Saturday, 1 December 2012

More Christian Music Recommendations (Tim Challies)

More Christian Music Recommendations (Tim Challies)


More Christian Music Recommendations (Tim Challies)

Posted: 01 Dec 2012 02:51 PM PST

Some more christian music (mainly hymn type things) recommendations from Tim Challies excellent blog.



Hymns for the Christian LifeHymns for the Christian Life - It's always noteworthy when Keith and Kristyn Getty release a new album. Keith Getty is one of today's foremost Christian hymnwriters who, along with Stuart Townend, has sparked a resurgence in hymnody with such songs as "In Christ Alone" and "How Deep the Father's Love." This new album "comes from the challenge to consider not just what we sing on those occasions when we're all together but how the shared lyrics of our faith speak into all the moments in between. Musically, Hymns for the Christian Lifereflects both the Celtic and American folk traditions, old and new world brought together, just as we lean on the rich legacy of Church music we already have with songs written for the life of the Church today." It is available at Amazon oriTunes.
Hymns MillerHymns - Hymns is a new album from Stephen Miller who leads worship at the Journey Church in St. Louis (where he ministers with Darrin Patrick). The album consists of eleven traditional and contemporary hymns set to new arrangements of the traditional melodies. In other words, it's quite a straightforward album that revisits a collection of everyone's favorite hymns. The album is available atAmazon or iTunes.
Under the New SunUnder the New Sun - Smalltown Poets were one of my favorite bands back in the day (by which I mean the 90's). Their first two albums would still rank on my list of all-time favorites. Now, all these years later, they've released a new EPtitled Under the New Sun. They say they've "gotten back to our beginnings by crafting lyric-intensive songs from the ground up, doing our best to turn a few phrases, sneak in a few puns, and challenge our listeners to dive in and bring their own imaginations." It's a fun album that is very consistent with the good old days ofSmalltown Poets and Listen Closely. You can check it out at smalltownpoets.tv.

Christian Music Recommendations from Tim Challies

Posted: 01 Dec 2012 02:16 AM PST


Joy Beyond the Sorrow by Indelible Grace - Indelible Grace may well be the name most closely associated with today's trend of setting old hymns to new music. I still remember listening to their music for the first time while driving my sister's car around Atlanta—listening to it and loving it. Indelible Grace has just released their sixth studio album and I think it may be their best yet. Joy Beyond the Sorrow includes 14 traditional hymns set to new music. Many of the melodies are ideal for corporate worship, something that has always been a strength of their albums. Standout tracks include "From the Depths of Woe (Psalm 130)," "Did Christ Over Sinners Weep?," and "Hail to the Lord's Anointed." You can buy theCD at their website or listen to the complete album (and buy MP3s) at Bandcamp.
T4G Live IITogether for the Gospel Live II by Sovereign Grace Music. In April of 2010 and 2012, thousands of people gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, to participate in the Together for the Gospel conferences. This album contains 16 of the songs they sang, led by Bob Kauflin on piano. The tracks include traditional hymns, contemporary hymns, and songs by Sovereign Grace. While all of these songs can be found on other recordings, the joy of this album is being able to sing along with thousands of voices (mostly male) raised in the praise to the Lord. It is available at Amazon for $8.99 as is the first volume, recorded at the 2008 conference.
Come Ye SinnersCome Ye Sinners by Sojourn. According to Sojourn, "Come Ye Sinners was recorded live on Good Friday, 2012 at Memorial Auditorium in Louisville. It's not just a record for that day or for the Easter season. It's a reminder—every day—that we're invited to meet God at the cross, where mercy abounds, sin is paid for, and death itself is conquered by the blood of Jesus." I see Sojourn as the older, hipster cousin of Indelible Grace and Sovereign Grace Music. If Sovereign Grace is wearing corduroys and Indelible Grace is wearing khakis, Sojourn is wearing skinny jeans and sporting the perfect soul patch. Their music is less congregational then the others and fits more closely with contemporary musical trends. I can't deny that I prefer their older albums to their more recent ones, and almost feel like they are trying a little bit too hard these days (I consider Before the Throne and Advent Songs their best). I may well be the exception here and certainly would not knock their musical talents. You can listen to samples and buy the new album at Amazon.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

A History of Modern Music (The Guardian)

A History of Modern Music (The Guardian)


A History of Modern Music (The Guardian)

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 09:43 AM PST

A history of jazz music timeline

A History of Modern Music: the timeline

In a seven-part series, Guardian and Observer critics chart the history of modern music, tackling a different genre each day and picking 50 key moments. Use this interactive guide to travel through time and see their selections

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Jazz Festival in Poznan: Begins this Thursday 22.11.2012

Jazz Festival in Poznan: Begins this Thursday 22.11.2012


Jazz Festival in Poznan: Begins this Thursday 22.11.2012

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:45 AM PST

This year's edition will be inaugurated by a concert from  Jason Adasiewicz's Sun Rooms Trio. Their debut album made the New York Times top 10 jazz and pop recrdings of 2010 list. Certainly one of the highlights will be the performance by Living by Lanterns,  their first performance in Europe after their premiere in Chicago in 2011. Mike Reed, with Jason Adasiewicz and his band Loose Assembly, will also be on the bill to present their project inspired by Sun Ra. There will also be the chance to see a performance of Harrison Bankhead and his sextet, the music draws inspiration from the esthetics of AACM, it's melodic with characteristic rhythms of Bankhead. One surprise should be The Awakening. The legendary band from the funk fusion scene of the 70s is back on stage. Meanwhile Mary Halvorson will present her innovative jazz guitar sound with her quartet consisting of: Taylor Ho Bynumen, Tomas Fujiwara, naturally, and others. For the grand finale come and hear "Blowing in from Chicago", a new version of the legendary session recorded in 1957. It will be a return to the saxophone sound of the 50s. Performing will be Ed Wilkerson, Ari Brown, Ken Chaney, Ernie Adams and Harrison Bankhead.

(from Poznan in Your Pocket, read the whole article here)

Saturday, 13 October 2012

Greatest, Essential & Best Jazz Albums

Greatest, Essential & Best Jazz Albums


Greatest, Essential & Best Jazz Albums

Posted: 13 Oct 2012 03:04 PM PDT

Every year I figure I'll finally get into Jazz, and every year it ends with an anticlimactic fizzle. This year however, was a success. Here are a few sites recommending albums and songs that I found helpful. First 3 are album recommendations then after that are song recommendations. If you follow the links to the song recommendations you can actually hear all 100 recommended songs from Jazz24. Plus I've put my album recommendations after the links. I suppose I'll update this page from time to time as I listen through more of the albums.

Albums

Matador's 25 Essential Jazz Albums

Daily Telegraph 100 Best Jazz Recordings

Amazon's 100 Best Jazz Albums

New Yorker's 100 Essential Jazz Albums

Songs

Jazz 24s 100 Quintessential Jazz Songs

Top 100 Radio Jazz Song Essentials

Top 100 Radio Jazz Instrumental Essentials

My Recommendations

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
The first Jazz album I bought and instantly accessible. The atmosphere is fantastic, latenight chilled out jazz, and the lineup for this albums is unbeatable. Miles Davis on trumpet, Coltrane on Sax, Bill Evan on Piano.

Duke Ellington Live at Newport
Upbeat atmosphere that will make you grin. Ellington was playing Newport at a time when his career was beginning to flag. After the first song people began to get up and leave so he called for one of his old standards. When the solo began one of the ladies couldn't contain herself any longer and jumped up to dance, Ellington responded and just kept the solo going, for a long time. The crowd called for four encores.

The Koln Concert - Keith Jarrett
Contemplative atmosphere, Solo piano improvisations but melodic as opposed to a lot of the dissonant avant garde jazz. The first track is increidible. Someone has said that he set the piano on fire with his playing. There are some truly beautiful moments in that first track, and the speed with which he plays at times defies belief.

Critics Recommendations (Chronological Album Timeline)

A Love Supreme (1964) - John Coltrane
Melded the hard bop sensibilities of his early career with the free jazz style he adopted later

Takin' Off (1962) - Herbie Hancock

The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959) - Ornette Coleman
Free Jazz

Kind of Blue (1959) - Miles Davis
Modal Jazz

Moanin' (1958) - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Everybody Digs Bill Evans (1958) - Bill Evans

Blue Train (1957) - John Coltrane

Ella & Louis (1956) - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

Concert by the Sea (1955) Erroll Garner

Bird & Diz (1950) - Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie 
Bebop
(Thelonious Monk on Piano)



Monday, 17 September 2012

Stream Efterklang's New Album 'Piramida'

Stream Efterklang's New Album 'Piramida'


Stream Efterklang's New Album 'Piramida'

Posted: 17 Sep 2012 10:06 AM PDT

Last year I saw Peter Broderick in concert which was in a word amazing. Before the concert though they showed the film for Efterklang's 'An Island' which was brilliant.

Now you can stream their new album here. If you like music tinged with ambience, if you like the music of the north, then you may well like this.

Sunday, 8 July 2012

Download Loud Harp Album Free

Download Loud Harp Album Free


Download Loud Harp Album Free

Posted: 08 Jul 2012 12:43 AM PDT

This is an album from some friends of CXVI the modern Hymn band. It's a contemplative psalm like affair with good music and invention within the songs. I like it. You can download the album for free here.

You can listen to one of their songs on their facebook page. Just click on the link.


Thursday, 5 July 2012

New Josh Garrells EP with remixes (Free download)

New Josh Garrells EP with remixes (Free download)


New Josh Garrells EP with remixes (Free download)

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 01:32 PM PDT

Download the New Josh Garrells EP. Haven't listened yet but I loved the LP