Some of my top picks of 2008

2008 has sped by, but along the way there has been much good music to listen to.
My 'guilty pleasure' Christmas gift this year was Christopher Cross's "The Cafe Carlyle Sessions" on his own label. Those familiar with Chris's career will find not new material on this collection, but wonderful smooth acoustic versions of some of his finest work. It's definitely a musicians' delight.
Jonathan Butler has been a perennial favorite of mine. This year(actually late 2007...) he released the long awaited live album "Live in South Africa". The bonus DVD is a wonderful glimpse into Jonathan's background though I hope that a full concert DVD might eventually become available.
The biggest surprise for me this year was Coldplay. "Viva La Vida or Death and all his friends" is a very satisfying work - and the title track is the best track of 2008 IMHO - even if they borrowed from Satriani to do it!!
Recently I took a chance on Marco Antonio Solis's "Una Noche En Madrid" a live CD/DVD combo which I have very much enjoyed if for no other reason that it is a contrast to the rest of my listening.
Finally a shout out to my mate Chris and the Wolfmen. Their collaboration with Daler Mehndi promises to be one of 2009's great events. I had to make do with a couple of iTunes downloads of "Two Eyes" and the punchy "Thieves and Liars", although The Wolfmen's debut album is even now winging its way to me over the water.

Another Guilty Pleasure

One of the nice things about Walmart (believe it or not there are one or two!)is the fact that they make some older albums available at very attractive prices. This afternoon, while shopping for Christmas food....I had to divert myself by way of the CD section for a quick peruse, when I came upon a copy of

Stranger in Town

by Bob Seger. I had once owned the record but I think it became scratched or warped - I then owned it on cassette but that too disappeared, so now was my chance to own it again for less than $7!! I leapt at the chance and have been enjoying a trip down memory lane and another guilty pleasure. It remains one of Rock's finest achievements and a rare album with no filler tracks at all which demands to be listened too in one sitting, much like

the Stranger

by Billy Joel released the year earlier.

Una Noche En Madrid

Sometime I take a chance on interesting looking music. The only Spanish music I was hitherto familiar with was the Inglesias variety (Julio or Enrique), maybe some Gloria Estafan and some Selena. Apparently Marco Antonio Solis is the biggest thing out of Mexico and probably what I hear being played over the loudspeakers at my local Mexican Restaurant.
This is a live CD/DVD and is really quite entertaining, considering I know little Spanish apart from amor and corazon, so I have little idea what's being sung about!
Spanish, Italian and French are not called romance languages for nothing. They are certainly the most musical and flowing. SO check him out and broaden your cultural horizons!

What I've been listening to lately....

O.K. it's still an eclectic mix.... A little James Taylor solo live (exquisite). Some streaming songs from The Wolfmen including brand new single "Better Days" as well as collaborations with Daler Mehndi and Namgyal Lhamo. Finally a beautiful worship CD from Shannon Wexelberg, who played piano at our wedding almost 20 years ago....

Authentic Worship for FREE!

I have to say that this is one of the most refreshing things to come my way recently. Phil mixes the new and the old in a refreshing unplugged and solo offering. The audience participation testifies to the fact that this was - as advertised - a SINGALONG!

Thieves and Liars

The latest Daler Mehndi / Wolfmen collaboration "Thieves and Liars" is available on I-tunes. More of a blend of styles than the last single "Two Eyes", it rocks along at a furious pace but with a much clearer vocal line. The Wolfmen have already performed the song 'live' with Daler joining in via tape... It's a great advertisement for the long awaited album which will further blur the boundaries between East and West.

Another CD from the Bargain Bin!

Sam Moore , for the uninitiated was one half of the Sam & Dave combo, famous for "Hold On I'm Comin'" and the ubiquitous "Soul Man", who having made their mark in their own time, resurfaced when Belushi and Ackroyd brought "the Blues Brothers" into mainstream culture. Since that time and even prior to that Sam has languished in obscurity. Music afficianados however, including Roger Friedman (of FOXNEWS 411 fame...) and Randy "DAWG" Jackson managed to put together a great album of collaborations with everyone from Springsteen and Sting to Vince Gill and Travis Tritt, along with wonderful contributions from the late great Billy Preston, as well as Fantasia and Bonnie Bramlett's soundalike daughter Bekka.
All in all it adds up to a very satisfying mix of old school soul and new classics.
Sam is approaching 70 on this record but sounds great and demonstrates for all to hear that he had and still possesses one of the finest tenor voices in music. That is probably the reason why so many 'names' counted it a privilege to be guesting on this album. I'm glad I bought it - at any price. I recommend you find yourself a copy.

what I'm listening to now....

It's bargain Bin week here....

Asia - Then and Now

Joe Walsh - You can't argue with a sick mind

Frauenholz - Codex

Rubicon 7 - Just Another day

Two classic rock albums and two electronica...that's my eclectic musical taste for you!!

Musical inspiration from Beijing

Your Great Name


All the scientific advancements
Of this technologic age,
Leave their footprints upon the scroll of time,
As we dance across each page...
The precision of many drummers,
The fusion of light and sound,
The height of human achievement,
It seems to know no bounds

But it cannot come close to Your glory,
It cannot exceed Your great fame,
And when mankind has finished their story,
We will bow and exalt Your great name,
We will bow and exalt Your great name.

All the beauty that leaves us astonished,
That captures us here and now,
All the feats of human endurance,
That bring the indescribable WOW,
The music that stirs our emotions,
That carries our river of dreams,
Will soon find an ocean with borders,
And nothing's as free as it seems...

But it cannot come close to Your glory,
It cannot exceed Your great fame,
And when mankind has finished their story,
We will bow and exalt Your great name,
We will bow and exalt Your great name.

Yet even now in this Holy place,
We kneel , we bow, we behold Your face,
We enter in, beyond time and space,
For a glimpse of eternity....

But it cannot come close to Your glory,
It cannot exceed Your great fame,
And when mankind has finished their story,
We will bow and exalt Your great name,
We will bow and exalt Your great name.

The Great Andrew Gold Celebration

How great is this guy?.....Only one of the best pop writer/musicians ever!
I defy anyone to challenge the breadth and quality of his work. Even his demos sound better than most....He is criminally under-appreciated as a songwriter and as a studio musician. HE even does cover versions that will astound you...check out his Byrds and Beatles covers. Someone give the guy the kudos he deserves!!

Open Letter to Tom Howard

Dear Tom,
As much as I enjoy your piano playing - even when you choose to remain anonymous:
please would you, or someone find a way to make your incredible debut album, "View from a bridge" available once more.

Stunning guitar work

Amazing guitar piece from legend Gordon Giltrap. The piece just builds and builds and never gets boring.... enjoy!

Listen to the latest recordings

You can listen to three new tracks at my CARBONLOGIC site http://carbonlogic.co.uk/artist/jonathan-patrick-moore
Tell me what you think! The new tracks have the photo with this post, marking them!

Music that needs to be on CD

Having just obtained "the Race" by Michael Omartian I have been reminded of the incredible quality of Omartian's work which is sadly unavailable in the US. Someone needs to remaster and re-release everything from "White Horse" on including the fabulous "Seasons of the Soul" and the engaging "The Builder". Most 'contemporary christian music" cannot stand up to it. I already have "Mainstream" and would even welcome a re-release of the Live album done with Second Chapter of Acts

Getting ready to record

Over the next two weeks, I hope to begin work on a new music project. I will be recording some of the worship music I have written over the past few years. I'm still doing it the old fashioned way - a simple recorder,laying down tracks and mixing as I go in real time. It's organic and hopefully authentic. Pray for me!

Go West - Indian Summer - a breath of fresh air!!

After the last post about Lil'Wayne, I had to return to some kind of muscial sanity. One of my great 'finds' on my recent spree in Nashvegas, was this classic album from 1992 by one of the most underrated pop bands of all time. Go West are still in existence and have chosen quality over quantity in terms of recorded output. Their latest release "FUTURENOW" is due at any moment which will make 4 studio albums in 20+ years.
Peter Cox's sublime soul voice powers the recording while Richard Drummie's arranging makes this duo, the U.K.'s amswer to Hall and Oates in the Blue-eyed Soul department.
Too many great performances to single out but King of Wishful Thinking has to be one of the classiest pop songs of the modern era. AAHHH....

An afternoon w/ LilWayne

I promised my eldest son that I would listen to the latest Cd by Rapper Lil' Wayne before I dismissed his lack of judgement. So with headphones on I settled down (!) for a 77 minute joyride in the presence of "the greatest rapper of his generation".
Without being unduly unkind - there was some definite skill in wordplay demonstrated throughout. There was the presence of commercial and annoyingly good backbeats and samples. "Lollipop" is an insiduous track that slides into the subconcious before you fully realize the overt oral sexual overtones.
Of course I was listening to the 'unclean' version - and therein lies a problem. How clever a wordsmith do you have to be to use f*@# or m-F or b**tch a thousand times - I can get a dose of that everyweek in my Jail GED class - unfortunately many young black males live in a distorted "WAYNE'S WORLD" but without the bling and the arrogant self promotion.
I wish my son had been exposed to REAL afro-american writing and poetry from the likes of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes and even Gil Scott-Heron before he rose to acclaim Mr Carter as a great poet.
I wish that I could say that my afternoon with Lil' Wayne had a redemptive purpose or an educational, uplifting outcome. Instead I was left with the impression that he is symptomatic of a problem, not an attempt to be a solution, to the plight of the oppressed minorities, whether racially or economically. I am looking for a voice to arise out of the urban landscape that not only speaks truth to power but does it in a way that brings life! Up to this point there has only been one in my lifetime - Martin Luther King, and there is only one who can truly set people free by his word and that is Jesus Christ!

William Topley the 'unknown'

Sometime last year I 'discovered' William Topley. I was rummaging through a bargain bin at a local discount store and found a CD called "Black River". I purchased it and upon first listen was immediately struck by the bluesy raw power of Topley's voice. Eager to know more, I searched online and found that he was English...(who knew?) and that he had fronted a band called "The Blessing" back in the early '90's. I have since purchased "Sea fever" - that should have been a clue that he was english, since every schoolboy has to memorize said poem by John Masefield! and then I managed to track down "The Prince of the Deep Water" the Blessing's first album. Then last week while in Nashville I found the second "Blessing" album, "Locusts and Wild Honey". It is fabulous! Great production, emotive singing, atmospheric lyrics combining into a satisfying potpourri of caribbean jerk seasoning with an adventurous colonial twist.

What I'm listening to.....

While in Nashville last weekend, I spent a happy couple of hours browsing through "The Great Escape" - one of my favorite used music stores. I came away with three wonderful 'finds'. One of the treasures was the double live CD from Brian kennedy, who possesses a wonderful voice and a wide range of musical tastes. Just listen to his acappella version of"You Raise Me Up" that closes the set. It is absolutely sublime!!

I have recently been catching up ( about a decade late) on the phenomenon known as Garthmania. It turns out if you strip away the hype...he was and presumably still is quite a performer. "Scarecrow" was his last official studio album before retiring. Although not his best seller...it is a mature and satisfying album that has all the traits of country songwriting, love, loss, beer and humor performed in a less affected more straight forward style than some of his earlier work.

What I'm Listening to....

What a wonderful surprise this neo-folk duo from N.Y.C. turns out to be. I was introduced to them by a friend who heard them with Joan Baez. I've now obtained a couple of their releases....if you've got half a brain this is the music for you!

Jonathan Butler does it again

I must admit I'm an unabashed Jonathan Butler fan. As far as I'm concerned, he could sing the phone book and make it entertaining. I have seen him live in concert and enjoyed "Live in South Africa" immensely. I really appreciated "The Worship Project" for its purity, simplicity and heart. I told him of my appreciation of that album at his Rendezvous All-Stars concert back in 2006, in Memphis. At that time the Gospel Goes Classical was in the pipeline and although Mr. Butler's contributions were good, I was left feeling a little short changed by the experience. "Brand New Day", however has exceeded expectations. Although lyrically not ploughing any new territory, muscially this is a more varied project moving from praise into worship and with a much higher level of production. The variety of styles helps to keep the listenber engaged - it's great to work out to, by the way...
The songs aren't entirely self composed, in fact Jonathan reworks the old standby "O Magnify the Lord" and refreshes it with a latin feel. The biggest stylistic shift is the collaboration with Israel Houghton on "Gonna Lift You Up" which really rocks out! The duet with his daughter Jodie, called "Mercy" is one of a number of very sweet worship songs that could easily be adapted for most congregations. The final two selections are among my favorites; " I Believe" (not to be confused with another track bearing the same title on his "Surrender" album) is a sumptious ballad replete with a gorgeous string arrangement, beautifully sung. while the final track is another simple yet heartfelt plea to "Tell me (Do you still love Jesus)" accompanied by just Jonathan's tasty electric guitar - once again reminding us that he is a very accomplished jazz guitarist.
If I have one fear, it is that this project, like his previous one will not get the promotion or the attention it deserves within the Christian marketplace. Make no mistake - Jonathan Butler has taken it to the next level with this quality release.

The Master Songwriter

I've been re-listening to this incredible box set of Jimmy Webb's seventies output(sadly only 2500 were pressed although you can get most of this individually...)
He is in a class by himself both musically and lyrically. I never tire of listening to these treasures.

I Hope I'll see you in heaven

Classic Larry Norman song sung shortly after the passing of his Grandmother....especially poignant in light of his own passing....

Spirit of '76 by the Alarm

This is a video by another one of those criminally underated bands from the 80's. Mike Peters always sang with passion and "the Alarm" live were the match of any band including U2!!

Here's my friend Chris and his band WOLFMEN live!

Check out this sneak peek at the WOLFMEN live! My friend Chris is the bassist and singer.....we've agreed to enjoy a curry together when I'm next in the U.K.

Check out classic "the Call"!

This is one of the great unknown and underappreciated bands of the 80's and 90's! ENJOY!! Now Let the Day Begin!

Live in South Africa

I promised a follow-up to my 'much anticipated' post.... I finally purchased the 'Live' album for my birthday.....and it was worth the wait! Jonathan really cuts loose live and his passion really shines through. "No Woman No Cry" is a stand out track, as it was when I heard it in concert back in 2006. The DVD provides some wonderful insight into Jonathan's roots....so pick up the package and enjoy!

Hear an NPR tribute to Larry Norman!

Kudos to NPR's Day to Day for airing a short interview with Charley Norman and some pointed clips of Larry's most noteworthy songs. At least they recognise his cultural relevance!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=64442288

what I'm listening to now....

In honor of the great Larry Norman, who passed on to glory early on Sunday morning February 24th, 2008, I've been listening to the genius of his talent on "In Another Land" and "Only Visiting This Planet". He has provided a major part of the soundtrack for my 33 year walk with Christ.

Listen to ME!