Downloading: Lost Opportunities

This past Saturday I had a little free time in the afternoon so I thought, hey, why not paw my way through some used records? Off to the local used vinyl emporium I went.

Second only to the smell of books in a used bookstore, the vinyl greeted me with a scrumptious eau-de-Black Circle. Over the years I've spent a ton of time flipping my way through records...and there's something about the smell of 'em that dredges up memories of my youth. Anyway, enough with the nostalgia stuff. Lemme get on to the loot.

Close To The Edge - Yes

I've never owned this before, either on CD or vinyl. Though I usually prefer live versions of things, it's nice to hear Siberian Khatru in its original form. Oh yea, and the sound is so much better than the digital versions I've heard.

In And Out Of Focus - Focus

70's Dutch progressive rock at it's finest (hmmm, doesn't that sound like a car commericial? "...and a rear passenger space with the most foot room in its class") Everybody remembers them for the 'hit' song "Hocus Pocus" (which reminds me of that tune by The Darkness). They sort of disappeared after that.

Sunburst Finish - BeBop Deluxe

Bill Nelson (did he make the Rolling Stone list?) played some fantastic guitar way back when. If you can find a copy of this (big 'if' there) check out the song "Crying To The Sky", which reminds me of Prince's "Purple Rain" by way of Jimi Hendrix.

8:30 - Weather Report

Easily my favorite Weather Report record. The live "Birdland" kills.

It Takes A Year - Will Ackerman

Can't get enough of the three amigos of "New Age" guitar: Michael Hedges, Alex DeGrassi and Will Ackerman.

Expectations - Keith Jarrett

Jarrett in a modern jazz setting. You can't go wrong with Charlie Haden and Dewey Redman either.

Les Chants Magnetiques - Jean Michel Jarre

Jarre's first recording using digital synthesizers. Not as good as Oxygene, Equinoxe or Zoolook...but nothing beats those records.

Just As I Thought - Davis Sancious

Keyboard and piano player on the early Springsteen records. I've got another solo piano record of his and it's mighty fine. Being the Springsteen completist that I am, just hadta pick this one up.

Body Meta - Ornette Coleman

Score! Any Ornette release on vinyl is a cause for celebration in my book. This one features Prime Time at their funkiest. Guitarist Bern Nix really mixes it up with scratchy rhythms and tangled leads.

Encore - Tangerine Dream

These guys have, like, a million records out there. I've always wondered what a group like this would do in a live setting. I guess I'll find out.

Article Author: Mark Saleski

Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He is an editor and writer for Jazz.com. He also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org and produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …

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