Articles related to music. They could be educational, a review of a particular recording or recordings, a report on an event or concert, or a guide to a particular style, composer, or performer.
Editor: Peter D’Amario.
In 2013, the San Francisco Symphony took on a monumental project, a re–staging of the beloved West Side Story. After listening, Oliver Masciarotte came to realize that the album’s production must have been a heroic effort, and wanted to know more…
“Whether in a conscious state of reverie or in the pre-waking hours when fleeting visions come forth into the camera obscura of the mind, there are moments where hanging onto the edges of dreams is perhaps more desirable than even slumber.” Walker Burns reviews Green Kingdom’s latest album.
“The more one submerges oneself in the audiophile habit (or addiction) the more difficult it can become to determine the primacy of gear vs. music. What are your experiences with recordings where the performance is so superb that it makes issues of fidelity less important?,” asks Peter D’Amario.
“I find it hard to believe that my original LP copy of Apollo (Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Roger Eno) will be thirty years old in 2013, but there it is – one of the great albums of the ambient music genre. When I think of Roger Eno’s music over the years, three words come to mind: thoughtful, quirky, and sometimes playful. Whether lyric or instrumental, Eno’s works tell stories that can either be tightly sewn threads or loosely knitted yarns.” Walker Burns reviews Roger Eno’s latest.
“Almost Charlie has returned after three years with more beautifully crafted and skillfully recorded songs,” writes Walker Burns of Almost Charlies followup work to The Plural Of Yes. “There are marvelous wordplays, edges of wit and subtle metaphors in the lyrics resulting in another collection of musical gems.”
Notable (among other things) for having Wendy Carlos as sound engineer, the 1973 Brazil-released version of João Gilberto – more commonly known as Gilberto’s “White Album” – was reissued in CD format in the late ‘80s, and has recently been released on vinyl by Klimt records.
Walker Burns writes of Italian bassist Lorenzo Feliciati’s new album: “Frequent Flyer is an energetic, musical and diverse album to explore… This is an album that blurs genres of Rock, Fusion, Funk, Jazz and includes the edges of Latin and Afro-Cuban sounds. I always enjoy being pushed into new musical territories and Lorenzo Feliciati’s travels with a talented group of musicians is a great introduction to his work and influences.”
Peter D’Amario interviews Michael Cuscuna of Mosaic records, one of the preeminent jazz reissue labels, to get his thoughts on the history of Mosaic, the jazz music scene and the future of the recorded music industry. “On the future of jazz: Color him optimistic. He sees tremendous talent among the new generation of jazz musicians, noting that he is observing wonderfully talented artists coming up the curve.”
Walker Burns reviews this new collaborative work: “Seventh Heaven is both a collaborative work with Anthony Phillips as well as a splendid introduction to the work of Andrew Skeet…. Seventh Heaven is an expansive, sophisticated, and elegant work.”
Peter D’Amario asks the question, and presents an opposing view from Michael Cuscuna, who points to the profusion of younger jazz musicians. What are your thoughts: Is jazz on the way out, maintaining stability, or in an ascent?