Bart – Very clean Tzadik-sounding improv music. I know its new, Bart mentioned that it was recently released. The pianist is killing it, though I think the trumpet player is the leader. It sounds like Sephardic Jewish Improv music. Could be a modern confection – not a traditional piece, or just a Folk song interpreted in a modern way. The recording and the trumpet sound are like cat nip to Bart, he is looking for those things in recordings – though he confesses to not enjoying the entirety of the album after we listen to this song (his favorite so far). Ibrahim Maloof – “Oui, Je Le Veux”. I guess very multi-kulti, Lebanese & Cuban (Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano) musicians, French title, sounds Muslim/Jewish/Middle Eastern – diversity to discovery.
Nawi – Beautiful, but I am struggling to identify one of the 2 instruments. I thought voice first, then a bowed Asian instrument (that I don’t know the name of) and then towards the end a guitar with effects? That instrument (a guitar) kind of ghosts around the other guitar, which also has moments of sounding a little “off” like an alternate tuning or chorus peddle gone awry. Tolgahan Çoğulu & Sinan Cem Eroğlu – Adanayi Vokhpuh I Microtonal Guitar Duo – This now makes sense to my ears and one of these guys created the adjustable, lego, micro tonal guitar video we watched on a Sesh a few years ago. Pretty lovely too!
Travis – Moody 80’s music from a Scottish Band that Travis says he played a different song of theirs a while ago on a Sesh. I don’t recall that, the voice seems familiar, but this I am into – bouncy synths, somber lyrics, that transport me to my youth. – The Blue Nile – “Stay” – Travis seems a little sentimental over the song too, it sounds like it hit him at the right time and he suggests digging into The Blue Nile further. I’d indulge that recommendation if I notice any of their discs in the stacks.
Dan – Syl Johnson – “Don’t Do It” – Sort of the other artist – beyond Al Green – on Hi Records and this song sounds like a lost Al Green song. Featuring the same production and band will do that, but they still drop the anchor of extreme funkyness on this track. I love finding these tracks that sound like hits, but weren’t, probably because of market saturation. Successful labels had a roster of artists, history remembers the hits (Mr. Johnson had a few himself) and there is a lot of quality music to be discovered by digging beyond the singles on original albums, finding artists who weren’t the biggest performers and searching for recordings that weren’t top sellers. Not everything can be successful, not everything successful is good.
Found Sounds 