Caribbean Vintage Vibes
- Reggae Is Tight-Lloyd Charmers & The Hippy Boys (A good reggae rendering of the Booker T. & The MGs instrumental, "Time Is Tight.")
- Clara Schumann: Romance in A minor (Susanne Grutzmann, piano) (A subtle, understated melody from a composer I've rarely heard on the radio or streams.)
- Take Another Look-Gary Burton (An appealing, midtempo vibraphone melody, with compelling support from the piano and rhythm section. It should fit into a traditional or smooth jazz station's playlist easily.)
- Northwest Passage-Stan Rogers (It's no wonder "Northwest Passage" is regarded as a Canadian anthem. Although the recurring quest about which Rogers sings has stymied explorers repeatedly, his heroic a cappella tale should make listeners' appreciate the adventurers' resolve.)
- Someone Else's Life-Gabrielle Louise (A new, endearing vocals and acoustic guitar number that I could imagine KDHX playing on "Backroads.")
- When You Need A Train It Never Comes-Amanda Shires (I've been thinking about this song all day. Shires sings about someone who envisions herself ending things by lying on railroad tracks and waiting for a train. Deep down, she knows the train won't arrive, and she'll have to deal with the aftermath of a failed relationship. Shires sings the title, an effective chorus, and emphasizes it with plucked fiddle notes. The tune reminds me of Nickel Creek's "Set Me Up With One Of Your Friends," as Chris Thile sings about another way to move past the sadness of a relationship ending. It isn't on their albums, but there are performances of it on YouTube.)
- Meditation-Antonio Carlos Jobim (Guitar, keyboards, and easy listening orchestral scoring intermingle seamlessly in this relaxing bossa nova.)
- Triunfal-Jose Basso Y Orquesta ("Triunfal" radiates lush intensity, and its drama builds early and sharply. I suspect this isn't a tango for beginners.)
