The inconsequential yet monumental quest to listen to my CDs in order...
Sonny Boy Williamson
Recently used Rice Miller aka Sonny Boy Williamson as a foil to discuss the greediness of the major record labels. As far as the music, 45 songs at once might be a little much, but playing 20 songs in sequence is good enough to dance around the room to. Probably one of the best harp players ever, so much nuance in his playing. Spent his last night (or within a week) before his death, jamming with members of the Band.
Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
I lived long enough in Texas to own some traditional swing music, like that of the master himself: Bob Wills. Mostly instrumental, full of whoops and hollers, and sweet, sweet lap steel. 16 member band means and only a microphone, or maybe two, fills the space.
Stevie Wonder
Only recently started listening to classic Soul/R&B, like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Tempations, Isley Brothers, etc. Some great, great music that I ignored mostly through ignorance, and because I heard more recent cuts of R&B like R. Kelly, etc., and thought it too polished and bland for my taste. Making up for lost time, and recently acquired Stevie Wonder's spectacular album cycle of the early to mid 70s. A historian's work is never done....
Musical Guide to the Classic Stevie Wonder albums
Music of My Mind
First album made with Stevie Wonder as his own producer, with total creative control, at the ripe and worldly age of 21. Nearly every instrument played by Mr. Wonder. Moog quite central, as is the synthesizer. Sounds a million light years away, in a much better universe, from 80's synth-pop, that's for sure.
I don't really know what this means:
Every day I want to fly my kite, An' every day I want to get on my camel an' ride.but it's catchy.
Songs in the Key of Life
Almost 2 hours of music, covering all sorts of stylistic ground. A song or two betray the decade they were recorded in (like Contusion which sounds like a left over prog-jazz tune, especially in the guitar solo.) In the digital age, skipping over lame songs is trivial. Also, to be honest, some songs, like Another Star could have been a few minutes shorter. The whole 8-minute-long-song-because-the-bridge-goes-on-for-freaking-ever tendency is why punk rock was such a great kick in the pants to the musicians of that era.
Pastime Paradise is famously sampled by Coolio - Gangster's Paradise, if you were wondering why it sounds so familiar.
Talking Book
The song, Superstition, of course, but some other good tracks here.
Tags: Music
