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....