365 Albums 136-150

1. Ekseption 3 Ekseption 1970
2. Come away with me Norah Jones 2002
3. Live at the Priory Jan Akkerman 1997*
4. The Celtic Harp Tribute to Bunting The Chieftains (& Belfast Harp Orchestra) 1993
5. Thunder from the Blue Sky The Vlatko Stefanovski Trio 2008
6. Beatles for Sale The Beatles 1964 (M20)
7. Every Valley Public Service Broadcasting 2017
8. After the Break Planxty 1979
9. Green River Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969
10. Pilgrim Days Indelible Grace 2 2008*
11. Platinum Mike Oldfield 1979
12. Willy and the Poorboys Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969
13. Sounds of Silence Simon & Garfunkel 1966
14. Chariots of Fire Soundtrack Vangelis 1981
15. Spiral Vangelis 1977

365 Albums 61-75

1. Indelible Grace Side A Side B 2001 (Rerelease 2008)*
2. Revolver The Beatles 1966
3. Father of the Bride Vampire Weekend 2019
4. Scribbled in chalk Karine Polwart 2006
5. Diamond Life Sade 1984
6. Pictures at an Exhibition Emerson Lake and Palmer 1971
7. Fragile Yes 1972
8. Feels Like Home Norah Jones 2004
9. Solo Rick van der Linden 1981*
10. How to save a life The Fray 2006
11. The Home Concert 2008
12. Hommage aan Rogier van Otterloo Jacobs, van Leer, van Dijk, Jacobs 1990
13. Moving Waves Focus 1971
14. Les Deux Amis Les Deux Amis Plays Focus 1985*
15. Zooming into Focus Texel 2018

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

10 Female Artists on my ipod

There's a bit of a thing about women in music again I notice. Good excuse to give you a list of ten of my favourites.

1. Gabrielle
2. Blondie
3. Norah Jones
4. Sade
5. Julie Fowlis
6. Kate Rusby
7. Enya
8. Tracy Chapman
9. Joan Armatrading
10. Bojoura

Norah Jones - Humble Me (w/ lyrics)

Just love this

Another good one

Another good one

Yes, that really is what they are singing

Lyrics in popular music can often turn out to be not quite what you thought. Sometimes they really are,  however. I've been listening to an early Norah Jones track with the Peter Malick Group - Things you don't have to do - for some time now and just subliminally taking in the reference to Benny Hinn but then wondering if I was imagining it.. I just checked and it really is there.

Bill, doesn't call me anymore

I hear, he's found religion.

He's watchin' Benny Hinn

With a big blonde-haired apprentice beautician.

All the words and gesticulations that came before,

They don't seem to mean a thing

You can feel fine to drop a dime

If you're ever hanging by a string.

Ain't it just a little scary sometimes

To find the lies that you know to be true

Find you smiling about

Things you don't have to do

Things you don't have to do

Retro Album of the Week 22 - Come away with me

Come Away with Me was the debut album of pianist and singer Norah Jones. It was released by Blue Note Records on February 26, 2002 and I must have bought it six months later after first becoming aware of her when she first appeared on British TV on Parkinson (before I knew she was Ravi Shankar's daughter thankfully). The album was recorded in New York in 2001. It was a great success and won eight Grammy Awards, etc. (At the Grammy Awards she said "I felt like I went to somebody else's birthday party and I ate all their cake. Without anybody else getting a piece. That's how I felt.")

Death of Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar has died at the age of 92. Perhaps he was most famous as George Harrison's sitar teacher but he had his own career in the west and is also the father of Norah Jones. I remember buying Transmigration Macabre in my teens or early twenties. This track has always been my favourite. It is truly beautiful. As for metempsychosis, as Mr Shankar now knows, it is not so.

You humble me

This is a live version of another great song. Just beautiful.

Late Too Not

A short piece (2' 20")on the writing of the new album appears here.

Not Too Late

A few years back I was watching Parkinson on TV one Saturday and I saw this young girl at the piano playing with her band. I was entranced. I said to Eleri, I must get the CD. As it turned out I was in town the next week and saw it for £10 and bought it. I loved it. A few days later Norah Jones was on "everyone's lips" and may be if I hadn't got in first I'd be less of a fan. (I pride myself in spotting such talent. I heard that Mika Number 1 some weeks back and tried to investigate but wasn't sure how to spell or say his name and there was little info).
I think the attraction is the way the voice is so sweet yet retains a smokiness at the same time. her way of punching out the word then fading works well. Also the backing is quite sophisticated, drawing on jazz and country, etc, but not demanding anything from the hearer at all (may be that's it's Achilles heel for some). great pop.

Her new album was issued today. It's more of the same (as on the first two). It rings the changes with occasional cellos (Wish I could - love that), basses (Broken), backward guitars/marimba (Not my friend and the single Thinking about you) brass (My Dear Country) and Daru Oda whistling (Little Room). Sinkin' Soon has a jazz comedy feel. Wake me up and Be my somebody were the stand outs for me on the first few plays. Not too late is growing on me.

For only the second time in my life (for a whole album) I bought on i-tunes not CD. By pre-ordering I got some bonus live tracks.
You can see Rosie's Lullaby here and get the info that i-tunes doesn't seem to give you.
(Not too late? The majority of popular music is sold in December)