music clip of the day

jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more

Friday, June 7th

only rock ’n’ roll

The Stooges (1967-)

Thursday, June 6th

Most musicians are no more able than anyone else to talk about what they do in ways that are fresh and absorbing.  This guy, to these ears, is something rare: a compelling player who is, as well, a provocative thinker and talker.

Vijay Iyer (piano), playing and talking, 2010

Wednesday, June 5th

kinetic

Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto saxophone), Rez Abbasi (guitar), Rich Brown (bass), Rudy Royston (drums), “Killer,” “Playing with Stones,” Washington, D.C., 2012

Tuesday, June 4th

alone

Cecil Taylor, piano, live, Germany (Nürnberg), 1984

Monday, June 3rd

alone

Matthew Shipp, piano, “Greensleeves,” “Symbol Systems,” 2012

Sunday, June 2nd

sounds of Chicago

“Chicago gospel—a musical snapshot,” Chicago Tribune, 2007


*****

Happy Birthday to my oldest musical companion, my brother Don, with whom I’ve shared more musical experiences, live and on record, than I could possibly remember—the Beatles (Comiskey Park, 1965), the Velvet Underground (Kinetic Playground, 1968 [followed by our arrests, while walking back to the car, for, uh, curfew]), the MC5 (Lincoln Park, 1968 [Democratic Convention]) . . .

Saturday, June 1st

the other day

I heard this ensemble play this piece, along with works by Smetana* and Janacek,** at the University of Chicago’s Logan Arts Center. As I said a while back, if one morning I were to learn that my life would be over at midnight, I would be happy to spend the afternoon as I did the other day—listening, with loved ones, to a string quartet.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), String Quartet No. 16 in F major, op. 135, excerpt (2nd movement); Pacifica Quartet, live, 2012

*String Quartet No. 1 (“From My Life”).

**String Quartet No. 2 (“Intimate Letters”).

Friday, May 31st

Some voices wrap themselves around you and hold you. And you don’t want them to let go.

Ted Hawkins (1936-1995), singer, songwriter, street performer

“Happy Hour” (T. Hawkins)


***

“Long As I Can See The Light” (J. Fogerty)


**********

lagniappe

musical thoughts

For some of us, music isn’t life or death, it’s much more important than that.

Doug Schulkind

Saturday, May 25th

sounds of Chicago

The Chosen Few Picnic, Jackson Park, 7/12


**********

lagniappe

radio

Beginning at 3 p.m. and going ’til midnight (EST), WFMU-FM will be featuring sounds from this weekend’s Primavera Sound Festival (Barcelona):

3:00 Swans
4:20 Orchestra Poly Rhythmo de Cotonou
4:50 Guardian Alien
5:30 Goat
6:00 Tinariwen
6:20 Mulatu Astatke
6:45 Death Grips
7:10 Thee Oh Sees
7:40 Meat Puppets
8:15 Dan Deacon
9:00 Jesus and Mary Chain
9:30 Dead Can Dance
10:00 Nurse With Wound
11:00 Omar Souleyman
11:30 Wu-Tang Clan

*****

taking a break

I’m taking some time off—back in a while.

Friday, May 24th

what’s new

Dirty Beaches, “Casino Lisboa,” 5/13


**********

lagniappe

found words

trap-music phenomenon

***

the moombahton sound

***

prolific chiptune band

***

technical death metal

Chicago Reader, 5/23/13, music listings