Eric Clapton - "Timepieces: The Best of Eric Clapton"

I bought this album back in high school because it contains "Layla", "Wonderful Tonight" and "Cocaine". Those songs are great, as well as a few others, but this album also has its misses, like "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" done with a calypso beat. It leaves me unsure whether Clapton even knows what the song is about. I liked it enough to buy the guitar tab book for the album and learn several of the songs, although I have neither played them or listened to the album in years. In truth, it's a good album, but the songs just don't really move me and I've got enough other music that I like better that I just don't get around to listening to this one. I did really enjoy hearing "Knocking On Heaven's Door" again, having just heard a very different version of it on Guns & Roses' - "Use Your Illusion 1" album last Friday. You can hear Slowhand [play his best from the 70s at Amazon.

Mississippi John Hurt - "The Complete Studio Recordings"

You would think that nearly 3 hours of one man fingerpicking his way through songs on a guitar might get old after a while, but it doesn't. It's that good. I can't remember when I first heard Mississippi John Hurt, but I believe the songs was "Candy Man". I had collected a few more songs in the ensuing years, and when I decided I was going to learn Delta Blues fingerstyle he was the one I wanted to model myself after, so I went looking for more of his music and found this collection. I've had it for a few years now, and I still listen to it regularly.

It's 3 full length cds of pure acoustic bliss. Recorded in the 60s near the end of his life, he plays Delta blues with amazing dexterity. His right thumb rhythm work is so solid, it drives the music like someone banging on a drum. It seems earily disconnected from his melody work, played with his other fingers. You just wouldn't think that someone could pick two different patterns with one hand, so cleanly it takes a bit of faith to accept that the sound came from one guitar. And that's pretty much all it is. One man, one guitar, playing songs from 40 years earlier in Mississippi. The recording is so clean and well mastered you could be sitting in the same room. John Hurt was huge in San Fransisco during the 60s folk era, and several of his songs made it into american folk, including "Shortnin' Bread", "Hot Time In the Old Town" and "Goodnight, Irene" all of which my dad used to play on ukulele when I was a kid. Do yourself a favor and check out some great music at Amazon.

Eric Clapton - "Unplugged"

This album is what got me started playing guitar. When I purchased my first guitar back in 1993 I bought the tablature book for this album and started working my way through it. "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" is one of the first songs I ever learned. This album was huge for a reason. It's phenomenal. It's a mix of blues and pop, played acoustically. Some of the songs are strummed chords, like "San Fransisco Bay Blues" (incidentally, my Dad used to play and sing this song with his tenor ukulele when I was a kid), a large number are finger picked, and there's even some slide on the tracks, "Rollin' and Tumblin" and "Running On Fath". Most of the people who purchased this album did so because of the "Tears in Heaven". It's speaks to the quality of the rest of the album that this song almost gets lost amongst the rest of the tracks. I haven't listened to this album in quite a while, and it's been a long time since I've played my way through the songs on it. I really enjoyed listening to it again, and I have a feeling that I'll enjoy playing the songs even more. I need to go grab my guitar. Go take a listen at Amazon.

Guns N' Roses - "Use Your Illusion 1"

I bought this album way back in high school when I was a BMG member. Remember BMG? Anyway, I bought this largely because it had the tracks "November Rain" and "Don't Cry". I probably haven't listened to this album in over 10 years. It's actually a pretty good album. Some of the things are kind of boring hard rock, but there's enough variety to make it worth popping in every now and then. Slash's solo on "The Garden" is certainly worth a hearing on a regular basis. Axel Rose isn't at his best hear, which if memory serves me correct is likely due to the drug, alcohol, and abuse issues he was dealing with it the time. You can preview it on Amazon.

Cephas and Wiggins - "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad"

I bought this album about 3 years ago from Barnes and Noble because I had a gift card and wanted some music. Basically, I went to the blues section and found several cds I thought might be good and started listening to them. I had never heard of these two before, but I'm glad I have now. They're a guitar and harmonica duo that plays Piedmont style blues, which is sort of a happier style of Delta blues. It's basically the way I tend to play finger style blues, only better. The album doesn't really have much for standout songs, it's just good music. It's really easy to imagine these two just jammin' away on a street corner. I really should buy more of their music, because I listen to this CD quite a bit. You can hear it at Amazon.

Lifescapes - "Swing"

I bought this album from a bargain bin (I think Circuit City) back in 1999. It was basically put out by a studio to capitalize on the swing trend. Hire a composer and a few studio musician's, put out a "Swing" album and make a few bucks. The music actually isn't that bad. There are a few songs I actually like. However, it isn't swing music. There's jump blues, boogie woogie, rockabilly, and some straight ahead jazz, but no swing. I don't think a single song qualifies as swing. I blame the rhythm section. The guitar is barely audible on most tracks, the drummer insists on playing a shuffle pattern on the ride cymbal, that sustains for too long. The pianist is the worst of the bunch. He's obviously never played swing music, because he insists on playing between the beats, and his solos wander all over the place rather than riffing off the melody and maintaining the chord progression. I don't think a single song hits four to the floor. The music actually isn't half bad, though a bit sterile. It will fit into most people's idea of "swing" music, even though it's a little campy. However, if you're looking for music to Lindy Hop too, this is not the album. I was unable to track down any audio samples for this one.

Seth Horan - "Conduit"

I first heard Seth Horan when he played at a local coffee shop. He is a bass player, which seems an odd choice of instrument for a singer/songwriter, but he also doesn't play bass like most people. He plays a six string bass and through the use of two hand tapping, harmonics and chord work makes it sound like drum and guitar accompaniment. He has a good voice and a great sense of humor, so he's great to see live. I purchased the album the second time I saw him as it was n the works the first time. He comes through town every year for the NAMM show.

The album is great, with the only letdown being that he uses additional instruments. I know that may sound a little odd, but his virtuosity is a lot of what makes his music so great, and it can get lost amongst a fuller arrangement. That being said, this is the album that I have people listen to as an example of modern pop music that showcases actual talent and depth. I highly recommend attending a concert of his. You can find out if he's playing near you at his page on reverbnation.com and clicking on the SHOWS tab. You can listen to clips of his album at cdbaby.

The Infamous Stringdusters - "Fork In The Road"

I first heard of and heard these guys at Summergrass in San Diego a couple of years ago. They're a bluegrass band formed of young musicians from back east that all went to Nashville in pursuit of music careers. When I first heard them they were getting ready to record this album. I was impressed with their playing, and they became a favorite of a friend who I went with to Summergrass. He caught a concert of theirs during a trip to Carolina a while later and as a result of getting on their mailing list, emailed me when they came back to Orange County last fall and played as part of a monthly concert series for top acoustic talent called Lord of the Strings that is put on here in Orange County. I went to that concert, which was held in a small theatre. This is one I actually picked up the album. It struck me as funny that the first time I heard them it had cost me $15 to hear a full day of bluegrass music, with them being one of the bands. This time it was $25 to hear just them. They're coming back for Summergrass 2008, so I will get to see them again for $15.

As far as the album goes, it's has a surprisingly broad range for a debut album. There are several traditional style instrumentals, a mix of vocal numbers, and some more modern sounding arrangements, including a cover of John Mayer's "3x5". "Poor Boy's Delight" is a lovely waltz with sweet lyrics that I would love to dance to with someone. It's the first song off the album that I learned the vocal to. The band members share singing duties, and in fact the feel of the group is very much like a bunch of people just jamming together. The one thing they lack that I enjoy about most of the other bluegrass albums in my collection is vocal harmony. They do some, but it's more background type vocal filling rather than actual vocal harmony for a song. But hey, they're young. I'll cut them some slack. You can check them out on Amazon.

Lonesome River Band - "Talkin' To Myself"

Like my other Lonesome River Band Albums, I had many of these songs in mp3 format before I decided to just buy many of their cds. Like the others, this is great to sing along to. I learned to play mandolin to some of the tracks, "Talkin' To Myself" and "Willow Garden". This album always puts me in a good mood. I associate it with driving, because I spent a day driving from Utah to Montana through Yellowstone Park (and then reversed it several days later) on my to a family reunion, singing at the top of my lungs, and waving to motorcyclists because I kept forgetting I was in a car instead of on my motorcycle. There is one track, "Mary Ann", that I dislike, but the others are all solid. It's a bit disappointing that they're all vocal tracks, as the musicianship is so good that I would have preferred a few instrumentals showcasing their talent. Like almost every other cd released in the U.S., you can find this one on Amazon.

Del McCoury - "A Deeper Shade of Blue"

I bought this together with the other Del McCoury album I own, as Amazon had a buy both save some money offer. Like the other, this album is blues almost more than bluegrass. It has several slower songs that are a lot of fun to sing along with, notably "More often than once in a while" I like this album more than the other, and listen to it more often as a result. Not much else to add, so go give it a listen.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd - "Ledbetter Heights"

I can't remember exactly when I bought this, but it was in 96 or so. I think I bought it after reading a review in a guitar mag. A couple of the tunes got some radio play as well, but I think by that time I already had the album. This is Kenny's first album. He was, I think, 17 when it was released. For anyone, it's good guitar playing. For a 17 year old it's amazing. I like the vocalist on this album, Cory Sterling, more than Noah Hunt, who sings on his later albums.. This album is a little more blues and less rock than hi slater stuff. I especially like the track, "Shame, Shame, Shame". It sounds like it could be a B.B. King song. I love the intro to "Deja Voodoo". It starts out laid back and slowly builds in intensity for the first minute and a half before kicking in full blast. The guitar playing is very reminiscent of SRV. I like this album. I don't listen to it much, largely because I don't like to listen to a song or two. This is an album that I prefer to listen to the entire way through, so it comes along on road trips and the like. Preview it at Amazon.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Skynyrd's Innyrds"

The first Skynyrd album I ever bought was a cassette tape of the live album "One More From the Road" way back in high school. I bought it because it had "Sweet Home Alabama" plus the immortal live version of free bird on it. In the later years I pcked up a few more, including "Skynyrd's Innyrds" which is a compilation album. As such, it has several of my favorite Skynyrd songs on it, including "Call Me the Breeze". This is one of my favorite rock albums and I listen to it a lot, typically while running, although technically I just listen to a bunch of Skynyrd songs, several of which are from this album. At any rate, I highly recommend checking this one out on Amazon.

Adrina Thorpe - "Elusive"

There is a coffee shop in Aliso Viejo that I used to go to pretty regularly on Saturday nights. They have 2 hrs of live music from local artists every Saturday night, and some of them are quite good. The music is outdoors in a covered atrium between the coffee shop and the city library. It's a great venue. A few times I've purchased cds from the musicians, and this is one of them. Adrina plays sparse piano accompaniment to her soft voice. This album is full of songs about leaving behind childhood, falling in love, and other stuff typical for girls in their early 20s. I like her voice and though the lyrics don't particularly strike a chord with me, I've never really listened to music for the lyrics and I do like the feel of the music. I don't listen to this album very much, largely because I don't keep it in my car. If I did, I would likely find myself popping it in the cd player on late night drives. You can hear clips on her website

Del McCoury - "The Cold Hard Facts"

I bought this album largely due to a couple songs I had downloaded several years earlier called "Live and Let Live" and "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" that featured Del McCoury on vocals with Doc Watson and Mac Wiseman. Incidentally, "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" was such an appropriate song at one point that I would listen to it with a sardonic smile. It was the inspiration for a song based around the same idea, but with a much more depressing tone.

Back on track: Del is a multi-year IBMA winner for male vocalist of the year. He has the stereotypical high tenor with a hillbilly twang that typifies the genre. The music on this album is different from most other bluegrass. It's much more blues oriented and the songs are written to be evocative of moods. The best of this is "Blackjack County Chains", a song about a tramp impressed by the county sheriff into a chain gang to build county roads, who eventually beats the sheriff to death with some others in the chain gang. As far as the other songs, let's just say that the album is appropriately titled. I don't listen to this album all that often, because it's the sort of thing you have to be in the mood for, and I'm not often in a mood that is best suited by songs about depression, infidelity and death. When I am, this goes in the cd deck. Hear a little for yourself at Amazon.

Norah Jones - "Come Away With Me"

I bought this album back early in its 2002 release, before she was really getting radio play. I read a review in somewhere and it sounded like something I might like so I checked it out. Turns out I did like it, along with a lot of other people. She came through Orange County and played a small venue called The Coach House a few months later, but the show sold out before I could get tickets. This is the only album of hers that I own, as her later ones, while having bright spots, lacked the cohesive feel and smooth sound of "Come Away With Me". I like that the arrangements are sparse and it sounds like someone playing and singing in a lounge late at night, when only a few people are left and they're just playing for themselves. I still listen to this album a lot, usually while I'm reading and I've often let it play while I've fallen asleep. I like that her voice is basically one octave above mine, so its easy to sing along to. This is one of my favorite albums, and I can imagine still listening to it decades from now. If you're one of the few people who hasn't heard this album, you can find it on Amazon.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - "This Beautiful Life"

Technically I listened to this yesterday, but since it was driving to and from dancing and I didn't want to stay up any later I'm writing about it a day late. Neo-Swing is like the 80s glam rock of the swing world. It's flashy, uptempo, and the outfits play a big part of it. Granted the outfit is a zoot suit with chains rather than neon spandex, but you get where I'm going with this. It was party music for the nerdier set. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was the Poison of Neo-Swing, and in much the same way, no one wants to admit that they still like to listen to them. Well, I do. This was their second album that I purchased. I bought it back in 1999 shortly before moving to California. Shortly after moving to California I was able to see them in concert. By then the neo-swing fad was dying down, but I kept listening to these guys for years. I haven't listened to this album much since acquiring a lot more authentic jazz, but it's still fun and entertaining to hear. The music really does make you want to wiggle and shake. So, go to Amazon and listen to the band that help turn the nerdier set of the nation's college kids into hep cats back in the late 90s.

Brian Setzer Orchestra - "Guitar Slinger"

This was the 2nd album released by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. It's my least favorite of the three I own. It's mostly jump blues with some rockabilly influence, although there are a few jazzier tunes, such as "Sammy Davis City" which is my favorite on the album. Brian Setzer wrote many of the songs on this album, as compared to his first album with the orchestra, which primarily consisted of cover tunes. That being said, it's also a large part of the reason I'm not as big of a fan of this album. I'm just not a huge fan of many of the songs. There are some covers as well, notably a well done rendition of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "The House Is Rockin'". Setzer's guitar skill is much more apparent in this album as well and the band is tight. This is really what makes the album for me. I purchased this back in 1996 when it was released, and I listened to it pretty regularly for 5 years or so. I don't listen to it much anymore, but that's really because I just don't listen to much jump blues or neo swing anymore, which is where this album falls in terms of genre. As usual Amazon has sound clips.

Christmas Swing

If I recall correctly, I picked this out of the bargain bin at Circuit City when I was buying a home stereo in 1999. It is the only Christmas album I own. It's short, with a running time of about 40 minutes, but it's got a nice mix of songs. It's really more loungy jazz than swing, but it's good music. The musicianship is solid, but nothing stellar. There's only one vocal number, so you can listen to it year round and enjoy the tunes, especially since several, like the Nutcracker Overture, don't even have lyrics. I listen to this a few times every December. I don't know that it gets me in the Christmas mood, but I like it anyway. Amazingly, Barnes and Nobles has it.

Bluegrass Etc - "Classics"

I first heard these guys at the Julian Bluegrass festival back in 2003. It's a trio, with John Moore, on guitar and mandolin, Bill Bryson on bass, and Dennis Caplinger on everything else, though he primarily plays banjo and fiddle. Though all originally from California, I think Dennis is the only one who still lives here, where he runs a recording studio and does a lot of work for television as well as backing for other musicians. John now runs a horse ranch in Arizona or Texas, and looks like it. He also tuaght Chris Thile, of Nickel Creek fame to play mandolin, and if you've ever really listened to Chris Thile play you'll have some idea as to the talent of the man who taught him how to do it. John Moore is straight up amazing. Fast, clean, inventive, and a flair for improvisational playing and humor, he makes the band what it is. The other two aren't slouches either. Bill is terrific bass player, singer and songwriter, and Dennis can play nearly any stringed instrument like he was born to do it. These guys are straight up amazing. Unfortunately, since west coast bluegrass is no way to make a living, these guy do it as a hobby and thus they don't play together all too often, and have only a couple of recordings. "Classics" is simply them doing arrangements of popular classic bluegrass tunes. Bluegrass fans will likely know every song on the album, but will likely have rarely heard them played this well. The album is available from Tricopolis Records . I did manage to find one mp3 sample from the album if you scroll down here, or you can find a few clips on youtube. I was at the festival where they're playing in the first clip, Summergrass in San Diego.

Richie Pavledis - "Live At The Charles"

I found this album browsing around on cdbaby.com about 3 years ago. Richie is a solo musician from Australia, and like the album title says, this was recorded live at the Charles Hotel in Perth. The music is blues, with Richie playing guitar and harmonica, as well as thumping on a bass drum. He's not only a talented player, but a talented songwriter, having written several of the songs himself. The songs are delta blues and his finger picking does them justice. He's got a great voice for blues as well. One of the neat things about this album, is that because it was recorded live in a small venue there's a feeling of almost being there. During a low point in the music, you can sometimes hear muted conversation and even the click of billiard balls. This is one of my favorite albums, and it gets listened to on a regular basis. Track seven, "Take this Hammer" was the inspiration for a song I wrote a few years ago. It's a goal of mine to able to play like this guy, as his finger picking is a smooth mix of bass runs and hammer ons/pulls offs to flesh out chord changes that makes it sound like there is more than one guitar going. You can here clips from the album on his website by clicking on sounds.

Donovan Frankenreiter (self-titled demo)

I got this from my landlord when I moved into my apartment back in 2002. He's a personal friend of the guy, and had some demo cds to hand out. Turns out the music is really quite good. It's along the same lines as Jack Johnson, which isn't all that surprising considering Donovan Frankenreiter is also a well known free-surfer, and they travel within the same circles in the surfing world where they have been friends for years. I think Jack Johnson actually produced his first full length album It's mellow, strummed acoustic guitar with a bass for backing. The album is short at only 7 songs, but this is a demo. He's since released a full-length album that includes most of the songs on here, with a full backing band. However, I tend to like the versions on here. They sound better with sparser musical backing. I really like this album. I listen to it every now and then when I'm in the mood for watching the sun set over the ocean and feeling melancholy, yet optimistic. Wait, that actually happens a lot. I should listen to this album more often. Unfortunately I don't have a link for this album considering its unreleased nature (Heck, I could probably ebay this things for some good scratch considering he's a decently known musician now.), but you can find music clips on youtube. His site, donavonf.com doesn't actually have any sound clips, which is kind of surprising.

Joe Satriani (self titled)

Joe Satriani is a talented rock guitarist who falls under the umbrella of rock virtuoso. The songs are really more about showcasing talent than crafting lyrics of melody. As such, it just doesn't move me. The guitar playing is really good, but sort of lacks a point. At times it feels like he is simply showcasing technique. You know how instruction books will introduce a technique, include some practice exercises, and then put it in some sort of "song" to allow you to explore that technique? They often include a "play along" cd so you can hear what it sounds like, and then practice it with a rhythm section. This album feels a lot like someone recorded themselves playing along with the cd from a really advanced instructional book. Great technique, but just not all that enjoyable to listen to as music. I picked this album up back when it came out in 1995, and it was very well-reviewed by guitar magazines. However, I've only listened to it a handful of times in the intervening years. People at Amazon seem to really like it as well. Give it a listen and form your own opinion.

Tony Rice - "The Bluegrass Guitar Collection"

I picked this album up a few years ago. Tony Rice is a superb flatpicking guitarist, who was a staple in the bluegrass seen for many years before venturing into other genres. This is a collection of several recorded bluegrass songs that he recorded over a large span of time. The album is a veritable whos who of acoustic virtuosity with Norman Blake (guitar), Sam Bush (mandolin), Vassar Clements (violin, passed away a couple years ago.), Bela Fleck (banjo), David Grisman (mandolin), Doc Watson (guitar) and more. The playing is simply phenomenal. I listen to this album a lot. The 3 guitar medley "Lost Indian" (Tony Rice, Normal Blake, and Doc Watson) is fun to listen to because one can contrast the playing of 3 great flatpicking guitarists. Hear some great bluegrass at Amazon.

Joe Williams - "The Definitive Joe Williams"

I picked this album up during a Winter Holiday trip to New York to visit family about 4 years ago. Joe Williams started off singing with Count Basie's band. This album contains recordings that span his entire career. As a result it encompasses several different styles of jazz including swing, jump blues, bop, straight ahead jazz, lounge crooning... Most of the songs are down tempo, which does a lot to showcase Williams' voice. I listen to this album a lot while driving home late at night. It's relaxing and works when I want to just listen and think. I like this album a lot, and I'm more than a little bumbed that after being stuffed in a cd case I managed to scratch the reflective coating off on part of the last, and one of my favorite, tracks of the album, "What are you doing New Years Eve?" Even if you're not a real fan of jazz, I'm betting you'll find things to like about this album. Hear more of it at Amazon.