american

Continuing yesterday’s post : Ben Allison’s Think Free is supposedly a move away from chamber jazz, but as a first time listener it still feels like chamber jazz with a touch of the midwest:

It’s been 10 days since we lost Jack Rose, and we’ve spent a good deal of that time listening to his music and his inspirations. First I was going to share a few songs but then the list grew and I knew I had to try to make a mix. I don’t know if I succeeded in making something coherent but I’m confident the music reflects at least a part of his passion.

Bay Area guitar/drums duo Black Cobra is another one of them sludgy power trios and stoner duos like Om, Big Business, Weedeater & High on Fire.

This was lying around in my hard drive after an initial skimming period, when a few days ago I went back to see how it fared. It fared pretty good actually. I probably know no more than 3 Springsteen songs so I can’t rate the covers against the originals, yet although for the 60s-70s folk connosieur Paul Baribeau’s music may sound derivative, his energy & sincerity make up for the simplicity.

My last.fm says I’ve listened to this particular song for 26 times, something I seldom do. I truly can’t stop listening to this one, and FOR ONCE I even care about the lyrics of an indie rock song. Sing along with the Real Estate who’re releasing one of the best LPs concieved this year, and this one comes from a an indie-rock/hipster sceptic. Out soon on Woodsist.

RIP Soupy Sales. Another legendary figure we non-Americans started knowing right after his death.

Didn’t think I would fall for one of those pitchfork approved, indie/folkisms like last year’s Fleet Foxes, but I did. Megafaun’s second album, Gather, Form & Fly on Hometapes is one of the best in its territory this year.

It’s the last day of 2008 and we salute it by reminiscing a mammoth we two days ago. The influential jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard has passed leaving behind a legacy of jazz music and inspiration. He was a legend and he will be remembered through his music till eternity. R.I.P