What are you listening to lately?

[DaveyO]

I've been listening to America here and now Album
Really great music
Great songwriting

[B0WIE]

 I've been listening to a lot of Japanese rock music while I exercise. Rock is still very much alive over there and they're putting out stuff that's much more interesting and creative than what I hear in the states.
 Also, jazz. Mostly because I'm learning jazz so I'm hearing a lot of Joe Pass, Tony Mottola, Wes, etc.

[Queequeg]

Local college radio station here has been playing a tribute to Taj Mahal all week.
He's in town tomorrow night.
Always enjoyed his music.

[William2]

I love 30s,40s, standards. I just added this to my CD collection. Peggy Lee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebdd_egaHI4

[StringPicker6]

I just discovered Marty Robbins' album Gunfighter Ballads, featuring his hit El Paso, amongst other wonderful tunes.  The album has coincided with some John Wayne movie bingewatching lately, and now I want to be a cowboy. 

[B0WIE]

I just discovered Marty Robbins' album Gunfighter Ballads, featuring his hit El Paso, amongst other wonderful tunes.  The album has coincided with some John Wayne movie bingewatching lately, and now I want to be a cowboy. 

I first discovered that album about 10 years ago when they used El Paso in Breaking Bad and it blew my mind. There's nothing quite like it (except his other album that sort of copied this formula). Fantastical tales of the West that conjure such vivid imagery. I see why so many people were inspired by this music.
And, there's SO many catchy songs on that album. I've listened to the whole thing dozens of times.

[StringPicker6]

It's a killer album!

[jasonchamb]

I've been listening to a lot of Japanese rock music while I exercise. Rock is still very much alive over there and they're putting out stuff that's much more interesting and creative than what I hear in the states.
 Also, jazz. Mostly because I'm learning jazz so I'm hearing a lot of Joe Pass, Tony Mottola, Wes, etc.

My son is into Japanese anime, which has led him to Japanese rock, which in turn flows to me a little bit. I'm about to get him his first guitar as a result.

I'm likewise listening to a bit of solo (and not solo) jazz guitar, plus fingerstyle blues stuff.

[B0WIE]

My son is into Japanese anime, which has led him to Japanese rock, which in turn flows to me a little bit. I'm about to get him his first guitar as a result.

I'm likewise listening to a bit of solo (and not solo) jazz guitar, plus fingerstyle blues stuff.

Very cool! Exciting to hear he's going to be learning! Truth be told, Japanese rock (via anime and video games) is what got me into guitar back in the 90's, when that stuff was first getting imported into the States.

I'm sure he already has his favorites but, two modern Japanese rock bands that have been featured in animes are Amazarashi and Asian Kung Fu Generation. They have some nice stuff that's easy to learn.

[jasonchamb]

I'll make sure he knows about them! He really likes the 90's anime and games, maybe more than the newer stuff.

[Silence Dogood]

I just discovered Marty Robbins' album Gunfighter Ballads, featuring his hit El Paso, amongst other wonderful tunes.  The album has coincided with some John Wayne movie bingewatching lately, and now I want to be a cowboy. 

I have dabbled in this album in the past but pulled it up again recently because of this thread.  I love all the Mexican-flavored guitar licks.  Anyone know who played those lead parts? 

[jasonchamb]

I have dabbled in this album in the past but pulled it up again recently because of this thread.  I love all the Mexican-flavored guitar licks.  Anyone know who played those lead parts? 

I believe that is Grady Martin. Nashville session guy.

[teh]

I looked it up and Nashville sideman Grady Martin played lead guitar on this album. He left an impressive resume playing and recording with artists including Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Don Everly and others. Good stuff.

P.S. There is a documentary called "The Wrecking Crew" which covers a wide array of studio musicians in LA that is also worth watching.

[Silence Dogood]

Great info, thanks!  I figured this info would be a little more obscure than a simple search.  Sorry for my apparent laziness!

[B0WIE]

Fun fact; Grady Martin unknowingly birthed modern guitar distortion when he tracked a Marty Robins song through a console with a faulty preamp. That song became an unexpected hit so musicians flocked to that studio to use the faulty preamp. Eventually, this sound was boxed and sold as fuzz pedals.

[BlueBowman]

Fun fact; Grady Martin unknowingly birthed modern guitar distortion when he was tracked a Marty Robins song through a console with a faulty preamp. That song became an unexpected hit so musicians flocked to that studio to use the faulty preamp. Eventually, this sound was boxed and sold as fuzz pedals.

I never knew this. Interesting!

[Silence Dogood]

What am I listening to lately?...

As someone who enjoys an autodidactic way of life, I'm always on the hunt for the next thing I'm going to try and learn about. 

I have realized my knowledge of classical music is sorely lacking, so I've not only been listening to more of it, but also watching Youtube vids on how to better understand and appreciate it.  For a while now I've been immersing myself in Mozart's string quartets.  Really great stuff.  It doesn't quite "take" on the first go-round like a popular song might, but a bit of effort is required. 

It's no fault of Mozart but speaks more about the time and place I find myself in.  I'm not trained to take in stuff like this, so I have to try more, and I have to adopt the mindset of student rather than critic (something very hard for modern people who are accustomed to having what they like and only what they like most of the time).  At any rate, a fun adventure!

Does Mozart make you smarter?  Not sure about that: but I can say his music brings a sense of calm, and it makes you feel like you're doing something important and worthy of your time by listening to it.  Makes you sit up a bit straighter and "tuck your shirt tail in!" like my old Dad would say. 

[StringPicker6]

My father loved classical music and played it in the car all the time during my childhood. Sadly, it fell on my deaf ears and I never appreciated it. I want to study it more and learn more about it.

Meanwhile, I've been checking out surf guitar music. Love those reverb-filled strat sounds!