Log #166 - A Caustic Voice

Paolo Nutini Caustic Love

Sibelius Complete Works for Violin and Orchestra

Satie Piano Music

Debussy Preludes
Granados Goyescas

Debussy Orchestral Music (CD 1)

I really like Paolo Nutini's voice - it has that gravelly souly quality of a Rod Stewart or Joe Cocker. Oh, go on then, a caustic quality.

Caustic Love is his third and most recent album coming out in 2014. He's not prolific, the first two were released thus:

These Streets 2006
Sunny Side Up 2009

In my mind's eye I sort of place him in that hard to define James Morrison, Scott Matthews, category - two other very good souly singers. The music mind map certainly agrees with the former of these comparisons:

Nutini may just be the best of the three but I need to hear more.

For now though I'm loving this track  >>

And the opening track is a stormer too, no doubt a live favourite >>

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Log #83 - An Accidental Masterpiece

After last week's classical excursion Eddy has dug deeper into the piano niche. We have possibly the most famous piano album in the world and one of the most popular - Keith Jarrett's random and accidental improvised The Koln Concert recorded live late one January evening in 1975. Apparently presented with an out of tune and faulty piano at the concert hall Jarrett threatened to pull out but at the last minute was persuaded on stage - the unforeseen restrictions contributing to the creation of a masterpiece of understated jazz minimalism.

What happened with this piano was that I was forced to play in what was — at the time — a new way. 

Of a similar vein is my favourite Philip Glass album. Free of the sometimes grating and frenetic organ or strings this album of 7 minimalist Solo Piano pieces is gorgeous. With simple melodies over sustained chords and peaceful arpeggios and lots of space, the music reminds me of the Michael Nyman soundtrack to the film The Piano. (But it's Philip Glass so cooler really).

I've heard pianist friends of mine saying this sort of music is easy to play but that misses the point. It's like saying The Jam or Depeche Mode have less validity than Genesis or Aphex Twin as their music is simpler.

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1. Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert

2. Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 1 and 3

3. Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Chants for the Chief

4. Steve Hillage - Rainbow Dome Musick

5. Philip Glass - Solo Piano

6. Erik Satie -  Piano Music

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To read a comprehensive analysis of the story behind Keith Jarrett's Koln Concert please see this article>>

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