe Satriani album Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards.
What these two albums have in common, beside their obvious skill
within the realm of instrumental rock fusion, is the high quality
of music both Bedoyan and Satch are capable of. While Satch chose
to use Mike Keneally on keyboards, Bedoyan makes a statement all his
own by choosing keyboard genius Derek Sherinian to play on
Unleashed. As usual, Sherinian sounds like a proto fusion version
of Rick Wakeman and Bedoyan and Sherinian combine for a rare musical
chemistry here. With Bedoyan writing, arranging and producing, while
also performing all guitars, bass and some wild percussion arrangements,
fusioneers and New Age jazz rockers will want to check out the futuristic
fusion artistry in play on Unleashed. www.HrantBedoyan.com
HARP
GUITAR MUSIC - Now that the baby boomers are aging onwards, it’s
a good time to reflect back on some of the great songs that shaped
our various childhoods. A fitting place to start is with a 2010 release
from the pioneering Harp Guitar Music label, started up by guitar
guru Gregg Miner. Miner and his label strike harp guitar gold
with the 2010 CD from guitar icon Stephen Bennett, appropriately
entitled In-A-Gadda-Da-Stephen. A mix of late
‘60s classics from the dawn of the golden era of ‘60s classic
rock, the 15 cut In-A-Gadda-Da-Stephen might be missing the
classic Iron Butterfly track for which it’s named but there's
plenty more here including solo instrumental acoustic harp guitar
covers of classics made famous by The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Procol
Harum, Jethro Tull, YES, King Crimson, Rolling Stones, Cream and more.
Such is Bennett’s authentic command of the acoustic harp guitar
that he sounds like a virtual one man guitar army, filling in the
melody and rhythm with some propulsive percussive backing—all
played simultaneously on his famous acoustic harp guitar. As great
as the music here sounds, one must also applaud Miner and his label
for packaging the CD quite appealingly in a nostalgic ‘60s style,
adding in track by track liner notes and psychedelic poster. www.HarpGuitarMusic.com
INNER
KNOT - A group long associated with progressive rock icon Robert
Fripp, California Guitar Trio have been making music fans happy
since they stepped on to the worldwide stage back in 1991. The world
famous guitar trio includes core members Hideyo Moriya, Bert
Lams and Paul Richards and together the three guitarists
return in style for the 2010 CD release of Andromeda.
Commenting on the eleven cut CD, Bert Lams claims, ‘Andromeda
represents a culmination of all our work together in the past
20 years. We have released numerous CDs over the years, but there’s
none like this one.’ Combining all original material—both
structured and spontaneous improvisations—Andromeda comes
across as the ultimate in progressive, acoustic instrumental guitar
music and, with its progressive stance, the new CD also has a definite
Fripp/King Crimson type of vibe. In addition to the core trio, Andromeda
also features guest spots from various players long and currently
associated with American progressive music including Tony Levin
as well as relative newcomers Julie Slick and Eric Slick.
Interestingly, Andromeda combines the patented CGT acoustic
guitar sound along with some heavier electric guitar touches with
Paul Richards adding, ‘With each recording, we have been striving
to achieve the best of acoustic analog recording techniques blended
with the use of electronic guitar effects and digital processing.
With Andromeda, we have achieved a new level of the acoustic/electric
blend.’ Recorded in Oregon and Kentucky, Andromeda takes
the California Guitar Trio sound to new a level of sonic perfection.
www.cgtrio.com
INNOVA - Chinese music is thousands of years old. One of the
true virtuosos of the World Music scene, Gao Hong celebrates
the art of the Chinese pipa, or pear-shaped lute, and brings the sound
of Chinese music to the fore with the 2010 release of her new CD,
Quiet Forest, Flowing Stream, released on the
Minnesota based Innova Recordings label. Ms. Hong’s first album
devoted to her own compositions, Quiet Forest, Flowing Stream is
filled with meditative serene soundscapes and serves as an audio visit
to the Far East. With the pipa as the main instrument, the all instrumental
album also blends in the sound of Indian music—a duet
between Ms. Hong and Shubhendra Rao—with the CD
also featuring several other artists who add in various colors from
the sounds of various eastern and western instruments. That much of
the music was inspired by Gao Hong’s daughter undergoing a successful
treatment for leukemia, only adds to the suspense and sense of emotional
relief the music on this recording evokes. www.innova.mu
KULUMO - The Finns never fail to amaze musically. Back in the
‘70s I was a big fan of Finnish guitarist Pekka Tegelman,
who with his brother drummer Jussi Tegelman, were key
members of the instrumental rock fusion band Finnforest. After three
albums, the group broke up at the dawn of the ‘80s and now in
2010, Pekka Tegelman is back with a new CD called Bound,
by his group Pekka Tegelman & Kulumo. The sound is
instrumental but the accent is on a more seasoned, improvisational
fusion sound with Tegelman’s guitar often overtaken by wild excursions
from Antero Priha on trumpet. There’s a definite funky
jazz fusion sound on the line with Tegelman occasionally ripping a
few sinister licks on guitar while also getting solid support from
the rhythm section of Tomi Parkkonen (drums) and Tero Siitonen
(double bass). www.myspace.com/kulumo
LEVEL 36 RECORDINGS - Fantastic instrumental hard rock and neoprog
metal sounds from Colorado, 19 A.D.D. introduce their group
with the finely wrought sound of Dead River. Sure,
this is quite heavy throughout and more heavily reliant on style as
opposed to sheer content, yet the sound is overwhelming and played
and recorded with much style and panache. Guitarist Jared Emory
gets fine support from Matt Blanks (bass) and Eric Pereira
(drums). Besides, this works so well in part because it’s
so well recorded while the impressive CD packaging and huge oversize
poster goes the distance to create an indelible image for this rising
power in the instrumental prog-metal world. www.Level36Recordings.com
/ www.19ADD.com
MARK PRESTON MUSIC - Any sane music therapist will tell you, when
you need to slow down and lower the pressures, you should listen to
music, but the right kind of music. Music to slow down depression
and melt into, the 2010 CD release of Nature & Design
is a good introduction to the music of electronic musician Mark
Preston. Sort of upbeat soundtrack music that veers into an airy
infectious sort of musical network of sounds, the eleven cut Nature
& Design works both as a New Age style soundtrack as well
as musical therapy to help you put on your innermost smiley face.
Originally a drummer turned into musical software programmer, Preston
makes quite a big sound with a laptop, software and a small keyboard.
A couple of players assist, including guitarist Josh Sturgeon,
but primarily, the CD is Preston’s synthesized keyboard wizardry
center stage. www.MarkPrestonOnline.com
MODALYRIC MUSIC - The stick is a funny, funky instrument. Kissin’
cousin to the guitar—discovered and put “out there”
by innovator Emmet Chapman—the “tap” guitar was made
famous by notable stick experts like King Crimson's Tony Levin and
another name that comes to mind is 20th Century Guitar mag writer
Steve Adelson. With his new album you can now count Virginia based
Rob Martino high on the list of up and coming stick advocates.
Martino’s 2010 CD One Cloud is really just that.
Solo, stick-based instrumentals that float on a dreamy cloud of guitar-centric
sound. Is this New Age, jazz, meditation music or simply music that
defies generic descriptions of all of the above? Pick up Martino’s
superbly recorded One Cloud and draw your own conclusions.
www.RobMartino.com
SALVATORI PRODUCTIONS - Illinois based guitarist Tom Salvatori
is a master of recording New Age / neoclassical based guitar instrumental
sounds and his album When Evening Falls actually won
2007 neoclassical album of the year from the New Age pundits at NAR.
New Age based music aside, for the most part Salvatori’s music
truly transcends musical borders and genre catch phrases and he delivers
yet another masterpiece with the 2010 double CD release of Ever
Ever On. For Ever Ever On, the guitarist teams
once again with U.K. based pianist / composer Iris Litchfield and
the full-on chamber string ensemble arrangements of cellist John
Catchings. CD 1—entitled “These Little Pieces Went To
Nashville—features the twelve Salvatori / Litchfield compositions
backed up by the full string ensemble, while CD 2—entitled “These
Little Pieces Stayed Home"—presents the same music on CD
1 but captured in their more minimal original solo performances. Perhaps
Salvatori’s most ambitious project to date, Ever Ever On will
have wide cross over appeal among classical music fans as well as
those who are already familiar with Salvatori’s repertoire of
blissful, meditative guitar music. www.SalvatoriProductions.com
SPIRE ARTIST MEDIA - An independent release from guitarist Charlie
Hunter, the 2010 CD of Public Domain features eleven
solo performances by Hunter. Much like the sparse CD cover art, this
is quite a mysterious release from Hunter, who is better well known
for his jazzy, funky and neo-fusion instrumental albums. Public
Domain is still instrumental but the catch here is that the eleven
classics here are actually “public domain” material. According
to Hunter, ‘There is a law, that after a certain amount of time,
every song becomes public domain and you don’t have to pay royalties.
In the U.S. it’s 70 years. These are all popular songs from that
era.’ In other words, Hunter’s jazzy, solo electric guitar
tracks here are so old that your mother would know them all by heart.
“Ain’t We Got Fun”, “Danny Boy”, “Meet
Me In St. Louis” are each songs that were huge back in the pre-depression
years. Songs for the new depression that is currently strangling the
harrowing post-Bush II, 21st century America? Perhaps, but Hunter
keeps the swing feel in the groove and you can relive the good, bad
old days on a CD that once again brings Hunter front and center in
the guitar world of 2010. Public Domain was recorded in Brooklyn
NY. Brief liner notes from Hunter’s grandfather grace the stoic
CD cover art, which also dedicates the album to classic guitar heroes
Blind Blake, Joe Pass, Ted Greene and Tuck Andress. www.CharlieHunter.com
SPOTTED PECCARY - Back in the ‘90s I had the good fortune
to get to know and sometimes speak with Spotted Peccary founder Howard
Givens several times and he was a big supporter of my pre-internet
mag Time & A Word Music News. I would marvel at the fantastic
New Age instrumental CDs Howard and Spotted Peccary were releasing
and I’m happy to say, Howard’s label is still at it, releasing
amazing instrumental recordings on CD filled with meditative sonic
delights—case in point being the 2010 CD release of The
Crossing by David Helping and Jon Jenkins. Falling
into the “Quiet Storm” division of instrumental New Age
and electronic space music, The Crossing is a fantastic showcase
displaying the musical gifts of electric guitarist Jenkins and keyboardist
Helping, who combine forces for a magical cosmic foray into interstellar
music space. www.DeepExile.com
/ www.SpottedPeccary.com
ULTIMAE - Over in France, the Ultimae label released Interloper
from the Swedish band Carbon Based Lifeforms. The net
result is a highly atmospheric instrumental blend of progressive electronic
New Age-y synth music. Featuring musicians Daniel Segerstad &
Johannes Hedberg, the album also adds in cello and one cameo vocal
from Karin My Andersson. All told, the synth keyboards are
flavored by the guitar-centric blend of Hedberg making for some heady
instrumental music listening. Also not enough can be said about the
excellent sound of the music as well as the packaging which is something
to behold with its multi-panel fold out art and superbly printed booklet
filled with all forms of evocative photography. www.ultimae.com
YESH MUSIC - They may site groups like Pink Floyd and Radiohead
as influences but with a number of releases to their credit, the band
known as The American Dollar are much more in the instrumental
New Age electronic realm on their 2010 CD Ambient Two.
The NYC based duo of John Emanuele and Rich Cupolo combine
electric guitars and electronics with wide ranging atmospherics on
a CD that sounds heavily influenced by Brian Eno, Harold Budd and
even German prog guitar axman Michael Rother. On the fourteen track
Ambient Two, the American Dollar do a little remixing, putting
a new spin on earlier recordings and and the net result is a sublime
and highly listenable amalgamation of sonically pleasing soundtrack
strategies covering a lot of ground that will have you coming back
for more. www.TheAmericanDollar.info
REISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
AURA
RECORDS -
Pop icons Tommy James & The Shondells burst onto the music
scene during the summer of ‘66 with “Hanky Panky” and
now 45 years later in late 2010, Tommy remains a pop culture mainstay
and a true believer of the rock & roll world. I can’t think
of a better way to celebrate this classic career than with the double
CD set 40 Years - The Complete Singles Collection (1966 - 2006).
Tommy’s ‘60s tracks sound great here in these original
mono mixes, while the 48 track double CD released in late 2008 follows
the charts from “Hanky Panky” through till a pair of songs
from the 2006 Tommy James & The Shondells' CD Hold The Fire.
As indicated in the illuminating liner notes for the 40 Years
set, Tommy was a big supporter of Hubert Humphrey back in 1968
and amazingly, (as also told in the 40 Years liner notes),
Hubert actually contributed liner notes to Tommy’s '68 Crimson
& Clover Lp. The early single mixes in mono, good packaging
and CD booklet, plus a comprehensive “touching on” of all
of Tommy’s albums up to and including 2006, make 40 Years
a worthy investment for the informed ‘60s pop fan. Speaking
of Hubert Humphrey, you can read all about that scene in depth and
a whole lot more in Tommy’s biography book, the 2010 printing
of Me, The Mob And The Music: One Helluva Ride With Tommy James
And The Shondells. Written by Tommy James with Martin
Fitzpatrick, the 225 book superbly encapsulates Tommy’s early
life to the meteoric rise to the top of the pop charts in 1966 and
proceeds to take a look at his life story over all of his heyday years.
Even in 2010, Tommy James retains a special place in the history of
pop culture and beyond. Clearly with this 2010 book biography, and
the 40 Years double CD set, Tommy's story deserves some timely
reappraisal. www.TommyJames.com
CONCORD
MUSIC GROUP - There’s a cool b&w picture in the booklet
on The Definitive Dave Brubeck featuring Dave being
introduced by Ronald Reagan to Mikhail Gorbachev at the Moscow Summit
in 1988. That says a lot about Reagan as well as the ever inquisitive
mind of the Russian president but in truth it says a whole lot more
about how much piano genius Dave Brubeck influenced modern post war
jazz throughout the entire world. Although he’s best known for
his 1959 album on Columbia, Time Out, Brubeck recorded a lot
of music early on his career, during the late 1940s and ‘50s
for Fantasy Records. The 2010 double CD release of The Definitive
Dave Brubeck, draws on some of that early music and
is paired with a second CD that spans various Brubeck music recorded
in the ‘80s up to 2004. Brubeck turns 90 on December 6th 2010
and this double CD overview is a fantastic way to re-experience Brubeck’s
jazz genius. A version here of Brubeck’s most famous composition,
“Take Five”—co-written with Paul Desmond for
the Time Out album, and here recorded once again in 1987 in
Moscow and featured on Brubeck’s Moscow Night album—must
have been one of Gorbachev’s favorites, and for good reason.
Just like in 1959, then in 1987 and now in 2010, the song remains
timeless. Extensive liner notes by Ashley Kahn, and featuring
August 2010 interviews with Brubeck manager / producer and this compilation's
producer, Russell Gloyd brings the Dave Brubeck story up to
date. Jazz buffs will also note that Concord started off their 2010
Definitive music series with double CD sets including The
Definitive John Coltrane (Coltrane’s recordings for Prestige
and Riverside Records between 1955 and 1958), The Definitive
Thelonious Monk (recordings on Prestige 1952-’54 and
Riverside Records 1955 to ‘61) and The Definitive Sonny
Rollins (Recordings on Prestige, Riverside and Contemporary
Records during the ‘50s). www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
CHRYSALIS / EMI - I can remember interviewing Justin Hayward in
early 2006, just after my dad died and me and old Justin started reflecting
back on things like Mike Pinder and the ‘60s and when I asked
Justin what his favorite music is, he said something to the effect
that it was the music he grew up with. Somehow that concept of things
pretty much sums up my feelings both about the early Moody Blues and
early Jethro Tull albums and high on the list of early rock
classics from the ‘60s remains Tull's 1969 Stand Up album.
I can even remember back that crisp autumn day I bought the Lp, I
was walking home with my proud copies of Stand Up and Songs
For A Tailor by Jack Bruce. It would be one of those nights—forget
about “homework” if you catch my drift. Back when I interviewed
Ian Anderson in 2008—part of which was a cover story for
the now deceased 20th century guitar mag—me and Ian got to talking
about mono versus stereo. Not contrary to the excellent 2008 mono
CD reissue of This Was Jethro Tull, in my opinion, by 1969,
the major players in U.K. rock (Anderson included) had worked out
the kinks in the (now) currently raging mono raining supreme over
stereo in the '60s debate—with to my mind mono ruling just a
year before in 1968. To bring out that point on the 3 disc 2010 remaster
of Stand Up, give a listen to both stereo version of and a
rarely heard mono version of (what in retrospect became) the single
from Stand Up, Anderson's orchestral classic “Living In
The Past”, recorded while Tull was on tour in 1969 in New Jersey
and San Francisco. Looking back on 1968 becoming 1969, “Living
In The Past” was clearly one of the first rock songs to really
maximize the full stereo effect. With Stand Up, Tull founder
Ian Anderson became, historically, one of the key English songwriting
geniuses who in 1969 was able to adapt to and as such, maximize that
newly emerging world of stereo in the rock world. So to sum up students,
mono was the ‘60s and by 1969, stereo was the ‘70s! Pure
and simple. The excellent business skills of Chrysalis Records founder
Terry Ellis gave Anderson an incredible amount of artistic
freedom on what many say is the first real Tull album, that started
post Bloodwyn Pig guitarist Mick Abrahams. Anyway, on the evergreen
Stand Up, Anderson’s band of newcomers, including soon
to be guitar god, Martin Barre, and the groundbreaking rock
rhythm section of Glen Cornick and Clive Bunker is the
quartet that, in my opinion, truly defined who Tull was and became
at their best. Okay, throw in John Evan and I’ll be happy!
Anyway this 2010 triple Tull threat features the entire Stand Up
album, newly remastered, along with eleven bonus cuts on CD 1 while
disc 2 and 3 features Tull’s historic, never fully released 1970
Live At Carnegie Hall show, which is here in its entirety on
disc 2 (on CD) and again in DVD audio on disc 3, which, also features
a quite in depth, 2010 DVD interview of Ian Anderson. Heck, EMI did
a great remake / remodel and they even reproduced that little Tull
art design pop up "Stand Up" image of the band, thirty years
before the internet made the term pop-up famous! www.JethroTull.com
HEAR MUSIC / CONCORD MUSIC GROUP / MPL - In the
aftermath of The Beatles putting the ‘60s on ice with Let
It Be, John and George were filling the airwaves with gargantuan
sounding, promethean, Phil Spector-sized productions that were alternatively
singing the praises of karma, giving peace a chance and wanting to
meet the lord. At the same time, the other song writing Beatle, no
offense to Ringo, Paul McCartney was writing songs about junk,
flies with three legs, smelly feet, navy admirals taking baths and
eating butter pies and songs about well... “Mumbo” for instance.
So much for going the other way man, but don’t forget, this was
McCartney, the Beatles own self-styled A&R mogul. Macca was the
guy who could be counted on to produce the million selling timeless
hit—from “Yesterday” to ”My Love”, from “Michele”
to “The Long And Winding Road”—when needed, anytime
at all. Paul was the Beatle who could bring in the girls and even
please your parents in an effort to make it all seem legit and above
all non-threatening to the masses. This aforementioned whimsicle side
of Paul went on for several years after the Beatles, but by 1973 things
began to change again. I remember when Band On The Run took
off in early 1974, even John Lennon stepped back into Paul’s
corner, calling it a “great” album. No offense to John,
but Paul buffs will point to other great love songs and rockers on
all three of Macca’s first three solo albums (not including Macca's
early foray into orchestral soundtracks with The Family Way album).
By the time of Band On The Run, credited to Paul McCartney
& Wings, Macca was all but primed for his stadium years, which
by the time of “Silly Love Songs” in 1975 was well underway.
All of this history decades later makes the long awaited 2010 remaster
of Band On The Run an auspicious choice as a first release
to initiate the start of The Paul McCartney Archive Collection,
handled in the U.S. by Hear Music and Concord Music Group. Well
known for reissuing the back catalogs of some of the biggest artists
of the jazz world, the Concord Musical Group has really been asserting
itself in the pop world these past couple years with a number of critically
acclaimed releases, but who would have guessed McCartney would have
gone this way with his entire solo catalog, especially considering
EMI still handles all the Beatles and John Lennon and George Harrison
CD remasters. That said, the 2010 three disc version of Band On
The Run is a major revelation for long time McCartney listeners.
With the original album superbly remastered on disc one, disc two
combines assorted singles and audio tracks from the famous One
Hand Clapping movie, which itself is featured in movie form on
the third disc here—a DVD with amazing animations, documentary
footage and the aforementioned movie with Paul, Linda McCartney,
Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch and Geoff Britten
at Abbey Road studio performing Band On The Run, while adding
performances in of assorted Mac classics like “Maybe I’m
Amazed” and “My Love”. Similarly styled like the 2010
John Lennon solo CD remasters, the all cardboard packaging of the
three disc Band On The Run is pretty good, complete with those
original Lp pics of Wings recording in Lagos, song lyrics and fresh
liner notes. The remastered sound of the album on this 2010 remastered
original is excellent—clearly the best to date, as is the echo
soaked soundtrack on the second CD while the DVD should prove to be
a major highlight for long time Beatles and Wings fans. Concord /
MPL and Hear Music has so many versions of this 2010 remastered version
of Band On The Run it kind of makes your head spin. Even though
it was actually released over the Christmas of ‘73, looking back...
if one album summed up the adventurous, "on the run" spirit
of 1974, for those of us lucky enough to have grown up in the Beatles
era, that one album would have to be Band On The Run. www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
LEGACY
RECORDINGS
/ EXPERIENCE HENDRIX - Hot on the heels of the back catalog
of Jimi Hendrix being taken over by Legacy, the reissue arm
of Sony / Columbia Records released West Coast Seattle Boy -
The Jimi Hendrix Anthology late in 2010. For long time fans
who thought they’d heard everything, the box set release of West
Coast Seattle Boy will be a true Hendrix revelation. As described
in the press release, this latest Hendrix anthology reexamines Jimi’s
transformation from R&B sideman to the world’s most celebrated
rock guitarist. An amazing four hour collection of rare live and studio
recordings, demos and alternate versions, the music here features
a truly superbly compiled and remastered collection of tracks recorded
by and/or featuring Jimi during all phases of his career, between
1964 and 1970. To appreciate just how far Jimi had taken rock music
during those years give a listen to the 15 cuts on CD 1 
here
featuring Hendrix, the sideman supporting The Isley Brothers,
Little Richard, Don Covay, King Curtis and many
more. The alternate versions on the other three music CDs of the box
offers a revealing insight into Jimi’s musical mind, with a myriad
of Hendrix revelations like the lead off alternate version of “Fire”
that starts off CD 2. In addition to the four CDs of rare and unreleased
live and studio tracks, plus the 54 page booklet, there is disc 5,
a DVD called Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child. A must
see for Hendrix fans, this rare glimpse into who Jimi Hendrix really
was offers an outstanding new for 2010, 90 minute video documentary
directed by Bob Smeaton. The story and narration running throughout
the movie, in Jimi’s own words, effectively looks, feels and
sounds like a combination interview / cosmic diary, featuring the
voice of Bootsy Collins. The DVD also merges in sizable segments
featuring some of Jimi’s greatest music performances as well
as rare and unseen interview footage and photos. For those looking
for a taster of the 5 disc box set, there’s also a single disc
best-of for West Coast Seattle Boy with and without the 2010
Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child DVD documentary and, get this—a
deluxe edition of the box set presented on eight 12” vinyl LPs.
When it rains it pours in Hendrix land and in tow to accompany this
major 5 disc West Coast Seattle Boy box set are other Hendrix
classics overhauled, this time by Legacy, once again including The
Jimi Hendrix Experience - BBC Sessions (a new multi-panel
digi-pak version of the original 37 track, 2 CD set spanning 1967-’69
plus a third disc, a DVD with a 30 minute documentary featuring performance
and interview footage), Jimi Hendrix - Blues (reissue
of 1994 release featuring eleven Hendrix blues-based tracks with 36
page booklet and 30 minute DVD feature -“Jimi Hendrix And The
Blues” from the acclaimed Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues
series), and Live At Woodstock (two CD set of Jimi’s
complete performance at the historic ‘69 Woodstock festival).
All of these new for 2010 Legacy remasters are also available on good
old black vinyl for those who are interested and for those who may
think Jimi didn’t care about such things, there’s also yet
another Legacy CD / 10” green vinyl Lp release of Merry
Christmas & A Happy New Year (the Jimi Hendrix “seasonal”
single featuring the famous 1969 medley of “Little Drummer Boy,”
“Silent Night,” and “Auld Lang Syne” backed up
with “Three Little Bears.”) www.AuthenticHendrix.com
/ www.LegacyRecordings.com
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