Porya Hatami - Arrivals and Departures.
The new release - CD just arrived in the mail. Very nice indeed. No surprises...it's very Porya Hatami. But I like what he does, and he does it beautifully here.
Azar's got quite a few of his own releases out there.
I think I have at least 8 to 10 of them. During my old days of radio,
his first three got a lot of spins - especially Summer Solstice.
His album before this last one, Mystic Journey, featured an updated
version of that tune. You can see a video promo for that album here.
Also, there's all those wonderful sides that he's featured on from McCoy Tyner's '70s
work to Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance to Mulatu Astatke. He seriously needs, tho,
to push himself away from the dinner table a few extra times so we can enjoy him for a bit longer.
ETA
I was just amused to run across the following in quick succession:
On this new Tingvall Trio album, two reviews:
1. "lively but formulaic pop-jazz...soon has a formulaic familiarity."
2. "avoids the typical jazz cliches and delivers fresh, cheerful music."
On a release by Geoffrey Keezer, The Heart of the Piano:
1. "Heart of the Piano seems to lack much in the way of emotion. It is more recital than soul-stirring performance...{songs} come off as bland, and his balladry...wont move you anywhere but to sleep. Theres nothing really wrong with Keezers latest outing, but it feels more brain than heart."
2. "The sheer joy and passion in Keezer's playing, the depth of his ideas, joined with such astounding technical mastery of the instrument, not to mention his internal sense of time and deep sense of swing, make this a recording for the ages."
Yes, I know reviews are subjective and varied. It just amused me to encounter such specific opposites, all of them implying confident knowledge of the genre, across the span of reading four or five reviews. Quite enjoying the Tingvall Trio album so far, though the first reviewer may have a point.
Currently streaming from Bandcamp, where there are 4 tracks over 30 minutes available, thanks Doofy. I can see a download coming very soon....
Update: - Confession time - I'd already downloaded this from emusic back in July, but had totally forgotten it. I suspect it came following one of Jonah's reviews for Wondering Sound. Too much new music syndrome?
@Lowlife. Interesting that emusic claims to be the home of indie music! I'd tried to find the Ben Watt album there, but alas it is not, even though it is not on a major label. The samples on Amazon sound good, birthday next week and I've asked for some vouchers, so I'll wait until then to download.
ETA
I was just amused to run across the following in quick succession:
On this new Tingvall Trio album, two reviews:
1. "lively but formulaic pop-jazz...soon has a formulaic familiarity."
2. "avoids the typical jazz cliches and delivers fresh, cheerful music."
On a release by Geoffrey Keezer, The Heart of the Piano:
1. "Heart of the Piano seems to lack much in the way of emotion. It is more recital than soul-stirring performance...{songs} come off as bland, and his balladry...wont move you anywhere but to sleep. Theres nothing really wrong with Keezers latest outing, but it feels more brain than heart."
2. "The sheer joy and passion in Keezer's playing, the depth of his ideas, joined with such astounding technical mastery of the instrument, not to mention his internal sense of time and deep sense of swing, make this a recording for the ages."
For what it's worth, I totes agree with option #1 on both of those albums. They're both good enough to recommend, not good enough to rave.
@jonahpwll, thanks, haven't listened to the second yet. I agree with Tingvall trio - I have one of their earlier albums, and I feel like to begin with there are lots of really nice moments and then by two thirds of the way through the album I'm kind of ready to move on.
@Doofy - as I said it is the too much new music syndrome! Back in the day I'd probably buy no more than two LPs per month, easy to get to know them. Typically, my music increases by about 250-300 tracks per month, with 100 from emusic, downloads from Bandcamp and Noisetrade etc, purchased and free from Amazon, new CD purchases, visits to shops selling secondhand CDs etc. It is one of the reasons I went on hold at emusic for three months recently. For me it has become an addiction, I am sure... I am about to look at Jonah's new Wondering Sound column - probably at least one new album from emusic then
Comments
The new release - CD just arrived in the mail. Very nice indeed. No surprises...it's very Porya Hatami. But I like what he does, and he does it beautifully here.
I think one of the last $5 Amazon MP3s I bought
Azar's got quite a few of his own releases out there.
I think I have at least 8 to 10 of them. During my old days of radio,
his first three got a lot of spins - especially Summer Solstice.
His album before this last one, Mystic Journey, featured an updated
version of that tune. You can see a video promo for that album here.
Also, there's all those wonderful sides that he's featured on from McCoy Tyner's '70s
work to Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance to Mulatu Astatke. He seriously needs, tho,
to push himself away from the dinner table a few extra times so we can enjoy him for a bit longer.
Consider this too:
Now Playing:
Flying Lotus - You're Dead
Oh, this is good. It's like danceable Sun Ra.
EDIT: Apparently Alice Coltrane is his great-aunt.
Craig
Name your price / free @ Bandcamp.
You'll notice that Flying Lotus will occasionally
sample Alice (and John too!) on his various discs.
@ Brighternow:
Yup, it sounds like being on horseback in an angry meadow.
Up soon:
---
Now playing: Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 5 Conjunto de Percuss
Johnny Marr - Playland
As much as I like Marr's guitar playing, I think this will be my only listen to this album.
Craig
ETA
I was just amused to run across the following in quick succession:
On this new Tingvall Trio album, two reviews:
1. "lively but formulaic pop-jazz...soon has a formulaic familiarity."
2. "avoids the typical jazz cliches and delivers fresh, cheerful music."
On a release by Geoffrey Keezer, The Heart of the Piano:
1. "Heart of the Piano seems to lack much in the way of emotion. It is more recital than soul-stirring performance...{songs} come off as bland, and his balladry...wont move you anywhere but to sleep. Theres nothing really wrong with Keezers latest outing, but it feels more brain than heart."
2. "The sheer joy and passion in Keezer's playing, the depth of his ideas, joined with such astounding technical mastery of the instrument, not to mention his internal sense of time and deep sense of swing, make this a recording for the ages."
Yes, I know reviews are subjective and varied. It just amused me to encounter such specific opposites, all of them implying confident knowledge of the genre, across the span of reading four or five reviews. Quite enjoying the Tingvall Trio album so far, though the first reviewer may have a point.
Currently streaming from Bandcamp, where there are 4 tracks over 30 minutes available, thanks Doofy. I can see a download coming very soon....
Update: - Confession time - I'd already downloaded this from emusic back in July, but had totally forgotten it. I suspect it came following one of Jonah's reviews for Wondering Sound. Too much new music syndrome?
£4.99 for all 40 tracks today, so of course I had to download...
Meanwhile,
Then:
followed by
Spekki Chris is In
Greg cannot understand why the Ben Watt album was not available, but sometimes its just too hard to understand E Music full stop
I like this more and more with every listen.
For what it's worth, I totes agree with option #1 on both of those albums. They're both good enough to recommend, not good enough to rave.
/furniture