Be-In (1991). Evan Ziporyn /favorite/

I've gotten a little ahead of myself in ripping CDs to MP3 format. As a result, according to iTunes, I had about 1300 tracks I'd never listened to. I have listened to four hundred of those; I'm now a little dazed but keeping at it.

Although not new to me, Be-In is probably my favorite of the first four hundred. I blogged some about it last year. Note that Ziporyn's Melody Competition (prior aworks post) will be played Saturday at the Other Minds Festival (although I won't be able to attend).

Brief notes on other music I've just heard:

• That CD of Allen Ginsberg is better than I expected. Alain Neveux playing Schoenberg also exceeded expectations as well (albeit low ones).
• Why I don't listen to Eric Dolphy more I'm not sure. Some concentrated listening of Hat and Beard among other tracks was enlightening. Definitely on my list of eMusic downloads for next month.
• More Pixies, less Boulez please.
• I need to listen more closely to the music I have of Barney Childs (or was that Donald Martino, I may have them confused).
• The Early Music CD by the Kronos Quartet was consistently interesting.
• Without any liner notes handy, I couldn't make sense of Evan Ziporyn's Shadow Bang. What's the significance of that long frog track?
• Finally, why did I recently rip Journey's Greatest Hits? Did a recent article in SF Weekly about Journey's star being added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame get the best of me? The wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'...

Update: Back in town. However, I fear I've ruined my brain. I don't dare mention it as I am worried about permanent imprint, but song "x" by Journey keeps going through my head on a daily basis. I've tried to erase it from my recall by listening to other Journey songs, some Walter Piston flute music, Hans Zender's orchestrated Winterreise, e.e. cummings, anything. If this doesn't stop, I'll end up as a Oliver Sacks neurological case study, "The Man Who Can Only Remember the Song Stylings of Steve Perry"...

Comments

[Devin Hurd]

Yes, Eric Dolphy has been a big re-discovery for me too lately (starting with a bargain scored at the Berkley Amoeba of _Out To Lunch_ as well). Check out _Conversations_ and _Iron Man_ for what amounts to the great trilogy of Dolphy.

[aaronwez]

Kronos' Early Music - IMHO - is one of, if not the best work they've ever released. I am very fond, also, of their release Howl, and their joining together with Pat Metheny for Different Trains.
If you haven't already, have a listen to Rhymes With Silver (Harrison). Joan Jeanrenaud is a strong presence here on this work commissioned for Mark Morris (Morris always uses live music for his performances rather than recordings and I had the great fortune to see and hear this outstanding work, myself!)