Please click over to the master web site

This blogging site will not be updated for the next few days. Sorry for the inconvenience.

You can still see all the daily updates by clicking over to the master web site:

www.musicforgrown-ups.com


This site will be operating normally again from 11 May. See you soon.


Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan, Miles Davis… and Mozart – your top musicians for grown-ups

Bob Dylan, Miles Davis and Mozart are the favourite musicians of grown-up listeners.

Dylan (currently on an eight-date British tour), Davis and Mozart head the Top 10 poll, which includes rockers from the 1970s (Neil Young) and the 1980s (The Smiths/Morrissey) alongside pre-rock pop stars (Sinatra) and classical composers (Beethoven).

The Top 10 Musicians for Grown-Ups, as nominated by readers, are:

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1. Bob Dylan
2. Miles Davis
3. Mozart
4. Neil Young
5. Frank Sinatra
6. Bruce Springsteen
7. Tom Waits
8. Beethoven
9. Van Morrison
10. The Smiths/Morrissey


The Top 10 Musicians for Grown-Ups

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Given the focus of the website, there are few surprises in the ranking, though my own list wouldn’t place Springsteen or Tom Waits so high.

Thanks again to all readers who nominated their Top Musicians for Grown-Ups: analyzing your votes produced a wonderfully eclectic ranking of great musos from many genres.

The lucky winner of my new book, Music For Grown-Ups - who requested privacy - has been informed.




Gerry Smith

Together Through Life: first impressions

An evening with Together Through Life was a pleasant experience: better than expected, not as strong as secretly hoped.

First impressions:

* musically engaging – urban blues and Tex-Mex styles more suited to Dylan than the easy crooning and plodding rockabilly of the previous two albums.

* lyrically - worth careful scrutiny, though words seem a trifle lightweight on a superficial hearing.

* the De Luxe package is intriguing: extra content a mixed blessing - already have TTRH show on tape, doubtful will ever listen to CD; DVD a hoot, presumably intentionally; bits of paper not destined for the bedroom wall or the car windscreen. Another beautifully designed artefact – for the third studio album in a row.

Dylan’s USP, to me, is poet, philosopher and musician, in that order. This CD’s songs, though more immediately attractive than those on the two previous albums, are probably destined to be cherry-picked for a revised “recent songs” compilation, few if any of whose constituents would make my Top 100 Bobsongs.

That said, I usually revise my opinions upwards after getting to know a new Dylan album.

What do YOU think of Together Through Life?



Gerry Smith

Dylan in London last night: energized, committed, triumphant

Last night’s show in the London O2 Arena was an unexpected triumph.

Dylan was in overdrive from the very first bar of Maggie’s Farm to the closing note of Blowin’ In The Wind. His performance was as energized and committed as any of the shows I’ve seen since 1978 (and my mother has seen since 1965!)

The set opened like a freight train and rarely lost momentum. The setlist (below) was well chosen, with only half the songs repeats of the previous night’s gig.

Highlights – there were many – included Hollis Brown and Workingman’s Blues. The few longueurs, notably Spirit On The Water, were lounge-rhythm songs from the last two albums – they sound better on the hi-fi than on stage.

I’ve rarely heard Dylan sing so well – confident, expressive, assertive, his voice seems to have re-found the strength of 20 years ago.

The sound was first class from my seat, in the gods one too many mornings away from the stage. Dylan was commendably up in the mix. It was a relief to hear the music so clearly, as the jokey intro “… Colombian recording artist…” had sounded muddy, boomy.

I’d gone to the gig with trepidation, not only because of the embarrassing lack of public transport (some jobsworth wag had decided to close the Jubilee Line, the only serious transport link to distant central London, for the day), but also from a fear that Bobby might be getting past it.

The fears were groundless – Bob’s voice, his playing of keyboard and harmonica and his general energy levels were a revelation.

There’s years of the Might Zim left yet. Bob’s still the Man! Why did anyone ever doubt it?


SETLIST:
1. Maggie's Farm
2. The Times They Are A-Changin'
3. Things Have Changed
4. Chimes Of Freedom
5. Rollin' And Tumblin'
6. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
7. 'Til I Fell In Love With You
8. Workingman's Blues #2
9. Highway 61 Revisited
10. Ballad Of Hollis Brown
11. Po' Boy
12. Honest With Me
13. When The Deal Goes Down
14. Thunder On The Mountain
15. Like A Rolling Stone
16. All Along The Watchtower
17. Spirit On The Water
18. Blowin' In The Wind



Gerry Smith

Top Musicians for Grown-Ups: Part 2 – rankings 11-20

Thanks to all readers who nominated their Top Musicians for Grown-Ups: analyzing your votes has produced a wonderfully eclectic ranking of great musos from many genres.


These musicians were placed in rankings 11-20

11. Rolling Stones
12. Elvis Costello
13. Herbie Hancock
14. Ella Fitzgerald
15. Hank Williams
16. Bjork
17. Bach
18. Cecilia Bartoli
19. Ray Charles
20. Richard Wagner

Next week: The Top Ten revealed. Make sure you drop by!



Gerry Smith

Top Musicians for Grown-Ups: Part 1 – the honourable mentions

Many thanks to the many readers who nominated their Top Musicians for Grown-Ups: analyzing your votes has produced a wonderfully eclectic ranking of great musos from many genres.

Let’s start with a list of the honourable mentions:

Ryan Adams
Marcelo Alvarez
Beatles
Beethoven
Ketil Bjornstad
Callas
Eric Clapton
The Clash
Len Cohen
Bryan Corbett
Ray Davies
Natalie Dessay
Doors
Eels
Everly Brothers
Ella Fitzgerald
Bryan Ferry
Renee Fleming
Howlin’ Wolf
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Tord Gustavsen
Joy Division
Mark Knopfler
Kraftwerk
Mark Linkous
Gustav Mahler
Bob Marley
John Martyn
Olivier Messiaen
Conor Oberst
Luciano Pavarotti
Primal Scream
Puccini
Stan Rogers
Andy Sheppard
Paul Simon
Stephen Sondheim
Sting
Stone Roses
Joan Sutherland
Ali Farka Toure
Big Joe Turner
Verdi
Waterboys
Gillian Welch
Cassandra Wilson
Amy Winehouse
Warren Zevon


Part 2, to follow, will cover musicians voted in positions 11-20; Part 3 will reveal your Top 10 Musicians for Grown-Ups.



Gerry Smith

Dylan, Morrison, Cohen, Young: wrinkly rockers keep on keepin’ on

Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, the key rockers for grown-ups, are very active in their wrinkly years:

* Dylan’s touring Europe (London this weekend); new album next Monday;

* Morrison is rolling out his Astral Weeks Live gig – London shows at the weekend, like earlier US shows, were praised to the skies; new album of the LA gig recently released, DVD coming soon;

* Cohen’s recent world tour was wildly successful, CD/DVD recordings of the London show capture the brilliance;

* Young’s 2008 shows were the best in years; new album just released.

Deeply impressive; in spirit, if not in body, all four top rockers for grown-ups look as though they’ll stay forever young…



Gerry Smith

Sony Legacy’s Playlist series: why?

Have you seen Sony Legacy’s new Playlist series, covering about 50 artists?

It’s a puzzling product range.

The Very Best Of Bob Dylan ‘60s, released just before last Xmas, was followed last month by The Very Best Of Bob Dylan ‘70s.

They’re decent compilations – let’s face it, it would be hard to foul up a 14-track selection from the greatest living songwriter. But, given the availability of so many other official Sony Dylan compilations, you have to question the logic.

At least they’re better intros to the artist than the Playlist devoted to Dylan’s contemporary, Van Morrison. Sony only have access to the interminably reissued Bang sessions – ie the pop material recorded before Morrison found his true voice with his masterpiece, Astral Weeks.

Sony Legacy’s Playlist series: why?




Gerry Smith

Lua by Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch - a duet made in Heaven

Of all the rockpop musicians I’ve seen in the last ten years, none give better gig than Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch. They’re both outstanding writers and performers, the cream of their generation.

And they’ve just released a duet of Oberst’s classic song, Lua. I’m usually very skeptical about duets, but Lua is a duet made in Heaven.

It’s squirreled away on Dark Was The Night, a new compilation album, though the single track is also available from iTunes.

Highly recommended – you won’t hear a better duet for grown-ups. Ever.



Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan in London, 25 April: no Jubilee Line Tube to the O2 Arena

A few days ago I asked: “how EXACTLY do you plan to get to the O2 Arena – several (6?/10?)miles outside central London - and back into town after the show?”

Thanks to Cornelia Grolsch and Gordon Macniven for responding – “by Tube” (aka Underground/Subway/U-Bahn). Well, that would normally be the obvious route.

But there is no Jubilee Line Tube running to the O2 on Saturday 25 April, the day of the Dylan gig. Just take a look at this official announcement (thanks to Paul Ryles for the link):

http://www.theo2.co.uk/images/PDF/misc/bob_dylan_transport_25_april.pdf





Gerry Smith

Bellini’s I Capuletti at Covent Garden: disappointing

On the face of it, Saturday’s I Capuletti e I Montecchi at the Royal Opera House had a lot going for it:

* Anna Netrebko, regarded by many as the finest living soprano

* Bellini – top bel canto composer

* The Romeo and Juliet story – a sure-fire winner.

But I Capuletti e I Montecchi was disappointing; we left at half time, relieved to be out.

The casting was bizarre – a (fine-voiced) mezzo played the role of Romeo. So the sexual chemistry between the star-crossed lovers was confused, mainly absent. Is Bellini’s the first lesbian version of Romeo and Juliet?

Netrebko has a big voice, with a rich tone and you feel that she’s always in charge. But she hasn’t floated my boat on the four occasions I’ve seen her sing live. When you’re lucky enough to see a lot of world-class singers, you tend to develop impossibly high standards; I don’t share the current lionisation of Ms Netrebko.

In Act 1, the music was dull, the libretto weak and the production clunky. The acting was unconvincing. I can’t comment on Act 2, but my expectations would have been low.



Gerry Smith

Handel week on BBC Radio 3

Approaching the mid-point of its broadcasts of all 42 Handel operas on Thursday afternoons, BBC Radio 3 continues its spectacular celebration of Handel’s great art with a fine week of special programming, starting tomorrow.

You’ll be able to catch many of the programmes online – via BBC iPlayer.

Highlights include:

* Easter Sunday, Michael Berkeley recalls nine guests who have chosen Handel pieces in Private Passions;

* Radio 3 Requests features listeners’ requests with a Handel focus;

* Mon-Fri: Composer of the Week is dedicated to Handel’s oratorios, including Esther, Messiah and Judas Maccabeus.

* Messiah from Westminster Abbey on the exact 250th anniversary of his death, Tuesday April 14th.

* the European Broadcasting Union Handel Day on April 19th presents twelve hours of musical celebrations from across the continent.


Details: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3; Handel pages in Composers of the Year website: www.bbc.co.uk/composers/handel/

As a long-time admirer of Radio 3, but scornful critic/reluctant funder (via taxation) of the bloated BBC, I’d willingly pay a subscription to hear this kind of quality programming. Pity that I also have to pay for all the other crap that seeps from the broadcaster.




Gerry Smith

Spotify: heartily recommended

Thanks to Rob:

“Following on from your Neil Young new album pass….

“I too was about to order the CD and then realised that I could listen to the entire album for free and legally over the net.

“You must have heard of spotify:

http://www.spotify.com/en/

“It really is brilliant. The free version has one 30 second advert every 20 minutes. You can upgrade for £9.99 per month and have no adverts.

“You can hear thousands of albums: you choose which albums and tracks, you can jump around from track to track etc….

“It’s like having access to tens of thousands of albums on your computer. Ignore the wacky styling, they have a deep catalogue, stretching back to 30’s jazz & blues.

“I even found some interesting Dylan tracks from soundtracks / compilations etc. and I discovered a sublime Enio Morricone soundtrack “La Storia Vera Della Signora Dalle Camelie”

“I would heartily recommend it.”

Bob Dylan’s Euro tour 2009: highlights so far

A couple of weeks in, the 2009 Euro tour has had some spellbinding set list inclusions, once again illustrating the depth of the Dylan songbook.

The performances I’d love to have heard include:

* Senor, Billy 4, Chimes Of Freedom - Stockholm

* The Man in Me, Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll - Malmo

* Gotta Serve Somebody, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Desolation Row - Copenhagen

* Shooting Star, Dignity - Hannover

* The Wicked Messenger, My Back Pages - Berlin

* Man In A Long Black Coat - Erfurt

* One More Cup Of Coffee - Munchen

Magnificently eclectic! Roll on London!



Gerry Smith

New Neil Young album: er, pass…

I almost bought Fork In The Road, the new Neil Young album, on auto-pilot.

Then I remembered the recent Young albums I can hardly bear to listen to any more – Greendale, Living With War et al: heavy-handed political diatribes with leaden lyrics for a lumpen audience.

So I checked out the early reviews of Fork In The Road to get an idea of the new album’s content – and found it’s eco-warrior stuff… commentary on the US economy…

By an expat multi-millionaire entertainer?

No thanks.

On the other hand, the set lists for the tour Young has just started in the Maritime Provinces look tempting – wish I’d booked for Nottingham!



Gerry Smith

Last night’s St Matthew Passion: the very highest of high art

Bach’s St Matthew Passion at the Barbican in London last night was the very highest of high art.

Composer: JS Bach is the Main Man, the patron saint of all musicians. This is one of his finest works.

Orchestra: Leipzig Gewandhaus – the definitive interpreters of Bach’s sacred music.

Choirs: St Thomas’ Boys Choir (Leipzig) and Tolz Boys Choir (Bavaria). I doubt I’ll ever witness a superior choral performance. Each passage made you feel you were entering Heaven itself.

Soloists, notably Johannes Chum (Evangelist): outstanding.

Music does not come any more inspiring than this.

Bach’s St Matthew Passion was the second of a trio of sacred music gigs for Easter that I’ll be attending. To come: Bach’s St John Passion at King’s College Cambridge on Wednesday.

I’ll have to reconsider my policy of buying cheapskate seats at the Barbican, though.

Last night I was flanked by two objectionable septuagenarians. The one on the left – the greasy, lank long grey hair was the giveaway – stunk; his clothes clearly hadn’t had much contact with a washing machine.

The obese boy on my right had serious breathing problems, which intruded badly in the quieter passages, especially the soloists’ arias.

I’m all for access, but unfortunates with seriously anti-social conditions should be encouraged to stay home. Or someone less tolerant might be provoked to throw them over the balcony.


Gerry Smith

New issue of MUSIC for GROWN-UPs Newsletter circulated today

The latest issue of the re-launched MUSIC for GROWN-UPs Newsletter was circulated today.

The fortnightly free service carries listings of the last 6 weeks content on the MUSIC for GROWN-UPs website, alerting subscribers to articles they may have missed.

To ensure you receive future issues, free of charge, please sign up in the subscriptions area in the left margin of the master website:

www.musicforgrown-ups.com



Gerry Smith