Mstislav Rostropovich

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (March 27, 1927 – April 27, 2007) was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He is widely considered to have been one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century, and is considered by some of his peers to have been the greatest cellist of all time. In addition to his outstanding interpretations and technique, he was well-known for his commissions of new works which enlarged the cello repertoire more than any cellist before or since. He gave the premieres of over 100 pieces. From 1977 until 1994, he was musical director and conductor of the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. He was also internationally recognised as a staunch advocate of human rights, being awarded in 1974 the Annual Award of the International League of Human Rights.

Jimmy Vaughan

Jimmie Vaughan (born March 20, 1951) is an American blues guitarist and singer from Dallas, Texas. He is the older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. Significant influence upon Jimmie Vaughan’s style came from Freddie King, who advised him personally; from Albert King and B. B. King; as well as from Johnny “Guitar” Watson. Vaughan says that he and his younger brother Stevie Ray Vaughan studied Johnny “Guitar” Watson more than any other single guitarist. He formed the band The Fabulous Thunderbirds with singer and harpist Kim Wilson, bassist Keith Fergusson, and drummer Mike Buck. (The original Fabulous Thunderbirds were all protégés of Austin, Texas, blues club owner Clifford Antone). The band’s first four albums, released between 1979 and 1983, are ranked among the most important ‘white blues’ recordings.

Thanks to Scott Tolmie for sending me a link to this clip.

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

The First Edition (later known as Kenny Rogers and the First Edition) was a country music/rock band. Members being Kenny Rogers (vocals & bass guitar), Mickey Jones (drums & percussion) and Terry Williams (guitar & vocals). The band formed in 1967, with noted folk musician Mike Settle (guitar and vocals) and the operatically trained Thelma Camacho completing the lineup.
The First Edition signed with Reprise Records in the summer of 1967 and first hit big in early 1968 with the pop-psychedelic single “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” (US #5). After several hits and misses the group (now billed as “Kenny Rogers and the First Edition”) once again hit the top ten in the summer of 1969 with the topical “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town” (US #6, UK#2).
For the next six years, the First Edition bounced between country, pop and mild psychedelia, enjoying worldwide success.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an African-American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a ‘talking blues’ style that was his trademark. Though similar to the early Delta blues, his music was rhythmically free. John Lee Hooker could be said to embody his own unique genre of the blues, often incorporating the boogie-woogie piano style and a driving rhythm into his masterful and idiosyncratic blues guitar and singing. His best known songs include “Boogie Chillen” (1948) and “Boom Boom” (1962). Hooker’s life experiences were chronicled by several scholars and often read like a classic case study in the racism of the music industry, although he eventually rose to prominence with memorable songs and influence on a generation of musicians.

Ed Hall

Armed with tribal thunder, psychedelic projections, and glow paint by the gallon, Ed Hall was the most successful band to emerge from the inaugural roster of Trance Syndicate Records, the local label started by Butthole Surfers drummer King Coffey. Formed in 1985 by guitarist Gary Chester, bassist Larry Strub, and drummer John Buron, Ed Hall tricked out Black Sabbath’s bleak spanking machine with multicolored shards of lysergic energy and the anything-goes spirit of early Austin punk bands Former Bayou Pigs/Sugar Shack drummer Lyman Hardy joined prior to the Gloryhole tour when Whitley departed to focus on the Cherubs. After recording 1994’s Motherscratcher in five straight days, Ed Hall spent much of that year on the road, touring with Flipper and the Dwarves, and recording John Peel’s BBC radio show in London. The trio headlined the 1995 Austin Music Awards Show and released their fifth album, La La Land, later that spring. Ed Hall broke up in 1996.

A huge personal thanks to Lyman, Gary and Larry for their amazing performances and unique sound. Their shows were always entertaining. You never knew what was going to happen. I was lucky enough to have seen them several times. One time in particular was in Oakland and it was an off night. Hardly anybody showed up so they proceeded to rock out to old UFO songs, they were so free and fun. As ridiculous as they could be sometimes I was always a bit envious if not inspired.

Dungen

Dungen (“the grove”, Swedish pronunciation: [ˈdɵŋən]) is a Swedish rock band based in Stockholm. Often classified as psychedelic rock, Dungen is also influenced by Swedish (and other) folk music, classic rock, progressive rock and indie rock.
The band is fronted by singer/composer Gustav Ejstes, who writes all music and plays the majority of instruments on the band’s records. Despite this, Dungen plays live as a four-piece. Gustav, who in his teens started his songwriting with hip hop, is backed live by Swedish progressive rock veteran Reine Fiske (Landberk, Morte Macabre, Paatos, The Guild) on guitar, bassist Mattias Gustavsson (Life On Earth!), and drummer Fredrik Björling (The Guild)– all of whom have played parts on Dungen’s studio albums.
The group’s latest album, entitled 4, was released in late 2008.
This is an amazing released filled with beautiful melodies and soulful musicianship. Some of the best drum sounds that I have heard in a long time.

Check out their studio recordings here.

JoJo Mayer

Jojo Mayer (born 18 January 1963) is a drummer from Switzerland who brings together jazz, drum and bass, jungle, and other influences.
He is famous for his ability to play the rhythms of programmed jungle drum ‘n’ bass music on acoustic drums. He terms this “reverse engineering”, a phrase borrowed from computing. He is the founder of the Prohibited Beatz clique in the NYC underground live music scene.

Glen Campbell

Campbell was in great demand as a session musician in the 1960s. He was part of the famous studio musicians clique known as “The Wrecking Crew,” many of whom went from session to session together as the same group. In addition to Campbell, Hal Blaine on drums, Leon Russell on piano, Carol Kaye on bass guitar, and Al Casey on guitar were part of this elite group of session musicians that defined many pop and rock recordings of the era. They were also heard on Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” recordings in the early 1960s.
He is heard on some of the biggest-selling records of the era by such artists as Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, The Kingston Trio, Merle Haggard, The Monkees, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Troggs, Frankie Laine, The Association, Jan & Dean, and The Mamas & the Papas.
He was a touring member of The Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson in 1964 and 1965. He played guitar on the group’s Pet Sounds album, among other recordings. On tour, he played bass guitar and sang falsetto harmonies.
Other classics featuring his guitar playing include: “Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers, and “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees.
During his 50 years in show business, Campbell has released more than 70 albums. He has sold 45 million records and racked up 12 RIAA Gold albums, 4 Platinum albums and 1 Double-Platinum album. Of his 75 trips up the charts, 27 landed in the Top 10.

Check out the beautiful guitar solo in this track “Wichita Lineman”, It’s lovely playing with an incredibly rich twang.

The Music Machine

The Music Machine (1965–1969) was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from the late 1960s, headed by singer-songwriter Sean Bonniwell and based in Los Angeles. The band sound was often defined by fuzzy guitars and a Farfisa organ. Their original look consisted of all-black clothing and black moptop hairstyles.

Their debut album, (Turn On) The Music Machine, was released in 1966 on the Original Sound label. Seven of the twelve tracks were originals, written by Bonniwell. One of these, “Talk Talk”, became a Top 20 hit in the U.S. The follow-up single, “The People In Me”, peaked at #66. Bonniwell blamed the weak showing of this single on a supposed feud between the band’s manager and a top record executive. Four cover songs were included on this release, due to record company pressure.

Stravinsky: Once At A Border (A Tony Palmer Film)

Tony Palmer is a British film director and author. His work includes over 100 films, ranging from early works with The Beatles, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa (200 Motels), to his classical portraits which include profiles of Maria Callas, Margot Fonteyn, John Osborne, Igor Stravinsky, Richard Wagner, Yehudi Menuhin, Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams. He is also a stage director of theatre and opera.

In this clip Kyung Wha Chung plays Stravinsky’s violin concerto.
One of my all time favorite performances.