Doper Radio - In which we discuss musicians, bands and composers we have recently discovered.

Cafe Society
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Hey, everybody - welcome!

I wanted to start a thread where we talk about musical artists we have each discovered recently. It doesn’t matter how recent the artist is, it doesn’t matter what genre, and it doesn’t matter whether the artist is a singer, musician, composer, arranger - all that matters is that it’s an artist you’ve only just heard or heard of, and that you think there are some fellow Dopers out there who might also enjoy this artist, but might not have encountered them yet.

YouTube links, Wiki links, websites - all welcome. This is your opportunity to soap box for a band you enjoy.

I’m going to start off with a tribute to Mulgrew Miller, who was in ways the impetus for me to start this thread. See, he died the other day, at the very young age of 57. He’d had a stroke last week, and he never recovered. When I posted a memorial thread about him, a few people said they’d never heard of him.

Well, I thought to myself, that’s my fault - this is like when you don’t tell people about your favourite restaurant because you’re afraid it’ll get too crowded when it’s discovered. You can’t get a table when it’s too busy, but you can’t get a table when it’s closed for lack of customers, either.

So, Mulgrew Miller was originally from Mississippi, and is said to have started taking piano seriously after hearing Oscar Peterson on the television. Certainly, there’s a strong link between their musical tastes and playing styles.

He was in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the early '80s - I first heard him as the pianist in the Tony Williams Trio, where he really caught my ear.

Some outstanding playing of his -

Skylark from Live at Lincoln Centre, Vol. 1
On Green Dolphin Street from the Tony Williams album Young at Heart
Comes Love from Live at Yoshi’s, Vol. 2
A beautiful tribute showing what a great educator he was.

And you folks - who have you discovered lately?

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Well, I’ve always liked Crazy Horse as Neil Young’s backing band, and was aware of Danny Whitten as a talented guy, but I have literally only this week discovered that the first album (without NY, and the only one with Danny Whitten) is great. It even features my favourite slide player, Ry Cooder, on a few tracks.

Apart from that, a couple of instrumental bands (I play in an instrumental band; vocals are way overrated, and most lyrics are utter tripe):

Grails, who have a comparable sound to my inst band.

Earth, whose post 2000 material is a great mix of minimalist drone metal and classic rock (though I’m told their earlier stuff is way more conventional grunge-rock).

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Thanks for doing this Le Ministre.

I hear the Oscar Peterson - Miller isn’t as technically precise, but I enjoy his big blocks of chords and melodic sense - very cool.

I started a thread a couple of weeks ago about a track from the guitar player in Fats Wallers’ band, Al Casey: Guitarists - A Lesson on How it's Done - Al Casey edition - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board

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My gf recently told me to check out Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers. I have been.

Equal parts Tom Waits, John Popper, and something undefinable with an upright bass, of course.

More here.

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That’s funny; about two weeks ago, there was something on the classic rock station about Danny Whitten, and how utterly tragic it was that he died so young and so under-represented in his recordings. Neil Young has never got over the fact that Danny died the night Neil gave him 50 bucks and fired him.

As a singer, I should be taking umbrage at that. However, as a long-time fan of Yes, I can only agree about some lyrics being utter nonsense. (“I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I’m on my way”. - What the fuck is that supposed to mean, anyway?)

One of the things I love about classical song is that there was no obligation for the composer, the poet and the singer to be the same person. By and large, it has worked out well for all concerned..

I’ll give Grails and Earth a thorough listen over the next couple of days.

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I discovered the band Walk Off The Earth fairly recently (about a year ago.) I’ve been to one of their concerts.
They make great music videos. Here’s their most recent one. I won’t spoil the video for you, but they use many unusual instruments, and it’s one of the most creative things I’ve ever seen online.

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Quick question

Is thirty percent of this thread required to be Canadian in origin?

Just Kidding, really

It is funny that you brought up Oscar Peterson who is a relatively recent discovery for me, he was amazing, just jaw dropping. The mumbling thing he did is so weird and beautiful.

I was turned on to Donny Hathaway at about the same time. My band covers "The Ghetto ", which is kind of an odd song for five white guys from Texas to cover but…

There are more but they escape me at the moment

Great thread idea, thanks **Le Min

Capt **

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Rummelsnuff!

He’s the largest German you’ve ever seen, and he sings songs about the sea.

Salzig Schmeckt der Wind
Trägt die Woge dein Boot

He also has some more electronic material that’s not nautically themed.

Freier Fall
Sliwowitz

He also put together the most German thing I’ve ever seen in Bratwurstzange ([noparse]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLX4NYrW1bI[/noparse]). The video is slightly NSFW on account of ladybutt, but it’s amazing and must be watched.

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Prolly old news to you, but have you heard Karma to Burn?

Thrity Two
Eight
Thirty Six

I’ll assume you’re already a fan of Sunn-O))) and Isis and the like since you know Grails and Earth (both fantastic bands, btw).

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My latest finds include Monster Truck, a Canadian band that plays a sort of classic rock/stoner music:

Sweet Mountain River
Runnin’

Nails is best described as hardcore noise terrorists; they are easily the most brutal thing I’ve heard this year:

In Exodus
God’s Cold Hands

Humanfly are a psychedelic metal prog band from the UK that freaking knock it out of the park in about a thousand ways:

A Majestic Story
Tjarnargata/A Passage To Reykjavik and The Enemy of My Enemy Is Me (live)

But my new favorite is Rodrigo y Gabreila, an awesome flamenco duo:

Hanuman
Satori

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my finds from last year, the amazing Dutch psychedelic/stoner trio known as The Machine (I love the guitar tone and the drummer is freaking AMAZING!; plus they’re all really nice guys):

5 & 4
Solar Corona

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Although they’ve been around six or seven years, I recently discovered Hazmat Modine.

New York group, fascinating blend of klezmer, folk, jazz, blues, world music. First album added Tuvan throat-singers to non-gratuitous effect. Weird, wonderful music, reminding me at times of Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart, Squirrel Nut Zippers all mixed up.

Their debut album “Bahamut” is stunning.
.

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I’ve spent more time listening to the radio in the last month than in the four years prior. Some revelations:

Marshall Chapman

Mary Gauthier

Delta Rae

Clairy Brown & the Bangin’ Rackettes

Ashley Monroe

Cassie Taylor

YMMV

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A description of some kind would have possibly induced me to click on one of your many links, azraiel.

Just a note for future posters to this thread: tell us what to expect, at least a little.

For instance, I know that not everyone (okay, almost no one) likes music like Nails make, and rather than freak out some one in an office setting or trying to enjoy a quiet evening, I offer a brief description of their sound.

Help us help ourselves, eh.

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Fair enough. See notes in my self-altered quote.

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Dammit! I actually edited to misspell a word! Spellcheck recognized harken but not hearken. Stoopit spellcheck!

I give up.

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And dude… I like Snakefarm and 16 Horsepower. What more do you need?

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hehe somebody’s been reading my old posts :smiley:

thanks for the updated post

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We’ve interacted before, my friend.

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Somewhere in my recent obsession with both listening to and (finally) learning to play the piano, I discovered Hiromi Uehara, Chick Corea, and a newfound love for jazz.

I was delighted to discover that they were both going to be at the Newport jazz festival in August, and immediately bought tickets. I don’t think I will be disappointed!

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Hiromi totally fucking rocks! (Chick Corea does too, but since he’s an old fart, lots people know his name already.)