Nordost Playlist – July 2022

Posted on July 7, 2022 by Nordost

Nordost products are designed to allow you to enjoy your favorite performances as they were intended to be heard. All of us here are passionate about great music, and want to share our passion with you. Each one of us has our own style… We listen to a wide variety of artists and genres but, in a way, we appreciate them all. We thought that we would share a few of the songs on our own personal playlists with you each month. Some may be classics, some may be brand new, some may not even be to your tastes, but we hope that there is something here for everyone.

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this July.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Believer—Emily King—The Switch
Last Night—Arooj Aftab—Vulture Prince
Lilies of the Valley—David Byrne—David Byrne
Small Worlds—Rayland Baxter—Good Morning
Your Reality—Sylvan Esso—Your Reality
Pride and Joy—Stevie Ray Vaughan—Texas Flood (Legacy Edition)
Sally’s Pigeons—Cyndi Lauper—Hat Full Of Stars
Eine Symphonie Des Grauens—The Monochrome Set—Compendium 75-95
Franklin’s Tower—Grateful Dead—Blues for Allah
Let Down (Remastered)—Radiohead—OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017

Nelson Brill Talks Trumpets – Both Live and Recorded Performances

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Nordost

Real music lovers can find the melody in everything. From the park to the concert hall, our friend Nelson Brill is always on the hunt for great sound. In this blog, Nelson gets into the swing of spring with reviews of amazing, live, local concerts and a few special recordings, featuring prolific trumpeters that bring the atmosphere of a live performance into your own home.

BOLD TRUMPETERS TAKE CENTER STAGE: NEW JAZZ CONCERTS AND RECORDINGS TO SAVOR

By Nelson Brill | May 11, 2022

As Spring erupts here in the Northeastern US, the sounds of jazz are once again bursting forth, like a sweet lilac flower. New adventurous recordings are on tap. There’s a whirlwind of new live shows including the resumption of great summer music festivals such as the legendary Montreal Jazz Festival [www.montrealjazzfest.com] and the Newport Jazz Festival [www.newportjazz.org]. Here’s a first report on recent jazz concerts in Boston – with a garland of audiophile quality recordings to share – to get the jazz joy flowing:

Got trumpet love? A number of swashbuckling trumpeters strode onto Boston’s stages to ignite their shining horns in recent concerts. First up, esteemed trumpeter, keyboardist and composer Nicholas Payton sashayed into Scullers Jazz Club (“Scullers”) on March 11th and delivered his bracing funk, R&B and bluesy sway with the help of vibrant partners Russell Hall on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. It was great to be back at Scullers, (see www.scullersjazz.com for their calendar of upcoming shows) with its welcoming staff and buzzing atmosphere. In retrospect, the only sad news was that Payton’s show was one of the last shows engineered and produced by Scullers’ talented audio engineer, Matt Hayes, who tragically passed away in early April. Hayes will be sorely missed by his colleagues, the many musicians he worked with andthe audiences who were lucky to hear his audio artistry each night at Scullers.

At their Scullers show, Payton and his dapper partners played with an easy-going camaraderie, digging deep into tunes from Payton’s newest recording, Smoke Sessions [Smoke Sessions Records]. Reflecting Payton’s evolution as an artist, his Smoke Sessions recording highlights Payton’s artistry at his keyboard more than on his legendary horn. This was the case at his Scullers performance. Payton spent most of his time at his alighting electronic keyboard and his piano, plying his trumpet as an accenting partner with short bursting solos. For instance, on the band’s swinging version of Benny Golston’s “Stable Mates”, Payton mixed a cluster of bluesy chords on his electric keyboard, swinging with twinkle and verve, adding the spice of a short trumpet solo bristling with crisp bursts and breathy descents. The bluesy swing concluded with a joyful Payton-Stewart conversation with Stewart burbling low on his drums and crackling rim hits and Payton caressing his shining horn in a rising and falling stutter-stepping dance – ending on a clarion, soulful call.

A special treat at this Scullers performance was getting the opportunity to explore the propulsive engine of Stewart on his sly and expressive drums. His creative pitter-patter of light snare, cymbal shine and rim hits was the perfect inventive companion to Payton’s musical territory allowing everyone to stretch out and groove. On another highlight, the band’s pulsating tune, “Jazz Is A Four Letter Word,” Stewart delivered a crackling rock beat with his concise snare and cymbal hits that strode forth to allow Payton and Hall to swing with rocking glee on Stewart’s slip-stream of sunshine, with the capacity audience chanting along to the song’s irresistible sway. On the band’s ardent encore, “Let Me Live Forever In The Place We Call New Orleans!” Payton strutted his trumpet with piercing joy- fast, slippery and slurry- to the top of his crisp register. His trumpet’s bursts of swing and sear (sweet and radiant), lead naturally into a pungent Hall bass solo plucking furiously at his rubbery strings (thwacking them against his instrument’s wooden body in percussive thunder) to dig deep into the band’s joyful “Second Line” groove.

Among his many adventurous projects over the years, Payton participated as an early member of the venturing SFJAZZCollective, (“SFJAZZ”), a band that has held true, since its inaugural season in 2004, to its mandate of being a “democratic composers’ workshop”. For a fine example of Payton’s early work in SFJAZZ, take a listen to SFJAZZ’s 2005 live recording [on the Nonesuch Records Label]. Of the many highlights on this stellar live recording, check out Payton sparring with his remarkable partners – saxophonists Miguel Zenon and Joshua Reedman- on a dazzling version of Ornette Coleman’s “Una Muy Bonita”. This jam session positively erupts with creative soloing and dashing dialogue, with Payton’s trumpet careening with playful sear and soar. These masterful players are joined by the great Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Brian Blade on drums and Robert Hurst on his locomotive bass. This is one thunderous joyful ride, especially if your home audio system is up to the task of capturing the recording’s great dynamic flow, tactile heat and natural imagery of the players on their layered and airy stage.

SFJAZZ at Berklee, Celebrity Series – photo by Robert Torres

SFJAZZ continues to be a vital and brimming musical force as demonstrated in its recent concert held at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on April 8th, presented by Celebrity Series of Boston. (See www.celebrityseries.org for a calendar of all upcoming concerts presented this cherished non-profit arts organization). The current members of SFJAZZ– saxophonists Chris Potter and David Sanchez, trumpeter Etienne Charles, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Brewer, drummer Kendrick A.D. Scott and vocalists Gretchen Parlato and Martin Luther McCoy –unfurled a dazzling display of collective brio and brilliant musicianship at their magnetic Celebrity Series concert.

SFJAZZ at Berklee – photo by Robert Torres

The playful camaraderie shared by these talented musicianswas clearly palpable – as was their collective glee in diving into original compositions from each member of the ensemble.Edward Simon’s contribution, his composition in tribute to George Floyd, was a soulful piece caressed by Charles’ soft uplifting trumpet curls and McCoy’s gentle vocals. Simon’s piano solo teemed with soft chordal clusters and velvety runs, tender in their understated strength. In contrast to this cathartic piece, other compositions this eveningflowed with glittering grooves and defiant funk. McCoy’s vocals, (with their malleability and burnished soulfulness), took dynamic charge of SFJAZZ’s romping cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?”, transformed into a funky fest led by Sanchez’s boisterous tenor sax and Charles’ shining trumpet calls. On Potter’s venturing original, “Mutuality”, the dancing optimism continued with a sunny riff riding upon the slipstream of Gretchen Parlato’s wordless vocals. Parlato’s warm-as-a-breeze vocals (with her silvery changes in lithe perfect pitch) nestled beautifully in Potter’s alto sax caresses- his instrument a golden vehicle of expression with Potter belting out lowest honks, frenetic runs and soaring powerful chants. Scott’s fluid drums and Brewer’s pungent bass propelled this drama forward with their burbling, hunkered-down flow. Another highlight of this glittering concert was Parlato’s original, “All That’s Inside You” – another optimistic foray- in which Parlato and McCoy’s vocals roamed in carefree companionship, swirling around Wolf’s effervescent vibe solo. The concert concluded with a rollicking version of Sly Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher!” with the capacity audience standing and singing as the band strode forth in gleeful action lit up by Charles’ trumpet (roaming crisply in the stratosphere) and Potter and Sanchez’s saxophones hurling bluesy, stutter-step calls to glitter the dance.

With the sound of Etienne Charles’ shining trumpet still in my ears, I came home from this energizing concert to explore recordings from jazz trumpeters. First up was the discovery of a fresh voice on the horn – trumpeter Bruce Harris- whose new recording, Soundview [Cellar Music; www.cellarlive.com] is a shape-shifting delight. Harris surrounds himself with a stellar cast: pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist David Wong, drummer Aaron Kimmel and vocalist Samara McClendon. Although the sound is a bit closed-in on this recording (with images placed a little too wide and compartmentalized in a space offering little air), the music is always fresh and compelling. Harris’ trumpet is a clarion vehicle of expression. His playing whimsically ranges from soft meditative calls (accompanying, for instance, the soulful vocals of McClendon on their stirring ballad “Bird of Red and Gold”) to crisp and swinging banter, as on the group’s swanking version of Randy Weston’s “Saucer Eyes” and on the playful exuberance of Hank Mobley’s “Hank’s Prank.”

The band contributes their own tasty nuggets of swing and groove. Fortner, (one of my favorite young explorers at the keyboard) is a delectable force: his piano teems with bluesy swank and bounce at every creative caress and flourish. (Check out, for instance, his sprite carefree action on the group’s delectable “Ellington Suite”). Wong is a young master on his bass delivering several riveting solos of deep purple passion while Kimmel proves himself to be a fresh voice on his drums with his whiplash snare and cymbal combinations sharp and radiant.

A master of the trumpet who left us too early, (and who most likely is an inspiration for the young Harris), was the legendary trumpeter Roy Hargrove. We are now gifted with a fantastic new recording of Hargrove performing with his impeccable musical partner, pianist Mulgrew Miller, from their concerts held at Merkin Hall in New York City in January, 2006 and from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania in November, 2007.

This new recording, entitled In Harmony, is presented by the talented team at Resonance Records (www.resonancerecords.org), a favorite audiophile label that re-discovers masterful recordings by jazz artists (some recordings unearthed for the first time!) and presents these radiant sessions in the best possible re-mastered sound from their original master tapes. In Harmony is a brilliant addition to the Hargrove/Miller legacy and to the Resonance Records oeuvre. The Merkin Hall selections capture both players in true-to-life crackling presence and natural imagery, plying their magic in a layered and spacious acoustic. The selections from the Lafayette College concert are of a bit different in sonic quality (due surely to the recording techniques utilized at the original event): Miller’s piano is more recessed, there is a bit less body and bloom to both his piano and Hargrove’s trumpet and the recording has a less spacious soundstage.

Regardless of these small sonic differences between the sessions, the glorious music generated by Hargrove and Miller on their In Harmony is open-eared, ever-adventurous and immersive. Highlights include the metallic fire of Hargrove’s trumpet (lighting up to the rear of Merkin Hall) on such golden beauties as “Just In Time” or the bluesy swank of “Blues For Mr. Hill”. His deft trumpet navigates effortlessly from tropical romps and slurring slides (on such great tunes as Blue Mitchell’s “Fungii Mama”) to the softest dignified rustle, as on the gracious “I Remember Clifford”. Miller’s piano undulates and sparkles in frisky dialogue with Hargrove’s trumpet at every turn. His piano has this beautiful swinging and singing quality, delivering the boogie stomp of the rocking encore, “OW” with glitter or using his expert colorist phrasing (and a soft athletic drive) to caress the unpredictable and angular strokes of “Monk’s Dream”. In Harmony captures this tête-à-tête between these two maestros with ease and joy, their dialogue sweeping us along into an immersive world of spiky-sweet swing, meditation and toe-tapping fun.

I can’t let this trumpet glory from a master like Hargrove pass-by without also mentioning another recording gem from three other legendary trumpeters – Clark Terry, Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie- who gathered in a small studio in 1980 to create The Alternate Blues, captured in all its splendor on vinyl by the impeccable team at Analogue Productions [APR 3010; www.acousticsounds.com]. Find this LP and you will never tire of exploring the beauty and groove of this session where each of these trumpet maestros take their glorious time in exploring these informal takes. The individual and collective charisma is only made sweeter by the incomparable rhythm section here: Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Joe Pass on guitar and Bobby Durham on drums. This LP is a cherished keeper in any vinyl lover’s collection.

This year we are also celebrating the centennial of the birth of dazzling bassist and composer, Charles Mingus, and what a treat it was to hear another stellar young trumpeter, Jason Palmer, soar his piercing trumpet into New England Conservatory’s (“NEC”) airy Jordan Hall in celebration of Mingus’ music. At this NEC celebration concert held on April 19th, Palmer joined the NEC Jazz Orchestra, conducted by their peerless director, Ken Schaphorst, in a fiery version of Mingus’ “Meditations on Integration”. Palmer’s trumpet was in great kinetic form: his solos crackling in frenetic runs, sharp dancing bursts and blossoming in golden hues.

This same effusive spirit infused the NEC “House Band” and the NEC “Joe Morris Ensemble” in bold performances of Mingus’ “Orange Was The Color of Her Dress” and Mingus’ legendary “Fables of Faubus”- highlighted by NEC student trumpeters Zoe Murphy and Isaac Dubow blowing their horns in gutsy and fiery bursts. There were also some very special solo piano performances at this NEC Mingus celebration. Eminent NEC faculty member and legendary pianist Ran Blake performed his own composition, “Mingus Noir”, with incomparable soulful expression. Another brilliant and intrepid pianist, Jason Moran, explored the rollicking spirit and swirl of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” with barrelhouse and grooving energy while young NEC student pianist Jonathan Paik held the audience in Jordan Hall spellbound with his meditative deep dive into Mingus’ ballad, “Myself When I Am Real.” (See www.necmusic.edu for more fabulous free concerts coming this Fall).

Mingus’ genius – as a bass player and composer- is heard in all its seismic beauty on a new recording that gifts us with a beautiful re-mastering of the complete legendary concert by Mingus and his band presented at Carnegie Hall in 1974 [Atlantic Recording Group label]. The new recording delivers all the layered air and soundstage of Carnegie Hall and has a “you-are-there” tactile energy and presence. Mingus and his band are bold and fiery – their energy is irresistible and their musicianship ardent and volcanic. They exchange audacious musical conversations swirling with vital and reveling sounds – from the deep blasts of Hamiet Bluiett’s careening baritone to the snap and spunk of Dannie Richmond’s alighting drums. Unfurling above all the delicious action is the young trumpeter Jon Faddis, pushing the stratospheric limits of his instrument with searing force, layered deep in the soundstage. In the second set’s “battle of the saxes”, legendary saxophonists George Adams, Charles McPherson, John Handy and Rahsaan Roland Kirk join with Bluiett, Faddis and the rest of Mingus’ brilliant band to fire-up every intrepid thrill in Mingus’ music. A bravura spirit to heal the world!

Rahsaan-Roland-Kirk in Copenhagen, 1964-Post Daily

You can read more of Nelson’s concert reviews at www.bostonconcertreviews.com.

Nordost Playlist – May 2022

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this May.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)—Angelique Kidjo—Oremi
Red Clay—Craig Pilo—Just Play
Too Late Now—Wet Leg—Wet Leg
Good To Be (Home Again)—Keb’ Mo’—Good To Be…
Tell Her You Belong To Me—Beth Hart—Better Than Home (Deluxe Edition)
Space Oddity – Live—Natalie Merchant—Live in Concert
Feel It Still—Pentatonix—PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. I
I Love Being Here With You – Live—Diana Krall—Live In Paris
Tower Of Song—Tom Jones—Spirit In The Room
The Medium—Toro y Moi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra—MAHAL

Nordost Playlist – April 2022

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this April.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Satellite Man—Satellite and the Harpoonist—Satellite Man
Summer Nights—Lonnie Liston Smith, The Cosmic Echoes—Visions of a New World
Love You Inside and Out—Pat Van Dyke, Melinda Camille—Nautilus / Love You Inside and Out
All About You—Sophie Zelmani—Soul
Flat Beat—Mr. Oizo—Flat Beat
It Happens Suddenly—Kaito—Trust
One of These Days—Bedouine—Bedouine (Deluxe)
Le soleil levant (house of the rising sun)—pijama land—le soleil levant (house of the rising sun)
RHODODENDRON—Hurray For The Riff Raff—LIFE ON EARTH
Today—Tom Scott, California Dreamers—The Honeysuckle Breeze

Nordost Playlist – March 2022

Posted on March 2, 2022 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this March.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Mariella—Khruangbin, Leon Bridges—Texas Moon
Lonely Sometimes—Oh He Dead—Oh He Dead
My Babe—Spoon—Lucifer On The Sofa
The Waters Of March—Susannah McCorkle—From Bessie To Brazil
Show Me Your Pretty Side—Tamar Aphek—All Bets Are Off
Life On Mars—Miguel Atwood-Ferguson—Modern Love
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind—Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton—Chet Atkins-The Master And His Music
Let’s Go Get Stoned—Big Mama Thornton—Stronger Than Dirt
All the While—The Pines—Dark So Gold
The Loop—Toro y Moi—The Loop

Nordost Playlist – February 2022

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this February.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Answer Me, My Love—Swamp Dogg—Love, Loss, and Auto-Tune
Everybody Knows—Leonard Cohen—I’m Your Man
Even If It Hurts—Tei Shi, Blood Orange—La Linda
Cry Everything—Kindness—Something Like A War
It’s Your Thing—Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater—Conversations with Christian
Murmuration—GoGo Penguin—v2.0 (Deluxe Edition)
Better By Now—Abby Holliday—Better By Now
Club Nine—Nicolas Godin—Contrepoint
One Fine Morning—Bill Callahan—Apocalypse
Giorgio by Moroder—Daft Punk—Random Access Memories

Nordost Playlist – January 2022

Posted on January 6, 2022 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this January.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Bottle Tops—Ritual Feat. Mononoke—Every Night Another But Not You
Stimela (Coal Train)—Hugh Masekela—Still Grazing
After Hours—The Velvet Underground—The Velvet Underground
Delores’ Boyfriend—Allen Toussaint—American Tunes
Cotton Fields—Harry Belafonte—Belafonte Sings The Blues
Love Ain’t Enough—The Barr Brothers—Sleeping Operator
cloud castle—Luna Li—jams EP
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?—Bing Crosby, Lenny Hayton & His Orchestra—They Essential Bing Crosby
Unhate—Cat Power—Unhate/I’ll Be Seeing You
Let Me Roll It—Wings—Band On The Run

Nelson Brill reviews a jubilant concert by the Tedeschi Trucks Band and concert recordings to share

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Nordost

Real music lovers can find the melody in everything. From the park to the concert hall, our friend Nelson Brill is always on the hunt for great sound. In this blog, Nelson joins a fully-vaxxed audience to enjoy a much missed live music concert, with the Tedeshi Trucks Band. He also recommends how to relive this same vibrant experience in the comfort of your own home.

A BUCKET OF ROCK N’ ROLL JOY: TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND IN CONCERT AND NEW LIVE RECORDINGS TO SAVOR

By Nelson Brill | DECEMBER 5, 2021

On November 30th, the Tedeschi Trucks Band (“TTB”) opened a four-night stand at the legendary Orpheum Theatre in Boston and from the first note, there was glee and celebration in the return of live music in all its glory.

The TTB sustained a creative musical statement that teemed with bluster, soul and communal spirit with its adoring (fully vaxxed!) capacity audience. The TTB is composed of Susan Tedeschi on guitar and lead vocals, Derek Trucks on guitar, Gabe Dixon on keyboards and vocals, Brandon Boone on bass, Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell and Isaac Eady on drums, Elizabeth Lea on trombone, Kebbi Williams on saxophone and Ephraim Owens on trumpet – all backed by the stellar vocal cast of Mike Mattison, Mark Rivers, and Alecia Chakour. There is a special bond between these players, palpable in every song they explore. Its an easy-going democratic companionship where, without fuss, lime-light or artificial gestures, each member of the band gets their chance to shine within the spirited collective.

This easy-going spirit and companionship was fully on display at TTB’s Orpheum opening night concert, packed with special musical treats. The concert opened with the slow-boogie optimism of the Beatles’ “I’ve Got A Feeling!” with Mattison leading the vocal charge with his steadfast presence, augmenting Tedeschi’s luminous calls with his bluesy husk (with the audience joining in on Tedeschi’s urgent choruses of “Oh Yeah!”). From his rear stage position, Mattison pelted his deep vocal swagger (and falsetto leaps) on his pulsating original “Life Is Crazy” and crowned Taj Mahal’s charging “Everybody’s Got To Change Sometime” with powerful vocal ardor and deep bluesy pounce.

TTB with Mike Mattison – Orpheum Theatre, Boston Globe

The gospel soar and audacious pulse of TTB’s “Bound For Glory” and their propulsive “Made Up Mind” brought out the splendor of Rivers and Chakour’s vocals. Each took a solo in which they displayed their individual styles by utilizing their fluid vocal ranges and their great feel for gospel, gliding soulfulness – holding the audience transfixed with their expressive force.

Tedeschi’s vocals too were as strong as ever: smoothly gliding to her highest calls (with a bit of husk up top to emphasize her high calls and blues passion). The quality of her voice always nailed the essence of the songs she sung. This included a riveting and quiet version of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery”; a radiant version of Neil Young’s “Helpless”; a breezy romp on The Four Tops’ “Lov’in You Is Sweeter Than Ever” and a deep bluesy plunge into her chestnut, “Just Won’t Burn” – a slow blues fireball from Tedeschi’s youth when she would play with her power trio to small gatherings in Boston at lunch time or grace Boston’s intimate clubs with her questing blues.

Tedeschi has found a life-long creative partner in Trucks, and together, backed by their concussive drum partners and Boone’s ever-creative bass, they have become a legendary force. The sound at the Orpheum this evening was fantastic (kudos to the sound team!) with every layer of color from Tedeschi and Trucks’ searing guitar dialog captured punctual and distinct, in nice sonic balance with the rest of the band. The second set opened with barn-burning energy from Trucks on his electric guitar, grabbing hold of TTB’s blistering “Anyhow” with urgent high spills and amplified trills (punctuated with blasts from the TTB shining horn section). Trucks continued his carefree abandon on a spikey-sweet version of Derek and the Dominos’ “Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad” where he joined Tedeschi and the band in a locomotive romp that melded into a tranquil plateau of lilting colors, resonant guitar string bends and soft chord holds.

This quiet, slow-evolving play also highlighted Trucks’ special moments on stage with his rhythm section and Dixon’s twinkling keyboards, experimenting on John Coltrane’s “Afro Blue”. On this adventure, Trucks moved from sitar-drenched effects to deliberately loosening his guitar strings and letting them roar in oblique resonant drops and amplified holds. Tedeschi and the full band then joined Trucks for a pressurized version of Bobby Blue Bland’s “That Did It”, in which Tedeschi took command with her expressive guitar attack, weaving with Trucks a tapestry of hot stinging bent notes and pummeling strums. All of this heat and drama concluded with a TTB romp on the upbeat Coasters’ song, “Let’s Get Stoned”. The band danced and swayed on all cylinders with the crowd roaring their approval – the epitome of rock n’ roll joy.

To relish a vibrant slice of the TTB in live performance, grab a copy of their superb new live recording re-imagining the legendary Derek & The Dominos‘ Layla. The TTB’s Layla Revisited (Live At Lockn’) [Fantasy Records; www.tedeschitrucksband.com] captures a performance of TTB at the LOCKN’ Music Festival in Arlington, VA. in August, 2019 with the band joined by inspired guests – guitarists and vocalists Trey Anastasio and Doyle Bramhall II – with JJ Johnson joining Greenwell on drums.

The recording is reference audiophile quality, delivering the natural images of each player in the TTB on a wide and layered deep soundstage, with each player’s image natural, dynamic and tactile in the airy venue.

Goldmund Telos 590 Next Gen. II Integrated Amplifier

My reference system, anchored by Ensemble Audio Dirondo CD Player [www.ensembleexperience.com] j Goldmund Telos 590 Next Gen. II Integrated Amplifier [www.goldmund.com) Seidenton loudspeakers (www.seidenton.ch) and cabling by Nordost (www.nordost.com) was a glorious conduit, inviting me into this live performance with aplomb. The Dirondo’s special trait as a CD player with excellent “continuousness” (that rare quality of never a break or sputter in its natural flow of music), partnered with the Goldmund Telos 590 integrated ampifier, (with its ability to portray music with great dynamic headroom and naturalness), involved me immediately in the whorl and roughhouse of TTB’s spirited Layla Revisited live performance.

In the first set of Layla Revisited, The TTB are off to the races with blistering versions of “Keep On Growing” (with each guitarist getting the opportunity to improvise their bold and propulsive statements) and “Nobody Knows When You’re Down And Out”, a searing blues highlight. “Anyday” is another toe-tapping and rumbling highlight, building from Mattison’s vocal strides and Tedeschi’s buoyant guitar and vocals. The second set takes the energy even higher with a striding “Key To The Highway” to a fiery “Little Wing” (with layered background singers entwined with tons of bold guitar blasts). The title track gallops forward with pell-mell guitar solos and leaping creativity from all members of the band. Just as on the original, “Layla” is followed by the quiet moment of “Thorn Tree In The Garden,” re-imagined here in a studio setting with Tedeschi and Trucks in supple acoustic rapport.

Inspired by TTB’s galvanizing Orpheum concert and their spectacular Layla Revisited recording, I recommend for your listening pleasure one other “best-of-the-year” live recording mining the rock n’ roll and blues of legendary songwriter Peter Green and the music of Fleetwood Mac.

On February 25, 2020, just days before the first COVID cases were discovered in the UK, a concert took place at the legendary Palladium in London, organized by Mick Fleetwood and friends in celebration of Green and his music. We now are gifted with Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate The Music of Peter Green [BMG; www.BMG.com], another stellar live recording from start to finish.

Jonny Lang- Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The “house band” for this concert was tight-knit and glorious, most notably guitarist and singer Jonny Lang and guitarist Rick Vito. Their guitars teem with blues heat and rapid-fire twists in many highlighted moments on this live recording, propelled by the robust drums of Mick Fleetwood and Zac Starkey and the pungent bass of David Bronze. This band’s kinetic versions of “Homework”, “Sandy Mary” and “Need Your Love So Bad” are dazzling power blues with great freewheeling and funky glory.

The guests that appear with this radiant band at this Mick Fleetwood And Friends concert are clearly inspired to be on stage to salute Green: John Mayall with his swaying, pulsating Otis Rush “All Your Love”; Billy Gibbons torching “Doctor Brown” with his husky vocals and guitar swagger; Steven Tyler stinging “Rattlesnake Shake” with his funky vocal power and Pete Townshend (“Are we plugged in lads?”) cavorting on Jeremy Spenser’s “Station Man” with spirited vocal calls and reverberant blasts from his electric guitar- filling the airy hall with swathes of radiant heat.

Act II of this concert brings other fresh and dynamic treats. David Gilmour delivers his deep, soulful guitar meditation on the slow blues of “Oh Well, Part 2” and joins Tyler and Gibbons on a raucous rock n’ roll party on “Oh Well, Part 1”. Bill Wyman and Jeremy Spenser glitter on a deep Delta version of Elmore James’ “The Sky Is Crying” with Spenser’s guitar sly and assured in all its tactile heat. Following these delectable treats are propulsive versions of Elmore James’ “I Can’t Hold Out” and Green’s feisty “Green Manalishi” – delivered in thunderous fashion with Gibbins’ craggy vocals and Kirk Hammett’s ricochets of electric guitar (utilizing Green’s original guitar for this earthshaking performance). The curtain closes on this spectacular concert with a joyous “Shake Your Money Maker”from the entire crew that is swinging and irresistibly ebullient – another crackling rock n’ roll catharsis for our times.

You can read more of Nelson’s concert reviews at www.bostonconcertreviews.com.

Nordost Playlist – December 2021

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this December.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Made of Gold – Edit—Ibeyi, Pa Salieu—Made of Gold
Color in your Cheeks –Ibibio Sound Machine—I only listen to The Mountain Goats
Red Right Hand—Nell Smith, The Flaming Lips—Where the Viaduct Looms
The Melting Of The Sun—St. Vincent—Daddy’s Home
Tiffakonkae—Kamasi Washington—Heaven and Earth
Under the Sun—Mia Doi Todd
Chain Gang—Otis Redding—The Soul Album
The Christmas Song (feat. Wanya Morris)—Dionne Warwick, Wanya Morris—Dionne Warwick & The Voices of Christmas
Valentine—Snail Mail—Valentine
Summer Rain (fet. Jazmine Sullivan)—Leon Bridges, Jazmine Sullivan—Gold-Diggers Sound

Nordost Playlist – November 2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Nordost

Here are some of the songs that we will have on rotation this November.

You can now listen to our monthly playlist here: TIDAL | SPOTIFY | QOBUZ

Midnight Mischief—Jordan Rakei—Cloak
Heels—Sir Babygirl—Crush on Me
Texas Sun—Khruangbin, Leon Bridges—Texas Sun
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me—Smokey Robinson & The Miracles—OOO Baby Baby: The Anthology
Find Yourself—Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real—Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
What Kinda Music—Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes—What Kinda Music
Easy On Me—Adele—Easy On Me
The Boy With The Perpetual Nerves—The Feelies—Crazy Rhythms
Ship In A Bottle-From “The Lovely Bones”—Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, Leo Abrahams—Brian Eno-Film Music 1976-2020
The Hardest Cut—Spoon—The Hardest Cut

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Category Archives: Music

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