Greetings, Afterworders,
‘Tis that time of year again. The time when I present my favourite new albums of the year for general scrutiny and perusal. And this year there are 45 of them. Forty-five: the number of rpm of the old seven-inch singles that started my love of music a very long time ago. When I was a teenager, I listened almost exclusively to records of songs written in English. Now, such records make up less than one-third of my annual list.
Sometime next week I’ll post my list of favourite reissues and archival recordings of the year, but, as I say, we start with the new albums of 2020. The records on this list – and particularly, I suppose, the music towards the top of the list – has given me a certain amount of succour in this wretched year. I hope you find an unfamiliar album or two here that you enjoy investigating.
As ever, the chart is presented in reverse order. Eyes down for a full house ….
//duco
We start with the first 10, i.e. numbers 45 to 36:
45. Yorkston Thorne Khan – Navarasa: Nine Emotions
If you already have the first two albums by this notable Scottish-Indian-English trio, then I’m not sure that this third outing is absolutely essential.
https://jamesyorkston.bandcamp.com/album/navarasa-nine-emotions
44. Agnes Obel – Myopia
I really enjoyed seeing Ms Obel and her and band live in February. The album, however, doesn’t grab me in the way that “Citizen of Glass” and “Aventine” did.
43. Blake Hargreaves – Improvisations on the Pipe Organs of Europe
Mr Hargreaves gets an Interrail ticket around Europe and has a bit of a tootle on a few church organs than he comes across.
https://blakehargreaves.bandcamp.com/album/improvisations-on-the-pipe-organs-of-europe
42. Ann Margaret Hogan – Honeysuckle Burials
Pianist Anni Hogan has worked with luminaries such as Paul Weller, Nick Cave and Marc Almond. This is a set of ambient piano/electronics pieces.
https://annihogan.bandcamp.com/album/honeysuckle-burials
41. Magnetic Fields – Quickies
Well, to be fair, any Magnetic Fields album after the staggering “50 Song Memoir” was bound to be a bit of a comedown.
40. Jason Isbell – Reunions
Finishes more strongly than it starts. The problem when you make a record as brilliant as “Southeastern” is that people will compare all subsequent albums to it….
39. Bill Fay – Countless Branches
It’s been great to see Bill Fay’s career renaissance in his seventies. This fits right in nicely with his recent series of albums.
https://billfay.bandcamp.com/album/countless-branches-deluxe-edition
38. Roger Eno and Brian Eno – Mixing Colours
It’s been a while since the Eno brothers collaborated. This is a set of keyboard pieces that are perfectly listenable, but ….. I don’t know … there are far greater works in the brothers’ canons.
37. Jon Brooks – How to Get to Spring
Clap Pipe maintain their fine record of putting out interesting new British instrumental music, accompanied by Frances Castle’s magnificent artwork.
https://cafekaput.bandcamp.com/album/how-to-get-to-spring
36. Mary Lattimore – Silver Ladders
Harpist Mary Lattimore has been part of North Carolina’s Three Lobed Recordings scene for a few years now, and I always enjoy her records.
https://marylattimoreharpist.bandcamp.com/album/silver-ladders
The next bunch of ten will arrive later today.
Ta-ta for now…
Your praise is a bit faint, duco. Could you speak up a bit, please?
Great to see the list start to appear. I always enjoy its unwrapping.
Yes, well … one can’t be too effusive about the records at the bottom of the list, otherwise one would run out of superlatives by the time one reaches the Top 10!
“Not…absolutely essential” “doesn’t grab me” “a bit of a tootle” “a bit of a comedown” and “far greater works in the brothers’ canons” are not selling it to me! 😉
I can’t wait for your description of Salute To The Sun.
Fear not, Tigger. I’m a little bit more enthusiastic about that one!
I am increasingly convinced you are a spy sent here by those chaps at The Quietus representing (or masquerading more like) as one of their tasteful, influential, more informed agents attempting to expose us all as ‘civilians’ with the ultimate aim of taking over our jukebox.
We will, for this, not stand.
Have you never heard of Saxon? Or Throbbing Gristle?
I applaud the conditional support for the lower reaches of the chart. I contend that there are likely to be few years where more than a dozen albums within an individual’s range, can qualify for superlatives.
Usually I don’t bother with the trainspotters but I like the cut of your jib.
Havent heard the Yorkston etc – I loved the first but didn’t really feel the second added anything new. Must admit to having been underwhelmed by the Obel, Isbell, and Bonny Light Horseman as well. The rest I haven’t heard. looking forward to the top 25
Obel, Yorkston, Magnetic Fields, Isbell and the Enos! Quite a few heavyweights there languishing at the bottom of the list. I am curious about the superlatives that await us in days to come.
Even if this year’s release is not their absolute finest hour, I am still keen to listen to the artists I mentioned along with the New Kids on the DuCool Block.
Mary Lattimore sounds extremely promising!
Arnold Bocklin? Must be prog…
It must be about time for a Bocklin revival? I’ve still got a couple of letraset sheets of the stuff somewhere….
I am sure that my favourite glumpster, Stephin Merritt, will now be sulking about his record not being DuCool’s LP of the year.
I am now giving it a listen and am very glad to hear that he still delivers. Which is more than I can say about the Swedish postal service!
Okay, time for the second batch of ten, from no. 35 to no. 26.
35. Jennifer Castle – Monarch Season
A short home recording by the shores of Lake Erie, with Ms Castle playing all the instruments. I still say that Pink City (2014) is her best work, but this one chugs along pleasantly enough, too.
https://jennifercastle.bandcamp.com/album/monarch-season
34. John Zorn – Virtue
The prolific Zorn has other couple of interesting sounding-albums out in Late December and January, but for the moment we’ll have to make do with this fine, 12-part suite performed by the exemplary guitar trio of Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley.
33. Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman
Like Colin Meloy, Anaïs Mitchell is an American who sounds perfectly at home singing old traditional UK folk songs. An enjoyable collection.
https://bonnylighthorseman.bandcamp.com/album/bonny-light-horseman
32. Rose City Band – Summerlong
Several online commentators said “the Rose City Band sound like the Grateful Dead”, so I bought the album. And they do. A bit. On the last couple of tracks.
https://rosecityband.bandcamp.com/album/summerlong
31. Adrianne Lenker – Songs and Instrumentals
A difficult album to place on the list, as I haven’t listened to it enough yet. Just as the last Big Thief album was Adrianne Lenker’s rowdiest music to date, this is her quietest, most restrained, most subdued. I expect it to grow on me.
https://adriannelenker.bandcamp.com/
30. The Necks – Three
Is it just me, or have the Necks lost some of their sparkle in recent years? Although I consider myself a big fan of the Australian improv trio, I just didn’t get on with the music they released in 2014-2019. “Three” is better, opening with the clattering ”Bloom”, which sounds like a whole roomful of office furniture being thrown down the stairs.
https://thenecksau.bandcamp.com/album/three
29. Bohren & der Club of Gore – Patchouli Blue
The return of Christoph Clöser and his chums with their first studio album in six years was most welcome. Their nu-jazz sound manages to be both wide-screen and intimate at the same time.
28. Greg Foat – Symphonie Pacifique
Greg Foat has been making his rich, ambient soul-jazz for nine years now, and the sound is still rich, still compelling.
https://gregfoat.bandcamp.com/album/symphonie-pacifique
27. Gwenifer Raymond – Strange Lights over Garth Mountain
The 32-year-old Welshwoman who sounds a bit like John Fahey. This can only be a good thing.
https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/strange-lights-over-garth-mountain
26. Jean-Louis Matinier and Kevin Seddiki – Rivages
Accordionist Matinier and guitarist Seddiki swing through a beguiling 40 minutes in the ECM house style.
Stay tuned for the next batch tomorrow morning, when we start to reach the rarefied higher echelons of the chart….
I am in no way a fan of the Dead but the noodling on Summerlong sweeps me onto a bus beautifully. It is the kind of music imagined according to the enthusiastic descriptions of the Dead on this Forum, much better than the disappointing reality of those to whom we should be Grateful.
As a matter of interest, duco, how do you rank one Foat album above another? He releases dozens a year, all equally good.
Well, Foat hasn’t been quite as productive this year has he was in the über-prolific 2019.
I have 11 of Foat’s albums (some where he collaborates with others) and I’d rank them as follows. It’s only the bottom two on the list that I wouldn’t really recommend too highly:
1. Galaxies Like Grains of Sand
2. The Mage
3. The Dancers at the Edge of Time
4. Dark is the Sun
5. Nightshade
6. The Honey Bear
7. Girl and Robot with Flowers
8. Symphonie Pacifique
9. The Dreaming Jewels
10. Saint Lawrence
11. Live at the Playboy Club
I haven’t heard the “Linkwood and Foat” album that was released this year.
👍
Mr Foat recently became a very proud dad, s he has had other fish to fry.
(He announced this wonderful news on Facebook).
I’m hopeless with names, but now realise that, among other gigs, accordionist Matinier previously played with Anouar Brahem on that classic album, Le Pas du chat noir.
read more here.
https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1580224264
Kevin Sedikki (a new name for me) also has a formidable back catalogue.
And has played in many different combinations.
This is the first track from Rivages played live.
Lenker only at 31? It’s in my top three (TBD), and I’m sure it will climb on your list once you hear it a few more times!
Here you go! Something for Locust and the Duke!
Adrienne Lenker doing an At Home Tiny Desk session. She seems to be strumming with a paint brush!
“Locust and the Duke!”
Now there’s a good band name! You two could be the Next Big Thing from Stockholm.
Gwenifer Raymond is definitely in my list this year…
Club of Gore?
I expected something rowdy along the lines of Gaye Bikers on Acid meet Rammstein. Gosh did I get that wrong!
This is lush, sensual and gorgeous
It is not often I find music on the Duke’s List which would be perfect for the OST of an up-market, Bavarian porn film.
Or when the AW biopic Moose the Movie gets made, these guys get the gig.
In my book, that’s a compliment.
Here’s a live show:
One comment described them as “a perfect mixture between jazz and cinematic ambient” Another comments “Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch would love this.”
All in all, quite a find!
Bohren and Co started as a black metal covers band and then morphed into a black, cinematic easy listening outfit.
https://thequietus.com/articles/15128-bohren-und-der-club-of-gore-interview
They’ve never had vocals, except for the one time that Mike Patton contributed.
I enjoyed that Quietus interview. They have quite a bit of self-distance to the music they create.
“Interestingly, although your music is based around familiar instruments: guitar, bass, drums, sax, piano, people seem to find you very hard to define. I’ve heard you called dark ambient, post-metal, doom jazz, even… Do you think any of those or other terms apply? If not, how would you define your music?
Morten Gass: That’s a good question. We describe our music right now as elevator music [laughs]. That’s more a joke, but somehow it’s true. We try to be a bit original, we don’t want to be copycats, so it’s hard to describe the music because it’s a little bit weird. But, for us, it’s a good thing that it’s not so clear what style we play and that we don’t belong to a specific music scene. A black metal guy can listen to us, a jazz or pop guy can too.
“You mentioned wanting to a band that only plays ballads, and your music makes me think of classic ballads like ‘Love and Hate’ by Jackie McLean and John Coltrane’s Ballads album. How do you think you fit into the jazz tradition, if at all?
Mortan Gass: Hmm, the jazz tradition… It’s hard for us, because we’re not so much into jazz at all. We like the sound of jazz music, but we don’t like what they play. They’re all such good players, and we’re such bad players! We came from a hardcore band and we’re not masters of our instruments. We can play the way we do, so to describe our music as jazz would maybe be over the top. We understand why people make the connection, because we use the same instruments, which was our aim at the beginning, but I don’t know if it’s really jazz music. A real jazz guy would maybe laugh at our music.”
Now that is good – I need to investigate further…
I like all the Bohren & der Club of Gore albums I have, but the one I always return to is their third record, the magnificent “Sunset Mission” (2000). A rare example of an album that is quite perfect.
Thanks – I’ll start with that…
Hello again, Afterworders,
We now move smoothly into the top half of the chart, presenting the sounds that most pleased duco’s cloth ears in 2020
25. Goldmund – The Time it Takes
Another gorgeous selection of piano-and synthesizer-based ambient pieces by the Pennsylvanian composer Keith Kenniff, who goes under the name of Goldmund.
https://goldmund.bandcamp.com/album/the-time-it-takes
24. Sam Burton – I Can Go with You
Debut album by a singer/songwriter from Utah. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of too many other artists from Utah … except maybe the Osmonds. Anyway, Burton’s album is high-quality Americana: imagine Fred Neil with a much higher vocal range. The Tompkins Square label never lets you down.
https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/i-can-go-with-you-2
23. James Elkington – Ever-Roving Eye
Second solo outing for the US-based artist, originally from Rickmansworth in my home county of Hertfordshire. Elkington is a guitarist first and a vocalist second, but I enjoy this low-key set a lot. A real grower.
https://james-elkington.bandcamp.com/album/ever-roving-eye
22. Elvis Costello – Hey Clockface
Am not convinced about the spoken-word material. And Elve is certainly giving it PLENTY of the old vibrato. But … it’s still a Costello album, and there are 5 or 6 tracks that have the authentic stamp of Elvis excellence about them. It’s growing on me. I think I’ll end up liking it more than most of the music the Beloved Entertainer has produced this century.
21. GoGo Penguin – GoGo Penguin
An eponymous fifth album for the Mancunian nu-jazz trio that have graced the famous Blue Note Records for a few years now. Maybe not quite up to the sky-high standards of “A Humdrum Star”, but still rewarding.
20. Grégoire Maret – Americana
Here’s something a bit different: an ECM jazz trio led by a harmonica player. The other two musicians are pianist Romain Collin and all-round good guy Bill Frisell on guitar. A very mellow listen.
19. Mammal Hands – Captured Spirits
Fourth outing for the Gondwana Records trio from Norwich. It’s more of the same, I suppose, but as that ‘same’ is excellent, one can hardly complain.
https://mammalhands.bandcamp.com/album/captured-spirits
18. Elkhorn – The Storm Sessions
Trapped in a studio during a snowstorm one winter’s night, the two guitar-playing Elkhorners recorded two side-long pieces of improvisation with their bouzouki-playing chum Turner Williams. Spontaneous, yet wholly realised.
https://elkhorn.bandcamp.com/album/the-storm-sessions
17. Espen Eriksen Trio – End of Summer
Young(ish) Norwegian jazz piano groups on Rune Grammofon Records and Hubro Records have regularly been making records like this for ages now: sparse, tasteful, modern chamber music.
16. Pete Judge – piano 2
Judge is one-third of the idiosyncratic Bristol trio Three Cane Whale. These are some delightful solo piano miniatures. Lovely.
https://petejudge.bandcamp.com/album/piano-2
Back this afternoon with the mighty sounds of numbers 15 to 6!
Pete’s piano albums have brought me a lot of pleasure this year. They’re gorgeous.
Pete is number 14 in my list! I appreciate him so much more than duco. 😉
I’m looking forward to seeing where Run The Jewels and Dua Lipa rank in duco’s world.
Unless you is jest, I am perplex. Dua Lipa makes nice little pop songs, and her heart is obviously in the right place. But neither of those qualities confers musical worth.
Dua Lipa doesn’t make nice little pop songs, she makes HUGE BANGERS. She excels in her idiom of Pop Music. You may consider that Pop Music lacks artistic worth but I don’t. I love a feisty, fun Pop star and I don’t think I’m the only one.
Feisty? check
Fun? check
Formulaic? check
Nothing wrong with that, it’s just that I only have limited shelf space, so I have to be picky.
My tongue is slightly in my cheek, Foxy. But Dua on Tiny Desk certainly brightened my morning enormously.
We have had NO sunshine in Stockholm for the past month. And the news is full of that idiot Boris “Mr Prevarication” Johnson.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/15/boris-johnson-pandemic-britain-christmas-covid?fbclid=IwAR3nFHxIe4Vn7GGaspTGvw0OtnmquwRyn-6q59-O0srasLBJ06z86IrwlM4
Some shiny, glamorous, ephemeral, uplifting, sexy pop music goes a long way with me right now.
I’m glad to see that Keith Kenniff aka Goldmund is still going. Haven’t paid much attention to him since 2008’s The Malady of Elegance.
Well, “The Time it Takes” is a good place to catch up with Goldmund, Mr Hairnet.
Interesting comments on Hey Clockface. I really like the album and would agree it might be one of his better ones th8is century although Look Now was great too.
I think the song I do has his best vocal ever – kind of debunks the comments from some quarters that his voice is shot.
Anyway are you becoming more mainstream or am I becoming more radical? I own six of your choices thus far which I think is a record.
No mention of her name yet! I suspect a certain young lady is beginning to feel rather cocky.
First she conquers the Tiny Desk. Then comes the dizzy heights of the Duke’s List …..
Great minds and that.
Just you wait, Tigs.
Once the Duke has watched that Tiny Desk set, he may make some radical changes to the top of his list.
Dua certainly did not buy her desk at IKEA. Tiny, my arse!
Chloe and Halle actually sit on their desk, which is a nice touch.
Dude, no-one’s at the “tiny desk” these days because of Covid. This lass (even younger than the Bailey sisters) has no desk at all. More room for the gang!
You are wrong, Sewer! At the start of the clip they show an extremely tiny desk, about the size of a matchbox, which is standing on a pedestal at the front left of the stage. A rather classy touch.
I don’t know what to make of Lido. She is something else!
it’s true that I am more often wrong than right.
But the higher we go up duco’s list, the more acts I’ve heard or heard of – so my anticipation is rising faster than my blood pressure does when Betty Boo is Doin’ The Do..
That’s wonderful
This thread is best enjoyed to the accompaniment of this…
Absoluuutely!
Greetings, Pop pickers! Al right? Right, stay bright!
Talking of Fluff, haven’t this lot got a new LP out??
Not half!!!
Ooops! Sorry!
It’s the end of term and we noisier members of class are getting a tad rowdy.
Oh dear, an acka-dacka (spelling?) video has just appeared in a duco01 Favourite Albums of the Year thread. These are indeed dark days.
Just before we get to number 15, I’d like to mention a couple of albums I’ve only heard once, and so it’s too soon to assess them well enough to put them in the chart. But if the year had been two weeks longer, these two albums – which sound very good – would’ve been in there:
John Luther Adams – Lines Made by Walking
https://johnlutheradams-coldblue.bandcamp.com/album/lines-made-by-walking
Ensemble Correspondances (dir: Sebastien Daucé) – Charpentier: Messe à quatre choeurs & Carnets de voyage d’Italie
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8804561–charpentier-messe-a-quatre-choeurs-carnets-de-voyage-ditalie
OK – now let’s rejoin the list at no.15:
15. Nat Birchall Meets Al Breadwinner – Upright Living, and
14. Nat Birchall Meets Al Breadwinner – Tradition Disc in Dub
When saxman Nat Birchall and dubmaster Al Redfern released their first jazz/dub album “Sounds Almighty” in 2018, it was a revelation. And this year we’ve been spoilt, with two more slices from the same rich, rootsy cake
https://natbirchallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/upright-living-nat-birchall-meets-al-breadwinner
https://natbirchallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/tradition-disc-in-dub-nat-birchall-meets-al-breadwinner
13. Joan Shelley – Live at the Bomhard
In the past six years, Joan Shelley has released four immaculate studio albums on No Quarter records. This year, she got an all-star band together, including Jake Xerxes Fussell, Nathan Salsburg, Nathan Bowles and Bonnie “Prince” Billy and recorded a show in Louisville of her very best songs, releasing it as a Bandcamp download. An absolute treat, and for newcomers, it makes a great introduction to Shelley’s music.
https://joanshelley.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-bomhard
12. Andy Shauf – The Neon Skyline
Andy Shauf is a singer-songwriter from Saskatchewan. This is his first album of new solo material for four years, and the best record of his life. The title track and “Try again” are both great songs. Shauf’s thin, rodenty voice rather appeals to me.
https://andyshauf.bandcamp.com/album/the-neon-skyline
11. Jeff Parker – Suite for Max Brown
Jeff Parker’s musical tribute to his mother (maiden name: Maxine Brown) is a slab of oblique soul-jazz shot through with barbs of Parker’s lead guitar, surprising at every turn.
https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/suite-for-max-brown
10. David Boulter – Yarmouth
David Boulter used to play organ in Tindersticks, and “Yarmouth” is a nostalgic musical look back to his 1970s childhood summer holidays in Great Yarmouth. Lovingly done, and another winner from Clay Pipe music.
9. Oumou Sangare – Acoustic
In 2017, Ms Sangare released the album Mogoya. This is basically a stripped-down acoustic version of the album using West African instruments only – plenty of kamele ngoni! I much prefer it.
https://oumousangare.bandcamp.com/album/acoustic
8. Mike Polizze – Long Lost Solace Find
A superb debut by the Philadelphian singer-songwriter/guitarist, which claims the prize as the highest-placed album of songs in English on this list. 12 finely honed acoustic country/folk gems. If you’re fond of Americana in general, this is a warm recommendation indeed.
https://mikepolizze.bandcamp.com/album/long-lost-solace-find
7. Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir, Sabine Erdmann and Magnus Andersson – Baroque Violin Sonatas (Biber, Schmelzer, Kindermann, Böddecker)
Icelander Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir plays violin, the Swede Magnus Andersson plays theorbo, and the German Sabine Erdmann plays an old wooden keyboardy thing called a Truhenorgel (which means “chest organ” – no sniggering, Moosey). Dirk Fischer, who runs the small audiophile classical label Solaire Records, thought it might be a nice idea to get the three of them together to record some baroque sonatas. The trio was an inspired choice: the violin-organ-lute combination is a revelation – wonderfully intimate – and the track-list is a careful blend of the familiar (Biber) with the obscure (Böddecker).
https://solairerecords.bandcamp.com/album/baroque-violin-sonatas
6. Andrew Wasylyk – Fugitive Light and Themes of Consolation
This album has been a surprise popular hit this year on the Afterword, as I think I’m the fourth person to vote for it. Scotsman Andrew “Wasylyk” Mitchell’s 2019 debut “The Paralian” was a promising start, and this is a big step up. Ten searching, richly melodic instrumentals making up an imaginary soundtrack. Impossible not to like. Only one problem: I can never remember the album’s title. I must be getting old or something…
https://andrewwasylyk.bandcamp.com/album/fugitive-light-and-themes-of-consolation
Right: that’s it for today. And of course the excitement is now reaching hitherto unseen levels. Join me tomorrow morning for the phantasmagorical Top Five!
Ah yes, looking forward to Acoustic arriving under the Christmas tree, giving me one week to assess its suitability for Lodestone.
It’s wonderful and when I finally get round to doing my list I think it will be on it
I’m now listening to No 7, namely Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir, Sabine Erdmann and Magnus Andersson, on Bandcamp.
The music is splendid and Solaire Records know how to write sleeve notes!
“Sabine Erdmann may be a harpsichordist. But she’s also in love with her organ. So, she instantly caught fire when two friends suggested she should record a CD on it with music from the time of Heinrich Biber. There was no deeper concept, no precise plan. But with just two phone calls, Sabine had set up a trio of musicians from Berlin’s dynamic historically informed practise scene. Immediately, they began searching for rewarding and surprising repertoire.
Swedish theorbist Magnus Andersson dove deep into the archive of early music in Uppsala. Icelandic violinist Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir suggested the D minor sonata by Böddecker, one of the baroque’s long lost masterpieces. Quickly, they arrived at a fascinating and surprising body of work. Their selection wasn’t just inspired by a deep theoretical understanding – but mainly by their hands-on experiences as in-demand live performers.
The recording sessions provided plenty of opportunities for Erdmann’s chest organ to shine. The instrument, given to her as a loan, was designed according to her personal specifications by renowned organ builder Karl Friedrich Wieneke. In a smaller space, its warm tone fuses perfectly with a chambermusic ensemble. In a church, on the other hand, its raw power is capable of unleashing a veritable sonic storm.
It almost goes without saying that standard repertoire was off the table from the beginning. But so was recording obscure pieces for obscurity’s sake. In a way, the absence of a concept turned into the album’s true concept: This project was to be about the music – and nothing else.”
Here is Sabine on her organ accompanying Esther Valentin.
Classical labels that put their music out on bandcamp?
I like their approach. A way of saying there is nothing stuffy, dusty or dull about the music we have for you.
Here’s Elfa Run Kristinsdottir with her Icelandic ensemble.
She had posted it on her Facebook page. A modern, media-savvy classical musician.
And they are excellent!
And as a continuation of that line of thought, here are the splendid Danish String Quartet…doing a Tiny Desk show.
It’s the same varied approach as we have on the Duke’s list..
Oumou Sangare,(African ) David Bouter in Yarmouth (ambient, Tindersticky), Baroque violins sonatas (classical), Mike Polizze (singer-songwriter) and then………..
Dua Lipa (ginormous club bangers for the kids)
But eclectisicism has its limits.
Thumbs down for the Highway to Hell Hitmakers.
No Acca Dacca I fear!
And no Makka Pakka
Re: the sleeve notes on Solaire Records releases
You’re right there. I like good sleeve notes as much as the next man … indeed, probably MORE than the next man … but the team at Solaire really go to town. Each of their CDs comes with a book so thick that it could easily be mistaken for the Brothers Karamazov. Still … they’re a fine label, and the sound quality on both of the Solaire CDs I have is exceptional.
If Polizze is the highest English language album, then Dua Lipa must singing in Croatian and RTJ American.
Just a little postscript regarding Mike Polizze.
How do you pronounce his surname?
Could it be:
a) POLL-izz?
b) pol-EEZE?
c) my preferred pronunciation, poll-ITT-SAY!, which has rather an Italian flavour to it.
Any other suggestions, Afterworders?
I know one! Andy Schauf is on my long list and is a strong contender for a top 20 placing. He reminds me a little of Josh Rouse, which is why he appeals to me.
Andy Shauf is, of course, holding down the coveted no.12 position in the duco01 list.
Shimmering jingle jangle guitars, an uplifting hypnotic beat, mellow vocals and songs full of sunshine.. Echoes of the Byrds and Poco. One artist that I have immediately taken to is the Rose City Band.
Band indeed! It is just one guy: Ripley Johnson.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/14/rose-city-band-summerlong-review-a-gorgeous-record
Well worth your time! On the basis of a brief listen, I suspect its joyous sunny hedonism is a stayer.
https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2020/05/rose-city-band-summerlong/
Great find, Duke!
OK – here we go with my Top Five favourite new albums of 2020. Sadly, Dua Lipa didn’t make it, but this quintet of gems did. For the first time ever, my no.1 new album is what might loosely be described as a ‘classical’ record. I first discovered it thanks to a mention right here on the Afterword – so thanks, Morrison, and everyone else from this online community who’s made great comments and recommendations this year.
5. Alabaster DePlume – To Cy and Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Multi-instrumentalist Alabaster DePlume – or Gus Fairbairn as he’s known to his friends – has really hit the jackpot here. A suite of exotic, sinewy instrumentals: imagine if Mulatu Astatke had been from Altrincham instead of Addis Ababa, and you’re getting close.
https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/to-cy-lee-instrumentals-vol-1
4. Matthew Halsall – Salute to the Sun
In 2008, Matthew Halsall kick-started the new wave of UK jazz with his album “Sending My Love”, the inaugural release on Gondwana Records. Twelve years later, he’s still blowing his trumpet and making his rich, restrained, profound music. The new “Salute to the Sun” is right up there challenging “Fletcher Moss Park” as Halsall’s finest hour.
https://matthewhalsall.bandcamp.com/album/salute-to-the-sun
3. Nat Birchall – Mysticism of Sound
Nat Birchall is my artist of the year. In between the releases of his two dub albums with All Breadwinner, he released this superlative spiritual jazz set. He plays every single instrument. Sure, the ghosts of John and Alice Coltrane are in close attendance, but the triumph is Birchall’s alone. Oh, and Nat isn’t finished with 2020 – he’s just released a live album, “Exaltation”, which I haven’t yet heard.
https://natbirchallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/mysticism-of-sound
2. Faten Kanaan – A Mythology of Circles
I haven’t seen any reference to this record on the Afterword, and let me assure you it’s an absolute cracker. Faten Kanaan is a German-born, Brooklyn-based young woman of Syrian, Palestinian, Jordanian and Lebanese heritage. This is her second album. Huge, sweeping washes of synthesizer, other electronics and vocal samples. What dynamics – the whole 40 minutes hangs together so well and draws the listener in, like the very best work of Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds and Jóhann Jóhannsson. And there are some tip-top tunes in amongst it all.
https://fatenkanaan.bandcamp.com/album/a-mythology-of-circles
1. Vox Clamantis (dir. Jaan-Eik Tulve) – Cyrillus Kreek: the Suspended Harp of Babel
You can’t beat a nice bit of Estonian choral music, can you? This ECM album is a sublime blend of hymns and psalms by the early 20th century composer Cyrillus Kreek sung acapella by the Vox Clamatis ensemble [those bass voices – incredible!], interspersed with some short instrumental pieces for the Estonian kannel and Swedish nyckelharpa composed and played by Marco Ambrosini. If you like, for example, the choral works of Arvo Pärt, then this is an essential record, but even if you haven’t heard a great deal of Baltic choral music before, I’d still recommend this. Its beauty is undeniable.
And that’s it for now. I’d better get working on my Favourite Reissues and Archival Recordings list, because the votes for our composite Afterword chart have to be in by the 24th….
//duco
That Faten Kanaan album is a lovely sea of bliss.
Purely on the Olafur Arnalds comparison I am in for Faten Kanaan.
The Olafur album just out is excellent – been on repeat all this week.
Wow! That was an nerve-biting to the countdown.
I am not a gambling man, but I suspect William Hill have paid out a few quid today.
Want a DuCool 2020 sampler? Here is one I made earlier..
You have sold me on your Estonian choral no 1 Harp of Babel, especially after listening to the track KFD helpfully put on the Spotify list. Am making an inaugural Classical Ipod and that has gone straight on it, so will look forward to listening to it.
I agree with you @Carolina. This years’ No 1 sounds really promising.
Here are Vox Clamantis singing Kreek live.
I’m sure we all want to hear some more. Here they are singing some Pärt.
Their YT channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCB0y8O61nI6MtWAVs48llg/videos
I haven’t got to grips yet with Mysticism Of Sound. The sax is wonderful but the backing is somewhat disappointing. I feel the wonder of the lead instrument deserves to be better displayed. I appreciate it’s a lockdown and Birchall’s versatility is amazing. I think I’ll listen more. After all, his 2019 Storyteller album really grew on me.
My favourite choral album this year is When Love Speaks by Owain Park. It’s very moving.
Thanks for that tip, Tigger. I look forward to giving it a listen on Spotify.
I think the Duke has done us proud this year, So many albums I am looking forward to listening to on his list.
In the last 48 hours I have greatly enjoyed music by Vox Clamantis, Rose City Band, Dua Lipa, Al Birchall, Bohren & der Club of Gore , The Chair and many more.
The old Afterword is rather an enjoyable place to lounge.
Wot, no Robbie Williams?
As you well know, Moose, Robbie’s only 2020 release was his Xmas album.
After vigorous Tigger Testing, the Duke decided that it didn’t quite cut it.
I am really looking forward to listening to that Faten Kanaan album.
Here she is: live at Supersonic.
A track from the album. A perfect soundtrack for a walk in the dark Swedish forest?
And finally, some vintage Faten from 2017 – a collaboration with Pye Corner Audio,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATFfiRakQjk
Out of interest, @duco01 : who/what prompts you to some of these finds. Even if I spent all day every day at Bandcamp, I still wouldn’t find many of these by chance. (And lord knows I spend a lot of time down their wormholes…..)
I don’t know how the Duke does it, but I find that Spotify and perhaps even more YouTube are very adroit at suggesting tracks, once ne has a toehold in a particular musical territory.
For example, when I was exploring singers who sung in Scottish Gaelic, YT had some great suggestions. We’ve all experienced programmes that had some crap ideas.
“You recently listened to Arvo Pärt. You would probably enjoy Mötorhead.”
We see you recently listened to Anal Cunt. Have you tried Boris Johnson?”
lol brilliant.
Hello, retro,
1. I suppose my favourite source is Aquarium Drunkard. This is inspiring: the second greatest website in the world (after the Afterword, of course).
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/
Two days ago, they published their 2020 Year in Review.
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2020/12/16/aquarium-drunkard-2020-year-in-review/
This is always the highlight of the Christmas Season. I haven’t dared read this year’s, because I know I’ll end up with a huge shopping list…
2. Otherwise, I’d say that the Boomkat weekly newsletter is always a source of information about interesting new records.
3. And there’s the Wire magazine, for rather more arcane music.
4. I know the Steve Hoffman forum often gets a kicking in these parts, but there’s plenty of expertise, and plenty of good music that’s posted there, if you know where to look. The long-running threads about jazz and classical music tend to be worthwhile.
//duco
Cheers!! I look a lot at Aquarium Drunkard a lot, oddly, but mainly for their Lagniappe Sessions of cover versions
I had no idea what a Lagniappe Session was. I thought you meant Bagpipe and it was a typo!
Wrong!
In 2011, Aquarium Drunkard launched the Lagniappe Sessions, a regular recording series providing a platform for artists to pay tribute to their inspirations, via a selection of covers. In 2016, the vinyl release, Lagniappe Sessions, Vol I, was released via Light In The Attic Records.[5](Wkipedia)
Here are some examples.
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/category/lagniappe-sessions/
Could I humbly offer Headphone Commute as an excellent site for the more ambient end of the spectrum. Some of the artist playlists where music is mixed with film excerpts have been constant companions – particularly this one:
https://headphonecommute.com/2013/03/18/emerging-species-recurring-universe/
I am sure the Duke will approve.
It looks very interesting.
Been a Headphone Commute podcast subscriber for quite a while. Only the very occasional duffer. I like the fact that every episode has it’s own artwork too.
The podcast URL, for those who are interested, is feeds.feedburner.com/headphonecommutepodcast
I’ve just noticed that I haven’t yet listened to the most recent few.
You don’t think he actually listens to this stuff do you? Seems to only post once a year, no doubt to confuse us all.
Well, in one way you’re right, dai. I don’t actually start many threads – that’s true. There’s my two end-of-year lists, and maybe one other thread during the year. However, I do contribute a fair bit to other people’s threads, and I do, honestly “listen to all this stuff”. Music is my consuming passion, and always has been.
Another way in, of course, is keeping track on record companies, as I’m sure you do with Scottish folk music, Retro.
This year’s Number 7
Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir, Sabine Erdmann and Magnus Andersson – Baroque Violin Sonatas (Biber, Schmelzer, Kindermann, Böddecker)’
got me curious about Solaire Records
They have a lively website
http://solairerecords.com/about-2/
and FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/solairerecords/
Lots of interesting tips.
I don’t actually but I ought to: I do look at specialist sellers, mind, like Music Scotland:
https://www.musicscotland.com/cd/index.html.
Plus by putting appropriate genre drilldown into Bandcamp new releases. Through my new fledgling writings for Folk Radio UK I am also getting earlier pointers to stuff. Which, in turn, led me to Birnam records, who seem to manufacture most independent artists cds in Scotland.
https://www.birnamcdshop.com/genres/
Well, I’ve heard of Elvis Costello.
Mammal Hands. Elkhorn. Alabaster DePlume. And people have the nerve to say that Chris Morris has gone a bit quiet.
The new one by Anal Boob Throb was cruelly overlooked.
Our happy winners, Vox Clamantis, are anything but anything but New Estonian Kids on the Block.
Founded in 1996, they have won many awards and toured internationally,
https://www.hoertnagel.com/en/artists/artist-portrait/detail/vox-clamantis.html
and contributed very powerfully to the soundtrack of Paolo Sorrentino’s 1994 Foreign Language Oscar Winner, La Gran Belleza.
Conductor, Jaan-Eik Tulve, studied in Paris and is a renowned expert on Gregorian Chant,
I’ve never visited Tallinn, but I suspect they are all household names over on the other side of the Baltic.
Thanks for posting their videos of Kreek further up the thread, Kaisfatdad. I think I will be definitely looking into their other work.
Glad you like ’em, Carolina!
Kreek is actually the name of the composer.
The ensemble doing the singing are Vox Clamantis.
Yes I did know that but just worded it badly! Do you have any other Baltic choral music you would recommend? I found some of Vox Clamantis other recordings online, mainly plainsong which is just a bit too plain for me, and I love the harmonies in the Kreek works.
Then you need Kreek’s Notebook by Egham’s finest https://g.co/kgs/KN1LLj
Egham? Gosh!
Thanks Ricihie, that was interesting.
The Amazon page about that provides this fascinating comment.
“Rupert Gough and the Choir of Royal Holloway offer listeners another fascinating album of contemporary Baltic music. The primary work on the recording is based on Estonian folk hymns collected in the early twentieth century by Cyrillus Kreek, who was the Estonian equivalent of Bartok or Grainger. During the Soviet era, the singing of these religious songs was forbidden and the entire genre was all but forgotten. By the end of the twentieth century, fresh light could be shone on these folk collections and composer Tonu Korvits was particularly struck by the music’s fresh possibilities. In writing Kreek’s Notebook, Korvits both pays homage to Kreek and presents his own totally modern take on the folk hymn idiom. Although there is a dramatic unity to this eight-movement work, there is much diversity in timbre and scoring. The effect is improvisatory in the creative ornamentation of the vocal lines, and suffused with dreamy textures that bring to mind the great tradition of Eastern European choral writing.”
Here’s a potted biography on Kreek.
http://estonianfolksong.weebly.com/cyrillus-kreek.html
Some more very useful background
https://estonianworld.com/culture/cyrillus-kreeks-music-released-internationally-by-ecm/
Some more Kreek by the Youth Choir of Tallinn. Performed at International Polyphonic in Arezzo in 2014
Finally a taste of Tonu Körvits who Richie mentioned.
Interesting to see that a Kreek composition was featured back in 2007 on this Kings Singers album.
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/landscape-time
Here is a track
Oh dear! I’m up the Kreek without a paddle.
Here is an academic paper about the Harp of Babel Hitmaker’s work collecting traditional “spiritual foolksongs.”
https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/23570/Armstrong_washington_0250E_11611.pdf?sequence=1
Another treat for the hardcore Kreek-geeks
https://www.folklore.ee/pubte/eraamat/rahvamuusika/en/Introduction-1970
Will investigate, many thanks Richie!
Poor old Nat Birchall.
EVERYTHING he’s put out this year has been nominated in the AW end of year poll and not just by Il Duce. Alas he’s not on Spotify, so I can’t put him on the playlist.
But I’m sure everyone who knows his or her onions will follow duco’s links to Bandcamp (if they don’t already own the records). Well worth the trip!
I felt a bit frustrated too, Sewer. There was the Duke expressing his enthusiasm about an album, and I could not hear a single track. Mercifully, You Tube came to my rescue
And it is splendid, isn’t it? Old school in the best possible way.
Music like this tends to turn up on the Best of the Re-.Releases, not Best of 2020.
A splendid skanky groove with lots of bass combined with exquisitely soulful horns. My Friday evening has been seriously re-ignited.
I like that, and I’m looking forward to the compilations and reissues list to see where another jazzy reggae classic = Joe Higgs’ Life Of Contradiction – and Junior Byles Beat Down Babylon feature.
Hi, Alias,
1. I’m pleased to say that I should be able to launch the Reissues and Archival Recordings list tomorrow (22 December)
2. I have the 2008 Pressure Sounds reissue of Joe Higgs’ Life Of Contradiction, and it is indeed a fab record. I must admit I didn’t realise that it has been reissued again this year.
3. Junior Byles’s “Beat Down Babylon”. Hmmm … yes, I see that was re-released on Doctor Bird, but I’m afraid it’s not on my list, as I didn’t buy it. The only Junior Byles album I have, actually, is the Blood and Fire set “129 Beat Street”.
Please post here @duco01, need more votes!
I will indeed post my Top 3 Reissues/Archival Recordings on your fine poll, dai – before the deadline, but after I’ve got to the end of my full countdown of 19 albums on Wednesday!
Excellent!
Pressure Sounds reissued Life Of contradiction on vinyl recently. Doctor Bird as usual give you the original album plus a ton of extras.
**
Kreek of the Week!
Here’s an Estonian history lesson for you.
Extraordinary!
Wow. Absolutely brilliant KFD. I know so little about the Baltic States and that which distinguishes them. Despite being a geographer through and through, I still struggle to place them in the right order along that coast. It’s still quite rare for their traditions to make it over to the British Isles (and something tells me that ain’t going to improve). I can well imagine how that could be emotionally overpowering to be in the midst of that.
It was a bit of a revelation to me too, Cheshire. I live a lot nearer but have never been to any of the Baltic republics.
I knew that the Estonian language was similar to Finnish and I regard Pärt as one of the giants of modern music, but that was pretty near the lot.
So reading about Kreek was a real door opener for me.
Let’s have some more.
V Greek. C’est chic!
Omnis om Imine
Setu Synphony
Thanks for posting all the Kreek and Estonian info, KFD. V interesting. I have bought a Mendelssohn/Kreek choral CD that features the Psalmen you posted, and also found a Spotify playlist, Sound of Baltic Choir that looks v good too.
Sound of Baltic Choir looks very interesting. Thanks Carolina.
Here’s a link for anyone who is interested.
This may be a stupid question, but how well-known is Arvo Pärt outside of the Baltic region?
I’m presuming he is a household name from Bognor to Buenos Aires.
Back in 1995, the Stockholm International Composer Festival was dedicated to him, so he is very established here.
https://www.konserthuset.se/en/about-us/our-operation/festivals/stockholm-international-composer-festival/
Well I never. There is a Pärt Centre in Estonia. You can even look at a map and see where in the world his music is being performed.
https://www.arvopart.ee/en/arvo-part/performances/
There’s also a useful biography.
https://www.arvopart.ee/en/arvo-part/biography/
In 1984 ECM released Tabula Rasa which was the start of a long and very fruitful co-operation which put both the composer and the label seriously on the map.
I know the name, but couldn’t name or recognise any of his work. For context, I have classical tastes, but they tend to be strongly focussed on a small number of composers.
I am a novice with classical and am still full of prejudice over classic fm cliches. But Part I like a lot, courtesy the wife and her tastes. Here might I recommend a record that may surprise, designed, I guess, more the crossover market who like bit of classical between adverts and the news. Called Nordic Noir, it is all tunes by writers whose music has been used for Scandinavian style detective programmes, featuring the violin of Mari Samuelson. Say what you like, I think it’s great. Here’s some Arvo:
Well, that is certainly an unusual concept for a classical album.
But she is clearly a very talented violinist, so why not?
I am very much in favour of albums that get listeners to venture outside their comfort zones.
Evening all.
Can I suggest a further Estonian composer who deserves to be known more widely, perhaps a bit less ecclesiastical than Arvo Part – Eduard Tubin. Starter for 10:
Now there’s a find, Fitter! Never heard of him.
That music sounds very promising.
Quite a life. He ended his days in exile in Sweden, largely unknown,
I strongly recommend hearing his symphonies.
I saw Neeme Jarvi many times when he was Chief Conductor of the RSNO in the eighties, in Glasgow – I very much enjoyed his live concerts with them and also his recorded Prokofiev cycle with the RSNO on Chandos; and the Sibelius cycle with the Gothenburg orchestra on BIS. That led to the Tubin cycle and I’ve been listening to Tubin’s symphonies ever since, well before I had heard of Part, curiously enough. I suppose I live in my own weird little musical bubble – but it always surprised me how few people seemed to have heard of him, especially given the current (relative) popularity of Nordic/Baltic composers.
To my shame, I have never heard of Neeme Järvi.
Here’s an excellent interview with him and his two sons who are also conductors!
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/a-conducting-dynasty-in-conversation-with-neeme-jarvi-and-his-sons-paavo-and-kristjan
Sounds like a remarkable guy.
I think we all live in our own little musical bubbles which are shaped by the programming at our favourite venues and what our friends recommend, the record shops we go to, our favourite magaazines etc etc.
Thanks to my granny, I’m very much of the Beecham/Barbirolli persuasion. Neeme Jarvi is probably my favourite (living) conductor…I like Petri and Blomstedt as well, so there must be something in the Scandinavian approach which appeals to me…
Beecham / Barbiroli. Interesting….
What will be the cultural legacy of the grannies of 2020?
The Grateful Dead and Slade?
Captain Beefheart and the Incredible String Band?
None of those four are particularly female-friendly acts, KFD.
More likely to be a Carole King and Joni Mitchell cultural legacy.
Interesting. Why is there no button to reply to KFD? Aaargh, he’s blocked me!
Interesting one. I shall be asking my niece and nephew over Christmas what musical influences their granny and grandmaman handed down.
I often find that I only ‘discover’ some of my favourite albums in any given year when I read other people’s end-of-year lists.
NPR (national public radio) in the US drew my attention to this fine album, “The Experience of Repetition as Death” by Clarice Jensen. If you’re a fan of cello-based drones, it’s a winner:
https://claricejensen.bandcamp.com/album/the-experience-of-repetition-as-death
I was about to make a cynical comment about Clarice being the life and soul of any party.
And then I watched this and was immediately won over. A very articulate and charming lady.
Let’s listen to her!
Here she is sharing the Tiny Desk with Carolina Eyck, the first musician to plat the theremin for a TD session.
The Duke and I would be Up the Front if these two came to town
This year’s DuCool list is a gift that keeps on giving.
I was listening to my “sampler” this evening as I went to Konsum to recycle all my empties.
And was gently bowled over by the Gregoire Maret track.
Here’s the “trailer” for the album
And here they are playing Re:Stacks by Bon Iver.
Three superb musicians who are clearly enjoying the chance to play together. Magnificent!
ACT are giving ECM a serious run for their money here.
Walking back from the shops, this John Luther Adams composition came on.
I know that Luther Adams was a Johnny Come Lately and didn’t actually make it onto the list.
But this is quite sublime. The JACK Quartet are ones to watch.
The more I dig into the 2020 Dukelist, the better it gets!
Espen and his trio are quite superb.
What a find! Go on treat yourself!
“Carol King or Joni. ” Good point about what the grannies of today are listening to, Mike.
I suspect my gran listened to Gracie Fields.
Winter Draws On!
A fine folky list from the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/dec/22/the-10-best-folk-albums-of-2020?fbclid=IwAR2brUZNJ6UTJ4-85TKxLSdsOtChpnd_Jv5gZJ3wmVQ4UNZRNrl9eYyT6Eg
Mr Yorkston and bandmates did rather well. And nne other albums here that sound well worth a listen.
Haven’t got round to the Yorkston Thorne Khan. I had been looking forward to catching them at Shrewsbury. I saw them in Manchester a few years back where the vibe of the gig was somewhat compromised by an unwelcome joinererinerer who shouted greetings and acclamation through support and main set until he was escorted from the premises, wile protesting that the rest of the audience was not showing enough enthusiasm and they should be grateful to him for turning up dressed as Jimi Hendrix.
I look forward to seeing them in a calmer setting at Shrewsbury next August.
But Shirley Collins? No no no! The press are being indulgent; it’s like patronising your favourite auntie in her dotage. It’s not even that pleasant to listen to. I will be trying to offload my copy at the next folk club charity evening.
Yes, I saw that 10 Best folk albums list in the Guardian, and found it quite interesting.
Even more interesting was an album mentioned by one of the people making comments below the line, namely “Lysning” by the Norwegian guy Nils Økland, the king of the hardanger fiddle.
http://hubromusic.com/nils-okland-band-lysning/
I have one of Økland’s ECM albums, namely Kjølvatn, and I like it, but I reckon “Lysning” sound even better: a little more left-field and droney – a little reminiscent of Laura Cannell’s wierd violin pieces played in empty Norfolk churches.
I saw Nils Økland just a bit over a year ago, playing a brief set at a Daylight Music show at the Union Chapel. Excellent.
Here’s Laura Cannell playing Daylight Music. Splendid stuff.
I’ve only been the once to DM but it was a great experience. I even met Mike H and Hannah and Si.
Here’s Nils.
Laura Cannell has just been brought to my attention by the most recent Songlines CD, and immediately caught my ear. She fits very well with my current Rheingans Sisters groove. (Groove? That can’t possibly be the best word, but hey.)
@thecheshirecat Your suggestion of the Rheingans Sisters album was excellent,it felt quite wintery, shall check out the Songlines for the Laura Cannell.
I think it was your recommendation.
Higher up this thread, KFD posted a video of Jean-Louis Matinier playing in Anouar Brahem’s great band. Well, playing the piano in that clip is the great French pianist François Couturier. He has a new ECM album out, too – a duo with the German cellist Anja Lechner. The title is “Lontano”.
The CD came out a couple of months ago, but I decided to wait for the vinyl, which finally arrived last week. A very nice ECM pressing – flat and quiet [eek – I’ve been spending too long with the audiophiles on the Steve Hoffman forums!]. After two plays, it sounds really good: a selection of short, delicate, melancholy duets. I reckon that most ECM fans will go for “Lontano”.
Here’s a taster:
That does sound promising.
What with that excellent Kreek CD by Vox Clamantis, and these other releases you have mentioned, it strike me that ECM are in excellent health.
No resting on past merits for them.
Here are Anja and Francois in concert,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSfg3-HhH2k
I’m sure we’ve all discovered lots of great new albums in the past couple of weeks, thanks to various end-of-year lists, etc, but if you’ve got room in your brain for one more top-notch ambient jazz record, try “Crestless” by the Lemon Quartet, an outfit from Akron, Ohio, the city that gave us Devo, Chrissie Hynde, Jim Jarmusch, and quite a lot of other people, probably.
This sounds really good…
https://lemonquartet.bandcamp.com/album/crestless
A good shout. Just downloaded it.
Google and discovered that the Lemon Quartet played a gig at the Akron Art Museum earlier in the year.
This guy collaborates with them. In fact, he seems to be one of them.
https://www.wksu.org/arts-culture/2019-09-05/shuffle-gabriel-schray-embraces-the-mysterious-life-of-the-recording-artist-over-performer
“Schray is currently working with a group called Lemon Quartet that meets every Monday to improvise new music. He said he’s creating an album with the group and is focused on entering the “psychic space” to start a new solo record as well.”
The band are Stephen Clements, Corey Farrow, Gabe Schray, Keith Freund
https://insheepsclothinghifi.com/album/lemon-quartet-crestless/
Very agreeable they are too! I’m listening on Spotify.