Five From 2016

A tough year, here.  Music helped us get through it all.  Here are some of the most memorable and most-played during the past months of this quickly-disappearing year:

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree

Mal Devisa - Kiid

Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Evolution

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Tallis Scholars Do Christmas

From the BBC, a complete concert of Renaissance Christmas music by one of my favorite groups performing work of that period, the Tallis Scholars.  I'll take this any day over Jingle Bells and White Christmas, but that's just me.  Available for online listening until January 13.  More information here and here.

Patti Smith: Dylan Nobel Prize Tribute

Beethoven in Havana

The 7th Symphony, Cuban rumba-style:

Moby & The Pacific Void Choir: Are You Lost In The World Like Me?

A-WA: Habib Galbi

Cesaria Evora: Sodade / Nha Cancera Ka Tem Medida

http://www.cesaria-evora.com/en/actualite/

https://play.spotify.com/artist/0Nks3cFWU2a7rooAlFQYgn

Conor Oberst: Ruminations

A live performance of the new album:

Pauline Oliveros, R.I.P.

I first heard of Pauline Oliveros sometime in the 60s when she seemed to be exploring early beginnings of electronic music, but really became interested in her work in the 80s, when I believe the following piece was created and performed:

Sharon Jones, R.I.P.

In continuation of the extraordinary emotional drama of this extraordinary month, we learn that the extraordinary Sharon Jones has succumbed to the Big C.



Also see this previous 2010 post

Gillian Welch: Album of the Day

Leon Russell, R.I.P.

The Wrecking Crew, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Rita Coolidge, Hank Wilson, Elton John ... whatever memories and associations Leon Russell and his wonderful music might conjure (many, many, for me), his sound and style have moved to a new chapter with his death on November 13.

Leonard Cohen's Final Interview

The New Yorker Radio Hour on Leonard Cohen

Sing On, Leonard

A YouTube mix.  Leonard Cohen, R.I.P.

Farewell, Leonard

Today, my wife and I sat back and heard Leonard Cohen's new album, "You Want It Darker", all the way through for the first time, although we had heard tracks here and there since it came out in late October. We were so moved by his music and poetry that we stopped and talked about it for some time this afternoon and kept referring to it throughout the evening, especially in juxtaposition to the shock of the presidential election that our household and many others are experiencing. We talked about Leonard's age and how the album could be viewed almost as a premonition of his death. I told Kim that it is probably my top album choice for 2016, and would be posting some performances on this and my other blogs. And just five hours ago his website posted the news of his death today at age 82. As soon as I gather my wits, I will start posting some of my most memorable and personally meaningful tracks, but where to begin?  In the meantime ...

Joyce DiDonato: Why Art Matters

Dylan - 1966 Live

From Armstrong to Winehouse

Quartz posts a new infographic on the evolution of the jazz relationship of the US and the UK.

Track of the Day: The Winner Is

Here's a piece from years back by Devotchka from the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack. Happened to wake up this morning to this, and found it a nice break from the vitriol we hear on the news around the presidential election and other earthly woes.

This soundtrack piece was actually an adaptation from the full vocal version on Devotchka's 2004 album, "How It Ends". Listen to the album:

Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate

Well, if I gave out such prizes, Dylan would have received one -- or something -- long ago.  Here's a piece that suggests that "Bob Dylan’s greatest work of fiction is himself".

Here's another piece on Dylan's reaction.

Finally, here's a quick review of Bob on his public image:

P.S. And this one from the Wall Street Journal:

Visit Seattle with Emily King

Beach House: The Traveller

A friend brings this to my attention ...

The Peach Voice

Note the Bach influence about a minute in ...

Tina S.

And more from Tina ...

The Handsome Family on Fresh Air

If you like, no, love, the Handsome Family like I do, then you won't want to miss Terry Gross' interview with them on her Fresh Air podcast.

And visit the Handsome Family website.

Radiohead: Present Tense

Ron McMaster and Vinyl Mastering

Ron McMaster is not going to retire right away, after all. Read this LA Times story.

(LA Times photo)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Jesus Alone

 Learn more about the coming Skeleton Tree album and some backstory on this track.

Josephf

Sisters sisters Allison, Meegan and Natalie Closner are Joseph:

Weval

An addiction, all over again.

Sarah Saputi

Ranging from this ...

To this ...
And some of this ...

Love Is Blindness

Hard to get enough of Peaky Blinders and its soundtrack.

Peaky Blinders

Here's "Red Right Hand" from the OST for the great, highly recommended Peaky Blinders Netflix series, as done by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Cecilia Bartoli - Agitata Da Due Venti From "La Griselda" (Vivaldi)

I was reminded of this today, so thought I would reprise the piece. From six or seven years ago, I think ...

A better quality version here on Facebook.

Stradivari Guitar

More Prince: Creep

Thanks to fellow Radiohead fan, John, for bringing this to my attention:

More Prince: Summertime

Another rarity ...

PRINCE : Red House (PURPLE Version) with Maceo Parker

Rufus Takes On Shakespeare

Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra (Okeh Metal Mother)

Wanna hear some clean, crisp, noisefree Louis Armstrong from the 1920s?  Here are a couple of numbers recorded from the Okeh "metal mother".

Read more about Okeh and the metal mother technology here and here.

Ov Sirun Sirun

We've been big Pink Martini fans around here for twenty years or so.  So we pay attention when we hear news of a new album in the offing.  Here is a piece from a recent live studio session:

Billie at 101

Gaelynn Lea

Read the backstory here.

Rhapsody in Blue: Gershwin Plays Gershwin

A recent Open Culture piece explores the original 1924 recording of the Gershwin classic.  Here is a remaster, with Gershwin himself on piano.

Find of the Day: Marshall Ruffin - His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Marshall Ruffin - His Eye is on the Sparrow from Ethan Payne on Vimeo.

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Listen to Chris Douridas' interview with Sakamoto in January.

The Rooftop Concert

To mark the 47th anniversary of the last time the Beatles played together, a friend sends me this video of their January 30, 1969 rooftop concert.

Brittany Howard, Interviewed

Today, Terry Gross of Fresh Air interviews Brittany Howard.  This woman is so articulate, so intelligent, so amazing ... I predict legendary status for her, if this keeps up.

Michael Fremer's Bowie Tribute Show

https://soundcloud.com/michael-fremer/analogplanet-radios-wfdufm-hd2-david-bowie-tribute-show

Lazarus

As a friend says, "Only Bowie could deliver his own eulogy ..."


Bowie, R.I.P.

Otis Clay, R.I.P.

The gospel/R&B/soul legend left us on January 8 ...

I rather ironically discovered Otis Clay in the mid-90s when he posted a Rolling Stones cover on one of the first legit MP3-artist sites on the Web:

David Bowie, R.I.P.

Alabama Shakes

I can't get enough of this group (and featured them on my 2015 favorites list).  Here's they are on Austin City Limits: