As today is Good Friday, as celebrated by the Julian Calendar, I will be taking tonight off for late-night prayers. I leave you with a track by Lebanese singer Fairuz (or Fairouz) celebrating the darkest day of the year. Have a blessed Paschal season.
Youtube
Nkwitchoua – Love Tones
First, an introduction to this YouTube channel. African Grooves has long been a favorite of mine, as the curators have introduced their audience to some fine, funky releases from the African continent. This particular release comes from Cameroon, and the funk/disco vibe from Nkwitchoua is wild.
Mother Mother – Hayloft I (Official Video)
It’s been years since I watched a relatively new music video. As someone old enough to remember when MTV first started (“Video Killed The Radio Star,” indeed…), I used to love the cheesiness of the early videos. Filmmakers, however, caught on to how great a new medium the music video Continue Reading
The Alarm – Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)
For those of us who celebrate Christmas according to the Julian Calendar, may you all have a wonderful Christmas!
Dou Wei (窦唯) – Black Dream (黑梦)
Thanks to my student Ben back in Beijing for turning me on to Dou Wei, whose work is inspired by ancient Chinese text as well as New Wave and post-punk music.
Dan Krimm – Second Wind
Many years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing fretless bassist and fellow Californian Dan Krimm’s album on my old blog, A Miscellany of Tasteful Music. Recently, Dan informed me that he has a new album coming out, and it’s one of the most elegant and relaxing listens I’ve had in a long Continue Reading
Michael Jackson – Thriller
No posts today because I have to attend a school function, so I leave you with a Halloween classic. This is one of the very rare times Michael Jackson will ever be on my blog, but in this case, it’s for a worthy reason.
The Genius Orthodox Composer You’ve Never Heard Of – Sir John Tavener
Time is precious these days, so there won’t be a post today. Instead, I’d like to share an article about the late Sir John Tavener. He was a composer who gained the attention of the Beatles but later turned away from avant-garde music to embrace Orthodox hymnody, focusing on creating Continue Reading
Hiroshi Wada & His Mahina Stars – Yoru No Komori Uta (1964)
No review today due to having some foot problems, but I will leave you with a tune by Hiroshi Wada & His Mahina Stars. Hiroshi was a Japanese bandleader who worked with Hawaiian music. I came across him on accident thanks to Facebook and the lounge band Pink Martini, and Continue Reading
Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal, known as ‘The Sorcerer’, dies aged 89
In what has turned out to be a difficult week, we have received the news that we have lost another legend. Hermeto Pascoal, who collaborated with many of the greatest Brazilian musicians and even had a stint with Miles Davis’ bands, has passed away at the age of 89, according Continue Reading