Home Articles posted by Ekreader (Page 27)

The Safari Goes “into the morning” with Jim Alfredson’s Dirty Fingers: A Tribute to Big John Patton

So yesterday when I was reviewing this weeks JazzWeek Chart the band at number 23 caught my eye. The band was Jim Alfredson’s Dirty Fingers and their album is A Tribute to Big John Patton. Jim Alfredson, name is familiar, I know  now – Organissimo!! Love their music!! I listened to their latest album Dedicated back in April of this year. Great stuff!! Anyway, I gave A Tribute to Big John Patton a listen this afternoon and loved it, a really good album with as always some fine organ from Jim Alfredson.  And like always listening to the album has led me to…

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Archives: The Music Safari met – Italy’s Elvenking – ERA

So now that I’ve listened to many prog-rock, metal albums on MOG, several albums usually appear on the list of albums “just for me”. So there right next to folk and blues albums are these prog rock albums. Well yesterday, I listened to one of the albums ERA by Elvenking and I really liked it! I’ve written before that it amazes me that prog-rock/metal music is such a world-wide music phenomena and Elvenking reflects that geographical diversity. The band hails from  Sacile, which is located in the northeast corner of Italy. From their biography at Allmusic: Following in the pixie…

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The Safari finds Progressive Metal with a twist in Germany – Toxic Smile’s 7!

With a name like Toxic Smile, the Music Safari expected to meet a group that was going to play some pretty hard-core progressive metal.  What I got was, as ProgArchives describes the band as…  .. ,a progressive rock/ metal act with a twist. They’re clearly trying to embrace the fact that the members are highly inspired by the Neo-Prog of the late ’70s, especially that of GENESIS on “Wind & Wuthering”. Recommended to fans of Symphonic Prog, Neo-Prog as well as regular Progressive Metal. Which is probably is the reason that I liked the album 7  more than I figures I…

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An Essential for 2013 from Echoes – Ludovico Einaudi – In a Time Lapse

  The other day Echoes with John Diliberto issued their list of   25 Essential Echoes CDs for 2013. Atop that list was the album In A Time Lapse, from Ludovico Einaudi,  which I finally listened to today.  It was a very beautiful collection of music that is a perfect soundtrack for my workday, nice a soothing, just the right sound to help keep me calm and focused!! Not knowing anything about Mr, Eindaudi. I first went to his website, where his biography is in his native Italian. Since I was not using Googke Chrome at the time, I left his website…

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Today in Music – Dec 16, 1933 – Johnny “Hammond Smith was born!

When I started writing these birthday pieces my jazz world was limited. Since then I have added a lot more artists to my music library, today’s artist will be another. Born on this date in 1933 was Johnny “Hammond” Smith. From Wikipedia: John Robert Smith (December 16, 1933 – June 4, 1997), also known as Johnny “Hammond” Smith, was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning “Hammond” as a nickname,[1] which also avoided his being confused with jazz guitarist Johnny Smith. Full Biography…

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The Safari listens to the Crossover Prog of Bremen’s Eyevory – Euphobia!

So I either have to study more German or stop listening to prog rock from Germany, because for the second time today I was faced with websites written in  German, the band’s native language. First it was Osta LCVE and tonight it was the band Eyevory. I have been listening today to Euphoria the debut album from the band. Eyevory is a  a progressive folk rock band from Bremen, Germany. They describe their music as a “colorful mixture, combining joyful flute melodies, catchy hooks, hard rocking guitar riffs and complex instrumental arrangements without boundaries and barriers.” The  band was formed  in 2009 as…

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This Day in Music – Dec 14, 1920 – Happy Birthday, Clark Terry!

Clark Terry passed away in 2015 at the age of 95. From Wikipedia: On February 13, 2015, it was announced that Terry had entered hospice care to manage his advanced diabetes.[20] He died on February 21, 2015.[21][22] Writing in The New York Times, Peter Keepnews said Terry “was acclaimed for his impeccable musicianship, loved for his playful spirit and respected for his adaptability. Although his sound on both trumpet and the rounder-toned flugelhorn (which he helped popularize as a jazz instrument) was highly personal and easily identifiable, he managed to fit it snugly into a wide range of musical contexts.”[23]…

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2013 Blues from Down Under – Kara Grainger – “Fire on the Bayou”

So this afternoon’s soundtrack will be the new album from Kara Grainger Shiver & Sigh. Here’s some background from Amazon.com Australia native, now Los Angeles based, Kara Grainger first picked up the guitar at age 12. She started performing in the late ’90s as lead vocalist and guitarist with the successful Sydney-based blues outfit, Papa Lips. With her brother, acclaimed harmonica player Mitch Grainger, Kara and Papa Lips enjoyed a quintessentially Australian experience. Fuelled by national ABC Radio play for their two albums, “Harmony” and “High Time Now,” the band toured up and down the sun drenched beach towns of…

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Archives: Symphonic Prog : Shadow Circus – On a Dark and Stormy Night

Ok so maybe I have to reconsider my approach to music listening when it comes to Prog Rock. Typically, I listen to an album and then go and find out about the artist and their music. With Prog Rock I think it is most time wise to visit their site and read about the album BEFORE listening! You see many prog rock artist don’t create songs, they create albums many times concept albums and even when it’s not a concept album the tracks often are based on something!! This became clear with my latest listen, On a Dark and Stormy…

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Dave Gunning – No More Pennies Great Folk from Canada’s East Coast

  The other night when I was reviewing the East Coast Music Association 2013 Awards, several of the nominees were familiar. One of the familiar artists was Dave Gunning. I don’t remember when I came across his name, but I remember listening to his 2009 release We’re All Leaving. I remember I enjoyed it, but evidently it was one of those albums that I may have listened to all too briefly. and as I listen to it now, I can’t figure out why?? Because what I hear is great. Dave Gunning – Awards Anyway Dave was nominated in several categories…

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