In the Stacks (Intro & Key)

I have collected Music for about 40 years, primarily in CD format. I have collected thousands of recordings and continue to be a fan of physical media. As a musician, researcher, composer and an educator of Music I have collected Music I love from a diverse and eclectic array of artists, songs and styles. Collections are meant to be shared and I have long wanted to reconcile what I have collected – search what has influenced me, learn from the masters of the art and offer insight on what interested me about the Music I have purchased. It is a vast and endless passion and I am beginning that process with this casual blog. 

This blog will include:

• Groups of about 12 recordings, loosely alphabetical, jumping between my organizational categories. 
• A short review of thoughts about each recording and an image
• An accompanying playlist of at least a song from each recording covered
• Links to artist, album and a place to purchase if desired – whenever possible
• Two rating systems: A collection of curated emojis and an Overall Score (out of 10, for the Scoring Generation)

I am not attempting anything comprehensive, nor do I expect to complete this project, but I want to create a tribute to the endless discovery of Music and my love for it. I look for beauty in Life and try to focus on what I like. Here I will observe, but not focus on, flaws or things I dislike as well. The intent is to expose people to the Music I collect, learn from it myself, promote it to others – as I do not own or have rights to any of these recordings.

Some Numbers:

• I conservatively estimate my Compact Disc collection at around 8,500 discs
• My top artists, with the most recordings (Over 70 discs at least!) are Miles Davis, Duke Ellington & Prince. They had longevity, talent and proclivity. Rare combo!
• Historically Jazz artists released more recordings than most other genres, I have many artists with 30+ recordings. There are a handful of non-jazz artists as well, like Dylan, Bowie, Marvin Gaye, Country Artists etc. who exhibited longevity, talent and proclivity.
• I dislike genre based organizing philosophically, but I do like knowing where to look when I am in a mood and storing is easier when you divide it up – Guesstimates! 55% Jazz; 25% Popular (Rock/R&B/Rap/Dance etc.); 10% World Musics; 8% Blues/Roots/Folk/Country; 6% Classical; 3% Vocals/Vocalists & 3% Ambient/Electronic/Film
• I collect certain labels, most preciously ♫Blue Note Recordings, I own almost every Blue Note recording up until 1963! Also Smithsonian Folkways 🍏🌾; Verve, Impulse, Mr. Bongo, Fania etc.
• I buy 20-50 CDs every 6-8 weeks. It Grows!! I shop primarily for great covers and have a general wish list + categories of interest (Electronic, Solo Guitar, South American Harp Music etc.

Overall Scoring System:

• There will be very few top scores = 10 out of 10s will be rare indeed
• And very few “below 3” scores (because that’s music I don’t want to listen too, if it’s there its a Guilty Pleasure or for sentimental reasons)
• Anything between a 4-6 is a really good album.
• Recordings above a 6 should appeal to anyone, regardless of genre, special.
• Recordings above an 8 should be sought out, should be heard
• These scores are just my opinions…

Icon/Emoji Key: 

Format:

• ◐ EP, single, under 30 min.
• (No Icon, default) Album, full length 30+ min.
• ➕ Notable Bonus Tracks (beyond the original recorded release)
• ⏺️ Box Set (more than 1 disc)
• ❂ Collection (Songs are varied and compiled from different recordings, not for collections of albums included together)
• ✺ VA – various artists

Popular Music:

🪨Rock

🫧Pop

🪩 Dance  

🔈R&B

🎤Rap

🇯🇲Reggae/Ska/Dub/Dancehall

🌎🫧World Pop

🗣️⎄Singer/Songwriter 

✊🏿Soul

🏄‍♂️Surf

🐠 Exotica

⾾ Punk

𖫪 Funk

🤘Metal

Formal Music:

🎺Jazz – 📣Trad/🦐NOLA/🏌🏿‍♂️Swing/🥁Big Band/🎶Be Bop/𝍍🎶Hard Bop/🆒Cool/⼵Stride & 🦠Boogie/🧫Avant Garde/🫀Organ Combo/🔌Fusion/🔮Contemporary/🇧🇷Bossa/🪘AfroCuban 🌍🎺

🗣️Vocalists + Classical Voice/Opera/Choral/Cabaret/Personality/Leider + 🩰Ballet

🎼Classical – 🏰Ren/🎻Bar/🎼Class/❤️Rom/🔮Mod

Formal Role:

⎄ Composer 

🎭 Performer

• ✪ Iconic Performer

🎨 Arranger or Record Producer

📝 Lyrics/Lyricist 

🗝️ Key figure or recording

People Music:

🇺🇸📣Americana

🌳Roots

🐴Country

🌾Folk 

– 🪶Native

• 🌴Hawaiian
• ⾋ Bluegrass

– 🍏🌾SmithFolk

• 🦐Zydeco 
• 🇬🇧📣UK Trad
• 🏙️Blues
• ⛪️Gospel
• 🦐🎹NOLA Piano

Accompaniment Music:

🌌Ambient/⚡️Electronic/ ✆ Spoken Word/ 🥳Holiday

🎥Film Music: 🎬Score – 🎬Soundtrack – 📼Documentation – 🎞️Soundtracks to Films I Haven’t Seen….

Locations:

🌎World Music (📣Trad>Hybrid<🔮Modern) Specific Flag for Primary Locale

Subs: 🌎🫧📣🔮

• South/Central American/Portugal – 🇧🇷Brazil, 💃🏽Tango, 🇧🇷Bossa/MPB/Tropicalia
• Caribbean/Mexico/Spain – 💃🏽Salsa, 💃🏽Flamenco, 🪘Afro-Cuban
• Europe/Asia & S.E. Asia/Australia – ꧂ Gamelan
• 🌍Africa – 🪮🫧AfroPop

Labels:

⏺ Collect Labels – ♫ Blue Note/Verve/Impulse/Bethlehem/Roulette/Pacific/Mosaic/Savoy/32/ – Ryko/Mr. Bongo/🍏🌾SmithFolk/🌶️Fania/🎺 🎑ECM label

Instrument Specific:

 🎸 Guitar/🎹 Piano/🔌 Electronics/⑇Harp/🎷Saxophone/🪕Banjo/🪗Accordion/🫀Organ/⑉Vibraphone

Specialty Categories:

• ♛ Royals – One of my favorites, I always come back for listens.
• ⌘ Lost Worlds – Rarely explored & worth a visit or world building should be absorbed with other recordings.
• ⚒️ Bangers – They get you going!
• ⌛️Historically Significant – Critical recording of an important event – usually live or important collaboratively.
• 💰Popular Hitz – Has well known, successful songs.
• 🎗️Epitome of a Style – iconic recording that exemplifies a particular style, or stylist.
• 🫂Weird Collabs Alert – unexpected or unlikely collaborations, not “good” collabs where artists continually work together and receive co-credit.
• 𖫪 + 🐴 = 🦄 Funktry – Prince-centric but Funk + Country = Funktry
• 🏋🏽 Power Songz – Songs that lift you up, empower you or prepare you!
• 🎟️ Live Performance – with audience. 
• 🛁 Tub Music – Relaxing, peaceful, for recovery.
• 🧴Cleaning! – Good to clean to!
• 🚘Road Tripz – Good for traveling! 
• 🕳️Groundbreaking – something new happening here.
• 🆑Classic – Something everyone should hear, irregardless of genre or performance.
• 👜For Completists – If it is your bag, you will enjoy.
• 🧀 High Cheeze – Well crafted, beyond embarrassment schmaltz. Multiples up the ante!
• 🕸️ Captured Moments – Important performances captured.
• 🤿 Immersive – You can dive in deep here. 
• 🌃 Quiet – pianissimo.      
• 🃁  Ace – a Perfect Album/Song.
• 👣Humanz – Marvel in our diversity.
• 🫦Face in Pillow Jamz – Sexxxxy stuff.
• 🎧Studio Magic – Sonic beauty, aural vistas.
• ⚖️Truth – Honest playing, unadorned, intimate.                  
• ⚙︎ Irresistible Groove – If you need to ask.
• ⚰️Death – Philosophical depth or actually concerned with endings.
• 🌊Water – Water Songs!
• 📀Long Form/Concept Album – album length concept or connected material – suite, symphony, song cycle etc.
• 📔Awesome Cover Song
• 🔭 Inspirational
• 👁️‍🗨️ I am a witness, Spiritual
• 👁️ Visionary, Cinematic, visual
• 📹 Soundtracks to Films that don’t exist
• 👩🏼‍⚖️ Guilty Pleasure (Judge)
• 🪄 Improvisation focused
• ❤️‍🔥 Love Language – Something that helped build my understanding of Love
• 🎄- Christmas/Holiday Music
• 🎑- Moon Music/wide open spaces
• 🪦- People are always dying/making popular decisions
• ⨻- Multiple Pantheon/Mixed Genre