Question: what kinds of music do you listen to besides jazz?

[DawgBone]

I listen to a lot of mid century electric blues (Freddie King lately).

My man!

[pamosmusic]

My man!

Personal favorite King. They can all play … but Freddie’s pipes!

Whew.

[DawgBone]

Personal favorite King. They can all play … but Freddie’s pipes!

Whew.

100% agreed. Also my favorite King.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

100% agreed. Also my favorite King.

No one beats Albert

[DawgBone]

No one beats Albert

My wife agrees with you. We talk about this often here at home. Albert is my very close #2 favorite.

[pamosmusic]

No one beats Albert

I mean … Cross Cut Saw is a work of pure genius.

Cant go wrong with any King.

[DawgBone]

I mean … Cross Cut Saw is a work of pure genius.

Cant go wrong with any King.

I'd say that "the lovingest woman in town" has Albert's hottest licks at their best.

[pamosmusic]

I'd say that "the lovingest woman in town" has Albert's hottest licks at their best.

that’s fair. Cross cut saw is just a groove.

[Babaluma]

I mean … Cross Cut Saw is a work of pure genius.

Cant go wrong with any King.

The original Cross Cut Saw is great but has an odd mix with Alberts vocals very low compared to everything else. I generally listen to the later funk version on I Wanna Get Funky, which gives a tribute to the original groove in the middle with some of Al Jackson's most incredible drumming.

[Babaluma]

This is interesting to think about. After some reflection, I realize that I have very wide listening interests for specific reasons. I am not drawn to metal, hip-hop, rap, or hard country. I AM drawn to music that contains an element of cleverness, surprise and taste. For example, I absolutely worship George Benson, and Wes, love Jonathan Kreisberg and Jesse Van Fuller, Peter Bernstein, Jim Hall and, of course, Pat Metheny and especially Allan Holdsworth.

For more pop orientation, groups like Level 42, Dirty Loops /Jonah Nilsson, Knower, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, vocalist writers like Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, Jarle Bernhoft, etc carry that same thread of taste, surprise, fastidious arranging, and use of great players that seems to be the threshold for my listening pleasure.

Bacharach has to be at the top of that list for sheer brilliance... IMO, he brought sophistication to the masses via pop music in much the same way that Metheny did. (If you have not listened to Trinjtje Oosterhuis with the Jazz Metropole Orchestra singing all the great Bacharach hits, do it now and thank me later.)

While not completely studied in Brazilian music, I love what I've discovered through listening to Jobim, Gilberto, (Joao and Astrid), Getz and Wayne Shorter, arriving at Ivan Lins by way of discovering Leo Amuedo on the Sadowsky site years ago... (strange link to a great discovery), Toninho Horta (via Metheny), Chico Pinheiro, Figuerido, Guinga, Nana Caymmi, Dori Caymmi, Elis Regina, Gilberto Gil.... Of course, Sergio Mendes was my gateway drug into Brazilian music in my youth, along with Herb Alpert ( - still love "the Brass" - puts me in a good mood.)

Same thing happens with Blues and Fusion - I worship Robben Ford and Peter Green, could care less for Buddy Guy; Holdsworth, Henderson, Landau and Krantz have it, Dimeola doesn't. (I'm not a fan of tearing down people with obvious talent and dedication, just naming a few names to illustrate.)

Classical - Debussy, Ravel, Copland, Stravinsky, but also Smetana, Holst, Vaughn Williams, Hindemith, Respighi, Elgar, Grofe, Rimsky Korsakov, Borodin... I'm drawn to story tellers.

Guess the summary is, music that stimulates my imagination by telling a story, surprising me, changing my mood is what brings me back... Not sheer technical prowess, intellectual challenge and especially not by following trends. (The ever present use of pop-country vocal melisma with young singers these days makes me nauseous.... Any example of the Star Spangled Banner at a sporting event in the last 15 years is a good example of lame and uncreative herd following by people who might otherwise have useful ability.)

Time to stop, thanks for stimulating this indulgence, it could go on forever.

Not into Buddy Guy? Have you tried The Complete Vanguard Recordings set? Has three of his best ever albums and the live set smokes

[pamosmusic]

Not into Buddy Guy? Have you tried The Complete Vanguard Recordings set? Has three of his best ever albums and the live set smokes

Saw buddy guy live once. He was probably in his Mid-70s and was 120% stage presence. Absolute gas. Oldest person in his band was probably 30 too.

[Kirk Garrett]

Yesterday I watched a solo acoustic performer playing outdoors in a woodsy setting. Lots of families, kids. Really nice. So I’ve since fired up my Bert Jansch playlists again.

The setting has such a strong influence on what sort of music is played, or what works.


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[frabarmus]

Mainly Jazz, otherwise I listen to Classical music, Renaissance, Baroque and 20th century (skipping much of what's in between). Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Bartok, Stravinsky, Penderecky, Berio...

I also listen to (old) Prog (Gentle Giant, especially...).

And African Music, especially from Mali (especially Salif Keita, Oumou Sangaré and Ali Farka Touré).

Here's a taste of Oumou Sangaré (with guest Bela Fleck), for those of you who don't know her...

(here without Bela Fleck)

[pamosmusic]

Mainly Jazz, otherwise I listen to Classical music, Renaissance, Baroque and 20th century (skipping much of what's in between). Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Bartok, Stravinsky, Penderecky, Berio...

I’ve said this so many times!

Palestrina? Damn right. Da Milano? Absolutely. Scarlatti? Sure. Bach? The very greatest.

But after that I really don’t much care until the late romantics, and nationalists (Rimsky-Korsakov, et al). With the exception, I guess of Beethoven.

[frabarmus]

With the exception, I guess of Beethoven.

I like Beethoven's 6th Symphony (especially the first movement), his String Quartets and the Sonata N° 29 (for Piano) in Bb Major OP. 106

[reventlov]

Lots of jazz, lots of classical music, lots of instrumental country music, lots of instrumental steel string picking and a fair bit of 60s/70s rock.

I also like to keep an eye and ear open for new emerging talent in any genre.

Some names - Handel, Mozart, Ravel, Rodrigo, Britten, Clive Carroll, Brent Mason, Patto, Small Faces, Jeff Beck, Jacob Collier, Ren Gill....and scores more. Right now, Ren Gill is getting a lot of my attention - wonderful, emotive lyrics and total involvement in his performances.

[yebdox]

Saw buddy guy live once. He was probably in his Mid-70s and was 120% stage presence. Absolute gas. Oldest person in his band was probably 30 too.

I get it. Huge respect for his presence, contributions, longevity, etc. Just doesn’t do it for me like any of the Kings, Robben Ford, Peter Green, Matt Schofield. I would never argue with anyone’s taste or try to convince anyone to think differently. It’s just an example of what works for me and what doesn’t, but I can certainly take another listen

[starship9]

So much music out there to love. I especially like psych rock at its trippiest moments, African music (particularly North/West African), minimalism, 90s hip hop, blues before 1970, funk/soul/disco, Jamaican music, and any sort of avant garde weirdness. The list really goes on.

[DawgBone]

I get it. Huge respect for his presence, contributions, longevity, etc. Just doesn’t do it for me like any of the Kings, Robben Ford, Peter Green, Matt Schofield. I would never argue with anyone’s taste or try to convince anyone to think differently. It’s just an example of what works for me and what doesn’t, but I can certainly take another listen

You sound like every retired Florida boomer. A veteran, Buddy Guy, an actual blues player, vs some guitar nerds. I still fail to see the genius in Peter Green. Did he ever play major pentatonics?.... Matt Schofield and Robben Ford are exceedingly boring and Robben has a squeak for a voice. They are guitar players but not entertainers so it's basically "blues" that appeals to whites only and guitar nerds. None of those guys will ever be on the Buddy Guy level. Blues is vocal music and entertainment first. Guitar chops is just a bonus not the focus. Buddy could hit one note and mop the floor with them three. Never mind his vocal ability and massive stage presence. The other two, Robben and Matt look like guys working at starbucks or the public library. There are a bunch of other guys more interesting than that out there right now but most people don't do any digging of their own.

[frabarmus]

So much music out there to love. I especially like psych rock at its trippiest moments, African music (particularly North/West African), minimalism, 90s hip hop, blues before 1970, funk/soul/disco, Jamaican music, and any sort of avant garde weirdness. The list really goes on.

...and I forgot to mention, Frank Zappa, Charles Ives and Steve Reich!

...and I didn't mention Hermeto Pascoal (because I consider him Jazz)

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

You sound like every retired Florida boomer. A veteran, Buddy Guy, an actual blues player, vs some guitar nerds. I still fail to see the genius in Peter Green. Did he ever play major pentatonics?.... Matt Schofield and Robben Ford are exceedingly boring and Robben has a squeak for a voice. They are guitar players but not entertainers so it's basically "blues" that appeals to whites only and guitar nerds. None of those guys will ever be on the Buddy Guy level. Blues is vocal music and entertainment first. Guitar chops is just a bonus not the focus. Buddy could hit one note and mop the floor with them three. Never mind his vocal ability and massive stage presence. The other two, Robben and Matt look like guys working at starbucks or the public library. There are a bunch of other guys more interesting than that out there right now but most people don't do any digging of their own.

I once heard Jimi Hendrix travelled to every Buddy Guy gig he could get to for a while with a tape recorder to tape the shows and to study his stage act.

Another great entertainer was Clarence Gatemouth Brown who (like Buddy Guy) was invited by Carlos Santana to his "Carlos Santana presents Blues" tribute-to-the-heroes-of-his-youth show at the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival.

There is a funny video of him being interviewed by some white high school students:

[DawgBone]

Yeah gatemouth is probably among the most skilled bluesman he just hated being called a bluesman. "Pressure cooker" is a demonstration of his guitar mastery. I knew a guy in Nashville that was in his touring band for a time. Complete monster on his instrument. Ain't no slackers in gates band!

[Babaluma]

Yeah gatemouth is probably among the most skilled bluesman he just hated being called a bluesman. "Pressure cooker" is a demonstration of his guitar mastery. I knew a guy in Nashville that was in his touring band for a time. Complete monster on his instrument. Ain't no slackers in gates band!

Gatemouth is the man!! And Pressure Cooker is probably my fav of his albums, along with the Peacock recordings.

[Babaluma]

Currently it is pretty much 50s blues and R&B.

Gatemouth Brown on Peacock and his comeback albums where he plays everything from zydeco to country and jump blues.

Pee Wee Crayton, very underrated guitarist, sort of a poor man's T-Bone Walker but with a more aggressive and anarchic guitar tone.

Buddy Guy on Chess and Vanguard, yes his guitar playing is great but it is his vocals that kill me!

Otis Rush's album Mourning in the Morning, funky horn driven blues rock.

The "5" Royales, classic vocal group with a killer underrated guitarist and songwriter Lowman Pauling. Check out the tune "Think".

Blues Shouters like Big Joe Turner and various compilations of labels like King and Speciality.

[djg]

Currently it is pretty much 50s blues and R&B.

Gatemouth Brown on Peacock and his comeback albums where he plays everything from zydeco to country and jump blues.

Pee Wee Crayton, very underrated guitarist, sort of a poor man's T-Bone Walker but with a more aggressive and anarchic guitar tone.

Buddy Guy on Chess and Vanguard, yes his guitar playing is great but it is his vocals that kill me!

Otis Rush's album Mourning in the Morning, funky horn driven blues rock.

The "5" Royales, classic vocal group with a killer underrated guitarist and songwriter Lowman Pauling. Check out the tune "Think".

Blues Shouters like Big Joe Turner and various compilations of labels like King and Speciality.

good calls. add little milton:

kid andersen is my favourite among the younger players: