Tuesday and Wednesday highlights:
Alt Rock Classics
- If I Could Talk I'd Tell You-The Lemonheads (The immediately accessible A major power pop guitar riff is so tuneful that the lyrics are almost beside the point. The whistling is a bonus.)
Chamber Music
- Frederic Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 (Charles Richard-Hamelin, piano) (Lyrical and intense, with glissandos approximating a waterfall.)
Cocktail Lounge
- Soft Memories-James Clarke (The trumpeter's tone reminds me of Chet Baker, making this fit for a late night instrumental playlist.)
Folk Roots
- American Tune-Shawn Colvin (Colvin's vocal range is ideal for covering one of Paul Simon's best solo efforts.)
- The Middle (Acoustic)-Caroline Spence (A quiet, sincere cover of the Jimmy Eat World song.)
Indie Classics
- Weissensee-Neu! (One of the best uses of a wah pedal on guitar that I've heard.)
Jazz Now
- I Miss You-Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke (Recasting this 1985 Klymaxx hit with breathy vocals, guitar, and a calypso flavor made me appreciate the tune more than I did way back when.)
- Memories-Bireli Lagrene (This warm guitar piece is ideal underscoring for a sunset.)
Motown
- Walk In The Night-Jr. Walker & The All-Stars (Strong synchronicity between the backing vocals and saxophone.)
Smooth Jazz
- Keepin' It Real-Joe McBride & The Texas Rhythm Club (If you're up for two back-to-back smooth jazz piano tunes, Freddie Ravel's "Sunny Side Up" would sound good before this.)
