Every now and then...

Every now and then I experience something that completely uplifts me and shows me the beauty of the world and of the people that inhabit it.  There are many things in this life that I cannot hope to control or influence in any way, and over the past year I've realized that.  I've realized that I just need to go with the flow and make the best of whatever situation life puts me.  I don't believe in God (because why would I want to believe in something that supposedly governs and influences the actions of humanity when recent events have really screwed with the human race?) so I have been forced to find other motivators for such experiences.  Loneliness has taken over my emotions for the past week so what I've realized is that music is the universal language.  It is the language of every race and nationality that can be used to make unlikely connections and initiate strange acquaintances.  It is beauty like today that makes life worth living, and it's all influence by music.  Put down the weapons of war and pick up the weapons of song.  If only WWII had been a Battle of the Bands.  Music cures the soul of the weary and enlightens the heart of the dreary.  Give in to music and let go into an effortless plane of love, friendship and brotherhood.  Find beauty in the smallest things but don't forget the importance of the big things.

I'm realizing this as I listen to Sigur Ros and drinking Yunnan black tea.

Spring Break!

Lots of time to listen to music!

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Radiohead - King of Limbs
Sam Rivers - Fuchsia Swing Song
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
Bill Evans - Crosscurrents
The Claudia Quintet + Gary Versace - Royal Toast
Max Roach - Freedom Now Suite
Steve Reich - "City Life" and "It's Gonna Rain"
Milton Babbitt - Philomel
Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
Prince - The Black Album
Miles Davis Quintet - Steamin
NoFX - I Heard They Suck Live

Coming down to crunch time...

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society - "Infernal Machines"
Joe Henderson - "Black Narcissus"
Joe Henderson - "Lush Life"
Mark Taylor - "Spectre"
Miles Davis - "Bitches Brew"

re-learning how to love music

Kenny Werner - "Lawn Chair Society"
Wayne Shorter - "Speak No Evil"
Wayne Shorter - "Juju"
Cake - "Fashion Nugget"
Osvaldo Goljiov - "Oceana", "Tenebrae", "3 Songs for Soprano and Orchestra"
Lee Konitz - "Nonet"

Re-evaluating what I love about music, and why I put so much time into it.  Hopefully I come out on top of myself.

in sickness and in health

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Conducted by Otto Klemperer
Wayne Shorter - The All Seeing Eye
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
Jimmy Giuffre - The Jimmy Giuffre 3
Freddie Hubbard - Backlash
Pat Metheny - Orchestrion

enjoyed with a cup of yerba matte

i've started a listening log to sort of keep track of all of the things i'm listening to.  currently i'm keeping track of who played on what, what year it was released, by what record company, and when i listened to it.  i'm considering adding comments about each album though....

czech it out

Porgy and Bess - Miles Davis/Gil Evans

Meat is Murder - The Smiths

Doolittle - The Pixies

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! - Devo
Windowlicker - Aphex Twin

dig it, with a cup of char

Not so much jazz

Prince - "Controversy"
Public Enemy - "Fear of a Black Planet"
Daft Punk - "Discovery"
Run DMC - "Crown Royal" "Raising Hell"
Tears for Fears - "The Hurting"

...and...

Lee Konitz/Warne Marsh - "Lee Konitz/Warne Marsh"