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These pages give me an opportunity to tell people what books and music I
like so that they can go out and support the authors and musicians who
have created them. Many of these books and CDs are available at
Amazon.com and other major distributors, but often they are distributed by
independent artists with their own websites. Please support the music,
books and artists that you love. Your support makes it possible for them
to continue with the work that they are meant to do. If you have any
feedback on books or music or other art forms that you think I would like,
please be in touch. Thank you!
Bar's Music Picks:See also Bar's Book Picks.Hush Sony Music, 1992 The cello is my favorite instrument (besides the piano) and Yo-YO is one of my favorite cellists. Vocals are pretty big for me too, and Bobby is someone who inspires me deeply, so what could be better than a duo of voice(Bobby's) and cello (Yo-Yo's). This CD is an eclectic mix of pieces from Bach to Hendrix, to Rachmaninoff to a lovely version of "Hush Little Baby" which is a traditional folk song. I particularly love listening to Bobby do a vocal rendition of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee". Prince Purple Rain (Warner Brothers) I know I'm showing my age here, but every now and again I go into my CD collection and pull out some old favorite that I haven't listened to for a while and see if I''m still drawn to it. Recently I did that with: U2 The Joshua Tree (Island Records) and Purple Rain by Prince (Warner Brothers). Both knocked my socks off again, but this time it was particular songs that floored me. They floored me way back when and they floor me still. For U2, it's "Running to Stand Still" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Someday, if I ever have a chance to do a cover record (and I hope that I can make that happen) I would love to do a cover of "Running to Stand Still". I'd love to hear a woman (me!) sing that song. Same thing for "Purple Rain", Prince's classic song. What a stunning track. The band is so incredibly on. The energy is so high and so intense. I think Prince is brilliant. When I saw him do the half time show during the 2007 Super Bowl, I was reminded of his genius. He played live and he played in the pouring rain, and his talent was still enormous. What an inspiration to see him be so excellent at the music he clearly loves so dearly. For anyone who is under the age of 25 who might be reading this, make sure you find Prince at some point in your music travels. He had an enormous impact on me and on a lot of people growing up in the 80s and 90s. Halcyon Days Sony Music Entertainment, 2004 www.brucehornsby.com www.columbiarecords.com As a songwriter myself, I try to learn from other songwriters: see how they do things, what works, what doesn't. When I first heard this CD, I thought I couldn't dislike a record more. HOWEVER, after listening to it 3 or 4 more times, it became one of my favorites and one that I think holds genius in its hands. What I learned from this experience is that for all of us quirky, one-of-kind songwriters (Hornsby and myself included), a new CD requires total emersion on the part of the listener before discarding it out of hand. I know that what songwriters like me and Bruce are doing will only appeal to a small portion of the population. Bruce's record reminded me of how important it is to give any one CD my full attention before I chuck it. If I hadn't listened long and hard to this one, I would have missed something that I love very much now. We listen to so much popular music that does not require this kind of attention and so we have lost our skills. But when we take the time, we are rewarded with some pretty great gifts. This is certainly one of them. Horowitz Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon Collector’s Edition www.universalclassics.com My friend Marcy gave me this stunning collection of Vladimir Horowitz's recordings. If you love piano music played by one of the great masters, I highly recommend this anthology. What I love about Horowitz is his humanity. He plays the music like he loves it more than anything. It is full of his heart and soul. I love that every so often there's a clam; I love that there are imperfections and that he and his producers chose not to correct his mistakes in postproduction. His clams are subtle, but all the more moving for their humanity. Advice: play these CDs in your car at a nice listening level and then take off for somewhere a couple of hours away. Turn off your phone. Don't stop for coffee. You'll feel as though you've had your own personal concert with this incredible musician. Also, consider buying Horowitz in Moscow on Deutsche Grammophon. This is a live recording of the concert that Horowitz performed in Moscow after 50+ years away from his beloved country. The energy in the concert hall is palpable and his performance is stunning. This is by far my most-listened-to CD. This concert is included in the collecor’s edition of all of his Deutsch Grammophon recordings, but the mastering is a bit better on this CD so the overall volume level is more satisfying. White Ladder RCA Records www.davidgray.com www.atorecords.com The first time I heard “Babylon”, the single from David Gray’s first release, I literally had to pull over and stop the car to take it in. It was such a breakthrough, I thought. Here was a song that was acoustic but also electronic and produced and all the things I love when I hear a clear pop hit. It was so great to hear a well-written song sung by a distinct voice with simple but sophisticated production. I bought the CD immediately and have enjoyed it over and over again. It helped a LOT when it turned out to be Forrest’s favorite record too! You’re the One Warner Brothers, 2000 What can I say? Paul Simon is pretty much a genius in my book. I have gone in stages with him. In the very early days, I resisted liking him and Garfunkel. It was too sweet for me; too pretty. Imagine me saying that! But as I grew, I heard the depth of Simon’s writing and began to love his work. Later, he put out records that didn’t float my boat, but with this record, he turned me back into a huge fan again. The lyrics are incredible. The playing is fabulous especially the rhythm tracks and his voice is just, well, his voice. So distinct and not perfect, and for me, “not perfect” is a great thing. This record didn’t get that much attention, but I think it’s one of his best. Plays Well with Others Jackpot Music www.unclerock.com www.myspace.com/heyunclerock Uncle Rock is also known as Robert Burke Warren, and he lives here in the Hudson Valley. He has a career as a singer songwriter in the contemporary acoustic market with which he excels, but with his Uncle Rock material, I think he shines very, very bright. When his own son was born, he took to writing rock ‘n’ roll for little people, and he is truly brilliant at it. If you have little people in your life, and your tired of the constant barrage of too-saccharin music that children’s music creators tend to put out, check out Uncle Rock. It’s fun. It’s rockin’. It’s wholesome, and it will definitely make you dance! Appalachian Waltz Sony Music, 1996 This CD is not for everyone, but for those of you who like to listen outside the box, this is a great CD. Yo Yo (cello), Mark (violin), and Edgar (doublebass) are three of the finest musicians in the world and their trio is out of this world. I particularly love the low notes that Edgar Meyer gets out of his instrument. Take this one in and give it some time. It’s truly brilliant and a rare opportunity to hear three players who would not normally play together come together for a unique musical experience.
See also Bar's Book Picks. |
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