Six Friday highlights:
KBAQ (Phoenix, AZ)
- Maurice Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin (French National Orchestra/Eliahu Inbal, conductor) (Since playing this piece on the bass in 1988, I've always gravitated toward the fun recurring theme in the fourth movement. Listening to this recording, however, reminded me that I haven't been giving the third movement enough credit for its lyricism.)
KOPN (Columbia, MO)
- I Mean To Shine-Linda Hoover (It's a shame this 1970 recording is only being released now. Hoover's voice fit in well with the singer-songwriter vibe of its time and deserved its due long ago. It's intriguing having members of Steely Dan backing up a singer whose voice brings Carole King to mind.)
KSDS (San Diego, CA)
- Samba Cat-Bill Heid (This May release chugs along with an appealing synergy between the organ and guitar.)
- I'll Be Seeing You-Cassandra Wilson (This bordering-on-new-age arrangement probably wouldn't appeal to everyone, but I like the effective, dramatic buildup to the vocals. There's an appealing quiet intensity in the vocals and instrumentation.)
WUMB (Boston, MA)
- Dark Road-Sarah Jarosz (A realistic yet encouraging way to say, "Don't despair. Things will work themselves out eventually.")
WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)
- Special-Shuggie Otis (A strong groove with a prominent undercurrent of bass.)
