What are you listening to? Part III

[Arran]

Had Mahler's 5th on earlier. The adagietto. It's calming. Perfect.
[doublepost=1485144437][/doublepost]

I don't know whether you ever saw the charming - and wonderful bittersweet British film (movie) "Educating Rita" - but there is a wonderful line "Wouldn't you just die without Mahler?" from the flatmate Trish (played by the wonderful Maureen Lipman) of the eponymous Rita (who was brilliantly played by Julie Walters - playing a working class woman who chooses to go to university as a mature student).

I remember that line like it was yesterday. Had no idea it was Maureen Lipman!

 

[CE3]

 

[Arran]

Up on a hill, as the day dissolves
With my pencil turning moments into line
High above in the violet sky
A silent silver plane - it draws a golden chain

One by one, all the stars appear
As the great winds of the planet spiral in
Spinning away, like the night sky at Arles
In the million insect storm, the constellations form

On a hill, under a raven sky
I have no idea exactly what I've drawn
Some kind of change, some kind of spinning away
With every single line moving further out in time

And now as the pale moon rides (in the stars)
Her form in my pale blue lines (in the stars)
And there, as the world rolls round (in the stars)
I draw, but the lines move round (in the stars)
There, as the great wheels blaze (in the stars)
I draw, but my drawing fades (in the stars)
And now, as the old sun dies (in the stars)
I draw, and the four winds sigh (in the stars)

 

[notmach67]

Found this gem of madness today and let me just say that it took me away...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A few from Vencentico Valdes, smooth, Spanish songs from the 50s and 60s.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It seems to be a night of Los Panchos - again, lovely Spanish music from the mid twentieth century.

 

[AngerDanger]

"Asteroids" by Jerobeam Fenderson and Adoxo.

It's a pure mix of audio and visuals—the animation in the video is generated by using the left and right audio channels as horizontal and vertical deflection of the electron beam in a cathode ray tube. Unlike most visuals from media players and laser shows, none of the images shown are extraneous to the music. They are one and the same.

Sometimes referred to as lissajous music (after lissajous curves), these compositions must be meticulously programmed to both sound and look good; I imagine it's similar to constrained writing (I'll only write songs that look like… 3D rotating cubes).

This song is hard to listen to at times, but the serene vocoded sound starting 17 seconds in is lovely.

 

[CE3]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Don't know how I missed this post; anyway, a fantastic album, one that I must say that I really love.

Current listening to a nice lively piece by Rocco De Rosa called "Iquique".

 

[mobilehaathi]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Something cheerful, yet smooth, classy and soothing is called for this evening, something akin to Pink Martini, or Pepe And The Bottle Blondes.

By the way, has anyone come across the music of Barcelona Klezmer Gypsy Orchestra?

 

[bradl]

Every so often, someone from the wider culture of what is considered by some (though not by all - how American is Hawaii?- not least when a certain kid who once answered to the name of Barry Obama spent many - though not all - of his formative years there?) to be a part of the US hits that bittersweet note of heartbreaking authenticity in describing cultural annihilation and destruction.

So, - in reluctant salute to an unwelcome set of occurrences, or an unfortunate series of events, - to borrow a phrase - or title - from a writer (Lemony Snicket) whose work I like a lot - I am listening to the haunting music of the wonderful Hawai'ian artist, composer, singer, songwriter, and musician, - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole; Listen to "Hawai'i '78", and "Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" and I defy you, I dare you, not to want to weep.

Just now getting caught up on this thread.

Funny you should mention this, @Scepticalscribe. I caught this story over at NPR a few weeks ago, after one of the hosts of Morning Edition, Renee Montagne, announced her retirement from the show. She took the week to go over her most favourite interviews. It was one from Kamakawiwo'ole, that she had in 2011 with the producer of the album that had that song.

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131812500/israel-kamakawiwo-ole-the-voice-of-hawaii

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: The Voice Of Hawaii
March 9, 201110:40 PM ET
Heard on Morning Edition
By Renee Montagne

The late Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Kah-MAH-kah-VEE-voh-OH-lay), did something rare in music. He redefined a beloved classic.

His version of "Over the Rainbow" has the poignancy of Judy Garland's and the shimmering vulnerability, but these days it's heard so often on TV and in the movies, a younger generation may only know Israel's version. It's become so popular, it is now the most requested version of the song by far, according to music publishing house EMI. That's quite remarkable for a rendition with one voice, accompanied only by ukulele.

"In Hawaii, we talk about this thing we call mana," says musician Del Beazley, who grew up with Israel and wrote two of his songs. "Mana is like an energy that you get. We believe we get ours from the elements first, the Earth, your sky, your ocean, your God, and all that is inside of us. And when we open our mouth to speak, to sing or to play, that's what we let out. But it's that that makes him [Israel] special, because his mana always came out."

Beazley remembers the first time he heard Israel sing.

They were teenagers and Israel showed up with his older brother Skippy at a graduation party.

"They set up with instruments that were kind of beat up. In fact, one of the ukuleles was held together with bubble gum. What happened was, as soon as Israel Kamakawiwo'ole opened his mouth and sang, that whole place went quiet. Every great singer has something special. It's almost a nasal or head tone. And that thing just cut right through the air, stopped everybody in their tracks."

Israel was still a teenager when he and his brother formed a band with three other local guys. They called themselves the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. In the 1970s, young Hawaiians were rediscovering their language and culture. In music, that meant getting away from kitschy hula tunes for tourists, like "My Little Grass Shack." Israel's group was among those who embraced traditional melodies.

Israel was the group's standout — for his voice and also his size. Both he and Skippy weighed hundreds of pounds — the girth of sumo wrestlers. Israel was over 6 feet tall with flowing black hair.

The 1988 Recording Session That Made Him A Legend

It began at 3 in the morning. Milan Bertosa was at the end of a long day in his Honolulu recording studio.

"And the phone rings. It was a client of mine," Bertosa remembers. The client rattled off Israel's unpronounceable name and said he wanted to come in and record a demo. Bertosa said he was shutting down, call tomorrow. But the client insisted on putting Israel on the phone. "And he's this really sweet man, well-mannered, kind. 'Please, can I come in? I have an idea,' " Bertosa remembers Israel saying.

Bertosa relented and gave Israel 15 minutes to get there. Soon, there was a knock at the door.

"And in walks the largest human being I had seen in my life. Israel was probably like 500 pounds. And the first thing at hand is to find something for him to sit on." The building security found Israel a big steel chair. "Then I put up some microphones, do a quick sound check, roll tape, and the first thing he does is 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.' He played and sang, one take, and it was over."

The next day, Bertosa made a copy for Israel and filed the original recording away. But he was so taken with it, that over the next few years, he played it occasionally for family and friends. "It was that special," he says. "Whatever was going on that night, he was inspired. It was like we just caught the moment."

Jump Ahead Five Years

In 1993, Milan Bertosa wound up working as an engineer for Mountain Apple Company in Honolulu, a long-established recording house, where Israel was making a solo album. As Bertosa listened during the final days of recording, he had an epiphany. He turned to producer Jon de Mello and said, "This is great, but there's more." Bertosa fished out "Over the Rainbow" and played it for de Mello.

"Israel was really sparkly, really alive," recalls de Mello after hearing the recording. "He had a grand heart attack in 1989, so this was right before his heart attack." De Mello put "Over the Rainbow" (actually a medley, with "What a Wonderful World") on Facing Future, which is still the best-selling Hawaiian album of all time, thanks to one song.

"There's been a bunch of articles written about 'Over the Rainbow,' " says Bertosa. "He gets the lyrics wrong, he changes the melody. If you sat there with a book and a score card, you could count the mistakes or you could listen to the song and smile."

Family Struggles

Israel weighed close to 700 pounds when he came to de Mello to start a solo career in 1993. He was in and out of the hospital.

His brother Skippy died from complications of obesity, as had almost all of Israel's immediate family. He knew he was destined for a brief life. To de Mello, everything Israel sang and said became precious. So he instructed his engineers to keep the tape rolling for all the rehearsals, all the jokes.

Israel was a very funny man, he says. "And every session, I would keep him for an hour afterwards." Just tell me stories, he told Israel. "There was such great content in what this beautiful Hawaiian man was talking about — the trials and tribulations of his own life and his family's life."

"I was scared when I lost my mother, my father, my brother, my sister," Israel told de Mello. "I guess this is gonna sound kind of weird, but I'm not scared for myself for dying. Because I believe all these places are temporary. This is just one shell. Because we Hawaiians live in both worlds. It's in our veins. When our time come, don't cry for me. Don't cry for me. Plant a tree in the middle ... where they play soccer," he laughs. "Kind of small, then I'll grow big."

In the summer of 1997, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole , by then one of the most beloved singers in the history of Hawaiian music, died of respiratory failure. He was 38 — and just beginning to see the huge success of "Over the Rainbow."

Israel's body lay in state at Hawaii's Capitol building, a rare honor.

Days later, he was cremated, along with his vintage Martin ukulele — the one he used to record "Over the Rainbow." The ashes were carried on a traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe.

His longtime friend Del Beazley and producer Jon de Mello were among those onboard.

"And going down the coastline," says de Mello, "all the big semi-trucks on the island of Oahu had their air horns blowing. And from the ocean we could hear the echo, the bounce off the mountain ranges."

"In the old days," says Beazley, "people would wail when the mo'i or 'king' passed away — and cry. And that's really what it was. This whole island came together just to say goodbye to this one Hawaiian. But I tell you, he would have been laughing."

A video accompanies the article. Enjoy.

BL.

P.S. My son loves listening to Johnny Mahoy from Iz. He doesn't fully understand what the lyrics are saying outside of "don't hang around the bad crowd", but he's captivated every time he hears it.

 

[decafjava]

Two words: Hendrix, Watchtower

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just now getting caught up on this thread.

Funny you should mention this, @Scepticalscribe. I caught this story over at NPR a few weeks ago, after one of the hosts of Morning Edition, Renee Montagne, announced her retirement from the show. She took the week to go over her most favourite interviews. It was one from Kamakawiwo'ole, that she had in 2011 with the producer of the album that had that song.

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131812500/israel-kamakawiwo-ole-the-voice-of-hawaii



A video accompanies the article. Enjoy.

BL.

P.S. My son loves listening to Johnny Mahoy from Iz. He doesn't fully understand what the lyrics are saying outside of "don't hang around the bad crowd", but he's captivated every time he hears it.

Fantastic post, and how exquisitely, painfully, poignantly, beautiful. Yet it is also uplifting and sweet. Thanks for sharing, @bradl.

 

[pachyderm]

the latest version of iTunes is killing me!

anyone else?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

the latest version of iTunes is killing me!

anyone else?

Actually, I have not downloaded the last few - mainly because it is becoming more complicated and a lot more tedious and tiresome.

It used to be a doddle to be able to do what you needed; I don't want or need the cloud, I just want to be able to 'rip' and 'burn' CDs. make playlists, and find what I wish to find without the construction of an insanely complicated music map.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I believe the newer versions of iTunes are just trying to force you down the Apple music road. But like others I'd rather not join that madness!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I believe the newer versions of iTunes are just trying to force you down the Apple music road. But like others I'd rather not join that madness!

Yes, that is the impression I have had, and I am not remotely interested in embarking on that route.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Yes, that is the impression I have had, and I am not remotely interested in embarking on that route.

I think Apple have received enough of my money of late!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I think Apple have received enough of my money of late!

They are welcome to mine for good computers, and iPods. And half decent operating systems.

However, I do deplore (yes, the use of that word is quite intentional) the rentier model of music.

Listening to the sort of Mariachi music one might find in spaghetti westerns.

 

[mobilehaathi]

the latest version of iTunes is killing me!

anyone else?

Terrible; hate it; any ideas for a replacement? There don't seem to be many options for OSX with the same batch management/organization functionality...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Listening to to a few pieces of music from two albums (Cabo Verde, and Café Atlantico) released by Cesária Évora. Quite lovely.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Listening to to a few pieces of music from two albums (Cabo Verde, and Cafe Atlantico) released by Cesária Évora. Quite lovely.

Ah! She's wonderful. I should put her in the queue.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Ah! She's wonderful. I should put her in the queue.

I was in a taxi - (driven by a immigrant, naturally, such music could hardly have come from any other source) - around two years ago, en route to being driven to a meeting, and I heard this awesome, and quite fantastic music, - played on the car's music system - which prompted me to wonder what it was. Cesária Évora was the answer. I was hooked, and, on my return home, promptly ordered some of her CDs.

 

[mobilehaathi]

I was in a taxi - (driven by a immigrant, naturally, such music could hardly have come from any other source) - around two years ago, en route to being driven to a meeting, and I heard this awesome, and quite fantastic music, - played on the car's music system - which prompted me to wonder what it was. Cesária Évora was the answer. I was hooked, and, on my return home, promptly ordered some of her CDs.

I only discovered her because of some friends (one of whom is a musical anthropologist) who traveled to Cabo Verde for work.