dangling conversation
This is an open post - talk about what you want, if you want.
I’ve been craving some theorbo music but didn’t find just the thing, so I’ll give you a little Michael Hedges instead. He’s been on my mind. I’ll do him better justice later, but this is my mood right now. I miss him - I wasn’t done listening when he quit speaking.
categories: open discussion
posted by what at 01:00 am
Lovely, especially on a rainy day, while feeling a little sad.
I’m frustrated by not being able to share a great cd I listen to often: Ray Charles a l’Olympia. A live taping of a show in November 2000 which I got in France a few years ago. Unavailable anywhere in the US that I know of, not even on Ebay! This is what it says on the jacket:
“Public performances are stange animals. They can go from total catastrophy to unforgettable moments, from cancellation to mythical recordings. This concert that Ray Charles gave on November 22nd, 2000 at the Olympia belongs to this incredible category of magical recordings.” And this is what Ray had to say about this concert: “Good is good, man!”.
Ray was considered more of a jazzman in Europe, and this cd has a great jazz feel to it. The voice ain’t what it used to be, but the soul is bigger than ever, which more than makes up for it. The only place I found this cd is on amazon.fr, for 11.70 euros, but you’d have to do your ordering in French! Or maybe someone will be able to do better than me, and find it on a US site. A must have for Ray Charles fans!
Mama, that sounds so cool! I wonder if you could upload one cut for us to hear while we do our looking?
I would love to do that, What, except I am a computer moron! Maybe when my husband gets back from out of town in a few days, he can help me do it.
That was lovely.
What - that was hypnotic - I’ve never heard of a ‘harp guitar’ before and was both delighted to be introduced to a new artist and saddened to learn that he’s already left. Right now I’m listening to ‘Because It’s There’ compliments of Youtube - a song that he wrote for the harp guitar. what a great instrument - it seems that even when he’s just playing the guitar portion, the extra strings and sound hole (sorry, I don’t actually know the correct term) seem to give it an extra depth, a mellow resonating vibe that seems missing from a standard classical guitar - does this make sense? I’ll have to find a performance that shows him actually using the harp part - is there one you can recommend?
I just found this Youtube of a very young Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges playing what appears to be an impromptu number for some friends - very cool. Leo is playing a very small guitar - does anyone know what it is and if it’s his ‘usual’ instrument? I’ll post a link - not sure it that’s ok, but if not, please feel free to delete it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_5m4lomm4Y
Hedges is a genius. In my guitar pantheon, he and SRV have to share first place. The one and only time I saw him live was in a small art deco theater at a time in my life where I was listening to no modern music at all. I was was blown away. He gets in my brain at least once a year. I always have a profound sense that a dialogue has been prematurely aborted, but it’s like the blues - the same music creates the need and satisfies it. At least I hope so, i don’t feel satisfied yet.
I don’t know what to think of harp guitar. It functions somewhat like theorbo - with the unfretted bass strings. I think of it as something of a novelty, but I’m very ignorant of it. Seems like I have some connection of Derek Trucks with it, too, but that maybe a total fantasy.
Getting back to Hedges - it was very hard hearing him stress so much that people be safe in driving. This was not the night he died, but it still seemed connected. And links are fine. I’ve never seen him with such a normal hair cut before or so little hair, period.
wow. that was really beautiful. wandered over to utube and listened to aerial boundaries, because’s it’s there and buffalo stance. very haunting sound…so poignant. another voice silenced far too soon.
I have never heard of Michael Hedges…just spent the last hour reading about him and listening to his music. His music encourages introspective thought. Just order a couple of CDs…great music for journaling and meditation.
Thank you. Michael Hodges is new to me as well. That piece was simply beautiful. Certainly that must be a custom made instrument. Interesting that he chose to play it although the piece involved no (?) harp (or maybe a couple of strums?). Did I miss something?
It may be custom made in the sense that that particular one was made for him, but harp guitars have been around a couple of centuries. He’s playing it for the bass notes, which he goes to through out the piece. The “harp” part is not strummed, would rarely be strummed. because those notes are tuned like in a scale and are not fretted, so you wouldn’t get a chord sound, you’d get some kind of glissando. What you get from an instrument like this is like having your bass guitar and regular guitar all in one package. Like the job of the older theorbo, but sturdier and easier to carry around (but less expressive).
This is not particularly good as an intro to Hedges - this is not his typical music or his typical instrument, it’s just the mood I was in. I’ll do him justice another time. For one thing, there’s the hair.
Okay. This is certainly a departure from Michael Hodges, but in keeping with the idea of “dual” custom insturments. And original artists.
Junior Brown on his “guit-steel.”
With the Beach Boys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16qsYreBJZE
Just Junior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gun-FD2eumc
Thanks what. My education continues.