Ok last comment on exchange that could maybe go on forever. I'm halfway to music degree as of late, starting 3rd Music Theory class, took recording studio, next Jazz Studies. Best thing about music, there are so many routes to music appreciation and computers far from mimicking as its rather subjective (reminds me of Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society" when he had kids tear out textbook page w description of "good" poetry). As such, is music/poetry the last frontier of what is uniquely human? Had to laugh when our great music prof said that in daytime he taught "never using the perfect fifth" (essence of Bach/music 400 yrs ago), then in evening made $$ playing "nothing but perfect fifths" (ie "power chord" made famous by The Who etc). Just finished Roger Daltry, Pete Townsend, and Jack Bruce bios..."The Who" and "Cream" (which I never tire of) both had dynamic/innovative rhythm sections, knew value of POWERFUL stuff, which was the rebel-youth genre of the day (Jimmy Page's name comes up often in those books). Even Who/Stones/Clapton/Beatles/Rolling Stone mag seem to agree that Hendrix was the guitar/performance king. Townsend/Zappa also quite the composers, I'd kill to be that (or even a Cole Porter or Leonard Bernstein). BTW all British rocker bios (and M. Python cult) seem rooted in post WW2 "Goon Show" and Skiffle, Daltry says people were poor and singing/radio all they had. Anyway, so many directions music can go, endless variety & heavily rooted in "coming of age". My father made me learn all the 30s/40s music as a kid, he had tons of old comedy records, Mom threw out most when he died. I even found an old Victrola w some 1915 Billy Murray records in the attic (yes, even that music can be addicting). Hell, they were cranking out tin pan alley stuff soon after the Civil War! I was in Tahiti once and stumbled into a high school dance hall, man that music was HOT!! Ashkenaz in Berkeley features foreign bands & I wish I could witness all the art forms. I'm grateful for everything I can get!
An aside, 40s-60s music contained echoes of folk culture from 100s of years past (mostly UK-US). Examples are "House of the Rising Sun" and "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" (which supposedly date in some form to 1800s UK). I'm fascinated by "Sixteen Tons", written from words heard from old coal miners in the 30s, turned into a hit by Tennessee Ernie. The Keith Richards bio is essentially a big tribute to Southern bluesmen. We all need to thank musicologists like the Lomax family, who travelled the world rescuing old songs, including "The Streets of Laredo" (also w UK roots) and others. Did that music well go dry when top 40 radio died and the suits took over? Is the Vox Populi dying once again? Pop/Country used to share the top 40, now its Blue State/Red State music...what's happening?
Anyway, I apologize for my original, rather whitebread list of albums, but I am an old American-Brit and I do aspire to know the music of the world, from all eras...
Btw, Black Orpheus/Jobim sound track played at our wedding...been to Brazil but never quite discovered the music fully, maybe I need to visit the Haight Ashubury/Berkeley vinyl stores again! My oldest son was a college DJ who fortunately loves records/music as much as I, he'll know what to do w my 500 odd records when I die.
