#him along with the producers created a masterpiece of an album that will stay close to my heart forever

[jimimn]

I'm just so so so so so incredibly proud of jimin :((((

[newmusickarl]

Album & EP Recommendations

Album of the Week: For Those I Love by For Those I Love

“I have a love,

And it never fades,

I have a love full of flames that rage,

I have a love that never turns,

I have a love that burns.”

-          You Stayed/To Live, For Those I Love

Every once in a while, an album will come along that is just undeniably special. The debut album from Dublin-based producer and songwriter David Balfe is very much that album.

This is a record that is both heart-breaking and uplifting in equal measure. Pensive and euphoric. A record to be enjoyed at a deep, introspective level but also one in which you can just switch off and get lost in the glorious sounds that are on display. An album about life, love, loss, and everything in-between.

To really get to the heart of this album though, it is important to first know the tragic context of its inception. In 2018, David Balfe’s best friend since childhood and musical collaborator Paul Curran took his own life. Overwhelmed by the loss, Balfe would escape to his parents’ shed where himself and Paul used to create their music as teenagers. Hiding himself away in that shed, Balfe started crafting new music, outpouring all his thoughts and emotions into it; his upbringing in Ireland, his family, his friendship with Paul, his grief - ultimately all the memories of these he now carries with him.

Out of this intensive period of song writing came over 70 songs that were eventually whittled down to the nine that make up this masterpiece of an album. Named For Those I Love, the project was made for his family and friends and was first shared with them a little while ago. Now, Balfe has shared this project with the world and the world will be grateful that he did. This is because despite being an intensely personal record, one where Balfe’s own life and emotions are deeply intertwined into the fabric of every lyric and verse here, the message and music are universal. This album is for everyone who has ever suffered a loss, and those that have yet to experience such grief.

Now you’re probably expecting from that build up that this album is quite an overwhelming or harrowing listen, but it really is not. The heavy weight of the thematic and lyrical content, which is beautifully poetic in its delivery, is balanced out perfectly by the house beats and celebratory dance music that accompanies it. Sonically, you can compare this to The Streets and Fontaines D.C. joining forces with Burial and Four Tet to craft something entirely profound and totally unique. This is an emotional record yes, but Balfe’s love letter to his friends and family also makes for an uplifting and life-affirming experience.

Because of how this album plays out, its hard to pick one or two tracks to highlight as I would normally do – the odyssey and joy this album will give you is the highlight. However, the three tracks (I Have A Love, You Stayed/To Live and Leave Me Not Love) forged around the beautiful central refrain of “I have a love and it never fades” that begins and bookends the album, those are the ones that ultimately end up resonating the most.  

It’s hard to say where Balfe will go from here – for him, much like one of his inspirations Burial after making Untrue, he may decide to not make another record and focus his creativity elsewhere. With the identity of this musical persona so engrained in this particular record and the time in which it was made, it would be hard to make a direct follow up. That said, if this is a one and done project for Balfe, he has more than left his mark on the musical landscape in 2021 with an album that I believe will still be inspiring people over a decade later.

A magnificent tour de force from beginning to end, a masterpiece in every sense - I fully expect this one to be in the Album of the Year and Mercury Music Prize conversations later on this year. If you only have time to listen to one album this week, definitely make it this one.

The Close / Le Réveil by Josef Salvat

In any other week, Josef Salvat would have been my Album of the Week with The Close. Not too dissimilar to Balfe’s debut, on Salvat’s third album (his second in the last 12 months) the Australian singer-songwriter takes on feelings of loss, this time brought on by the breakdown of a relationship, carefully balancing out the sorrow and remorse with a sonic backdrop of pop and dance melodies.

I have loved everything he has ever released, but The Close already feels like Salvat’s most complete and accomplished work to date, propelled by standout tracks like First Time and I Miss You. That said, my favourite track is still One More Night, an ambient yet ravey number that features a danceable club groove made up of synths and panpipes. An incredible album, that I will keep revisiting in the coming weeks.

Collections From The Whiteout by Ben Howard

And finally on the albums front this week, acclaimed singer-songwriter Ben Howard has released his fourth studio album Collections From The Whiteout this week. This album sees Howard collaborate with The National’s Aaron Dessner on production duties for the first time, offering up a record that feels even more experimental than his last effort, Noonday Dream. 

Although the album eventually overstays its welcome somewhat with it being almost an hour in length, it is still a fascinating showcase of Howard’s unique blend of folk and alt-rock. Standouts include opener Follies Fixture, Crowhurst’s Meme and Far Out.

Tracks of the Week

James by Oscar & The Wolf

Now, we may have just had the album and song of the year drop in the same week.

His first new release in three years, Belgian popstar Max Colombie (who goes by the Oscar & The Wolf moniker) has said that the arrangement for new single James appeared to him in a dream, which is quite amazing considering how richly textured it feels. In fact, it has only been out a few days and it already feels like his most accomplished song to date.

Dazzling harmonies, pounding drums and a shimmering central guitar riff eventually transcend into a dreamy, psychedelic guitar solo in the song’s climax. The track is over five minutes long but honestly you’ll wish it was longer – this is perfection.

Smalltown Boy by Kele

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke served up his second taste of forthcoming solo album The Waves Pt.1 this week, featuring his inimitable vocals crying out a gorgeous refrain of “run away, turn away” over a haunting Interpol-esque central riff. Stunning!

Fall In Love Again by Rag & Bone Man

Also offering a second taste of their forthcoming album this week was Rory Graham, aka Rag & Bone Man, who dropped this heartfelt acoustic guitar and piano driven ballad, anchored as always by his powerful voice.

X by Working Men’s Club

And finally Working Men’s Club have wasted little time readying the follow-up to their impressive 2020 debut, with first single X arriving this week. More reminiscent of The Horrors this one, X sees the band surround Syndey Minsky-Sargeant’s punky vocals with some heavy guitars and ominous synths.

[grimelords]

Finished writing my January playlist up a couple weeks ago and forgot to post it. Sometimes things are like that I suppose. A pretty good mix of all the songs I was very into two months ago.

Terrapin Station (Suite) - Grizzly Bear & The National: It's shocking to think that a 5 hour long Grateful Dead tribute album changed my life but it really did. It's so good all the way through which is a feat in itself and it's a great introduction to every side of a band that can sometimes feel culturally overwhelming to try to get into. This song is a highlight, veering over every kind of territory for 16 minutes but always maintaining the sort of precision of purpose I associate with Grizzly Bear.

New Year - Beach House: January baby! I've got tickets to see Beach House later this month and I'm excited because they really surprised me as an incredible live band last time I saw them, building their songs with a lot more dynamism than the sort of drum machine play alongs their albums are (which I love!!).

BAGDAD - Cap.7: Liturgia - Rosalia: I'm still working my way into fully appreciating how good this Rosalia album is. The Justin Timberlake melody is so beautifully repurposed and I absolutely love the church choir behind the 'junta las palmas y las separa' part. It's just a heartbreaking and beautiful song even if I did have to google translate it.

Signs Of Life - Arcade Fire: I've been thinking a bit about Everything Now and how it was received and weirdly it seems to have a lot of parallels with the Achtung Baby/Zooropa/Pop era of U2, 20 years before it. Well established megastar bands who turned from their extremely heartfelt authentic origins and explored the world of pop and commercialism with varying critical success. Everything Now doesn't feel old fashioned but it's kind of weird they're playing with a lot of the same ideas U2 were in their Pop-Mart era so long ago. Anyway this is one of their best songs ever I think. The disco instrumentation versus the paranoid lyrics is just great, the backing vocals especially.

Discotheque - U2: The vocals in this song are so interesting. There are at times upwards of three Bonos harmonising with each other. It creates an unsettling image of a world overrun with Bonos. I do however love the extremely strangled guitar sound in the breakdown. I sort of wish this song were longer, long as it is, because it really starts to build into something serious by the end but then it just fades out disappointingly.

Violent Shiver - Benjamin Booker: I love Benjamin Booker but he needs to take a lesson from this song and do some hot licks again. He doesn't do hot licks like this in barely any other songs! Benjamin Booker sounds like he's from an alternate timeline where rock n roll stayed black and this is where it's at now.

Dawn Of The Dead - Does It Offend You, Yeah?: Can you imagine naming your band 'Does It Offend You, Yeah?' in 2019? What a time to be alive 2008 was. I absolutely love the steel drums in the prechorus and the bass and 'ooh ah' in the chorus. The production is just so chunky throughout. This whole song is thick.

Golden Skans - Klaxons: Anyway speaking of the heady days of English 'new rave' Golden Skans is a masterpiece. It's also masterfully compact, it's over in 2 and a half minutes. Amazing.

Go Bang - Pnau: I really applaud Pnau for having the audacity to release Chameleon and Go Bang on the same album right after each other when they're essentially the same song. Close enough to be the same song but different enough that you're still completely hyped when either of them come on.

Say You See Why So - Eleventh He Reaches London: I found this extremely serious Perth screamo band a little while ago they're so good i'm surprised I'd never heard of them before. I love the style of just endless new sections on new sections with barely any repetition, it makes you feel crazy which is perfect for this music.

Why Write A Letter That You'll Never Send - The Drones: I don't really know what to say about this song other than imagine literally getting this email verbatim lol.

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me - U2: Fully fucked up that one of the best U2 songs only got released on the Batman Forever soundtrack.

Dead Of Night - Orville Peck: I'm so glad Lana Del Rey has been around long enough now that she's inspired a second wave. I absolutely love the whole concept Orville Peck has going, masked gay cowboy is a criminally underexplored genre.

Trip The Mains - Methyl Ethyl: I can't believe Methyl Ethyl are onto their third album already. I love how dancey this is compared to their other stuff, and his voice is still completely blowing my mind.

Strange Days (1999) - Health: I've had the cover for this single as my lock screen for two months now. It's simply very good and such a direct distillation of Health's essence. They've simplified and moved closer to pop ideas on this album and I'm all for it, they sound like Purity Ring if Purity Ring exploded occasionally which sounds very good to me.

Milk Crisis - The Go! Team: I'm racist because I thought for a long time that this song was gibberish but it turns out it's actually just in Japanese.

Cream On Chrome - Ratatat: It's fucking sick that Ratatat have been able to not only survive but thrive for so long making music that sounds like the loading screen of a Dreamcast racing game.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken - The Staple Singers: This is maybe my favourite example of 60s stereo recordings making completely bizarre decisions. The drums and bass in this are panned extremely far left and the guitar far right, which has the nice effect of letting you take out your left headphone and listen to a very beautiful stripped back guitar and vocals only version.

Angel From Montgomery - John Prine: I'm seeing John Prine next week and I'm very excited. He's approximately one million years old and seems to only now be getting the recognition he's deserved for decades.

(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers - Merle Haggard: It's interesting thinking about the parts of American culture that don't really get exported to Australia. We got Johnny Cash and Hank Williams to a lesser extent but I hadn't really heard of Merle Haggard before this year which seems insane now that I've realised just how massive he was.

Debbie - Architecture In Helsinki: I have so much love for this vocal performance. Sitting in a weird half falsetto out of breath and just shrieking your way through it, mwah mwah I'm doing a chef's kiss right now.

Yandere - Yamantaka / / Sonic Titan: It's reassuring that the enthusiastic art nerd mindset of bands like The Red Paintings and The Sound Of Animals Fighting will never truly die. There should be more bands where they all have costumes and multi-movement songs songs telling an inscrutable story and a guy in the band whose whole job is just doing the lights.

Sweetness And Light (For Life Remix) - Itch-E & Scratch-E: My lifelong grudge against Paul Mac for enabling The Dissociatives and various other crimes will always be slightly tempered by how much this one song bangs.

Ontheway! - Earl Sweatshirt: I am such a big fan of this album. All the way through it feels like laying on the floor feels and it's addictive because of it. Every time I listen to it I just want to start it over again and lay the fuck down.

Mistake - Middle Kids: This song made me feel like a record producer in a movie or something when I first heard it because I got about one bar into the chorus and was absolutely smitten. It's just incredible.

Pressure To Party - Julia Jacklin: "I know where you live, I used to live there too" is maybe one of the best ever breakup album lines I've ever heard.

Our Shadows - Deantoni Parks: Deantoni Parks has a huge brain. The thing he does, where he sort of plays live mpc as part of a drumkit could be extremely naff and I'm sure there's a million guys on youtube doing it and making bad music, but he ain't one of them.. His take on it is so completely alien that the human element serves to bring it back to earth, all the disconnect that you would get from someone making a song like this on a laptop is metered out by a physical human body feeling every sound out personally and it's amazing.

Head To Toe In Morocco Leather - Muslimgauze: What's the word for being a weaboo except about the middle east and getting totally radicalised about it but never leaving England? Anyway Muslimgauze rocks and every six months or so I reread his wiki article and listen to his music exclusively for a couple of days before whatever that feeling is wears off again. I have a lot of respect for him but also suspect he may have just been a nut, which I respect as well.

In The Nervous Light Of Sunday - Circle Takes The Square: Very excited that Circle Takes The Square is on spotify now!!!

I'm In It - Kanye West: I heard that when they were recording this there was steam coming out of the horny meter that they have in the studio and then the glass broke on the horny meter and the needle started spinning around and around because the horny levels were so high.

Do Me A Favour - Arctic Monkeys: Alex Turner has two songwriting modes: incredibly tangible story songs and songs where he's just playing word association rhyming games and the craziest thing is both types are good. This is absolutely one of his best of the first kind I think​.

listen here

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

An Interview with Dan Bejar — 2004

Sunday interview! I remember feeling nervous about this one -- there weren’t a whole lot of interviews with him at the time and Bejar seemed kinda mysterious! But he was very friendly and receptive ... I still think Your Blues is one of the best Destroyer records. So there! 

Under the ominous moniker Destroyer, Dan Bejar has released some of the most adventurous and iconoclastic indie rock of the past few years. Never content to settle on one particular sound (or backing band), Bejar's already impressive body of work displays an artist with a gift for infectious melodies, a unique lyrical voice, and a fearlessly experimental streak. Your Blues, the latest Destroyer release, sees Bejar flinging himself wholly into the alien world of Roland synthesizers, MIDI guitars, and highly orchestral song forms. It's almost the polar opposite of his previous record, the sprawling, messily brilliant This Night. But once the shock of this jarring sonic shift wears off, Your Blues reveals itself to be another idiosyncratic masterpiece. On the eve of a rare North American tour, Bejar talked about the genesis of the new album, among other topics.

I understand you just played SXSW? How'd that go?

Well, it was with the incarnation with the band that's playing songs off of Your Blues, which is basically this band Frog Eyes who have learned the songs. It was our second show ever, so keeping that in mind I thought it was really good. I just started practicing these songs in the last couple months, and we've got a little ways to go, a couple more songs to learn. We did one show in Vancouver just before we played SXSW.

So are there challenges in presenting these new songs in a live setting? The album certainly isn't a "rock band" type of record.

There's no challenge, because the idea of trying to replicate or even approximate what's on the record was the first thing that we threw out the window. I mean, on some songs the vocal melody is the same, the lyrics are the same, the chords generally stay the same, but they bear no resemblance whatsoever to what you might hear on the record. For the most part, it's a full-on rock band. I'm in the middle of it right now, so I feel like I can't quite describe what exactly is happening to the songs. And also, it's really being shaped by Carey [Mercer], who is the main guy in Frog Eyes.

How'd you hook up with Frog Eyes?

A few years back, the New Pornographers played a show in Victoria and [Mercer's] band at the time, Blue Pine opened up. I met him briefly then, and heard his record and was a big fan of it. Then he started this new band Frog Eyes, and when I moved back to Vancouver I went to go see them play. We corresponded a bit, and when it came time to figure out how to tour the record, Nic [Bragg], who played a real integral part of the This Night experience, had the crazy idea that using Frog Eyes might be an interesting way to decimate the songs in a cool manner. And he ended up being right.

I'd like to talk a bit about the new record. Obviously, the production and execution of Your Blues is radically different from This Night. Did you go into recording this new one thinking you wanted to do something completely different?

You know, it was an idea I had even when we were making This Night. I don't think it was purely reactionary to the last record. I liked the idea of actually sitting down and composing something. But the idea I had is actually a fair bit different than what came out. I wanted it to be along the lines of a weird, crooning record. Lots of orchestrations, though I had a feeling I'd have to go down the MIDI road, because I knew I wouldn't be preparing charts for an orchestra or anything like that. So yeah, the idea was growing for a while. That being said, I don't think it's something I'll ever do again. I'm pretty sure of that actually.

Was it a pleasurable experience to make it? I know you've worked in more "band" settings in the past.

Yeah, it was fun. And in some ways, it was kind of leisurely. In other ways, it was nerve-wracking. But the set up was pretty easy. You just pick up your MIDI guitar and plug it into the computer and you do your metal riffs and you punch in the 101 strings setting and there you go. But at the same time, I was questioning from beginning to end whether the whole thing was completely misguided. Like, was there some sort of strange death wish I had in making the record? And I still listen to it with a certain amount of trepidation. I think it came out way more palatable than I first thought it would be.

Did you know you could get a good sound out of all of these synthesizers? Or was it more of an experimental thing?

With the MIDI technology we were using, we really didn't want to court some kind of eighties nostalgia. We got the highest end sound module we could find. Hopefully the one that ["Late Show with David Letterman" band leader] Paul Schaffer uses or something like that. And I really did want to approximate the sound of strings, or the sound of a woodwind section as much as I could. And with the synth settings, I was thinking more along the lines of new age settings more the New Wave settings. But also, my ears are worse than most people's, so you could probably play me a fairly chintzy violin sample and I'd be like "Oh man, that sounds so great!" Meanwhile everyone else would just be rolling their eyes. Having heard the record a few times, I can see where people are hearing synths where I'm hearing strings. Maybe that kind of backfired a bit. But I always knew that would probably be the case, and I wasn't too concerned with it.

Are there any sonic touchstones for Your Blues? Any records that you used as reference points?

I've always been a big Scott Walker fan. And I've listened to certain Richard Harris records that Jimmy Webb did.

Are those spoken word records?

No… well, the way he sings, it could be debated [laughs]. He did try his hardest to infuse some sort of drunken melody into the thing. And I would listen to somebody like John Cale, who I've always really liked. Just the way he used classical instruments. He always ends up being a specter on whatever record I do.

Is there any reason you're drawn to his stuff?

I just really like his solo records. There's kind of like a marriage of this old world austerity with this unavoidable pop sensibility. I can't seem to shake that.

That makes sense actually. I hadn't thought of it before, but his early eighties stuff like Music For A New Society is kind of similar in tone to Your Blues.

Exactly. When I had the idea for the record I pictured it being way more desolate and kind of barren and brutal. But the songs that I brought to the table, for the most part, were just too busy. Too many major chords. Too wordy. So things changed.

Is that the case with most Destroyer records? Do you have ideas for them that change through out the recording process?

For the Thief and Streethawk records, we were essentially trying to put forth what the band ideally would sound like if we just walked into a room and played the songs. And that was always a bit of sleight of hand, because we were always a messed-up lineup. But [producer] John [Collin]'s pretty good at creating those kinds of illusions.

And with This Night, I just wanted to make a sprawling, fucked-up record. And that was easy - I just practiced with some people who I knew would be really good at that kind of thing. And we just totally messed up the songs and didn't practice much. I went in the studio and just threw stuff at them. Those records actually ended up pretty close to the way the initial idea of them was. While this one, because it had a definite conceptual basis, changed a bit. And also, I had no idea what it would be – I'd throw around the word "MIDI" and I just didn't know how it would work or what it would sound like. And John and Dave [Carswell], who were pretty integral in shaping the record, they'd never done anything like this either. I walked into the studio with the chords and the vocal melodies and the lyrics. The rest was just us sitting down and saying "Oh, well how about this here," and John coming in at the end of the day to edit it to make it sound… not completely embarrassing. Once in a while he'd have to say, "You know, maybe MIDI congas aren't a good idea." [Laughs]

So it wasn't a free for all. But I think it definitely came out sounding a lot more melodious than we were originally thinking. And that has a lot to do with Dave as well. Once you get him on a guitar -- even if it is a MIDI guitar – he's gonna come up with catchy parts.

You mentioned the "sonic" concept of the record, but I was wondering if you'd dare call Your Blues a "concept" record? I mean, is there a narrative going on in the lyrics?

No. Lyrically I've never approached having a concept. A theme, maybe in some ways. I've kind of dabbled and waltzed in and out of this idea of a record that addressed, I don't know what, some kind of abstract bankruptcy in underground music and culture [laughs]. But I wanted to get away from that as soon as I did it. But any conceptual basis for Your Blues is purely a musical idea.

I guess the reason I ask is that a lot of the tracks have this theatrical, dramatic feel to them. I can almost see them being sung on stage.

That's funny. I'm always hesitant to mention this, but a lot of the songs on Your Blues are to be used in a play.

No kidding! But that came after the fact?

No, that came before the fact. But I have a) no ability and b) no interest in writing narrative songs. So it wasn't like I sat down to write a libretto or something like that. It was more like, here's a bunch of songs, and maybe you can use them to color the play somehow and see if somehow a Destroyer song would make sense with someone other than me singing it. And also I was pretty adamant that I had this idea for making this record that some people might mistake as like "The Sound of Music" [laughs], and that in no way would that be the way I would envision the songs being played onstage. The songs that do get used will hopefully be really stripped down and just will shine some different light on the songs.

But anyway, I think there's always been a certain amount of theatricality, if that's the word you want to use, to Destroyer songs going way back. And the songs on Your Blues, if I look at them, don't seem that atypical from the rest of the stuff I've written.

Your lyrics have always been really strong and distinctive. Are there lyricists you admire?

Yeah, of course. Somewhere in the heart of me there lurks an indie fan boy, I think. There's always a couple songs off of a Smog record that I'll hear, I'll just shake my head and walk away from it. Just like, "This fucking guy." And then I'll wonder if you can really approach writing [those sorts of lyrics] without being some kind of sociopath. And there's stuff that I really love that most people don't associate being really lyrically based music. Like the Plush records or the Neil Hagerty records. There hasn't been anything in recent years that's really leapt out at me. Frog Eyes I think are really awesome. I like the Cass McCombs record, I think that's really good.

Do you consider your songs autobiographical, or confessional in any way?

I would never write something down just to confess it. Usually it's a pretty conscious effort to create something of aesthetic value. You know what I mean? I mean, my approach to language is not super conscious in that I sit down and have some over-arching idea that the language has to fit into. It's actually really instinctual. But the aesthetic is one of using language that just works. You write it down, and somehow it's just working for you. It's not what the words mean, but what they do, I guess. How the phrasing interacts with melody, and how meaning can change once you throw that in there. That being said, you could probably comb through my lyrics and find a handful of threads that would piece it all together.

One thing I think that makes your lyrics stand out is that often they're really funny. Not in a novelty sense, but more like Bob Dylan can be really funny.

Yeah! That's cool that you think that. No one has ever said that to me. That's really good. It's not something I'm striving for, but there will be times when I look at something [that I've written] and -- I won't laugh at loud -- but I think it's just… yeah, I'll use the word "funny." In the same way that like Leonard Cohen can be funny. And Dylan can be really funny. I think that any writing I really like walks the line between severity and playfulness.

[grapevynerendezvous]

The Blues Project - Projections

The band name implies the blues, and that form of music was certainly part of The Blues Project’s repertoire, but their eclecticism was apparent in everything they did. Projections was their second album, and the first one created in a recording studio. By this time they had received some national attention from their first album, a live one that lead to some touring around the U.S. Their first time in a studio lasted all of three days. While the tracks they produced included songs that they had been playing, new songs were written by band members that ended up on the album. None of these songs were blues numbers, but rather drew from folk, jazz, rock, R&B and pop elements; even a touch of classical. Steve Katz, who played guitar, harmonica and sang, wrote his first ever composition for Projections. Intended to be called September Fifth, it ended up on the album as Steve’s Song due to some confusion between the label and the band’s manager, Jeff Chase. It is a folk-pop composition which has an extended minute and half intro featuring Andy Kulberg’s flute playing plus Roy Blumenfeld’s underpinning on drums, which also comes off with a classical feel to it as well. Al Kooper wrote the other two original numbers. The album’s closing track, Fly Away, was apparently about Kooper’s failed marriage, but ends the record in somewhat of a light and flowing manner. It was his jazzy composition, Flute Thing, that got a lot of attention. This again featured Andy Kulberg on flute, with good counterpoint from Kooper’s organ playing, and the suitable percussion work of Roy Blumenfeld. The uniqueness of this piece made it an “underground” favorite among the growing number of “experienced” music listeners. In a 2015 interview with Frank Mastropolo for Ultimate Classic Rock, Roy Blumenfeld said “The lead-up to the song Flute Thing, that became the Muzak to a lot of folks' acid trips out there on the West Coast. It was, so to speak, their metaphoric elevator.” Both sides of Projections open energetically with blues/gospel songs arranged and sung by Al Kooper. Blind Willie Johnson’s (Lord) I Can’t Keep From Crying starts the album off, first implying it is the blues, but moving at a frenetic pace, it quickly goes psychedelic; the band propelling it to a high crescendo as lead guitarist Danny Kalb brings it to a close. Wake Me, Shake Me comes from a traditional gospel song, but it too builds into high energy. It was a song the band liked to improvise on and was often the closer for their performances. The band’s energy level alternatively rose and fell with the four numbers on side one. After Steve’s Song came the Chuck Berry rocker, You Can’t Catch Me. One of the band’s first big gigs was opening for and then backing up Berry. Kooper said, “That one had a really cool kind of groove to it that we got into. Danny (Kalb) did a real sterling job of knockin' that one out of the park when he would do it.”. Finishing side one, it was all Kalb in this slow-paced tribute to Muddy Waters, playing his Slow Train Running. Al Kooper said of it, “We started playing it and as we became a better band it became a better arrangement. And there were amazing things in it. It was a really great arrangement. It's nothing like the Muddy Waters version.” Even though the recording was nearly eleven and a half minutes long, it stayed powerful and moving right to the end. Kooper goes on to say, “What's really funny is on the version that's on the album, Danny's string went out of tune and as part of the arrangement he tuned it back up. It was fabulous, we didn't have to stop. Normally you would stop. But he made it part of the arrangement. That was a great moment.” Danny Kalb added, “We were up there in the studio and there's magic in the air. We were right before the end and I hit one bad note, but I quickly made the bad note into a good note in a quarter of a second. And the thing comes together and ends right and we've got a masterpiece.” No credit to the engineers, who were setting up for the next artist, Eric Burdon, to come into the studio, according to Steve Katz. The Blues Project had an opportunity to be on a bill with Muddy Waters and they played Two Trains Running. Reflecting on this, Danny Kalb said that when he later saw Waters leaving the club, “So right before Muddy opened the door to go, I went up to Muddy Waters and I said to him, "Mr. Waters - well, what did you think?" And I knew at that point that he knew what I was asking him. And he said to me, "You really got to me." If I had died then, it would have been enough.” Another slow blues number on the album was Caress Me Baby by Jimmy Reed, which The Blues Project also put there own spin on, with Danny doing lead vocal and guitar once again. Another folk-pop song rounded out the album, Cheryl’s Going Home by Bob Lind. Lind had released the hit song, Elusive Butterfly, and that song was the B-side of the single. Kalb says of it, “That was a song by another composer, Bob Lind, I just listened to recently. The Blues Project version is excellent, Bob Lind's version is excellent, it's the best of both worlds.” In the 2015 interview with Mastropolo, Kalb, Katz and Kooper all had derogatory comments about their experience with the record label. Kalb: “Unfortunately, the record company just wanted to make a few bucks. They were not interested in the artists, and on the back of Projections, one of the great albums of the '60s, I don't think our names are on it. That's criminal.”, and “I think that the way the Blues Project has been either forgotten or dissed is disgraceful. We were one of the most exciting bands in the period. We took big chances, spiritually and musically”. Katz: “I have to say that our record company was really awful. There were things like that that were missed. From changing the name of my song, from not giving us enough studio time, not putting our names on it. There were just a lot of mistakes. There always were with Verve Folkways.” Kooper: “We never saw the cover until it was in the store, and all stuff like that. We had zero control. We never heard the mixes 'till it was in the store.” Despite that the album did moderately well on the Billboard Top 200, hitting No.52. With a producer like Tom Wilson, who had already worked with Boy Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, The Velvet Underground and The Mothers of Invention, it was too bad that he and The Blues Project weren’t given a reasonable opportunity in the studio, and to have their say about the finished product before it was released. With all that, they still managed to create a tour de force.

I suppose in buying this album I basically thought I was getting a “blues” record. I had heard some of the music from The Blues Project’s  Live at Cafe Au Go Go when I was at the home of a friend of mine, Kenny Wardell, and so was familiar with their name. Kenny, who was older than me went on to become a radio personality at stations in Sacramento and the Bay Area, including KFOG back in the ‘90s. That record was mostly blues, but there were a few folk-pop songs on it as well. When I finally got around to it, I mail ordered Projections, and along with the first Grateful Dead album, made this the first time had personally purchased multiple albums and used mail order to buy them. My mom had been doing so for quite some time through Columbia and RCA record clubs. All I remember is that it was some company in New York City.  By the time I purchased Projections, Verve Folkways had changed to Verve Forecast, but my album was apparently in the midst of that change. The back cover said Verve Forecast and a slightly off-kilter Verve Forecast sticker had been applied to the front cover, but the end panel still had Verve Folkways on it. The record itself says Verve Forecast. Considering some of the concerns the band had about their treatment by the label, this was of little consequence. I had heard rumblings about the song Flute Thing before I got the album. I may have even heard it, but once I got the album I began to really appreciate it, even if I wasn’t using LSD. It was the first piece of music I ever recalled hearing that featured flute, except perhaps its’ role in Tchaikovsky’s Peter and the Wolf suite. The rest of the record grew on me very quickly. I've learned a lot about the blues since I got this record, and I still appreciate the way these Greenwich Village Jewish white guys played it. Of course it wasn't all blues, what with the jazzy Flute Thing, and songs that were pop and folk based, R&B and rock and roll, plus some gospel to spice things up. I hadn’t thought of it as having anything psychedelic to it, but it turns out indeed it did. Both I Can’t Keep From Crying and Flute Thing fit that bill. Projections was my introduction to “long songs”, something that attracted me to future albums at times. At a total length of over fifty minutes, it was likely the longest album I had heard of up to that time. I had a few records that topped out at nearly half that long. The two songs on the album that were long, Caress Me Baby at 7:12 and Two Trains Running at 11:20, were both slow-burn favorites of mine. I have a special memory regarding Caress Me Baby. As time went by as a young man I always thought it would be a cool slow dance song. In 1968 my best friend and I decided to DJ a New Year’s Eve dance for an organization we belonged to. Another friend’s dad loaned us his great home sound system and we alternated as DJ throughout the evening. Not long before that event I met a an attractive young lady and invited her to be my date. She hung out with me while I spun discs and we partied and danced while John did the honors. By request he finally gave me the opportunity to dance with my pretty date to Caress Me Baby. Soon the young lady was my girlfriend, and four years later to the day, she became my wife. Thank you Blues Project, and thank you John. Can’t Catch Me was the first Chuck Berry composed song I ever had, and it too is a favorite of mine. Overall, the eclectic variety of the music, weaving in and out of fast and slow, jarring and relaxing, bluesy and folksy, worked well for me. It is still one of my favorite all time albums. It was ironic to see band members complain that their names weren’t on the album. Somehow I managed,  back in the day, to figure out who they were. Perhaps I read something in the SF Chronicle. By that time changes started occurring, such as Al Kooper leaving, forming Blood Sweat and Tears along with Steve Katz, and eventually recording Super Session with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills. Turns out not long after I got the album Kooper left the band, but I didn’t learn that until later. Eventually he went on to produce Lynyrd Skynryd’s first three albums. I didn’t hear of the band Seatrain until quite some time later, but as it turns out the roots of that band tied in directly with the demise of The Blues Project. Andy Kulberg and Roy Blumenfeld had formed Seatrain with four other musicians in 1968, after one more Blue Project album had been issued. When they released their first album on the same label, Verve Forecast, the label insisted it be under the name Blues Project. Essentially this was the first Seatrain album, but the next year they officially released their “first” Seatrain album, Sea Train on A&M Records. The band was formed in Marin County, CA. Ironically Roy Blumenfeld, a New Yorker, eventually ended up living in Marin County. I became aware of this when I went to Don Quixote’s International Music Hall in Felton, CA in 2011 to see the Joe Cohen band with Greg Douglass, Bruce Barthol and Roy on drums. I had never ever thought I’d meet up with a member of The Blues Project, but I’ve seen Roy several times since as well.

The formation of the band came about after a compilation album called The Blues Project was released by Electra Records in 1964. Danny Kalb was paid $75 for recording two songs on that album. With the British Invasion, things began to change musically. Kalb changed from acoustic to electric guitar and in early 1965 formed the Danny Kalb Quartet, which included rhythm guitarist Artie Traum, bassist Andy Kulberg and drummer Roy Blumanthal. Steve Katz replaced Traum soon after, when Artie went to Europe for the summer. After adding singer Tommy Flanders the group became The Blues Project. They auditioned for Columbia Records who summarily declined to sign the band. Al Kooper had been hired by Columbia’s Tom Wilson to play keyboards as a session musician at the time of the audition. Kulberg and Blumenthal had worked with Kooper during the recording of another compilation album put together by Electra and was invited to join The Blues Project. Meanwhile producer Tom Wilson left Columbia and went to Verve/Folkways, then signing The Blues Project to that label. This soon lead to the first album project for the band. In November ’65 and January ’66 the live recording was done. By the time of its’ release Tommy Flanders had left the band, thus he was only in a few of the tracks. That release occurred quickly after the last recording was done, the album coming out that very January. It had some reasonable success and the band ended up touring to support it. That April they received rave reviews after their appearance at The Fillmore in San Francisco. The recording of the next album, Projections, took place in the fall and was released in November. By spring of ’67 Kooper left and the band completed their next album, Live at Town Hall without him. That album was not all it seemed to be. There was only one actual Town Hall live cut, while other cuts were from other venue live performances, plus recording outtakes using canned applause. The album did contain the band’s only charting single, Al Kooper’s No Time Like the Right Time. It has been called one of the "great hit singles that never were”. Kooper left after a disagreement with Danny Kalb about Al wanting to add a horn section. Kalb then disappeared for a few months after a bad acid trio, but he resurfaced in time to play with the band at Monterey Pop. It was said that he was in a deeply depressed state just prior to that event. Not long after that Katz left the band followed by Kalb. This lead to the Planned Obsolescence album that was in reality the new band Seatrain. With a modified lineup  (including Kalb and Blumenfeld, plus Flanders on the 1972 album) three Blues Project albums were released in 1971-73, the final one being called The Original Blues Project Reunion In Central Park, which included Kooper, but not Tommy Flanders.

Jeff Tamarkin sums it up well in his 2018 review of The Blues Project in Best Classic Bands, “Sadly, the band is not well known today among younger rock fans, but many who were around at the time still cherish their small but potent output, particularly the one studio set that encapsulated everything that made the Blues Project a great ’60s band.” I firmly believe they were a great band for any time period, and that there is still time for younger generations to know and appreciate their music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blues_Project

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projections_(The_Blues_Project_album)

https://bestclassicbands.com/blues-project-projections-6-20-18/

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-blues-project-mn0000041899/biography

https://www.allmusic.com/album/projections-mw0000202605

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/blues-project-projections/

http://www.theblues-thatjazz.com/en/blues/796-bluesproject/24626-the-blues-project-projections-1966.html

https://www.discogs.com/artist/252489-The-Blues-Project

Flute Song Live at Monterey Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oIE95Ro9Ms

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCCF5F612C7F6E73F

LP20

[recentanimenews]

RADWIMPS on How to Weather the Storm of Popularity!

  Following their work on Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name, RADWIMPS found themselves on a rocket to popularity. As the film reached global acclaim, the group discovered that their newfound reputation led to a tour and numerous records, culminating in yet another partnership with the famed director on his new film, Weathering With You, and a global tour of their own that will include North America and Europe. We sat down with the band to talk about everything from how movie music is different than other types of music, what the band would do on their day off, who their musical influences are, and more!

    Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! Could you please introduce yourselves for our readers?

Takeda: The name of our band, RADWIMPS, is a combination of two contrasting words: “Rad,” which means “cool” or “awesome,” and “wimp,” which refers to someone who is cowardly and timid. The vocalist Noda and guitarist Kuwahara started the band with three friends from their hometown during high school, and then I, Takeda, joined as the bassist, and Yamaguchi joined as the drummer, bringing the band to where it is today.

    So, back again with Makoto Shinkai! How has it been to work with him again on a new project?

Noda: We were able to further hone our skills in writing movie soundtracks. I think we were successful in making music that fulfills its role behind the scenes. I also think we were able to utilize our experience from having done this once before. Thanks to our prior experience, our work and discussions went very smoothly.

  More than anything, we’re overjoyed to have worked so closely with Mr. Shinkai over the past few years to create this film together. It feels like we were able to connect with him on a higher level than we did when working on Your Name, and that we came to love him even more. We still meet for drinks occasionally now that everything has wrapped up, and there’s a unique closeness there. I doubt that we’ll ever have such an incredible creative partner again.

    What were your initial thoughts on the huge popular reaction to Your Name? Were you surprised by how successful it was?

Noda: During the first week after the movie was released Shinkai-san and I were exchanging emails, and he expressed that he was thrilled that our intentions had reached the audience. But, as we began entering the third and fourth weeks after release, we started to talk about how the movie might have become bigger than us. By the time it had become a worldwide hit, it almost felt like it wasn’t even happening. I think things turned out the way they did thanks to the movie’s quality and integrity, as well as several miracles that tied everything together along the way. 

    Are any of you anime or manga fans yourselves? What do you read or watch?

Takeda: Lately I’ve been watching That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. I also like sci-fi anime like Gundam. Gundam UC is my favorite. 

  Since working on Your Name, you have been pretty busy, and that doesn't seem to be slowing down! How do you keep yourselves psyched up to perform?

Noda: Other than Your Name, I think that performing in Pieta in the Toilet was actually a big turning point for me. Up until now we hadn’t done anything outside of performing as a band, and working on movies has taught us how wonderful it is to create a single work of art together with other creators. After that, people have been reaching out to us about projects in a variety of genres. That includes creating the soundtrack for Your Name, appearing in television shows and dramas, and voice acting in Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs. Of course, we’re still producing original albums as well.

  I don’t know how long we can keep this up, but my personal wish is to be able to leave this world having contributed everything I can with what I have. For me right now, I’m working under the belief that this is the main way I can connect to the world.

  So even though it’s important to take a break sometimes, I’d always like to be creating something.

    For Weathering With You, what were your thoughts on producing this album and the sound you wanted to create for it?

Noda: I received the Weathering With You script from Mr. Shinkai about a year after Your Name was released, in the August of 2017. After reading the script, the first song I composed was “Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?” and “Daijobu.” These two songs became the beacon in working on this film for the next two years.

  The other three songs came about by lengthy discussions with the director in addition to understanding the story better. Two of the songs were composed to match the scenes, so I prioritized expressing the psychology of the characters. I completed all five songs at the end of 2018. I then shifted to working on the OST of the film. I worked so hard every day, talking with the director and stayed in the studio, that I almost forgot that my main job is the band!

    What differences do you see when producing an album for a movie, like Weathering With You or Your Name, and your own albums?

Noda: A film score has to embody a specific world, which makes it a slightly different experience from producing an original album because we have to challenge ourselves to come up with music that best matches that specific scene. Also, when making music for film, we can use any instruments we like, and it’s our job to choose the most appropriate ones to make the most suitable music. That completely removes the “band” framework and allows us to create music in a much more open field.

  Standing out isn’t always the most crucial thing when it comes to movie music. In fact, the ideal might be for the music to melt together seamlessly with the scene’s characters, lines, and scenery and reach the audience as a single experience. When writing music as a band, the equivalent of a movie’s scenery and characters and lines are all part of the music itself, so the creative process naturally differs. It shows more of the creator’s ego.

  Kuwahara: We can put sounds together as we please when creating an original album, but when writing a film score, we can’t just push our own preferences. There’s something novel and interesting about that. We have to match the music to the timing and the images, meaning it’s not just music you experience with your ears. That’s the biggest difference.

    Picture this: You've got a day off to relax, no performances upcoming, no projects to finish. What do you do?

Noda: Honestly I’d probably write music, since music is basically a hobby for me. But if I had to choose something else, I’d like to go to a hot spring and spend all day sleeping.

  Kuwahara: I like eating good food, so I think I’d spend the day trying different delicious dishes.

  Takeda: I recently started participating in triathlons, so I’d like to do that.

    Do you have any particular musical influences or artists that you turn to for inspiration?

Noda: If I had to give one it would be the Red Hot Chili Peppers. A while ago we had the opportunity to perform before the Red Hot Chili Peppers at a Japanese music festival called Summer Sonic, and seeing them on stage again reminded us of how important an influence they’ve been for our band.

  Kuwahara: For bands, I like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Oasis. I’m also a fan of the Japanese bands GLAY and L’Arc~en~ciel. I used to listen to and copy their music all the time. There are times when I realize how much they’ve influenced my own playing.

  Takeda: The bassist Marcus Miller. I like the bass technique known as “slapping” the bass, and I learned a lot of that from watching his performances.

    We can't wait to hear more about your upcoming tour around the world in the new year! Before we finish up, is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?

Takeda: I would be happy if this film could entice emotions that provide energy in the audiences’ everyday lives. Please check the movie out. Thank you!

    We really want to extend a huge thank you to RADWIMPS for answering our questions. Performing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers sounds like a pretty amazing time, and it seems like this band is really enjoying the opportunities anime is delivering to them! Weathering With You will be in theaters January 17th, with some special Fan Previews going on January 15th and 16th. You won't want to miss Shinkai's latest masterpiece, so get your tickets today!

  Are you a RADWIMPS fan? What are your thoughts on their work on Weathering With You or Your Name? Let us know in the comments!

    ----

Nicole is a features writer and editor for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[celtfather]

Slea Head #435

Climb Slea Head cliffs with us as take in the majesty of Celtic music.

Andy Law, The Tea Merchants, Westwood Bluegrass Band, Fir Arda, Ballinloch, Spoil the Dance, Dustin Cooper, Nicole White, Poor Man's Gambit, Catherine Koehler, Hard Green, Celtic Reggae Revolution, Brave the Sea, Tartanic, Brother Sea

I hope you enjoyed this week's show. If you did, please share the show with ONE friend.

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is dedicated to growing our community and helping the incredible artists who so generously share their music. If you find music you love, buy their albums, shirts, and songbooks, follow them on Spotify, see their shows, and drop them an email to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast.

Remember also to Subscribe to the Celtic Music Magazine. Every week, I'll send you a few cool bits of Celtic music news. It's a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Plus, you'll get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free, just for signing up today. Thank you again for being a Celt of Kindness.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 With the new year comes a new votes in the Celtic Top 20. This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. Just list the show number, and the name of as many bands in the episode as you like. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2019 episode.  Vote Now!

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:04 - "Falmouth Gig / Bishop's Jig / Porthlystry" by Andy Law & Friends from The Long and Short of It

3:38 - WELCOME

4:10 - "Rosetree Polka" by The Tea Merchants from Gaslight Snaps

8:25 - "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind" by Westwood Bluegrass Band from Kenzie

12:53 - "Casadh an tSugain" by Fir Arda from Greenhouse Sessions

15:29 - "Slea Head" by Ballinloch from Rise Up!

20:19 - CELTIC FEEDBACK

25:54 - "Ten Thousand Miles" by Spoil the Dance from Fairer Skies

28:53 - "Chanter and Scotch Cap" by Dustin Cooper from So Many Strings, So Little TIme

32:11 - "Lady Night" by Nicole White from Fantasy

34:00 - "La Ridee" by Poor Man's Gambit from Land of Sunshine

40:30 - "Live Not Where I Love" by Catherine Koehler from upcoming album

43:59 - CELTIC PODCAST NEWS

46:49 - "I'll Tell Me Ma" by Hard Green from Rare Old Mountain Dew

50:04 - "Gypsy Tax Fiddle Dub" by Celtic Reggae Revolution from Celtic Dub, Volume 1

55:00 - "Siren's Song" by Brave the Sea from The Kraken

59:46 - "The Belly Dancer" by Tartanic from Uncharted

1:02:02 - CLOSING

1:03:20 - "Curious Shore" by Brother Sea from Brother Sea Ep

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts or to our website where you can become a Patron of the Podcast for as little as $1 per episode. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

  CELTIC PODCAST NEWS

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a Celtic musician and podcaster. This show is dedicated to the indie Celtic musicians. I want to ask you to support these artists. Share the show with your friends. And find more episodes at celticmusicpodcast.com. You can also support this podcast on Patreon.

The Celtic Christmas Podcast is coming back. Join Celtic Christmas music fans to help us release episodes in 2019. Sign up today.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through it's culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Because of Your kind and generous support, this show comes out every week and has done so since 2014. You can pledge a dollar or more per episode and cap how much you want to spend each month over on Patreon.

Your generosity funds the creation, promotion and production of the show. It allows us to attract new listeners and to help our community grow. Plus, you get to hear episodes before regular listeners. When we hit a milestone, you get an extra-long episode. We are super close to getting a two-hour instrumental special.

I want to thank our Celtic Legends: Annie Lorkowski, Bryan Brake, Carol Baril, Hank Woodward, Kevin Long, Lynda MacNeil, Marianne Ludwig, Miranda Nelson, Nancie Barnett, Patricia Conner, robert michael kane, Scott Benson, Shawn Cali, Tiffany Knight

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast at http://patreon.com/celticpodcast.

  I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com

Beth Hlabse emailed photos: "Hi, Marc, I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for another wonderful podcast (412). Thanks to you, I discovered Heather Dale and I was very happy to hear her once again on you ‘cast.

I’ve attached some photos of what I do while listening to the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. I’ve been cross-stitching since I was 12 (more years ago than I want to say) and I’ve found that listening to your podcast has kept me going on my more difficult projects.

Keep up the good work and much joy, peace and happiness in your new home!"

BETH HLABSE 1, 2, 3

Wing L Mui emailed: "Hi Marc,I first started listening to your podcast in... 2006? 2007? A very long time ago, that's for sure. I drifted away when I left school and life got busy. But a week ago I realized that Spotify carries your podcast and began listening again. Now I have several hundred back episodes to go back to and I am very much looking forward to it!

That's not why I'm writing though. I just heard you address the complaint in your latest episode. Well, I'm a trans woman of East Asian descend and honestly not only do I not see very many folks like me performing Irish and Celtic music, it's hard for me to find other folks like me in the audience too. I'm thinking back to the last time Solas was in town for a bluegrass festival: the room was packed but pretty much every person was white. Except for me and the guy selling drinks in the back, I guess.

So I really want to thank you not only for introducing me to a wide variety of amazing music by a whole bunch of wonderful people around the world, but for standing up and making a safe space for folks who don't necessarily resemble what some people think fans of Irish and Celtic music should be. Thank you so much for your work, and your wonderful podcast!"

Matthew Means emailed: "Hi Marc, I've been a supporter for a number of years, first as a listener and then pledging to your Patreon, but never taken the time to let you know why I make that decision every month. Why now? Well, I suppose the world has been getting a little darker by the hour since I first found the podcast, but I've always been able to rely on your efforts to add a touch of something that's just purely positive and emotionally rewarding to my life on a regular basis. Especially as nearly every media channel turns into a profit-driven minefield of negativity, I can say without reservation that I want to live in a world where the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast exists, a forum where great music and equality are the only things that you'll find when you dig deeper. Does that sound overly dramatic? Well, maybe it is, but there are so few things I can say that about these days -- which is perhaps the far more dramatic conclusion.

Anyway, thanks for your hard work and hope to catch you on the road someday. Also, the Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits album is a masterpiece."

Will emailed: "Marc thanks such an outstanding podaost that raises the bar with each episode... after years and years of just listening to your podcast, I just turned around and made some purchases all thanks to your podcast. I purchased every album of Wicket Tinkers, Stubby shillelaghs, and album from the bedlam bards and of course your firefly drinking songs album. keep up the outstanding work, and keep raising that bar... wishing you the best from Japan, thanks,"

Marti Meyers emailed a photo from Gainsville, FL: "Catching up on episodes and listening to #407. I'm sitting before my neuroanatomy class and color coding spinal tracts. Grad student life! I hope your move went smoothly. The only thing harder than moving is house hunting!"

MARTI MEYERS

Amber from Buffalo emailed on Facebook: "I found your podcast by chance sometime last year. I love the energy of your show, your support of the diverse culture of celtic music, and the acknowledgment of all of the lesser known artists out there. Very recently, i have lost a friend to a terrible accident. he was a lovely human being who I can only describe as 'Wholesome'- he quite literally helped build much of my community, and had a very gentle hand with creatures. He introduced me to a plethora of celtic drinking songs/ sailing songs, something he quite enjoyed as he spent much of his time in Alaska working for fishing boats and various wildlife organizations. I don't know if he ever got around to hearing your podcast, but i am sure he would have enjoyed you very much. Would it be possible to request a cover of 'Mingulay' to be played on one of your upcoming shows? It is my favorite and very much reminds me of him."

#celticmusic #irishmusic #irishcelticmusic #celticmusicnews #equality #drinkingsongs

Check out this episode!

[watchilove]

Le Brassus, 15 July 2019: Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival celebrated the closing night of the Festival’s 53rd edition on July 13, 2019—a co-organised event starring legendary Quincy Jones, godfather of the Montreux Jazz Festival and long-lasting friend of the brand. The closing party was the perfect occasion to officially celebrate the Global partnership between the two entities, which extends their ongoing collaboration begun in 2010 with the Montreux Jazz Digital Project. (4k High-resolution pictures available in the gallery, courtesy of Audemars Piguet)

The celebration started with Quincy Jones’ concert, Soundtrack of the 80s. A line-up of seven artists had gathered at the Stravinski Hall to play some of the most popular hits composed, produced or arranged by Quincy Jones in the 1980s. Jon Batiste, -M- (Matthieu Chedid), Gareth Daley, Lauren Jauregui, Ibrahim Maalouf, Jonah Nilsson and Sheléa were accompanied on stage by the Sinfonietta de Lausanne, directed by John Clayton and Jules Buckley.

After the concert, François-Henry Bennahmias, Audemars Piguet’s Chief Executive Officer, joined the closing party held at the Belvédère, where artists gather after concerts, along with more than 150 guests.

During their joined discourse, Mathieu Jaton, Chief Executive Officer of the Montreux Jazz Festival, and François-Henry Bennahmias unveiled Quincy Jones’ life-sized statue created by Italian sculptor Marco Zeno. This new bronze sculpture will replace the artist’s existing bust in the Fairmont Montreux Palace’s garden. This statue honours Quincy Jones’ commitment to the world of music and role as godfather of the Montreux Jazz Festival.

It was also the opportunity to celebrate the long-lasting friendship between Audemars Piguet and the producer. In 2009, the Manufacture presented the Millenary Quincy Jones Limited Edition, a watch epitomising their larger collaboration on Project Q, which raised awareness on young people’s need for self-expression.

The closing night proceeded with an incredible jam session on the stage of la Coupole, next to the Belvédère. Many of the artists present, including Jon Batiste, -M- (Matthieu Chedid), Gareth Daley, Lauren Jauregui, Ibrahim Maalouf, Jonah Nilsson and Sheléa joined the stage for a unique performance. Open to the general public, this improvised concert blew away hundreds of spectators. The party continued till dawn at the Belvédère with DJ Ariel Wizman.

This shared event symbolises the beginning of a new musical adventure for Audemars Piguet as Global Partner of the Montreux Jazz Festival and beyond.

For Mathieu Jaton, the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Manufacture share common values: “Craftsmanship, character and connection are at the heart of the Montreux Jazz Festival’s philosophy. These three Cs unite us to Audemars Piguet, whose craftsmanship and unique character bring about exceptional encounters and connections.”

François-Henry Bennahmias is equally excited to be part of the Montreux Jazz Festival family: “Music creates unique emotions and brings people together. We see that happening at the Montreux Jazz Festival where artists and audience gather to celebrate a shared passion. This family spirit is at the core of all that we do at Audemars Piguet. We are delighted to count the Montreux Jazz Festival among our partners.”

More to come in 2020. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, enjoy the Montreux Jazz Festival’s hits selected by our Chief Executive Officer François-Henry Bennhamias: Playlist

  “To break the rules, you must first master them.”

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  About Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones (b. 1933 in Chicago) started as a trumpeter. His determination to give jazz more interpretive freedom, more solos, more improvisation and a faster tempo led him to also take on the tasks of arranger, musical director and producer. He worked on dozens of jazz albums and collaborated with numerous artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand and Tony Bennett. In 1965, this native of the South Side Chicago ghetto made his grand Hollywood debut with the soundtrack of the Sidney Lumet film Pawnbroker; the first of a long series of film soundtracks. In parallel, he continued recording discs combining rhythm and blues, funk and pop music. Quincy Jones’ encounter with Michael Jackson in 1978 led him to produce Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1983) and Bad (1987), all of which became planet-wide successes.

Quincy Jones is also recognised for his generosity. He was the brain behind the recording of the famous “We are the World” humanitarian song for which he united 46 American stars. He has also established The Quincy Jones Foundation, a philanthropic organisation committed to helping children by promoting their well-being, health and dignity.

Today, Quincy Jones has been awarded a total record of 80 Grammy Award nominations, 28 Grammys and a Grammy Legend Award (1992). www.quincyjones.com/

  About Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet). Since 1875, the company has written some of the finest chapters in the history of Haute Horlogerie, including a number of world firsts. In the Vallée de Joux, at the heart of the Swiss Jura, numerous masterpieces are created in limited series embodying a remarkable degree of horological perfection, including daring sporty models, classic and traditional timepieces, splendid ladies’ jewellery-watches, as well as one-of-a-kind creations. www.audemarspiguet.com

  About Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival

Audemars Piguet became Global Partner of the Montreux Jazz Festival alongside Accorhotel at the beginning of the year. Creators of exceptional (hi)stories and legendary moments, Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival put heritage and innovation at the heart of their savoir-faire.

The partnership between the Manufacture and the Festival stems from a natural evolution extending their ongoing collaboration and strong relationship. Starting in 2010, the Manufacture participated in the Montreux Jazz Digital Project together with the Claude Nobs Foundation and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). This massive project enabled the digitalisation, restoration and preservation of the Festival’s entire sound archives, acknowledged by UNESCO as part of its “Memory of the World.” Quincy Jones has described this unique collection, which contains more than 5,000 hours of concert recordings, as “the most important testimonial to the history of music, covering jazz, blues and rock.” The Montreux Jazz Digital Project is perfectly aligned with Audemars Piguet’s quest for innovation and endeavour to maintain watchmaking heritage and tradition in its birthplace, the Vallée de Joux.

As Global Partner, Audemars Piguet accompanies the Montreux Jazz Festival during its Festival in Montreux and in its various entities all year long, including the Montreux Jazz Festival Café restaurants, organising shared events in Switzerland and across the world.

Audemars Piguet’s partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival also confirms the Manufacture’s time-honoured interest in music and long-lasting relationships with artists. Committed to nurturing confirmed and upcoming artists, Audemars Piguet accompanies the Montreux Jazz Festival Artists Foundation in supporting tomorrow’s talents through the Montreux Jazz Academy and the Montreux Jazz Talent Awards.

  About the Montreux Jazz Festival

Founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs, the Montreux Jazz Festival takes place over 2 weeks each summer in Switzerland. With ambitious programming choices and a savoir-faire forged in the hospitality industry, the Montreux Jazz Festival offers a haven of peace to both artists and public, where time seems to stop, as the most improbable encounters become reality. The Festival draws more than 250,000 visitors each year to the shores of Lake Geneva for concerts of renowned acoustics and numerous free-access events. In Montreux, the intimacy that encourages improvisation remains a top priority. Proximity between the biggest artists and their audiences results in unique concerts and memorable moments. While jazz and blues are at the roots of this event, other styles of music quickly found their place, leading to artistic encounters between generations of musicians and unique experiences. Montreux has thus seen historic performances by artists including Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and Stevie Wonder. The festival celebrated its 53rd edition from June 28 to July 13, 2019. www.montreuxjazzfestival.com

  Montreux Jazz Festival Stravinsky Auditorium, 2019 (© 2019 FFJM – Marc Ducrest)

Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival celebrated the closing night of the festival’s 53rd edition alongside Quincy Jones Le Brassus, 15 July 2019: Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet and the Montreux Jazz Festival celebrated the closing night of the Festival’s 53rd edition on July 13, 2019—a co-organised event starring legendary Quincy Jones, godfather of the Montreux Jazz Festival and long-lasting friend of the brand.