What are you listening to right now ?

[Redrum]

RobbH - thanks for the comment. I think it was what Jim d6jg intended when he commented that we should include "why" we are listening, and what it makes us think about. I never saw the Duane/Berry ABB, but saw them over 10x after. The addition of Chuck Levell, and later Warren and Derek really sparked them IMO, but my ears tell me there was nothing like the Duane and Berry version.

One of my last memories is when I was at home listening to a random internet radio station, and they commented that the ABB was going to take the stage in Pittsburgh PA (about a 4 hour drive) in a few hours for their last concert ever. Sh@t! wish I had known, and I realized I could not just call my friends, and jump in the truck and drive. I was actually despondent for a while, maybe sad that it was over.

I love Sea Level and saw then twice in their short life. The first time was in a medium sized pub, and not many people knew of them, so it was easy to get there early enough to push our table up against the stage

Sorry to hear that 2023 claimed another. I fear it's the start of losing allot of our heros. David Crosby, Jeff Beck, etc...

"You don't love me" is my favorite ABB song ever. Good Choice. If you get a chance, check out "High Falls" maybe via the you tube plugin.

Cheers;
Jim

[RobbH]

...."You don't love me" is my favorite ABB song ever. Good Choice. If you get a chance, check out "High Falls" maybe via the you tube plugin.

Cheers;
Jim

Oh, I did check out High Falls, on Qobuz. That was what I meant when I said (very ambiguously), "I like it." A very nice instrumental. Not quite the equal of Elizabeth Reed, I think, but that's a high standard.

Oddly enough, when I looked up credits for the Win Lose or Draw album, I found that an assistant engineer on this album had the same name as one of my former bosses. I can't easily check, but I suspect it's the same person.

I think I have more to say about the Allman Brothers, but it belongs in another thread in the Music forum, rather than hijacking this "What are you listening to..." discussion.

Much as I like the Allman's version of You Don't Love Me, theirs is not my favorite version of the song. And that does call for a follow-up in this thread, sometime soon.

[Redrum]

I think I have more to say about the Allman Brothers, but it belongs in another thread in the Music forum, rather than hijacking this "What are you listening to..." discussion.

When you do, give me a heads up and I'll join ya...on to listening to something else for now....

Jim

[RobbH]

Kaleidoscope (a band from L.A., not to be confused with the UK band of the same name, which was active at the same time) was certainly not David Lindley's first band, but I think it was the first to land a major-label recording contract. A Beacon From Mars was their second album. The first, Side Trips, is good but rather tentative at times, as though they (or, more likely, their label) didn't quite know what to do with their material, which could be odd, even for the times.

There is absolutely nothing tentative about A Beacon From Mars, but it is an undeniably odd album. Each side starts with three highly produced tracks that take full advantage of multitrack recording technology as it existed at the time, to good effect. Then, each side concludes with a long track recorded live in the studio with frequent instrument changes, but no overdubbing; the one on side 1 is all acoustic, while the one on side 2 is as psychedelic as the cover might lead you to expect. It's all incredibly well done, even if the transitions between production styles are not always smooth. I don't think it had any significant sales at the time. Chris Darrow (David Lindley's brother-in-law) said in an interview once that the only copies of the vinyl he had ever seen were DJ promo copies. The only one I have ever seen was the one that turned up in my local public library, sometime in 1968 or '69. My friends and I kept it checked out most of the time. My guess is that the label decided not to promote it and dumped all copes in a donation to educational institutions.

The vocals on side one were done by Solomon Feldthouse, whose voice can probably be described as unconventional but very effective. You Don't Love Me comes from side two, where Chris Darrow took vocal duties on the produced tracks. This track's spotlight, though, is on Lindley's guitar and Chester Crill's harmonica. This was the first version of the song I heard, and it remains my favorite, much as I like the Allman Brothers' take on it, and the one on Supersession.

After this, Kaleidoscope produced two more albums before breaking up, with several personnel changes along the way. The third album, "Incredible!" is mostly strong, especially Lindley's dazzling banjo solo and the two tracks originally on side two: Cuckoo and Seven-Ate Suite. The last album, Bernice, is mainly a document of a band falling apart. These four albums and associated singles and other tracks can be found on a box set called Pulsating Dreams: The Epic Recordings.

Members of the band also produced two reunion recordings, When Scopes Collide in 1976 and Greetings From Kartoonistan...We Ain't Dead Yet in 1990. They may be hard to find.

Chester Crill is apparently the last surviving member of the original band. He used a different name on each of the four original albums, but he was Max Buda on A Beacon From Mars, and that's the name he uses for his musical endeavors now.

[d6jg]

Yard Act, The Overload (2022)

[d6jg]

Kaleidoscope (a band from L.A., not to be confused with the UK band of the same name, which was active at the same time) was certainly not David Lindley's first band, but I think it was the first to land a major-label recording contract. A Beacon From Mars was their second album. The first, Side Trips, is good but rather tentative at times, as though they (or, more likely, their label) didn't quite know what to do with their material, which could be odd, even for the times.

There is absolutely nothing tentative about A Beacon From Mars, but it is an undeniably odd album. Each side starts with three highly produced tracks that take full advantage of multitrack recording technology as it existed at the time, to good effect. Then, each side concludes with a long track recorded live in the studio with frequent instrument changes, but no overdubbing; the one on side 1 is all acoustic, while the one on side 2 is as psychedelic as the cover might lead you to expect. It's all incredibly well done, even if the transitions between production styles are not always smooth. I don't think it had any significant sales at the time. Chris Darrow (David Lindley's brother-in-law) said in an interview once that the only copies of the vinyl he had ever seen were DJ promo copies. The only one I have ever seen was the one that turned up in my local public library, sometime in 1968 or '69. My friends and I kept it checked out most of the time. My guess is that the label decided not to promote it and dumped all copes in a donation to educational institutions.

The vocals on side one were done by Solomon Feldthouse, whose voice can probably be described as unconventional but very effective. You Don't Love Me comes from side two, where Chris Darrow took vocal duties on the produced tracks. This track's spotlight, though, is on Lindley's guitar and Chester Crill's harmonica. This was the first version of the song I heard, and it remains my favorite, much as I like the Allman Brothers' take on it, and the one on Supersession.

After this, Kaleidoscope produced two more albums before breaking up, with several personnel changes along the way. The third album, "Incredible!" is mostly strong, especially Lindley's dazzling banjo solo and the two tracks originally on side two: Cuckoo and Seven-Ate Suite. The last album, Bernice, is mainly a document of a band falling apart. These four albums and associated singles and other tracks can be found on a box set called Pulsating Dreams: The Epic Recordings.

Members of the band also produced two reunion recordings, When Scopes Collide in 1976 and Greetings From Kartoonistan...We Ain't Dead Yet in 1990. They may be hard to find.

Chester Crill is apparently the last surviving member of the original band. He used a different name on each of the four original albums, but he was Max Buda on A Beacon From Mars, and that's the name he uses for his musical endeavors now.

Doesn’t seem to be available on Qobuz

[slartibartfast]

Doesn’t seem to be available on Qobuz

It's on Tidal 😀

[RobbH]

Doesn’t seem to be available on Qobuz

Odd. Here in the US, I see an expanded version of Beacon From Mars that adds several non-album tracks. There's also the box set, Pulsating Dreams, which includes the Beacon album; it begins with "I Found Out" and concludes with "Beacon From Mars." They turn up if I search for "Kaleidoscope" but not if the search is for "The Kaleidoscope."

[d6jg]

Odd. Here in the US, I see an expanded version of Beacon From Mars that adds several non-album tracks. There's also the box set, Pulsating Dreams, which includes the Beacon album; it begins with "I Found Out" and concludes with "Beacon From Mars." They turn up if I search for "Kaleidoscope" but not if the search is for "The Kaleidoscope."

Searched again and it’s there so I’ll give it a listen.

First search was from within Qobuz plugin. Second was in Qobuz native app.

[Redrum]

I'm cheating. What am I (going to listen to later today)

Michael Hedges - Live on the Double Planet



A friend of mine's wife said of him "he is going to be at the Tralf*, you have to go". So I did, and again, and again, every time he came (seemed to be yearly) until he unfortunately passed away. Nothing like him, especially considering he was usually alone on the stage (saw him one with Michael Manring).

One of the pioneers or two hand playing and different tunings, and an exceptional vocalists (he studied yoga and breathing to improve his vocals and stage antics.

My favorite album is Taproot, but Live on the Double Planet captures the live show. If interested, check out a few videos on you tube. He was on the Windham Hill label, but at a live show you could say "This is not your mother's Windham Hill"

His own composition are excellent, but his unique covers during live shows were great - Buffalo Stance, Love Bizarre, She Drives me Crazy, Miss You, All Along the Watch Tower, Pinball Wizard, etc. I'll never forget I saw him the day after the Gulf War started. He started the first song from behind the curtain, and came out playing Gimme Shelter. Pretty chilling.

I mentioned previously that Taproot is my favorite. The last track - "I Carry Your Heart" features great backup vocals from Crosby and Nash. It was the first song I listen to after David Crosby passed.

so that's one plan for today. It's going to be a good day.

Jim

[SlimChances]

I'm cheating. What am I (going to listen to later today)

Michael Hedges - Live on the Double Planet



A friend of mine's wife said of him "he is going to be at the Tralf*, you have to go". So I did, and again, and again, every time he came (seemed to be yearly) until he unfortunately passed away. Nothing like him, especially considering he was usually alone on the stage (saw him one with Michael Manring).

One of the pioneers or two hand playing and different tunings, and an exceptional vocalists (he studied yoga and breathing to improve his vocals and stage antics.

My favorite album is Taproot, but Live on the Double Planet captures the live show. If interested, check out a few videos on you tube. He was on the Windham Hill label, but at a live show you could say "This is not your mother's Windham Hill"

His own composition are excellent, but his unique covers during live shows were great - Buffalo Stance, Love Bizarre, She Drives me Crazy, Miss You, All Along the Watch Tower, Pinball Wizard, etc. I'll never forget I saw him the day after the Gulf War started. He started the first song from behind the curtain, and came out playing Gimme Shelter. Pretty chilling.

I mentioned previously that Taproot is my favorite. The last track - "I Carry Your Heart" features great backup vocals from Crosby and Nash. It was the first song I listen to after David Crosby passed.

so that's one plan for today. It's going to be a good day.

Jim

Thanks so much for posting about Mike Hedges. I listened to a few songs on YouTube by him and immediately ordered the two albums you mentioned off of EBay. Fine guitar style which reminds me of Mike Dawes an English guitarist I found on Bandcamp.

[Redrum]

Thanks so much for posting about Mike Hedges. I listened to a few songs on YouTube by him and immediately ordered the two albums you mentioned off of EBay. Fine guitar style which reminds me of Mike Dawes an English guitarist I found on Bandcamp.

Glad you liked it, and I think you will get hooked. It's what I really love about this thread.

Its worth "watching" some video to get a sense of the live shows. His antics enhanced the songs he is playing. Silent Anticipations is a great example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PXZ...type3secretion

Regarding his discography, all are excellent up through Oracle. Torched was unfinished at the time of his death. You will find that early releases are mostly instrumental, with vocals entering more and more with each release. Oracle is also right up there with Taproot getting the nudge

If you are interested, this is his website. Alot of great info there, but I think it is mostly dormant now. http://www.nomadland.com/Point_A.htm Opps! Just found a new one (created 2021) https://michaelhedges.com/

Now I'll go check out Michael Dawes

Jim

[RobbH]

I'm cheating. What am I (going to listen to later today)

Michael Hedges - Live on the Double Planet

....A friend of mine's wife said of him "he is going to be at the Tralf*, you have to go"....

Was there supposed to be a footnote about the venue? Or was the asterisk part of the name?

Thanks for the nudge about Hedges. He's someone I've been aware of for years, but never known much about.

[Redrum]

Was there supposed to be a footnote about the venue? Or was the asterisk part of the name?

Ha! I decided to delete the footnote, but forgot the '*' . I realized the description of the club would only be interesting to me (it's gone, COVID killed it, very fond memories) .

Michael Hedges was probably one of my favorite shows that seemed to return every year. Richard Thompson is another, that guy really gets around. They are also very similar in that they can command your attention and mesmerize with an acoustic guitar (amplified of course). You know you are listening/watching a master.

Jim

[SlimChances]

Mike Dawes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKbrycmEGjU