McCoy Tyner - Lugano Jazz Festival (2005) (mp3, 128kbps)

Another thunderously powerful show from a true master. Whether you're hearing him with a big band, as a trio, or in an an all-star quintet, as here, he always BRINGS it. This is right off the radio, so the quality is basically an A+.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tyner's shtick, this is very much in the feel eraly 60's Coltrane Quartet. This is not avant garde noise exploration. On the contrary, there is beautiful melody and composition that you will like right away. But it is all INTENSE. McCoy has a heavy touch, and even here, at the age of 68, the bop is as hard as ever.

1. Soulstice (10:19)
2. Manalyuca (13:02)
3. Blues On The Corner (9:40)
4. Angelina (20:16)
5. Moment's Notice (8:12)
6. Ballad For Aisha (12:27)

McCoy Tyner - piano
Gary Bart - alto sax
Ravi Coltrane - tenor sax
Charnett Moffett - bass
Eric Gravatt - drums

The link is in the comments.

S.B.B. - Göttingen - Alte Ziegelei Live'77 (released 2004) (mp3, vbr)

Even today, S.B.B. are all about the 'official' bootleg. That was necessitated by their extraordinary live show. This was a prog band with great musicianship and love for jazz. In the live settings, the songs were more akin to 'heads' around which the band's dynamic mission would take place - S.B.B. equals Search, Build, Break. As far as what I've heard, that was something they did far more successfully live. I guess studio time was a bit expensive for too much 'Search'-ing.

Between 1974 and 1980, this band created a lot of extraordinary music, both in the studio and on the road. We are now enjoying a new wave of live releases from this period, which includes shows from Koln, Marburg, and Nekargamund, all in this special period, all with the band at the height of its powers. There is also a brand, spanking new studio album, which is pretty damn good - 'Iron Curtain'. This will actually be released in the states in a few weeks, and he European version I've heard shows there's still a fire in Józef Skrzek's 60 year old belly.

This one's more essential listening. A little on the early side of when things started to get really good. This is before Piwowar joined, so it's just Antymos on guitar, and he shreds mightily. Józef Skrzek is his usual outrageous self, sort of a mix between Tony Banks and a Polish, bass playing Joe Cocker. Check him out on Youtube for the full effect. You're not exactly dealing with Joe Zawinul here.

1. Ze słowem biegnę do Ciebie - introdukcja
2. Toczy się koło historii
3. Wolność z nami - temat
4. Światłowód
5. W kołysce dłoni Twych (Pretty Face)
6. Follow My Dream (instr.)
7. Follow Our Music - bass solo
8. Odejście - finał
9. Drums solo
10. Freedom With Us
11. Wołanie o brzęk szkła - finał
12. Coda
13. I Want Somebody (bonus track)

Line-up/Musicians
Józef Skrzek / vocals, keyboards, bass, harmonica
Apostolis Antymos / guitar
Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion & drum

The link is in the comments.

Sylbat - Mara (2008) (mp3, 128 kbps)

New prog from France, and it's tasty. They cite Mahavishnu, King Crimson and Weather Report as influential, and you can hear that, but the band's composition is something different than any of those acts. First of all, there is no keyboard. Instead, there is a prominent electric harp that carries off much of the Zawinul-esque texture. This gives the music, which is groove and jam oriented, an almost Celtic flair that really drew me right in.

The other exciting thing about the band's composition is that the harpist and the guitarist are both young women - that is not something normally associated with prog. Oh sure, we have the tradition of female vocalists going all the way back to Annie Haslam and Rennaissance, but this is an instrumental outfit.

Regardless of gender, the result is a very satisfying groove that varies in dynamics in a way that certainly recalls the legendary collaboration of Zawinul and Shorter. In the same way that those musicians evolved the vision of Miles Davis, Sylbat is looking to, once again, push the envelope with something that is both technically exciting and emotionally engaging. I can't wait to see what they do next.

1. Bull Machine (6:35)
2. Gigue Hantesque (5:29)
3. Magmafrica (7:41)
4. Menn (5:38)
5. Androide (7:12)
6. Transfert (1:02)
7. Tour D'ivoire (6:52)
8. Marche Des Sept Pas (5:27)
9. Valse Des Loups (6:10)
10. Mara (2:17)

Line-up/Musicians
- Clotilde Trouillaud / electroharp
- Patrick Boileau / drums
- Hilaire Rama / bass
- Hélène Brunet / guitar

The link is in the comments.

Albert King - Live Wire/Blues Power (1968) (mp3, 320kbps)

Let me just put it this way - this is the best blues record of all time. How's that for bold? How's that for extreme? Well, let me, maybe, take it one further - is there a better 36 minutes of guitar in any style, anywhere, ever?

Listen for yourself and decide. That's what I did about twenty-plus years ago when I was just learning to play guitar. I did not decide to like the blues. No one listened to the blues in my house when I was a little boy. I listened to rock and pop and whatever else was on the radio. In the early 80's I discovered Eric Clapton and that started me going backwards to the blues REAL fast. And then I found this record, and it was all over. When I heard, this the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up and I knew that I had been chosen, chosen by the blues.

This isn't the jazzy single-note bounce that BB was doing. This is Texas. This is a six and a half foot giant southpaw with a right-hander's Flying V named Lucy. And he even strung it for a righty and then he just flipped it over. No one had ever done that before. There was no frame of reference for that style. Albert had to reinvent the finger-to-note relationship. A few have tried to replicate the feat, but no one has acheived any notoriety playing this way. Even Jimi Hendrix, who was a lefty playing a right-handed guitar, strung it backwards so it would make sense. Albert King made his own sense.

The result is a stinging, searing solo style that just goes on and on. It's a sound that can peal the paint of your walls, remove the fillings in your teeth and rearrange internal organs. That's Blues Power.

"Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock) – 4:04
"Blues Power" (King) – 10:18
"Night Stomp" (Raymond Jackson, King) – 5:49
"Blues At Sunrise" (King) – 8:44
"Please Love Me" (B.B. King, Jules Taub) – 4:01
"Look Out" (King) – 5:20

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Willie James Exon – Guitar
James Washington – Organ
Roosevelt Pointer – Bass
Theotis Morgan – drums

Produced by Al Jackson

The link is in the comments.

Lindsey Buckingham - The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992) (mp3, 160kbps)

I've been playing guitar for a few decades and few things make me happier. It takes me back to the innocence of my youth, when we used to ask each other questions like, "Who would you rather be, Superman or Luke Skywalker?" Well, I wouldn't want to be Lindsey, but if there's one guitarist's super powers I would like, it's this guy. I loved the dark curly hair, the custom-made Rick Turner guitars and that unstoppable, God-given talent. He could play, he could sing, he could write, he could produce - he did it all!! And the amazing thing is he's still doing it all as good as ever. Simply put, Lindsey is a monster.

Which brings us to this post. This is a soundboard-quality recording from the tour that supported 1992's Out Of The Cradle. That's a tremendous record which gives a perfect blend of the top-notch pop sensibilities, mixed with a fierce helping of the avant garde. It's an extreme studio record, with tons of overdubs, crazy percussion and dazzling, dizzying guitar. The tour was Lindsey's first as a solo artist and he was clearly tentative, not in his performance (always manic and intense) but in the scope. There were only a handful of dates and I thenk he even played as an opening act. His more recent outings have shown a much more cohesive, band-oriented approach to the live show.

But when I listen back to this perfect sounding show, I'm really taken at how well he pulled it off. The band looked unwieldy on stage (lots of extra guitars and vocals) but the sound is right where it should be. This is a great mix of the solo stuff (focusing on 'Out of the Cradle') and the obligatory Fleetwood Mac standards. His audience will never let him play a show without getting to hear 'Go Your Own Way'. It all comes across beautifully, so PLAY IT LOUD. That's what my Dad did back in the 70's and I've been loving it ever since.

Quality: A Live soundboard recording, unknown date and venue

Big Love
[Go Insane] - missing from this recording
Don't Look Down
The Chain
Trouble
Tusk
You Do or You Don't
I'm So Afraid
Street of Dreams
Never Going Back Again
All My Sorrows
This is the Time
Go Your Own Way
Eyes of the World
Soul Drifter

James Booker - Blues & Ragtime From New Orleans (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

Here's the other record from the same set of shows as the lp featured below. Just a quick note on the performance. Any bad behavior has been clipped out of this pair, which is fine. You just get sheer virtuosity, encompassing the classical training and the baddest boogie woogie ever. He blends all his considerable skills on these two records.

I also have nice scans of the back of the lp sleeves. If they are wanted, I will make them available.

1. Desitively Bonnaroo / Right Place Wrong Time
2. Tico Tico
3. Wake Up Mr. Moon Man
4. Save Your Love / Lonely Avenue
5. All By Myself / I'm In Love Again / Four Winds / Such A Wonderful Feeling
6. People Get Ready
7. Besame Mucho / Until The Real Thing Comes Along
8. Love Monkey / Feel So Bad
9. Ora
10. Baby Won't You Please Come Home

James Booker - The Piano Prince of New Orleans (1976) (mp3 160kbps)

What an outstanding treat. I feel like I'm sitting on a gold mine with these two posts. A few years ago the Dime coughed up this gem, indicating that it was a solo piano show by Mr. Booker emanating from a soundboard or FM source. The dates of the shows are October 29th and 30th, 1976. I made mp3 of this show available way back in the days of my comcast.net version of mpomy.com. That relic had 'Jazz and Blues Fridays', which then lead to the 'Prog Listening Group', which it still up and running and has plenty of tasty musical treats.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the content off of the old comcast.net page. The links are there, but the music is not. Worse still, Googling this show brings up that same old page - with links but no music. I've even had a request for these from some unknown music-lover. I would never have thought this item was so rare, but a quick search revealed zero good sources.

This morning, I finally found my copies of the disks, only having undergone lossless conversion. When I looked for info on these steller performances, I quickly found out why they sound so amazing. Excerpts of the two dates appear to have been released as two live albums in Germany. Good luck trying to get your hands on THAT vinyl!

So here's disc one - 'The Piano Prince of New Orleans'

1. Life
2. One Helluva Nerve
3. United Our Thing Will Stand
4. Slowly But Surely
5. Too Much Blues
6. Junko Partner
7. Classified
8. Stormy Monday
9. Sixty Minute Man / You Talk Too Much
10. Please Send Me Someone to Love

Vangelis - Albedo 0.39 (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

This instrumental, analog masterpiece could only have become a charting lp (#18 on UK Charts) in the glorious '70's. The success of this album touched off extraordinary soundtrack success, including an Oscar for Chariots of Fire. The sound pallet and melodic sense that you may recognize from Chariots of Fire is present in this earlier work, but the shorter works, conceived without pictures, is more comfortably in the realm of prog. He certainly gives the drums a good workout in 'Main Sequence', 'Alpha' and both parts of 'Nucleogenesis'. There are no guest musicians at any point on this record, only Vangelis' engineer giving the narration on the title track.

"Pulstar" – 5:45
"Freefall" – 2:20
"Mare Tranquillitatis" – 1:45
"Main Sequence" – 8:15
"Sword of Orion" – 2:05
"Alpha" – 5:45
"Nucleogenesis (Part One)" – 6:15
"Nucleogenesis (Part Two)" – 5:50
"Albedo 0.39" – 4:30

Amon Tobin - Supermodified (2000) (mp3, 128 kbps)

This is a devastating piece of electronica from a time when the genre was starting to loose some of it's popularity. Squarepusher and The Prodigy had broken through in 1997 and every major artist from U2 to Madonna was hiring a DJ to give their record that modern sound.

Tobin was different. He came from Canada, not England, and he exploited his family's Brazilian roots. He was also shameless about his deep held love of jazz and wanted to bring that sensibility to his electronic music. As a result, the soundscape is very organic. His drum patterns, in particular, give a decent approximation of the real thing, but the rest of the music brings a very heavy vibe that, especially on this record, suggests living machines.

To my ears, this record was the pinnacle. Since Supermodified's release, Tobin has engaged in more experimental pursuits, including music for a video game and a record comprised of found noise. The result is always innovative and forceful. this is NOT a tenative artist. Check it all out if you like this selection, but for me, this one is hard to top.

"Get Your Snack On" – 4:22
"Four Ton Mantis" – 4:45
"Slowly" – 5:37
"Marine Machines" – 5:45
"Golfer vrs Boxer" – 6:17
"Deo" – 6:44
"Precursor" featuring Quadraceptor – 4:39
"Saboteur" – 5:18
"Chocolate Lovely" – 6:03
"Rhino Jockey" – 7:28
"Keepin' It Steel (The Anvil Track)" – 4:29
"Natureland" – 5:48

All music composed, arranged, performed and produced by Amon Tobin.

Miles Davis - Juan les Pins Jazz Fest, Antibes (1969) (mp3, 160 kbps)

Directions - 6:00
Miles Runs the Voodoo Down - 9:17
Milestones - 13:45
Footprints - 11:44
'Round Midnight - 8:51
It's about That Time - 9:30
Sanctuary - The Theme - 4:53

Miles Davis trumpet
Wayne Shorter soprano & tenor saxophones
Chick Corea electric piano
Dave Holland bass
Jack DeJohnette drums

July 25, 1969 Juan les Pins Jazz Festival, Antibes

Max Roach - Members, Don't Git Weary (1968) (mp3, 128kbps)

1. Abstrutions
2. Libra
3. Effi
4. Equipoise
5. Members, Don't Git Weary
6. Absolutions

Bass [Electric Bass] - Jymie Merritt
Drums - Max Roach
Piano - Stanley Cowell
Saxophone [Alto] - Gary Bartz
Trumpet - Charles Tolliver
Producer - Joel Dorn

Albert King - I wanna Get Funky (1974) (mp3, 192kbps)

1. I Wanna Get Funky (Clifton William Smith) – 5:08
2. Playing on Me (Sir Mack Rice) – 3:25
3. Walking the Back Streets and Crying (Sandy Jones) – 6:28
4. 'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone (Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell) – 7:32
5. Flat Tire (Henry Bush, Booker T. Jones, Albert King) – 4:43
6. I Can't Hear Nothing But the Blues (Henry Bush, Clark) – 4:16
7. Travelin' Man (Albert King) – 2:52
8. Crosscut Saw (R.G. Ford) – 7:45
9. That's What the Blues Is All About (Bobby Patterson, Jerry Strickland) – 3:53

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Donald Kinsey (name on album credits incorrectly spelled as "Donald Kenzie") – Guitar
Memphis Symphony Orchestra – Strings
The Memphis Horns – Horns
The Bar-Kays, The Movement – Rhythm section
Hot Buttered Soul, Henry Bush – Background vocals

Recorded Memphis, TN, 1972

Roy Buchanan - My Father's Place, Roslyn, New York 5/6/78 (AAC/mp4, 128 kbps)

This is stinging blues from a master of both soaring technique and burning passion on a custom telecaster turned all the way up. Read more about Roy and his unfortunate end, or just sit back in wonder (esp. on 'The Messiah...') as you listen to the greatest unknown guitar player in the world.

1. Soundcheck
2. Just Got Back From New York (Soundcheck)
3. Introduction
4. Further On Up The Road
5. Soul Dressing
6. I'm A Ram/I'm Evil
7. Walkin' Talkin'
8. Baby Won't You Tell Me Wehre You're At
9. Can I Change My Mind
10. Hey Joe/Foxy Lady
11. Slow Down
12. The Messiah Will Come Again
13. Crowd
14. Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
15. Outro

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (1970) (mp3, 320kbps)

Freddie Hubbard was undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. His trumpet playing went in a different direction from Miles, though he did not sacrifice commercial success. His sound was so string and confident. I saw him one in the '90's at a concert on Penn's Landing. It was a hot sunny day and the outdoor event included a special dual (duel) performance by the always natty Wynton Marsalis, and the (then) slightly full-figured Hubbard who wore comfortable slacks or jeans and a JVC Jazz Fest t-shirt from some untold number of years ago. It didn't fit him very well. The duel featured Wynton first, and he was measured yet sublime. For Hubbard's solo, he first played all of the notes from Wynton's solo, then elevated the jam to a whole new direction.

Hubbard's involvement with the CTI label yielded some extraordinary work. He was a confident and purposeful band-leader who knew how to get the most out of a session. In my opinion, Red Clay is his best solo album, but his work with Coltrane, Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy and Herbie Hancock all stand out. He was a giant and he will be missed. Freddie Hubbard: 7 April 1938 – 29 December 2008.

"Red Clay" (Hubbard) - 12:11
"Delphia" (Hubbard) - 7:23
"Suite Sioux" (Hubbard) - 8:38
"The Intrepid Fox" (Hubbard) - 10:45
"Cold Turkey" (John Lennon) - 10:27
"Red Clay" (Hubbard) (alt take) - 18:46

Fish - Vigil In The Wilderness Of Mirrors (1989) (mp3, 320kbps)

Looks like Fish may be taking some very-well deserved time off. The worry is that he may have a much bigger problem as a result of being on the road so long, performing so many shows, living the rock-star life, and always giving so much of himself to the audience during studio sessions and live performances. One forum has used the term 'cancer-scare', but Fish's own recent statements paint a picture that is much less bleak.

This is his first solo record after leaving Marillion and it's a real killer. He was still young and hungry. These could have all been great Marillion songs. They don't have that extra-Fish-y quality of his later writing, but this transition period represents an exciting time for the artist and some great music.

1. "Vigil" (Dick/Simmonds) - 8:43
2. "Big Wedge" (Dick/Simmonds) - 5:19
3. "State Of Mind" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 4:42
4. "The Company" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:04
5. "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:15
6. "The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:42
7. "Family Business" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 5:14
8. "View From The Hill" (Dick/Gers) - 6:38
9. "Cliché" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 7:01

Robert Fripp String Quintet - Soundscape (Tokyo '92) (mp3 160kbps)

Back in 1992 I was a sophomore in college and starting to discover and develop my musical personality. This period in my life helped to define the kind of music I would want to play and listen to for the rest of my life (so far).

On a whim, a friend and I went to the TLA on South Street to see a Fripp solo show. We knew and liked King Crimson, but there was no King Crimson back then, so this was the best we could do. I knew what Frippertronics were and liked ‘No Pussyfooting’ and ‘Evening Star’. I had never heard of Soundscapes, but I could sort of figure out what that meant. The California Guitar Trio, which I thought was an opening act was a band that may have had one album at most.

So there we were, having no real idea what to expect. Although the attached post is from Tokyo, it is the most reliable indicator of what we heard on South Street that night. Alternating ‘soundscapes’ that traveled the emotional depths of new age and avant garde, to the surf-inflected classical lockstep of the trio, banging through three minute arrangements with ferocity, wit and extreme dexterity.

So there they were, five musicians on stage: a plucky trio conjuring the spirit of Leo Kottke from three acoustic guitars, a tall and swaying touch bass player and the old master himself, with computers, racks, pedals, effects, synths and his guitar. They would watch each other with measured silence when not performing, and then push each other to new heights when all combined. It had a holy air and I said, at the time, I don’t what any of this is, but I know that I really like it.

There is an ‘official’ release from this tour called The Bridge Between. That’s a good name considering that this project takes the listener from a quieter period in Fripp’s career to the reemergence of King Crimson in ’96. That record always sounded too thin to me and lacked the organic beauty – the woody-ness, if you will – of this bootleg I got on Bleeker Street so many years ago. Though not an official release, this is one of the best and most accessible Fripp releases out there. Listen with joy to the performance and sound quality!

Recorded live at TFM Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 11 November 1992.

1. Soundscape
2. Yamanashi Blues
3. Melrose Avenue
4. Kan-On-Power
5. Firescape
6. An Easy way
7. Moving Force
8. Asturias
9. Walk don't run
10. Chromatic fantasy
11. Contrapunctus
12. Eye of the needle
13. Blockhead
14. Hope
15. Urban scape
16. Pipeline
17. Kan-On-Power

Robert Fripp (guitar)
Trey Gunn (stick)
Bert Lams (guitar)
Paul Richards (guitar)
Hedeyo Moriya (guitar)

Brand X - Rated X (Bottom Line, NYC, 1978) (AAC 128kbps)

Sorry about the cover. I couldn't find a larger jpg online. I'll have to scan mine for a better image that you can all download and enjoy. It's raunchy.

Brand X was the British fusion outfit that grew out of Phil Collins' need to go outside the confines of Genesis, starting in the mid-'70's. They made three great records with Phil, but he soon became too busy to keep up with both Genesis and Brand X. While Phil's star power (such as it was back then) may have helped get Brand X on the map, it was the stellar ability of the other musicians in the band that made it more than just another fusion band from the 70's.

When I first started listening to this band, I was absolutely knocked out by the 'unorthodox' bass playing of Percy Jones. His approach on fretless is pretty avant garde compared to Jaco and some other fretless bass giants. Percy uses a stuttering, sliding, gliding technique that goes in and out of the melody and rhythm. It is amazing and complements the percussion of Morris Pert so perfectly, at times they sound like one instrument on this set.

Percy is absolutely fierce, but often took a back seat to the McLaughlin-inflected guitar pyrotechnics of John Goodsal. On this particular night, Goodsal was under the weather and guitarist Mike Miller came in with a very understated style that, instead of taking up lots of space with showcasing licks and solos, he keeps back and lets the band regulars, especially Percy, go to town on this Halloween show.

One other thing. Phil had moved on by this date, but the drummer on this particular night was the incomparable Mike Clark of 'Headhunters' fame. This band burned righteously.

Brand X - live at the Bottom Line, NYC
October 31, 1978

B/Percy Jones
G/Mike Miller
Key/Peter Robinson
D/Mike Clarke
Per/Morris Pert

1.The Ghost Of Mayfield Lodge (18:05)
2.Earth Dance (14:07)
3.Black Moon (8:46)
4.Nuclear Burn (12:07)
5.Deadly Nightshade (19:53)

Frank Zappa - Piquantique (1973) (aac/m4a 128kbps)

There is something that fascinates me about the short time Zappa spent working with Jean-luc Ponty. I don't know if he had ever had such a talented musician in his band up to that point. Ian Underwood, who appears on these recordings comes to mind, but more for the number of things he could do well, as opposed to his extraordinary talent on any one instrument. George Duke may be in the same class as Ponty, but he really comes into his own as a bandmember in the next two or three years.

Ponty was not the crazed lunatic that often appeared in The Mothers. he wore an argyle sweater vest. His entry in Waka Jawiki states hat he and Frank did not part as friends, but that it's clear they both benefited from the relationship. Obviously, Ponty went on to huge success as a fusion guy who incorporated a lot of Frank's progressive ideas. But what did Frank get?

There is so much confidence in Ponty's soloing, that I imagine I can almost hear Zappa trying to chase him down. The short solos on RDNZL are a great example.

But it's on Father O'blivion that things really go to another planet. There's plenty of room for fantastic jams and it's clear that Jean-Luc relishes taking the spotlight away from the flamboyant band leader for a soaring melodic journey that finally envelopes the whole band. This whole joyful process begins around the 2:00 minute mark.

The 'march thet eats my starch' takes up a good chuck of the next few minutes after the solo and gives the band a chance to space out. This eventually resolves into nice little boogie with the aid of a few echo units. Again, and almost without warning, Ponty comes out with another face-melter. This insanity starts around the 10:00 minute mark.

Ponty eventually gives way and he and Zappa go back and forth in a twisted tribute to the band that Ponty would soon join. The result, however, sounds nothing like Jerry Goodman or John McLaughlin. Zappa has to wrestle the band back from his 'guest star', but proceeds to put his thing down for only a few measures, at which point it's time to explore the percussion part of the piece. First vibes, then acrobatics from the whole band and then a fine drum solo by Ralph Humphries - one of Frank's most underrated drummers.

The finale is a beautiful statement of the melody, incorporating bits from Gregory Pecry and other stuff floating around the master's head. He's so proud of it, he makes the band play it twice.

This is a transitional moment for Zappa, and it is extremely well-documented in compact, and listenable form. It sounds like a 35 year old bootleg because that's what it is. But it's also a document of some of the finest playing by two renowned musicians who clearly shared a great respect.

1. Kung Fu (02:14)
2. Redunzl (04:25)
3. Dupree's Paradise (11:26)
4. T'Mershi Duween (01:56)
5. Father O'Blivion (20:41)

Live recording from Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm August 21 1973 with the exception of T'Mershi Duween, the location and date of which are unknown.

Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals)
George Duke (keyboards)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Tom Fowler (bass)
Ralph Humphrey (drums)
Jean-Luc Ponty (violin)
Ian Underwood (woodwinds)
Ruth Underwood (percussion)

Pink Floyd - In A Neutral Land (12/9/72) - m4a/AAC 128kbps

Pink Floyd bootlegs were a real onramp for my music collecting. they were readily available and the music was a little different each night. Plus, they worked out new material extensively on the road before going into the studio. There is no better example of this than Dark Side of The Moon. The record is released on March 17, 1973, but the music was performed countless times all during 1972. This was without extra musicians of vocalists (which would come on the '74-'75 tour), so The Great Gig In The Sky was obviously very different. There was also more extended improvisation during On The Run and Any Colour You Like. this was a band either at its peak or very close.

This recording is from the audience, but the quality, while a bit rough around the edges, is still very good to excellent. Everything is clear and the speed (a common affliction among some older recordings) sounds pretty spot-on.

So you've got all of Dark Side, in it's pre-release version; you've got all of Echoes, and a great version at that; and you've got Childhood's End, which was played pretty rarely. There are A LOT of Pink Floyd boots out there and this might be one of the best from their most exciting era.

Trilok Gurtu - Arkeology (2007) (mp3 320kbps)

You've gotta love Trilok.  Born in 1951, the son of professional musicians in Bombay.  He is trained by one of the foremost tabla masters and appears to have a promising career as a music professional when he veers off and starts playing jazz.  He listened to western fusion and world music, but had no multi-track recorder, so he started playing everything at the same time.  This man could play a western drum kit in any style and sound completely convincing.  That single instrument however, restrains the pure experience of bringing music into being.

On this record he's challenging himself and the listener yet again, but the context is pastoral, the strings playing a soft portrayal of inner peace.  And then there are times when the fury of Gurtu's talent spills over to his band mates and the whole thing starts to elevate a bit.  One reviewer accurately states:

While the chamber music resonances are clear enough, there is a fascinating composite vocabulary that emerges with many pieces steeped in a Mediterranean, quasi-folkish sound that is both rousingly danceable and emotively lyrical

Another review describes the outcome in the context of other influences:

Crossing strings and tablas with the Arke String Quartet, their stirring tunes imply Indian, Balkan and Celtic rhythms, in asymmetric time signatures that suit Gurtu right down to the last demisemiquaver.

Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to see him do his magic act, which included a metal pail of water, assorted gongs, beads, necklaces, drums of every size, including western style drumheads closely mic'd for a walloping effect. His instrumentation often includes his own voice in sacred chants of counting and rhythm.

The Arke String Quartet and Trilok have gone their separate ways, but the Italian group's MySpace proudly indicates its recent association with the restless boy from Bombay, who is already seeking new challenges and breaking new ground.  This quiet stop on his musical journey is one of the best so far.

1. Balahto
2. Nanda (To My Mother)
3. Kermansah
4. Dea
5. Fes
6. Taranta Suite
7. Yoragathupaga
8. Folded Hands
9. Skopje
10. Sveva