Hello fellow planters of spirit...
Lately I have been a bit fed up with the whole electronic music scene. Ive been listening to a lot of psytrance and various forms of more lowbeat, ambient, experimental type of electronica. But now it seems I need to get grounded, and I can't get grounded with electronic music. So I have delved into beefheart, Grateful Dead, Nina Simone etc.
But, I need more!
It was easy to navigate in the electronic genre since I have many friends making and knowing a lot of this genre, so I always had it filtered through them. So yes.. I was spoiled :D
But when it comes to exploring new genres not alive in the hood here it is difficult. I dug a lot of the 60-70's music when in high school, so have lots of that.. But when it comes to more, I don't know how to say, maybe, refined music with guitars and people singing good tunes, it is difficult. I often end up with the experience, especially with jazz, that I am in an elevator, or in the waiting room at the doctor.
So I need help with some guidelines.. some names, some key clues to look for when delving into this.
So some advice would be very nice from some of the more groovy guys and gals in here :-)
Thanks!
It all depends on what moves YOU, mon.
If you could tell us a little about the grooves you have found and liked, I'd be happy to burn you some discs of my favorites in the genres of your choice.
We're big on world music; reggae, north african. latin and arabic for the most part. I have a ton of live shows. (Dead, reggae, bluegrass)
lw
Well, of the Grateful Dead tunes I am highly fond of the American Beauty and Workingman's Dead Albums, plus tracks like Fire on The Mountain, Sugaree, Deal, Shakedown Street and such. But also some of their sideprojects like Old and In the Way, NRPS...
And Nina Simone, Yma Sumac, Nusrat, Crosby Stills And Nash (And Young), blues from the more early age like 30's to early 70's.... Just too mention a few.
Unfortunately bad vibes at reggae parties makes my skin crawl by the mere sound of reggae tunes :(
This is maybe a beginning. It is a hard to sit and think of names to come up with for inspiration. I should always have my computer on me to mention a band name and tune I like when I listen to it. Hehe.
Satori dude!!!! Sounds like progress to me. How about some funk, like maybe start your day with some James Brown, then George Clinton for lunch!!
And jazz!!!! jazz is at the top of the music heap as far as i'm concerned. Don't even know where to start.
Nina Simone!!!!! And blues!!!! That's what i'm talking about.
If you like Nina Simone try Sharon Jones and the Daptones. Blues to get beyond the obvious I can't say enough about the late great Snooks Eaglin. One of the best guitar guys ever, so much New Orleans soul it was ridiculous. And brings me to all the NO cats, starting with James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, to the Meters and the Neville Brothers. Any of George Porter Jr.'s projects are gonna be great
if you like the Dead futhur explorations will get you Quicksilver Messenger Service and the generally recognized best and least appreciated SF band the Sons of Champlin. The Sons are still at it, sound the same as they ever did. I am fond of Country Joe and the Fish, the first record sounds maybe dated but I still love it.
If you like Crosby, Stills etc, check out Moby Grape, they should have been the American Beatles but dope and mental illness stomped them flat.
Good place to discover music is on youtube.
If this is helpful I could go on for days. Let me know and enjoy real music for real people.
Doris Day is where it's at.
I know a guy that leads the official Doris Day tribute show, with Doris' blessing. Sometimes they call her up from gigs so she can listen.
JRL:
Thanks a ton! This is very helpful. I will get some of the names you mention :-)
I know, and have music by all the SF bands you mention. Except Sons of Chaplin.
Very nice to get some help.. Music is so big!
I remembered a few other names I like... very different types: Primus.. and Dr. John :D Hehe.
I am trying to find out what it is in some music I like and what is missing in music I don't like.
Often it comes down to the whole "Image"-thing. I like music that doesn't try to be anything other than just good music. Which is why I am so demoralized when it comes to much nowadays music where it seems like the image, and not the music, is what sells.
But then again.. I do like Dead Kennedys sometimes.. But maybe I find them more honest with a certain message than with being necessarily punk... I dont know. Anyway.. private rambles I thought I would share.
Keep the names coming, and add your own reflections on the term "good music" ;-)
Check out Tinariwen or Tabla Beat Science for world music. Tabla beat Science has a great two disc live show.
If you like Nusrat (we were lucky enough to see him live before he died), check out Ziad Rahbani, "Bil Afrah for acoustic arabic music. I've also been digging the disc "Awtar" by Ali Husan a classical Iraqi o'ud player. Le sawt de Kuwait by the Ensemble Al-Umayri is another nice example of traditional acoustic arabic ensemble music.
lw
Music is so big!! I long ago gave up on trying to hear everything.
And I am with you on the image thing.
Another direction is towards the more out stuff, more chaotic, dissident, wild.
Like free jazz: Coltrane post 1966, Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Art Ensemble of Chicago,
and even weirder one of my personal favorites: Captain Beefheart.
When you start delving, let us know what you are liking and we can dig deeper.
Quote from: "JRL"I know a guy that leads the official Doris Day tribute show, with Doris' blessing. Sometimes they call her up from gigs so she can listen.
Very cool and Doris-ish!
Not to break ranks with everything that has been suggested, by favorite acts in the pop-ish genre are They Might Be Giants (I've liked them for a long time, and now that I (and they) have kids, they've but putting out kick-ass kid's albums).
Favorite singer/songwriter is Robyn Hitchcock. I've seen him perform lots of times in various context (single acoustic, with the Egyptians), and he's never but on a bad show.
Both of these are about as far from trance as you're likely to find!
LOL We have a friend who had a song that was chosen awhile back to be on a Robyn Hitchcock tribute CD or something of that nature.
lw
Quote from: "laughingwillow"LOL We have a friend who had a song that was chosen awhile back to be on a Robyn Hitchcock tribute CD or something of that nature.
Very cool.
Hitchcock is the quintessential cult act, and as such has all the trappings you would expect: micro-hoards of rabid fans and chroniclers; an extensive discography in which every burp the man has made is presented in at least three different renditions, some authorized and some bootlegged; tributes, prequels, and sequels; etc.
As a deadhead, I'm sure you understand :D
LOL Oh, I can understand. However, don't start thinking that means I can relate.......
I used to read fan reviews of Phil shows until realizing most of their focus had nothing to do with what I consider important in a show. For instance, imo, the set list is up to the band. Complaining about songs that were or were not played at a specific gig is stoopid, imo.
lw
Quote from: "laughingwillow"LOL Oh, I can understand. However, don't start thinking that means I can relate.......
I used to read fan reviews of Phil shows until realizing most of their focus had nothing to do with what I consider important in a show. For instance, imo, the set list is up to the band. Complaining about songs that were or were not played at a specific gig is stoopid, imo.
lw
I agree, the set list should be left to the professionals. I mean on every show i heard from MSG some guy with thick NY accent shouts "I know you ridda". Thats like leaning over Picasso's shoulder shouting "Paint some blue, now paint red, now paint a melting clock"(hecklers never know anything about art.)"
Or the gal that walks in to the club seeing a bunch of middle aged men wailing some blues and sez, "Can you play something by Pink?"
Doh! I have a confession to make...
I just remembered messing with Jerry one night in Tahoe. JGB was playing a few gigs in a casino lounge once upon a time. The stage was like, two feet tall and microphone stands were about the only thing between the band and audience. And I guess I must of REALLY wanted to hear a "Loser" that run. So I started asking him for it between songs, nicely, even quietly at first. After awhile, it became apparent there was to be no Loser that night and that I might have even been the cause I started to have a little fun with it.... "We drove all this way and ALL I ask for in return is to hear a Loser. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so for a certain big shot musician. OK... YOu win. I'm finished begging. God damn it, Jerry; I'm begging ya, just play us Loser!" hehe
I hope he realized in the end I was just funning with him.
lw
Did he play it?
Nope.
lw
Hey.
Been a while since I have had time to write. Life seems to still twist and turn in weird ways. So haven't had so much time to delve into music as i wanted.
But i did explore some of the names.
Snooks Eaglin' is very nice blues. I liked that a lot.
Moby Grape was a nice readventury of a band I used to listen to in the gymnasium some 10 years ago, but had forgotten about.
Doris Day was a cosy treat for background and easychill with the redwine outside in summer ;)
Professor Longhair and James Booker was nice classic blues which I like.
I also found some Ali Hassan, but with an added name in the end "Kuban" (Ali Hassan Kuban).. Is he the same Laughingwillow? It sounded ok some of it.
I will explore further when time allows. I like to take my time listen to music to be able to delve into it. But I have a bit to do nowadays, so I often listen to what I know is good to slip more smoothly into the groove ;-)
Sounds like you been doing some good listening. If you like Snooks, Fess and Booker, you should look at more New Orleans stuff.
Mac Rebenack(Dr. John), The Meters, The Neville Brothers and the Dirty Dozen brass Band would be a good start.