Groovers Paradise

This Year's Playlist

My main focus is always music, it gets me through every day. I have no memory of life without music. It is always playing in my head, it is my reference point to everythng else in life, and it keeps me as close to sane as I'm likely to get. Of course my wife is the greatest love of my life, but she may never have risen to that lofty status had her small but respectable record collection not passed muster on our first meeting twenty eight years ago. Much like the lead character in High Fidelity my world revolved around my record collection and I had very definite opinions as to what constituted a "serious" musical appreciation. In turn, a large part of my character assesment when meeting someone was finding out their music tastes.

I've been blessed the last few years with an abundance of free time, available resources, and technology to more fully indulge in my music interests. This year has seen me with more time than money, so my purchases have been primarily my "A" List artists leaving less opportunity for experimentation with new music selections. The satisfaction and curiousity gap has been nicely filled with XM radio.

This seems like a good time to review my music purchases for the year, so here I'll list my favorite releases of the year to date. I hope to add a bit more diversity to the list before the year ends.

CD Purchases January - September 2006


1. The Boxing Mirror - Alejandro Escovedo
One of my favorite artists narrowly escapes death and releases one of the best albums of his career.
2. Modern Times - Bob Dylan
Dylan at the top of his game !
3. Change in the Weather - Eric Lindell
Solid New Orleans groove rock.
4. Thunderbird - Cassandra Wilson
One of today's finest artists builds on her previous releases with a nice twist - beyond categorization - smooth and edgy.
5. Pay The Devil - Van Morrison
In this case the overused moniker "Belfast Cowboy" applies. The master puts his unique imprint on some of country's best. A homage to his biggest influences, a few originals, and flawless execution !
6. The Seeger Sessions - Bruce Springsteen
Bruce switches gears a bit and goes folkie - but turns it up a notch with rousing New Orleans style arrangements.
7. People Gonna Talk - James Hunter
A rhythm & blues renascence - think Sam Cooke, but no copycat - this British cat swings - just ask Van Morrison.
8. All The Roadrunning - Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris
Two of our finest artists doing what they do best.
9. Black Cadillac - Rosanne Cash
Perhaps the best written album of the year !
10. The River In Reverse - Elvis Costello / Allen Tousaint.
It took a disaster to bring these two together, but it's a match made in heaven (which we all know is New Orleans) !
11. Mercernary - Dr. John
Standards funkified by the Doctor - good for what ails ya - and if nothin' ails ya - it's good for that too ! (thanks Weez !)
12. You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker - Willie Nelson
Willie pays tribute to one of Country's finest song writers, and turns in some of his most beautiful performances in the process.
13. The True False Identity - T Bone Burnett
T Bone takes a break from producing and goes solo - not your average album - mysterious and riveting !

Reissue - Not: The Cellar Door Sessions 1970- Miles Davis
Columbia continues with its "Miles Sessions" series, giving us a more complete look at one of his best bands - an Apollo era Lewis & Clarke on acid - they are mapping new territory and fortunately we are along for the ride !

The rest of the list:

Heavy Ornamentals - The Gourds
This Old Road - Kris Kristofferson
Morph the Cat - Donald Fagen
What's Going On - The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Town and The City - Los Lobos
Bluegrass - Jim Lauderdale
Country super Hits Vol. 1 - Jim Lauderdale
The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions - Miles Davis

Redux:

Shangri-La - Mark Knopfler
The Ragpicker's Dream - Mark Knopfler