Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence - ROBERT FRIPP.
Information is not knowledge;
knowledge is not wisdom;
wisdom is not truth;
truth is not beauty;
beauty is not love;
love is not music;
MUSIC IS THE BEST - FRANK ZAPPA.
I think we're a little happier when we have a little music in our lives - STEVE JOBS.
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe - LAO TZU.
Rock and Roll is fire, man. FIRE. - DAVID BRIGGS.
Music grips you, gets into your soul -
GEORGE MARTIN
AceTime For Another(Vinyl - Anchor, 1975) *** Genre: English pop/rock Places I remember: Real Groovy Records Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:No Future In Your Eyes (great harmonies - they should do that more often!)
Gear costume:I think It's Gonna Last, Message To You Active compensatory factors: Second album for Ace - that band Paul Carrick was in before Mike + The Mechanics, remember. It's a continuation of the bright pop sounds found on their debut album Five-A-Side. While pleasant, my main problem by side two's end is the succession of mid paced songs. A couple of rockers wouldn't have gone amiss. Where do they all belong? They made a third album which I don't own, so your best best is to next check out the stellar Paul Carrick work for Mike Rutherford's band. You won't be disappointed!
Citizen BandCitizen Band(Vinyl - Polydor/ Mandrill, 1978) **** Citizen BandJust Drove Thru Town(Vinyl - CBS, 1979) *** Genre: New Zealand rock/pop Places I remember: Marbecks Records Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:My Pohutukawa (from Citizen Band)
Gear costume: The Ladder Song (a great single and off Citizen Band) and Rust In My Car (a good single of off Just Drove Thru Town)
Active compensatory factors: Second year at Auckland University and Greg Knowles and I fell head over heels for the smarty pants Beatles-esque fun rock 'n' roll of Citizen Band. Greg lead the cheerleading and he was spot on. We'd been to a gig featuring Geoff Chunn's previous band (After Hours) and thought they were a promising band. Kevin Simms joined the party because he had a cassette tape of CB live at Westlake Girls' (I think it was there rather than the Boys' version). Of course, we were all big Split Enz fans so we were up for CB from the off. Fair to say we all bonded over the music which was all grrrreat. What a line up - The Ladder Song, Dig That Tex, My Pohutukawa, Julia, I Feel Good (showing the boys knew their kiwi music history), and capped off by the wig out that is Tex Goes To The Tinema (sic). It's a NZ music classic. Second album syndrome hit them after that. Jay Lewis may have felt like a smart choice as producer but the glossy mix is underwhelming. Glyn Tucker Jnr shoulda done it again. What a shame because Geoff Chunn's songs are worthy and the musicians are all ace faces. Where do they all belong? In my heart forever. Dig that Tex!
The Early Music Consort of London (directed by David Munrow) Guillaume De Machaut And His Age (Vinyl - EMI Records, 1973) *** Genre: Classical Places I remember:Marbecks Records Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Virelai: Douce Dame Jolie. That's not available on youtube but this gives the rough idea!
Gear costume:Virelai: Quant je Sui Mis Active compensatory factors:My university career in English ranged all over and included Chaucer and 20th century American poetry, 15th and 20th century drama, Romance of the Rose and the Romantic Poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge, Shakespeare and Sean O'Casey. This album stems from my university days writing an essay on courtly love. Machaut's music from 14th century France was a great mood setter. I guess it could be seen as a kind of method acting - I love to immerse myself in literature by sampling all the different stimuli from the era (to a point - De Quincey's Confessions of an Opium Eater was limited to a reading only!). In this case it's the crumhorns, recorders and shawms (I have no idea sorry) from David Munrow. On a sad note: tragically he committed suicide a couple of years after this came out. Depression strikes again.
Where do they all belong? Gregorian chants are more useful for mindfulness but there's something thrilling about this stuff sung in French or Latin!
Sergio MendesThe Great Arrival(Vinyl - Atlantic, 1966 ) ** Sergio Mendesand Brasil '66Equinox(Vinyl - A&M Records, 1967 ) *** Genre: Easy Listening Places I remember: Inherited from the Graham Purdy collection Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Night And Day (from Equinox)
Gear costume: Monday Monday (from the Great Arrival)
Active compensatory factors: Apart from jazz, dad loved the then topical genre that was 'Easy Listening'. That genre cruises around the peripheries of piano jazz, world music, kitsch, lounge, and pop. All of the above can be found somewhere on these two albums. The first one is an instrumental piano jazz album that just floats by in a very pleasant, some might say, innocuous, manner. The second adds the faux pop vocals of Brasil '66. It's so cool and hip! When I was growing up, listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Uriah Heep, I hated these albums. Now, I can appreciate the nostalgic sounds on offer and can see the appeal for young executives like my dad. After a hard day in the office he could unwind with a drink and the uncluttered, exotic sound of Sergio Mendes. Where do they all belong? With dad's other easy listening albums. Sounds Orchestral is on the way!
John Di Martino Romantic Jazz TrioMagical Mystery(Vinyl - Venus Records, 2008) *** Genre: Piano Jazz Places I remember: Real Groovy Records (Auckland) Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:Magical Mystery
Gear costume: the rest - being all Thelonious Monk tunes. Active compensatory factors: The arresting cover image snared me. And the vaguely Beatles inspired title. When I picked it up and read the back, I had to buy it. The album is dedicated to two giants - Thelonious Monk and the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. I'm a fan of both. Having said all that, the brightest spot on the album is the one original track, as above. It's not like the rest's bad or anything, it's just that if I'm going to listen to an album of Monk's music, I'll go to the source. Where do they all belong? Modern piano jazz - that means it slots in beside Brad Mehidau in my collection.
Duke Ellington And His OrchestraPiano In The Background(Vinyl - CBS Coronet, 1960) *** Duke Ellington and Count BasieBattle Royal(Vinyl - CBS Coronet, 1961) **** Genre: Big Band, Swing Places I remember: Inherited from the Graham Purdy collection Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:Jumpin' At The Woodside (BR) does what it says on the tin: jumps!
Gear costume: Wild Man (BR)
Active compensatory factors: Battle Royal is another album from dad's collection that has always been in my life. And it's fantastic - amazingly uncluttered given all the musos on hand from two big bands and I love the way the Duke and the Count play on opposite sides of the stereo channels. Very cool! Both albums have versions of the classic Take The "A" Train. I prefer the Battle version - it's more visceral. The Piano in the Background version is like that album in total - sophisticated and a bit out of reach for me. I am not a musician - my appreciation of music is from an emotional attachment, not a technical one. That means I can appreciate the Piano album for what it is - clearly Ellington is a genius, but I prefer the whomp of the Battle Royal album a lot more. Where do they all belong? Even though I'm not a huge fan of swing, that was my dad's bag, these two are with me forever.
