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As
you might imagine, this is only a partial list - in no particular order
- of titles that have moved me. So let me start with what I might consider
my five most influential records, as a musician. (These have recently
made their way into a new multimedia presentation that I've been doing...) My Top 5 Most Influential
Deep Purple - Made in Japan This is one of the greatest hard rock records of all time. Great songs, excellent players, and memorable performances that were spontaneous and very "live," with mistakes left in! To me, this is the epitome of arena rock in its purest, most accomplished form. It's also one of the first records I ever owned ("borrowed" from my sister, Pam, never to be returned!).
Billy Cobham - Spectrum Billy Cobham changed the face of the drummer as a solo artist with this one. His playing on this, even by today's standards, is incredible. And to think that this was released 30 years ago is mind-numbing. Musically, this is jazz-rock fusion at its finest with enduring compositions played by a roster of "immortals" that included Tommy Bolan, Jan Hammer and the Brecker Brothers. Every drummer should own a copy of this, as should every music lover.
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme If I were stranded on a deserted island for the rest of my life and could only listen to one artist, it would be jazz legend, John Coltrane. And if it could involve Coltrane playing with "THE quartet," who, along with 'Trane included Elvin Jones on drums, McCoy Tyner on piano and Jimmy Garrison on bass, all the better. "A Love Supreme" is probably as good as any at displaying the otherworldly quality that this band played with and the transcendent heights that they would hit. Granted, this particular brand of jazz might be an acquired taste to many, but it's probably some of the most important music ever recorded. You can also check out "Impressions," "My Favorite Things," and most any other recording this quartet did.
Buddy Rich - Europe '77 Along with Billy Cobham, Buddy Rich is one of my all-time favorite drummers and this is probably my favorite overall recording of his. Recorded during Rich's big band heyday of the 70's, this one has it all. In addition to his magnificent solo playing, Buddy swings with his trademark ferocity as he drives this super-tight band through some great arrangements. And as you listen to this, remember - it's live! Frightening...
P-Funk All-Stars - Live at the Beverly Theater If you're looking for a great example of raw, authentic, deeply-rooted funk, I simply could not come up with a better example. This is like James Brown on steroids. Band leader George Clinton put together this all-star band which combined members of both Parliament and Funkadelic (with Dennis Chambers on drums, throwing it down hard!), two mainstay acts from the 70's funk movement. This record is funky as hell but with a rock edge, loose and free in its arrangements, yet tight with all of its ensemble passages. Phenomenal playing and mile-wide grooves throughout.
Honorable Mention
Deep Purple - Made in Japan This is one of the greatest hard rock records of all time. Great songs, excellent players, and memorable performances that were spontaneous and very "live," with mistakes left in! To me, this is the epitome of arena rock in its purest, most accomplished form. It's also one of the first records I ever owned ("borrowed" from my sister, Pam, never to be returned!).
Rob Mathes - Evening Train Rob Mathes might be one of the heaviest musical geniuses you might have never heard of. This is one of the greatest hard rock records of all time. Great songs, excellent players, and memorable performances that were spontaneous and very "live," with mistakes left in! To me, this is the epitome of arena rock in its purest, most accomplished form. It's also one of the first records I ever owned ("borrowed" from my sister, Pam, never to be returned!).
Brahm's 4th - Bernstein w/ the Weiner Philharmoniker Brahms Fourth is, to me, the quintessential symphony of its era, and the grand culmination of everything Brahms ever wrote. I've had the pleasure of seeing this performed live on several occasions through the years, and this is still probably my favorite rendition of all. With Big Lenny (Leonard Bernstein) at the helm "kickin' it," this would also have to be among the most expressive and adventurous versions you will hear of the Fourth. Granted, there are some serious liberites taken with tempos in places, and I've read a few critical reviews about this. But it's not for nothing. The first and fourth movements have a decidedly more "back in the pocket" kind of deliberateness about them that gives this version its own identity. Bernstein and the Weiner Philharmoniker have made this their own. Love it...
Methods of Mayhem Almost across the board, most everyone I've ever spoken to about this record dismisses it as Tommy Lee inauthentically playing us on a flavor-of-the-month rap-rock fad. What his intentions were in making this record, I personally don't know. But, for what it is - a compelling merging of rock attitude with rap sensibility - you can't argue with it. The guitars are heavy, the grooves are solid, and the lyrics and vibe of the thing gets across...
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