A Cosmic Rhythm (2016)

ecm / -o-

Chronogical Classics 1933-1936

ghosts

Terry Callier - What Color Is Love (1972)

Intricate/sophisticated arrangements would be the source of much inspiration to lesser artists a decade or so later also concerned with the human condition by way of their own 'profound' experience or observation- I'm thinking of you, sophistipoppers! Lyrically repetitive/sentimental like you'd expect from a soul record. Grand, organic, stoned, atmospheric, and melancholic like you mightn't. And that might be where the folk kicks in. Or was that jazz? Who can tell. Starting things with your best song and then repeating that but not as good with a few Withers-y ones to mask or dress up the repetition would be a terrible idea if it weren't for his fantastic voice carrying it. He might repeat himself, but he sounds good doing so. Not a terrible idea, but not a good one either. The ear longs for anything half as good as Dancing Girl and after 30 mins still has blue balls. This record will probably blue ball you. But it also has a song so good that it almost makes it worth returning to that blue ball state. And that's the most critical I can be of What Color Is Love/Terry Callier: you put your best song first. The others are pretty good too, but you put your best song first

A-

here
stream

Antônio Carlos Jobim - Wave (1967)

1. Wave 2:50

2. The Red Blouse 5:00

3. Look to the Sky 2:15

4. Batidinha 3:12

5. Triste 2:02

6. Mojave 2:20

7. Dialogo 2:48

8. Lamento 2:41

9. Antigua 3:05

10. Captain Bacardi 4:27

Happy long weekend. Sit back and chill out in the sun and watch a giraffe running off into the pink/purple/orange distance. It's Jobim's best.

A+

spotify

Roy Ayers - He's Coming (1971)

1. He's a Superstar 5:35

2. He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother 4:04

3. Ain't Got Time 2:53

4. I Don't Know How to Love Him 4:02

5. He's Coming 6:20

6. We Live in Brooklyn Baby 3:43

7. Sweet Butterfly of Love 1:52

8. Sweet Tears 3:32

9. Fire Weaver 3:40

He's Coming captures Roy Ayers at the absolute top of his game, masterminding jazz-funk grooves as taut as a tightrope. Profoundly inspired by the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar (and including a reading of the soundtrack's "I Don't Know How to Love Him"), the album is a deeply felt exploration of Ayers' spiritual and social beliefs, celebrating the life and rebirth of Jesus with "He's a Superstar" and its follow-up title cut before delivering the equally impassioned political manifesto "Ain't Got Time to Be Tired," a wake-up call for slumbering revolutionaries. Aided by an exemplary backing unit featuring saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist John Williams, keyboardist Harry Whitaker, and drummer Billy Cobham, Ayers channels the intensity of his message into his music, creating the most vibrant and textured music of his career to date. The atmospheric "We Live in Brooklyn, Baby" is an absolute masterpiece, a haunting hybrid of jazz, funk, and soul that exemplifies the Ayers aesthetic at its most far-reaching and inventive.
-AMG

A-

spotify

Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music (1972)

1. The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers 9:34

2. Adagio ma non troppo 8:23

3. Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too 9:40

4. Hobo Ho 10:07

5. The Chill of Death 7:38

6. The I of Hurricane Sue 10:09

Somehow seamlessly blends spoken word, animal noises, jazz, and classical music.... I love this album

A+

v0

Tom Waits - One from the Heart (1982)

Nearing his artistic peak (a year away from Swordfishtrombones), Tom Waits did the music to One from the Heart- a decidedly un-fucked up collection of jazzy songs with Crystal Gale

I like it and all but it's one of the few Tom Waits albums you could call background music

I suppose then it's perfect as a soundtrack

B

320

Nine Simone - Pastel Blues (1965)

1. Be My Husband
2. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
3. End of the Line
4. Trouble in Mind
5. Tell Me More and More and Then Some
6. Chilly Winds Don't Blow
7. Ain't No Use
8. Strange Fruit
9. Sinnerman
10. Mood Indigo (not part of album, but still, a nice track)

The voice! Beginning with the chant Be My Husband which was covered by Jeff Buckley on a live DVD I saw long before I'd heard of Nina Simone and then thought I heard the influence but couldn't tell why exactly years later, moving into a frightening rendition of the already tragic Strange Fruit and then climaxing with one of the greatest songs of all time- Simone's 10 minute Sinnerman.

A+

320

LSD - Uptime (2007)

Merry belated Christmas! Today marks the beginning of what I'm calling 'Weaboo Week' even though that title barely applies to most of the stuff I'll be posting. I plan to make 7 posts over 7 days with vague recurring themes of covers, music originating from Japan or music I consider generally nerdy.

Today it's Uptime by LSD, a jazz trio led by Sam Ascher-Weiss (a.k.a. Shnabubula) who I've posted about here twice before. Sam performs piano solo on the first three tracks but is later joined by Dustin Kaufman on drums and Lenwood Turner on trumpet (performing only briefly due to the effects of wisdom teeth removal). My favourite track is an arrangement of the main theme of Chrono Trigger, which is embedded above.

Uptime isn't technically an album, the name simply refers to the studio it was recorded at. Unfortunately it doesn't serve as a very good advertisement for the studio; the tracks feature low bitrates, questionable volume levels and occasionally audio glitches. Still, I recommend this release wholeheartedly on the strength of these arrangements alone. Also, do yourself a favour and check out Sam's other performances on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Download

L. Ron Hubbard - Space Jazz: The soundtrack of the book Battlefield Earth (1982) [320]

SPACE JAZZ is a completely new musical sound destined to be hailed as the music of the future. The many and varied forms of music are an integral part of the cultural heritage of Earth.

Download the official soundtrack to L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth right here. Comes with authentic vinyl scratches! (sadly)

(source and further information)