I wanted to write about the debate last night and how poorly President Obama did (what a disappointment), but the new job is sucking the energy and creative juices out of me. (My job involves designing and defining new systems, and it involves considerable writing and herding of cats.)
In the meantime, enjoy this musical interlude involving two favorite pieces of two favorite artists.
First up, David Gray, a fairly recent discovery for me (about the time his Draw the Line album came out). This piece, Let the Truth Sting, comes from his first album, A Century Ends. (Interestingly, his first two albums are entirely acoustic, yet—to my ear—they don’t sound entirely acoustic. Impressive!)
Pay attention to the lyrics; they’re awesome and one reason this is a favorite!
Next up, an old friend by one of my favorite jazz artists, Bob James. This piece, Valley of the Shadows, is from his album, One. When I was a film student in college, I wanted to do a film to this piece. It’s so incredibly evocative and almost visual. You can easily imagine the scary journey through the dark valley that ends with a difficult climb into the light.
The way the piece ends with a riff on A Mighty Fortress at the end, and on such a harmonic, melodic tone after the dissonance of the “valley” gives me chills every time I hear it. I hope you enjoy it as well!
I’ll be back when I have enough energy to think straight and type without constant corrections! (You can tell I’m exhausted: no pictures, no links!)
😁
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Logos con carne 
October 5th, 2012 at 3:25 am
Just nice to read and not try to worry.
October 5th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
“What, me worry?” 😀
(If I recall some of our mutual tastes, you’ll know exactly where that quote comes from!)
October 5th, 2012 at 4:59 am
get rested up!
October 5th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Thanks! I try, but then the next week just obliterates me again. And I’m losing about a half of my Saturday taking a couch nap, which makes it even harder to get stuff done. I’m hoping to find some balance in the next few weeks… baseball season is over, so that helps.
October 5th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
It’s Saturday where you are? Where are you?
October 5th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Minnesnowta. Sorry, I had screwed up my plurals… I meant the last two or three SaturdayS. (And possibly tomorrow, too!)
October 5th, 2012 at 5:50 am
See how understanding your women friends are? I was going to say the same. No time? Always wonderful to ‘just’ share music! I love David Gray. Discovered him on Canadian satellite music stations.
Am not so mad about this track though. Babylon’s my favourite. Bob James. Isn’t it great to be contemporaries? I’d forgotten about Bob, but did like him a lot! Bob James & David Sanborn, the Double Vision album from 1986, I knew it well. Am listening on the tube now to Maputo… Thanks for bringing him back to life!
October 5th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I went basically bananas on Gray when I first got into him. Was listening to him so much I had to force myself to stop so I wouldn’t get sick of him (I kind of did that with Little Feat and have never really returned).
What I really like about that track I posted is the first and last parts of the section of lyrics I quoted. The bit about “What I put down in ink… mean no harm…” really hits me where I live (I like the bit about “storm of mankind”). And the idea of the truth as a medicine that stings in the wound is cool to me, too. (But, of course, taste is personal!)
I’ve got that Double Vision album. He’s done a few collaborative works; he did two with Earl Klugh that I like a lot. Very “cool” jazz (in fact, one of the albums they did is called Cool! 🙂
October 5th, 2012 at 6:11 am
And now for something completely different…
Watch watch?v=E58_5-FC3k4 on the tube.
October 6th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
I don’t use YouTube very often, and I can’t seem to figure out how to turn “watch?v=E58_5-FC3k4” into something I can watch… HELP!!
October 7th, 2012 at 8:00 am
I try not to stick a link in replies, so it was a discreet way of displaying it. youtube.com/
followed by watch?v=E58_5-FC3k4
should give you Buika’s ‘Jodida pero contenta!” There are a few versions but this is the one.
October 8th, 2012 at 12:34 am
Oh, I get it now! I wasn’t using the “/watch” path. And after all that, the link doesn’t work in the USA! 😀
I searched Tube for [Buika – Jodida pero contenta] and got some hits that work:
http://youtu.be/3UKw_2pGHmI
Stumbled on this one, too. I like the guitar:
http://youtu.be/pgQBlPgdzY0
A new door opens! Thanks!! 🙂
October 8th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
That one is quite good! I think it’s a sound track from a movie with Javier Bardem, Biutiful? I haven’t seen it yet. I discovered Buika in Canada, also on satellite music. Mi niña Lola blew me away. 🙂
Now I understand why my friend in Canada always sends me youtube links with .be!!!
October 8th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Yeah, the whole DVD and YouTube country authorization thing… [sigh] It always comes down to money.
The first hit I got in YouTube for [Jodida pero contenta] was a very poorly recorded live performance with one off-to-the-side camera angle and, I think, only piano, percussion and Concha Buika singing. It was similar to a parent’s video of their kid’s high school choral performance. Very hard to listen to. I’m really glad I tried a few other links!!