The Galaxy Playlist

December 3rd, 2007

Starting the Christmas Season

Composer's name is listed where notable (i.e. Classical Performance, Jazz Performance).

For more information on any of the rock, pop and Jazz music featured on this program, I frequently utilize AllMusic , an excellent free database holding a huge plethora of information about music and the artists that make it.

Composer Performer Title Genre Label Notes
Charles Mingus
The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers
Jazz, Big Band, Post-bop, avant guarde
Columbia, 1972
First written and recorded with his Jazz Workshop in 1964, he took pleasure in giving this song the large group treatment. The song features a 10 piece woodwind section, a 6 piece bass section, french horns and tuba. Found on Let My Children Hear Music
Gunslinging Bird
Columbia, 1960
The full title of the piece is "If Charlie Parker Were A Gunslinger There'd Be A Whole Lot of Dead Copycats." This was recorded in 1960 but not actually released until 1979.
Celia
Impulse/MCA, 1963
features alto saxophonist and frequent Mingus collaborator Charlie Marinaro
Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too
Columbia, 1972
Also from Let My Children Hear Music, and also based on music from the '64 Jazz Workshop sessions. Also uses a section from 1956's The Clown (which is notable for the spoken-word narrative by Jean Shephard).
Freedom
Impulse/MCA, 1963
Features spoken-word narration by Mingus
Christian Fabian
Morning After
Jazz, Post-bop
Consolidated Artists Productions, 2007
New disc from a relatively new artist
Herbie Hancock
Christian Fabian
Chameleon
The Smiths
Shoplifters of the World Unite
Rock, Indie
Sire/Reprise, 1987
 
What Difference Does It Make
Rough Trade, 1984
 
Johann Sebastian Bach
Aradia Ensemble, Kevin Mallon, dir
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Now Come, Savior of the Peoples)
Classical, Baroque, cantata for chorus with orchestral accompaniment
Naxos. 2000
Based on the Martin Luther hymn, which Bach also set for organ (see November 5th). Luther in turn based his hymn on the 4th century hymn Veni Redemptor gentium. Bach wrote the catata in Weimar in 1714 for the first Sunday of Advent, and is believed to have been first performed in 1714. Our recording here uses minimal instrumentation and a mic setup that really recreates the feel of hearing the piece in a small church on Sunday morning. Stripping the usual layers of instrumentation doesn't strip away the beauty of the writing.
The Pixies
Where Is My Mind
Rock, Indie
Rough Trade, 1987
 
Something Against You
Van Halen
5150
Rock, Pop, Hard
Warner Bros., 1986
 
Panama
Warner Bros, 1984
Dokken
Just Got Lucky
Metal, "Hair"
Elektra, 1984
 
Pantera
Mouth For War
Metal
East/West, 1992
 
Metallica
Master of Puppets
Metal
Elektra, 1986
 

 

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Last Update: December 3, 2007

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