GLAC_BlairW
Library StaffGlendale Library, Arts & Culture
GLAC_BlairW's Completed Shelf
B.B. King Live in Cook County JailB.B. King Live in Cook County Jail, Music CD
by King, B. B.Music CD, 1998?Music CD, 1998?
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2024
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2024
Comment:
This is a classic 1967 blues album on the Stax Record label. This was a time period where a lot of young rock musicians in the US and UK such as Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and Jimi Hendrix took an interest in the music of an older generation of blues artists such as B.B. King, Albert King and Buddy Guy. This led to a resurgence of popularity for these artists. In the case of Albert King, he had been recording for years but finally became truly famous in the late 1960s. His backing bands for this album were Booker T. & the M.G.’s working with the Memphis Horns. Hopefully it’s recent inclusion in the National Recording Registry will lead a lot of people to discover this album. Albert was also one of the earliest adopters of the Gibson Flying V and his incredible stage presence probably contributed to its later popularity. The call and response between his beautiful voice and his amazing singing guitar is so distinct and personal. The title track, Laundromat Blues and Crosscut Saw are my personal favorites. This is one of those albums that if you haven’t heard you should do so immediately and if you have heard you should listen again.This is a classic 1967 blues album on the Stax Record label. This was a time period where a lot of young rock musicians in the US and UK such as Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and Jimi Hendrix took an interest in the music of an older generation of…
They're Calling Me HomeThey're Calling Me Home, Music CD
by Giddens, RhiannonMusic CD, 2021Music CD, 2021
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for They're Calling Me Home, Music CD, All copies in use
Holds: 0 on 1 copy
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2024
Comment:
Rhiannon Giddens started her rise to fame as a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is very contemporary in her multicultural influences - her music is a mix of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, opera, Irish, Italian with other folk influences from around the world. This album also features her husband - Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. Rhiannon’s voice is front and center with a tapestry of acoustic sounds underneath. The duo play a fascinating assortment of instruments including accordion, viola, octave viola, cello banjo, mistrel banjo, chitarra battente, Irish flute, frame drum, tombak, gourd banjo, uilleann pipes and calabash. They cover bluegrass musician Alice Gerrard’s They’re Calling Me Home and Pentangle’s When I Was in My Prime. She sings in Italian on Nenna Nenna and Monteverdi’s Si Dolce è'l Tormento. A couple of the pieces are written by Giddens et al but most are arrangements of traditional tunes. The album ends with a wonderful vocalize of Amazing Grace with frame drum and uilleann pipes.Rhiannon Giddens started her rise to fame as a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is very contemporary in her multicultural influences - her music is a mix of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, opera, Irish, Italian with other folk…
Beethoven for threeBeethoven for three, Music CDSymphony no. 4 and Op. 97 "Archduke"
by Beethoven, Ludwig vanMusic CD, 2024Music CD, 2024
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Dec 21, 2024
Comment:
Of course this is a stellar performance of the Archduke Trio as one would expect from these musicians. However the real revelation is the piano trio arrangement of Symphony no. 4 with it's transparency in this beautiful arrangement. A wonderful addition to the Beethoven For Three series.Of course this is a stellar performance of the Archduke Trio as one would expect from these musicians. However the real revelation is the piano trio arrangement of Symphony no. 4 with it's transparency in this beautiful arrangement. A wonderful …
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Dec 20, 2024
Comment:
This 1968 performance is heralded in publicity materials as his “last great performance.” It was recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC on July 2, 1968. Nearly half of the material on this 2024 album has not been previously released. Louis still has his voice and a great band backing him.This 1968 performance is heralded in publicity materials as his “last great performance.” It was recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC on July 2, 1968. Nearly half of the material on this 2024 album has not been previously released. Louis…
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added May 18, 2022
Comment:
Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi: There is No Other (2019). I love Rhiannon Giddens' soulful voice, her musicianship and her intelligence. She first became famous as a member of the Grammy award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops. She has worked with musicians from around the world and her music embraces so many genres it is hard to categorize but folk, blues and Americana come to the forefront. Her partner is Italian jazz percussionist Francesco Turrisi and the duo perform most of the instruments on this album. Giddens plays violin, viola and banjo and Turrisi plays percussion, piano, accordion, tamburello, lute and cello banjo. It’s hard to describe with the influence of folk, blues, Irish, African and other musical styles but the accompaniments are stark to emphasize Rhinnon’s incredibly expressive voice. My favorites are the operatic aria “Black Swan” and the folk song “Gonna Write Me a Letter” She just knocks it all out of the ballpark and this album is not to be missed.Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi: There is No Other (2019). I love Rhiannon Giddens' soulful voice, her musicianship and her intelligence. She first became famous as a member of the Grammy award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops. She has worked…
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added May 13, 2022
Comment:
The Punch Brothers have been a very successful bluegrass group with mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass and vocals. However, the influences of classical, rock, blues and jazz are all there. This album is a re-imagining of Tony Rice's 1983 album Church Street Blues. Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge had studied with Rice at Oberlin Conservatory and Rice was a huge influence on the band. The Punch Brothers play the same songs in the same order as on the Rice album which includes an eclectic variety of songs by Bob Dylan, Bill Monroe, Gordon Lightfoot, Jimmie Rodgers and more. They recorded the album in November 2020 and Rice passed away in Christmas of that year. The album is still immediately recognizable as the Punch Brothers with their bright ethereal virtuosity and Chris Thile’s light tenor voice floating on top. If pressed I would say Church Street Blues, Cattle in the Cane, The Gold Rush and the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald are my favorites. The whole album is great fun but and you can also admire their stunning virtuosity. So something unusual since Rice’s album was an album of cover songs and the Punch Brothers have now made a cover of that album!The Punch Brothers have been a very successful bluegrass group with mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass and vocals. However, the influences of classical, rock, blues and jazz are all there. This album is a re-imagining of Tony Rice's 1983 album…
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added May 06, 2022
Comment:
Brian Eno Music for Airports performed by Bang on a Can (1998). This recording, from 1998 contains an arrangement of Brian Eno’s classic ambient album Music for Airports (1978). This studio version was performed by the new music group Bang on a Can (BOC) celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original album. On the 1978 album the sounds of piano, voices and analog synthesizer were recorded as snippets and looped at different lengths. What is different about the BOC recreation is that they recorded with musicians in one whole take. The chamber ensemble includes voices, strings, keyboards, winds, electric guitar and percussion in addition to the electronics. The composers who founded BOC - Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe and Evan Ziporyn - each arranged one of the four pieces for the ensemble. The group worked closely with Eno. The interactive performance with more acoustic instruments breathes new life into the work. I feel it is superior to the original with greater warmth and depth. The last piece, titled 2/2, is the most dramatic improvement as the original only used synthesizers. After this recording BOC even performed and recorded the piece live. Brand Library has the CD and streaming albums (studio and live) of the BOC arrangement and a DVD from 2008. The CD of the 1978 recording is in the library for comparison and a book about the piece by John Lysaker. Even if you don’t know the original it won’t hurt to start with BOC’s version, sit down and listen to this music that can be both calming and will reward closer listening. -BWBrian Eno Music for Airports performed by Bang on a Can (1998). This recording, from 1998 contains an arrangement of Brian Eno’s classic ambient album Music for Airports (1978). This studio version was performed by the new music group Bang on a Can…
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added May 06, 2022
Comment:
It’s hard to believe that Kingfish is still only 23 years old, he has been lauded for his guitar playing since he was a teenager. This second album titled 662 refers to the phone code for his hometown of Clarksdale Mississippi. A lot has been said about his expressive guitar playing but I also love his deep singing voice. It isn’t all traditional blues -there is very noticeable rock, R&B and funk influences is his style. In his live show he often covers Hendrix, Prince and B.B. King tunes which you will hear among his influences. Grammy winning producer Tom Hambridge played drums, produced and co-wrote most of the songs on the album with Christone. Tom had worked with Buddy Guy as well as many other blues and rock artists. The opening track 662 has an uptempo blues/rock feel singing about his hometown. He gets more into funky guitar territory in Too Young to Remember. Another Life Goes By addresses gun violence, the slow smoldering groove underlies the seriousness of the lyrics. Your Time Is Gonna Come, That’s What you Do and Something In the Dirt are all fun traditional blues songs. Rock & Roll is a heartfelt tribute to his late mother. All of it is a blast and there isn’t a weak track on the album. BWIt’s hard to believe that Kingfish is still only 23 years old, he has been lauded for his guitar playing since he was a teenager. This second album titled 662 refers to the phone code for his hometown of Clarksdale Mississippi. A lot has been said…
FLORENCE PRICE: SYMPHONIES NOS. 1 & 3FLORENCE PRICE: SYMPHONIES NOS. 1 & 3, Music CD
by Nezet-Seguin, YannickMusic CDMusic CD
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 23, 2022
Comment:
Florence Price (1887-1953) was an excellent composer and her music receives a lot of well-deserved attention. Price was an African-American composer, pianist, organist and music teacher who was born in Arkansas but spent much of her life in Chicago. The two symphonies are colorful and accessible with excellent orchestration. Symphony No.1 (1931-32) has a variety of African-American musical influences, particularly spirituals and dance music, but is firmly rooted in European tradition. The work reminds me of Dvorak’s New World Symphony which also makes use of American themes. The symphony was the first large scale orchestral piece by a black female composer to be performed by a major American orchestra. It was premiered by the Chicago Symphony under Frederick Stock in 1932. Symphony No. 3 (1938) doesn’t make use of any recognizable African-American themes but Price’s style is distinctive. Price used a Juba, an African-American dance, as the third movement of both symphonies instead of a Minuet or Scherzo that was traditionally used. Otherwise both symphonies are in traditional four-movement symphonic form with a substantial sonata form first movement, slow second movement and fourth movement finale. Exciting performances and an excellent recording, certainly a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with Price’s music. Unfortunately, Naxos Music Library doesn’t include the booklet but the CD is currently on order if you would like to place a hold.Florence Price (1887-1953) was an excellent composer and her music receives a lot of well-deserved attention. Price was an African-American composer, pianist, organist and music teacher who was born in Arkansas but spent much of her life in Chicago.…
Awakening From AbyssAwakening From Abyss, Music CD
by Lovebites (Musical group)Music CD, 2018Music CD, 2018
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
This is Lovebites debut record and won them the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for best new band in 2018. They were the first Japanese band and the first all female band to win that award. The influence of older bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest is there with a modern power metal twist. The songs are longer to accommodate Midori and Miyako's tandem shred guitar virtuosity. Take a listen if you are interested in that type of music, it's a great album.This is Lovebites debut record and won them the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for best new band in 2018. They were the first Japanese band and the first all female band to win that award. The influence of older bands like Iron Maiden and Judas…
They're Calling Me Home (with Francesco Turrisi)They're Calling Me Home (with Francesco Turrisi), Downloadable Music
by Giddens, RhiannonDownloadable Music, 2021Downloadable Music, 2021
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
Whenever I hear about a new Rhiannon Giddens release, I know it is worth listening to. This is probably her best album to date. She started her rise to fame as a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is very contemporary in her multicultural influences - her music is a mix of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, opera, Irish, Italian with other folk influences from around the world. This album also features her husband - Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. Rhiannon’s voice is front and center with a tapestry of acoustic sounds underneath. The duo play a fascinating assortment of instruments including accordion, viola, octave viola, cello banjo, mistrel banjo, chitarra battente, Irish flute, frame drum, tombak, gourd banjo, uilleann pipes and calabash. They cover bluegrass musician Alice Gerrard’s They’re Calling Me Home and Pentangle’s When I Was in My Prime. She sings in Italian on Nenna Nenna and Monteverdi’s Si Dolce è'l Tormento. A couple of the pieces are written by Giddens et al but most are arrangements of traditional tunes. The album ends with a wonderful vocalize of Amazing Grace with frame drum and uilleann pipes. This is probably even better than their 2019 album There is No Other which is still a fantastic album. It’s available from Brand Library via Naxos Jazz and they include a PDF of the booklet. Check out the official video of Si Dolce è'l Tormento with Francesco accompanying Rhiannon on the cello banjo.Whenever I hear about a new Rhiannon Giddens release, I know it is worth listening to. This is probably her best album to date. She started her rise to fame as a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is very contemporary in her…
The geregThe gereg, Music CD
by Hu (Musical group)Music CD, 2019 — MongolianMusic CD, 2019. Language: Mongolian
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
The Hu is a Mongolian band that combines throat singing, traditional Mongolian instruments and hard rock. This is their 2019 debut and their only album to date. The four members play Mongolian fiddles, lutes and jaw harps in addition to singing. Throat singing is an ethereal type of singing using overtones and resonance in Tuva, Mongolia and Siberia. The band also has an additional four piece touring band with guitars, bass and drums. The band sings in Mongolian and lyrical themes include warriors, Mongolian history and legends. Topics that are ripe for metal and the English translations are in the booklet. The music is catchy, you probably will find yourself singing along even if you don’t know the language. Much of the music is folksong and chant-like so you won’t find outward displays of virtuosity except for the rich sound of the throat singing. Loudwire named the album one of the 50 best rock albums of 2019. Song of Women, The Same and The Gereg are my favorite tracks but it’s all fun and a new combination of sounds. More information is also available on their web site and YouTube channel. Since this release the band became part of the Star Wars universe releasing a song and video on YouTube for the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order titled Sugaan Essena.The Hu is a Mongolian band that combines throat singing, traditional Mongolian instruments and hard rock. This is their 2019 debut and their only album to date. The four members play Mongolian fiddles, lutes and jaw harps in addition to singing.…
Electric PentagramElectric Pentagram, Music CD
by Lovebites (Musical group)Music CD, 2020Music CD, 2020
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
Lovebites is an all female power metal band from Tokyo. They won a British Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band in 2018. Heavy metal has gone in and out of popularity in the US but it remains popular in Japan and Europe. Bassist Miho and drummer Haruna were members of the pioneering Japanese all female metal band Destrose which suffered from frequent lineup changes over their 10 year history until finally disbanding in 2015. They formed Lovebites in 2016. They are very focused as leader Miho stated “we are not here to be cute, we are here to be heavy.” The band is tight and fans of Iron Maiden and Metallica should love their sound. Singer Asami is also an R&B and soul singer and has an impressive vocal range. The songs are in English but a real standout is the virtuosity of guitarists Midori and Miyako. They work as a team, trading solos and also often perform fast intricate harmonies together. The only criticism of this album is that it is relentless at over 70 minutes without a ballad in sight. The band is hard working - between 2017 and 2020 they released three albums, two EPs, 2 live albums and 2 concert DVDs in addition to regular touring in Asia and Europe.Lovebites is an all female power metal band from Tokyo. They won a British Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band in 2018. Heavy metal has gone in and out of popularity in the US but it remains popular in Japan and Europe. Bassist Miho and…
Throw Down Your HeartThrow Down Your Heart, Music CDThe Complete Africa Sessions
by Fleck, BélaMusic CD, 2020 — Multiple languagesDeluxe editionMusic CD, 2020. Deluxe edition. Language: Multiple languages
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
The movie and recording of Throw Down Your Heart was a product of Bela Fleck’s 2005 trip to Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Mali. The movie was released in 2008 and the album in 2009. This 2020 set brings together in one package the movie and album with two additional CDs of music and 14 additional songs on video. Bela Fleck is a famous banjo virtuoso with a long career. Bela explores the banjo’s African roots. The first two discs are a mix of vocal and instrumental music recorded with many different musicians. An interesting variety of instruments including the sokou, thumb piano, djembe, kora, fiddle and many others. Bela’s banjo is still very recognizable in the ensembles but also blends well. Toumani Diabaté is an amazing virtuoso of the kora (a string instrument) from Mali and disc three is just Toumani and Bela playing duets. It’s a beautiful sound with the two instruments and the kora often sounds like a harp. Some compositions were written by Bela and others by the African musicians so there is a fun mix of African and American influences. The set comes with a nice booklet, however, I wish they included translations of the lyrics to the many songs. The movie visually documents his travels and the performances. You will learn a lot about the variety of African music and instruments. I’m glad they included subtitles on the DVD so you will at least know some of the song lyrics. This music will lift your spirits.The movie and recording of Throw Down Your Heart was a product of Bela Fleck’s 2005 trip to Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Mali. The movie was released in 2008 and the album in 2009. This 2020 set brings together in one package the movie and album…
Granada, 1013-1502Granada, 1013-1502, Music CD
Music CD, 2016 — SpanishMusic CD, 2016. Language: Spanish
GLAC_BlairW's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2022
Comment:
The Kingdom of Granada was founded in 1013 by the Berber ruler Zawi ibn Ziri. This concert and live recording was commissioned by the Granada Festival of Music and Dance to celebrate the millenary of Granada in 2013. The concert of this live recording took place on July 1, 2013 at the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra. Granada had a long history under Muslim control but also had large Jewish and Christian populations. There were periods of harmony, cultural exchange and influence between the groups but also much tragedy, cruel persecution and conflict. Through wars Granada finally came under Christian control and in 1502 all of the Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity. Jordi Savall is a renowned early music performer and scholar with many fascinating albums covering historical periods through music. He employs singers and instrumentalists from Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Israel. Islamic, Christian and Jewish music is all represented as the Spain of three cultures. The program is arranged in chronological order with texts and poems from the period. For example, the 11th century piece Preces: Penitentes orate is Christian prayer under Islamic rule. It’s all beautifully performed and recorded - a joy to listen to. The accompanying booklet is extensive, fascinating and discusses their sources of the text and music. Brand Library owns the recording on CD and streaming on both Naxos Music Library and Alexander Street but unfortunately the booklet is only included with the CD.The Kingdom of Granada was founded in 1013 by the Berber ruler Zawi ibn Ziri. This concert and live recording was commissioned by the Granada Festival of Music and Dance to celebrate the millenary of Granada in 2013. The concert of this live…
Comment: