Records To Die For

[Pierre De Grenoble]

If you consider that I was weaned on Black Sabbath & Tull, love uk Prog/pysch & Freakbeat, listen to late 70's/80's Roots & Dub reggae, am fond of Trance and House, and listen to all sorts of stuff inbetween, there's loads of stuff that I consider "essential"..

There is one artist that I listen to constantly ( at least 2/3 times a week, since 1995 when I first heard Mask & Mirror..), who's music is never far from the Cdp, or Ipod.

Loreena McKennitt. Canadian Singer/songwriter, who's earlier albums are grounded in folk, and who gets progressively more celtic/new age over the releases..
Absolutely beautiful voice, with no studio trickery, She sings live, as well as she records..













sounds trite I know, but I simply never get tired of hearing her voice....

you can get soundbites etc from:- http://www.quinlanroad.com

[jimdgoulding]

Hi. I just got something that I know I will treasure for a very long time: Afriki by Habib Koite. Music with sweet and soulful integrity. I listen to music from all over the place. Don't you?

[Filterlab]

Mate, that's a completely new one on me. What style of music is it?

[jimdgoulding]

Contemporary African Folk, I would say. You can hear samples on Amazon.com.

[Filterlab]

I will have a listen in a few moments.

[Marco]

Some African and World music is fantastic - it's a rather diverse and interesting genre. I'm not sure it's your thing though Rob

Jim,

Do you like Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate?

I've never really thought about what my 'desert island discs' would be, but right now I think that Stanley Clarke and John Martyn would feature in there somewhere

Marco.

[Vinyl Grinder]

I would kill for a totally mint issue of Zweistein 'Trip+Flip Out+Meditation' triple LP without the rip off asking price tag...Mines got a badly damaged side 3..Rare as hens teeth as it is..

[jimdgoulding]

Yes, Marco! Cheers. I fear, however, the more purely ethnic musicians of the “world” genre might a bit much for the uninitiated. With that in mind, what say I recommend Azam Ali’s Elysium For The Brave (Six Degrees). Here is some information . .

Amazon.com
For this, her second solo album, Azam Ali, lead vocalist of Vas and Niyaz, takes her patented polycultural blend of ancient and contemporary influences even farther beyond the stratosphere. That she is now a veteran of numerous film scores, including Children of Dune, Earthsea, and Matrix Revolutions, perhaps explains her present more cinematic direction. Born in Iran, reared in India and the US, and gifted with a voice of improbable tonal breadth, flexibility, and beauty, she is backed by collaborators like Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Chris Venna (Nine Inch Nails), Turkish DJ/composer Mercan Dede, the Japanese ensemble Kodo, and Grateful Dead drummer/world percussion enthusiast Mickey Hart. One of the more interesting conundrums inherent in Ali's work is that no matter how much electronic technology she employs, her immersion in her heritage unfailingly comes across loud and clear. Whether she is singing in English, which predominates on these sessions, Farsi, or another language, a prayerful sensuality informs every note. It's as though a sexy Tanagra temple figurine or silk-clad court lady from an antique parchment were to suddenly turn her lovely head and step daintily into the modern world, unfurling precisely the kind of voice one expected but never could have imagined. --Christina Roden

It's a big world (transcendent on this) with musical heritage age old. Through music, it speaks to us in a common language. It ain't too shabby for the ole hifi either!

[Marco]

Nice one, Jim. I'll check that out

Steve,

I suspect that Loreena McKennitt could be my thang. I'm big into folk at the moment and a tinge of Celtic could make it different. Which out of those would you say is her best album? Let me know and I'll road test it

Have you heard of Cara Dillon? I think you would like some of her stuff.

Marco.

[Filterlab]

...I'm not sure it's your thing though Rob

Remember I'm a musician so I can turn my ear to anything and appreciate it. I have some diverse stuff lurking in my CD collection that'll cause you to wonder about my mental stability.