The Now Playing Thread

[R_of_G]

In honor of Mr. Steinbrenner who always seemed to understand what the history of the team meant to New Yorkers.



Of course, hearing Terry Cashman will also always remind me of this masterful take on "Talkin' Baseball" he did for the Simpsons when they did their big softball episode with the nine major league baseball players (who are now all retired with Griffey calling it quits).

 

[R_of_G]

Halfway through July and this one is still firmly planted in my top ten for best albums of 2010...

 

[R_of_G]

 

[guitarhack]

Halfway through July and this one is still firmly planted in my top ten for best albums of 2010...

DITTO!!! Essential Rock 'n' Roll.

 

[pes_laul]

Haha seriously? :applause

 

[R_of_G]

Haha seriously? :applause

What wouldn't be serious about it? Of all of the Trojan Records boxed sets, this ranks high up amongst the best.

 

[R_of_G]

Ikue Mori with Robert Quine & Marc Ribot
Painted Desert
1997, Avant Japan

 

[R_of_G]

Another of the best albums of this year so far (or any year in the case of this one).

 

[Tig]

Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box
4 CD's of glorious Texas rockin' blues, baby!

 

[R_of_G]

Universal Congress of
Self-titled EP
1987, SST Records

Man, can that Joe Baiza ever play a guitar :dude

 

[omegadot]

I have Weezer - The Sweater Song on.

My wife loves them and I tend to agree.

 

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[R_of_G]

They have a new one out, which I am hoping I enjoy as much as I still like this one from a few years back.

 

[Tig]

Joe Strummer and Mescaleros

Both have some great Strummer/Clash-like songs. How did I miss these before? :thwap

Global a Go-Go

Streetcore

 

[R_of_G]

Better late than never Tig.

I was a little young to get to see The Clash, but I did see Strummer with the Mescaleros and that was awesome. I also saw Mick Jones with Big Audio Dynamite, so if only Simonon would play with someone more interesting than The Good, The Bad & The Queen, I could round out my checklist of former Clash members.

NP:

 

[R_of_G]

Bill Frisell
Live 10.29.05 @ Paris, France

Bill Frisell - guitar
Jenny Scheinman - violin
Greg Leisz - steel & slide guitar

All songs from this performance are John Lennon songs, mostly from the Beatles' era but a few from his post-Beatles years. Though Frisell is phenomenal composer on his own, he is also one of my favorite interpreters of other people's songs. Like Monk or Miles or Bird, I continue to learn more and more about phrasing every single time I listen to him.

 

[Tig]

Sounds like a winner. It is hard to find, however.

I can't connect to all of Bill Frisell's work, but that might be more the fault of the listener! I really like his work with Elvis Costello (Deep Dead Blue is haunting yet beautiful; The Sweetest Punch has a good smooth jazz feel), and I just started listening to Disfarmer.

 

[Tig]

Los Lobos - Kiko
Some of their best music ever.

Unrelated song, but the tones from the Tele rip!

 

[R_of_G]

Sounds like a winner. It is hard to find, however.

I can't connect to all of Bill Frisell's work, but that might be more the fault of the listener! I really like his work with Elvis Costello (Deep Dead Blue is haunting yet beautiful; The Sweetest Punch has a good smooth jazz feel), and I just started listening to Disfarmer.

Frisell's work is so diverse that it's not surprising to not be able to connect with all of it.

Last night while I was running I was listening to his appearance on NPR's "Piano Jazz" with Marian McPartland. At one point prior to playing a duet, Marian joked she was afraid to stomp all over Bill's playing because it's always so delicate. All I could think was "oh yeah, listen to some of what he played for Zorn on the Naked City albums!"

I agree completely about the stuff with Elvis. Their take on Monk's "Weird Nightmare" is just fantastic. Disfarmer is an amazing album and really accentuates that Americana sound that is so much a part of Frisell's approach.

 

[Tig]

Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains

Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains - Red Hot & Live
OK, if you've ever liked anything from Stray Cats or Brian Setzer, this is a no brainer. He teams up with Slim Jim Phantom in Japan to put on one smokin' hot concert, full of their past and present rockabilly masterpieces. Brian's guitar playing is the best I've ever heard from him.

Warning: This album will make you want to rush out and buy a Gretsch hollow body.

 

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[Tig]

Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush - Real Live!

Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush - Real Live!

I cut my rock and roll teeth on the '77 FM&MR Live album, but somehow lost track of him in the following decades.

This 2004 live album is a double disc that if full of very fine licks and improvisations. Frank manages to weave blues, jazz, & middle eastern styles into his solos with masterful phrasing.

The jams are long, yet never feel too long. The live recording and production is super clean. This is one of those under the radar essential albums for any fan of incredible guitar playing.

 

[R_of_G]

Third album and this one might be the best yet and I thought the previous two and the EP were all fantastic.

 

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[Tig]

Jeff Beck

Add these to my collection of better late than never. I can't believe I missed owning and listening to these two classic Jeff Beck albums. Rod Stewart is actually listenable here!
I got my start on Blow By Blow and missed the earlier bluesy stuff.

Truth

and Beck-Ola

 

[Tibernius]

Time for some Folk-Metal:

 

[R_of_G]

A punk classic...