Prick up your ears, installment 5

Ever wonder how to crack into so-called "World Music?" I have a hard time doing it because there are so many artists from so many countries, singing in so many languages. Some of it I just don't care for, and most of it I don't understand, but there is one artist I discovered many years ago, who just gets better and better: Youssou N'Dour from Senegal.

His newest album is just great! But also check out this album, which was the first of his that I bought. The track "Live Television" from this album is stunning, with him singing mostly in English.

Oh, and finally, check out this awesome video featuring Youssou and Neneh Cherry.

My dog, Spenser

Just in case you are wondering what my Border Terrier puppy looks like, here he is about a month ago. I know, I gotta take some more recent pictures, which I will do. Still you gotta admit he's pretty dang cute.

Prick up your ears, installment 4

Out today on a 3.5 mile walk by the San Francisco Bay with my dog. Killer views, mellow times. Listening to my Rhapsody player shuffling me a very nice deck as we walked -- old and new tunes. This killed me: Stevie Ray Vaughan -- "Life Without You." I was slow-bopping and groovin' and saluting the Monterey Pines, perhaps making bystanders (and my pup) think I was crazy, but Stevie Ray did that to me, and still does. May he rest in peace. Life is even better than good.

Ciao,

T.

Prick up your ears, installment 3

Unknown artist - "All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue" -- I love it when I go to a small club or festival and hear a total "unknown" who kills me. It sort of happened here when I was surfing for new music and stumbled across this. Yeah, I realize I could go to "Over the Rhine" and find out who she really is and all the details, but I'd rather just take this girl home, with her exquisite bass man and piano guy, (if it's not her on the keyboard), as chaperons, and have her sing for me all night...

T.

Prick up your ears, installment 2

A couple of posts ago, I promised to pull your coats to the music I am discovering and loving as my life unfolds. I thought about a title to use to alert you to when I'm in that mode, so here it is: "Prick up your ears," will all due respect to Stephen Frears' great movie.

OK, here is installment #2:

Dion - "Son of Skip James" - A long, long, long way from the days with "The Belmonts." Please take the time read the entire allmusic.com review of this absolutely incredible blues set. Dion? Kill yourself if you don't dig this album.

T.

"Who's" Generation?

OK, my friend Dave Gilson forwarded this to me. Utterly charming. I'll be there all too soon on the front lines.

T.

There is no way I could have said this better...

Those who have been reading this blog know that I prize and admire good writing. Here is some of the best writing I have seen in a while on a subject that is of great concern to me. The writing is cogent, powerful, grammatically perfect, and impassioned. Please read it -- it's not that long. But here is a teaser:

Evangelical influence is all over the election of 2008. The debates are laden with questions about candidates' favorite Bible verses or how often and heartily they pray. The thought that a grown person -- the leader of the free world -- would actually sit down and hear voices to guide him in major decisions is blood-curdling mad. Listen to John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, or any of the other candidates and you'll hear a group of seemingly intelligent people sounding silly in order to placate lunacy. I'd like to hear a debate where the candidates are asked how quickly they are going to eliminate Bush's trash legislation called "the faith-based initiative.

"Placating lunacy" is my new watch phrase -- utterly brilliant.

~ tom of assisi