Electronic music is kind of wack.
What Rudy?
I have seen you at Bassnectar! At Pretty Lights! Gramatik! Archnemesis! Big Gigantic!
Well, Yes you have…..back in 2009 when I first saw Bassnectar with about 100 other people at 2 pm time slot at Lollapalooza, I came to embrace some of the electronic music that was out there. I had NEVER been a huge electronic music fan before that, in fact, I often lambasted ravers for listening to robots, that I assured them would turn their brains into mush. But I liked Bassnectar, and I soon came to like many others. The last two years I have been to pretty much every music festival imagineable, most dominated by electronic music. Truth is, I do like electronic music in those settings. I love to wiggle and shake with a group of friends, a big love fest no doubt. But I was never the guy to listen to it while I wrote, or while I worked out, or really any other time other than in a concert or festival setting. That being said, when you hold electronic music up against the blues or jazz or jam bands or rock or bluegrass or classical or reggae or opera or folk, it just doesn’t compare. When you survey the scope of overall genres-In my humble opinion- the producer is talented but not quite as soulful as an instrumental musician. I understand that a producer must know many instruments and sounds, so know that I am not putting him down, more just uplifting a more organic musical type.
I have always been an instruments type of guy, and in the last 6 months, I have gravitated back to my roots.(i still have a great appreciation for some electronic music, but come on people, there is so much more out there)
Although my knowledge of music is quite thorough, and my catalogue of tunes is deep, I have been searching for new tunes to satisfy my musical desires.
Here are a few cuts that I have been really enjoying. So enlighten yourself and take a listen:
Lesson #1
Louis Armstrong "Jelly Roll Blues"
The Satchmo himself just killing this track with his trumpet. Listening to this takes me back, to perhaps a past life, where we all wore formal wear to the night clubs and drank gin fizzes as the sultry wailing of Louis's trumpet warmed all our souls. Can I get an AMEN???
Lesson #2
Sidney Bechet "Baby Wont You Please Come Home"
My man Sidney! One of the most accomplished clarinet and sax soloists, ever. Hailing from New Orleans (duh) he tooted his horns all over the world, but because of an erratic temperment, never got the acclaim many of his peers did. So alive, this tune brings images of smiling laughing and dancing with my lover in a tuxedo sipping champagne cocktails in the decadent old clubs of the 1930s.
You may have heard Sidney Bechet if you saw the Woody Allen film "Midnight in Paris", as his tune "Si Tu Vois Ma Mere" is the title track. I had the opportunity to see Woody play his clarinet at the Carlyle Hotel. In an interesting juxtaposition, Woody's playing is confident and straight forward and bold, unlike his anxiety ridden film persona. Here is a short clip of me seeing him play Si Tu Vois Ma Mere (which was a dream come true for me to see him play live in the intimate setting of the Cafe Carlyle)
Lesson # 3 John Lee Hooker "No Shoes" Oh this song is so organic, so down south, so muddy Mississippi. John Lee Hooker lamenting the blues like few others can. This song inspired me so much that I wrote and shot a film using it as a centerpiece. Hopefully in the next month or two it will be finished and you all will see its premiere right here! Until then, just enjoy the tune!
Lesson #4 Fats Domino "Blue Monday" Fats Domino came out of the 9th Ward of New Orleans (N.O. is really giving me a lot of good music these days and much more than i have posted) with his brand of sock hop 50s piano rock n roll. Milkshakes and the drive in movies sort of era. Fats Domino STILL plays, and is considered by many to be the father of rock n' roll having influenced Elton John, The Beatles and many many more. Look at how much fun this dude is having- not to mention the gaggle of musicians all milling about on stage! I NEED to see him before he passes.
Lesson #5 Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, Bill Vitt, and John Kahn "Someday Baby"
Some of Jerry's best work came outside of the Grateful Dead with Merl Saunders, his musical soulmate. This cut is from their series of shows "live at Keystone" and is a perfect example of the silky funky grooves that Jerry and Merl seemed to feed off of.
I am going to continue to do this from time to time (and yes, I will include electronic tracks I find groove me). Please share any music that you are particularly enjoying in the comments section as I ALWAYS love to hear new stuff!
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