As much as I have enjoyed binge watching some shows lately, I’ve run out of scripted shows that are capturing my interest. This past week we watched a couple of music documentaries that have been very interesting on Netflix. The documentary on Quincy Jones was pretty good, and gave an amazing portrait of his 70 year career in music across many different genres. There is also a great show on Clive Davis, the extraordinary record producer who discovered and nurtured some of the most amazing talent of the 70s and beyond. The documentary on the Eagles was outstanding, but I don’t think Netflix has it anymore. We recently saw Echo In The Canyon, a wonderful historical look at the music of the 60s, the artists who lived and worked in the Laural Canyon area in California. Here’s the trailer for that one, with a look at the star studded and amazing musicians, hosted and co-written by Jakob Dylan, son of Bob Dylan.
Then, we were on a hunt for some additional music to add to our collection of live performance DVDs. We like having these playing when we have parties at our house in the winter. My Sweet Babboo wanted the longer live version of Sultans of Swing, but it isn’t available on DVD. So, down the rabbit hole of youtube we went, LOL!! We found this entire concert from 1988 we can play through our Roku, and run the audio through the speakers. We both think Mark Knopfler is one of the best guitarists ever. Eric Clapton was a part of this concert, brought in to replace one of the Dire Straights band members who couldn’t make the concert. Clapton is such a generous performer who does charity concerts regularly with amazing artists. This concert was a multiple day event to honor Nelson Mandela, and advocate for his release from prison.
Of course, any discussion of music would have to include my all time favorite group, Moody Blues. We have several DVDs of live performances including the one from the Isle of Wight is amazing. It is hard to believe the genius songwriting talent in these guys when they were really still just kids.
Our Moody Blues collection includes three DVDs years apart in performance dates. The Isle of Wight Festival DVD from 1970 features the music from the Threshold of a Dream album. The Live at Red Rocks concert from 1992 had the Colorado Symphony Orchestra accompanying the band. Lovely to See You Live from the Greek Theater in 2006 contains hits from decades of performances.
I enjoy many different genres of music, including some classical. However, in the rock genre, I do tend to gravitate most to the music of the 60s and 70s, like most in my age group, with more artists to mention than I have room for on a post. I like some of Harry Connick Jr and Michael Buble’s jazz, and I love Josh Groban’s voice. I wanted to get Josh’s live concert with Herbie Hancock on DVD, but it isn’t available. But I did find the song I liked on youtube. I would have bought the DVD just for this video of his hit Machine with Hancock doing a section in the middle, different and longer than the studio album. Fantastic. Gives me goose bumps.
The series that Rod Stewart did called Great American Songbook is pretty good, and I am a fan of Maroon 5 from the modern era. Sitting on the veranda, it is nice to listen to smooth vocals like Enya, her sister’s group Clannad, Nora Jones and Natalie Merchant. This song, Life is Sweet, is from her Ophelia album.
We have a couple of DVDs of amazing artists playing together. These two are both awesome. Roy Orbison’s Black and White Night, and Eric Clapton and Friends Live Concert, the first of what would become the Crossroads series featuring more amazing artists each year.
Then Music for Montserrat, another amazing array of incredible musicians doing a benefit concert for charity.
I think I listen to New Age more than any other genre. I like Mannheim Steamroller (Fresh Aire series particularly), Acoustic Alchemy, John Jarvis, John Tesh, and Enya along with many of the Windham Hill artists, including George Winston, Jim Brickman and Liz Story. One of my favorite new age artists, the group ‘2002’ is an incredibly talented husband and wife and daughter team. They overlay their own voices multiple times on a track to give the effect of a choir. Amazing guitar, base, keyboards, flute, percussion, harp and more combine in an ethereal way that is calming and restoring. Changes in key and easy melodies are hallmarks of their sound. I found them only a few years ago with a used cd at the local library sale. It was Sacred Well, (or Sacred Well on Amazon’s Music Unlimited) a compilation of their previous work. This audio CD track of the track Stardust will give you a good idea of their music. It is one of my favorites.
What is your favorite music genre? Do you like concert DVDs? Have you heard of 2002? Any recommendations for other new age artists I might not know?
Amazon has a 3 month free trial on their Music Unlimited service.
From My Carolina Home 
I think I love all the music you mention! I’m 67 and my music is from the 60’s on through now -I tend to like the musician’s from the 70-80′ the most I guess although I like some of the newer stuff too.
I lived through the 60’s so my early Moody Blues music is on LP. I bought my first LP in 1966 – Joan Baez, some Dylan and 3 Beatles. All stored upstairs in a metal trunk, about 100 LP’s. Of course came cassettes, then CD’s. I believe I have an LP, cassette and CD of same music but can’t remember which one. I have Sultans of Swing and enjoy lots of different genres. Nice to read which music you enjoy 🙂
Oh my goodness, I love so much music, it’s really hard for me to nail it down to just a few artists. There’s a thing going around on FB for the top 10 albums that influenced your life. It would be hard for me to do that. Over the years, I have loved so many artists like Beatles, Jame Taylor, Carly Simon, etc. I currently listen to a lot of smooth jazz, especially when sitting at my computer or cooking. I’d rather listen to music than watch tv. I love Larry Carlton, David Sanborn, Boney James, Melody Gardot, Diana Krall, and various groups of combined favorite musicians like Fourplay, Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra. I also like George Winston (Autumn, December), Windham Hill (Sampler 96). Then there are lots of others over the years…Three Dog Night, Doobie Bros, CSNY, Moody Blues, Eagles, Queen, Kansas, Journey, George Michael, Sting, Dave Matthews Band, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Maroon 5 ….I like to shuffle on my iTunes library, or pick a station on Pandora or Google Music like Smooth Jazz, Hipster Cocktail Party, Yacht Rock, Ultimate BBQ. LOL endless possibilities! Love what you’ve shared here, Carole. Great post.Would love to see that Laural Canyon doc.
Always enjoy your posts. I found the videos of Josh Bouwer( ten years old ) this week and was amazed by his talent. You might enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV8V7WcU-tQ
Well, I married into Bob Dylan, so he’s a favorite now. I like a fairly good range of music. Most of the rock I listen to is from the 60-70s. If I’m sewing improv, I often listen to jazz – the Marsalis family, Coltrane, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot. One of my favorite performers is Alfie Boe, particularly his performance of Les Mis. I’ve always been a fan of Willie Nelson – but I’m really not a country music fan. We like the indie artists Josh Garrels and Holly Arrowsmith. A local artist, Reina del Cid, records a music video each weekend, and we enjoy watching her.
Oh those Moody Blues, also one of my top 10 favorites, especially their Nights in White Satin, also Led Zeppelin’s, Stairway to Heaven, Queen’s, Bohemian Rhapsody, Elton John, Bread, and on and on. Our children were all born in the 50’s, so by the time they reached their early teens, all of the 60’s and 70’s popular music, “blasted” through our small, 1100 sq. ft. home with a vengeance, and I grew to love most of the music of that era. I drew the line at Frank Zappa though, when the youngest developed a taste for his music. lol
We have been listening to a lot of the Eagles lately. We also enjoy the black and white Roy Orbison night. So many amazing artists. His three female back up artists really blew me away when my husband pointed out who they were! 😀 Thanks for all the suggestions. Like you even with Netflix and Acorn…I can’t find anything I like to watch. A friend of mine mentioned a documentary on the Mamas and the Papas that I might look into.
Yes, I think that would be Echo in the Canyon, they were a part of that one.
Thanks for the great posting ~ yes ‘I believe in magic in a young girls heart, how the music can free her whenever it starts la la la laaaaaa’ need to go put on some music 🙂
My favorite genre of music? I wouldn’t know where to start! My husband love the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Leonard Skynard, so he has them playing all the time.😆 My favorite era is probably classical, as in Hadyn, Mozart and Handel. I love playing piano Sonatinas, and I enjoy listening to the romantic era string concertos. I also love Korngold, John Williams and Copeland. I grew up with the radio hits of the early 80’s and can still sing along with many of those, and I enjoy the modern worship music too, such a great collection of instruments in those.
I really enjoy most of the music you mentioned. I graduated from high school in 77, so 60s and 70s music, as well as 80s are comforting for me. John Fogerty is a huge favorite of mine. So glad to see him touring now with his sons and a great band. I have sewn several quilts recently listening to his music. I was raised on CCR, so my interest in his music started back in those days. Hard to believe he wrote so many classics when in his early 20s. I highly recommend his autobiography (had to kind of struggle through the first chapter) for those interested. Another musician I so enjoy but not mentioned is John Prine (who recently died from COVID19). He was not just a great writer, artist, but human being too. Lots of great music from those decades!
We enjoyed “Echo in the Canyon,” too! All that great music, but what a wild time they had! I have been meaning to tell you that we enjoyed “Unorthodox” on Netflix – a pretty fascinating topic that I really knew nothing about. Have watched a couple of their movies this week that were interesting, too – “Uncorked” and “Lost Girls.”
It starts in church, goes to school, then KABOOM there is music everywhere. We are so fortunate to live in a time where we can find music for free, at the library, on line, share with friends on our phones. Favorites? Got all day? Every piece of music is a memory and when people hear my playlist there will be questions! But they remind me of good times even the bad music. Irish folk music gets my toes tapping, https://imfchicago.org/programs/do-it-yourself-messiah/ is a fond memory of my Mom and I going downtown and singing, when I have heavy cleaning to do I put on The Nutcracker and dance my way through. Driving? Country western, old school, male voices. Low key alternative jazz for contemplation and reading. Music is 24/7 here. Thank you for thinking of this and sharing.
My heavy cleaning mix is all heavy metal – Boston, Foreigner, Supertramp. My husband doesn’t like that, so I only can turn it up and go to town when he isn’t home.
When my kids came home from school and heard the loud music they went to friend’s house and hid!
Such an interesting post and comments! Lots to explore. While not music per se, I found that Cirque du Soleil has 60-minute performances on YouTube, and one of them is a sing-along. Haven’t watched that one yet, but it might be fun. The others are so entertaining, and some include behind the scenes clips.
Thanks for all the yummy music vibes. All great choices! Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing 😀
I mostly listen to female vocalists, Rosanne Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt, etc.
But my husband usually gets the music started and his picks are Santana, Knopler, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Eagles, and lots of reggae. Reggae is my house cleaning music!
Days with music are the better days! Thanks for sharing!
I have quite a collection of music by female singer songwriters including Annie Lennox, Enya, Tracy Thorn (Everything But The Girl), Joan Armatrading, Pentangle… I was most into pop music in the late 70s and early 80s so Dire Straits are favourites along with Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Roxy Music and The Jam (Paul Weller went on to form The Style Council). But The Beatles and Pink Floyd are in my collection along with sing-along bands like ABBA and ELO.
It’s always fun and comforting to work or relax to the sounds of favourite artists 🙂
Thanks for the Josh live. I do have the album downloaded on my computer, but live, wow. I love Clannad, Moire Brennan is Enya’s sister. Clannad does Christian celtic as well. I have a whole lot of celtic downloaded, High Kings, Irish Tenors, the ladies. 60’s folk rock and folk songs. I play the autoharp, love Appalachian music and bluegrass. Got to admit though, that Benny Goodman, the FULL rendition of Swing, Swing, Swing, with drummer Gene Krupa and Harry James on trumpet. Yummy https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=benny+goodman+sing+sing+sing+video&docid=608028800227410614&mid=5F1F2B1C12BBE24ABF225F1F2B1C12BBE24ABF22&view=detail&FORM=VIRE only PART of it, I have a recording that is over 8 minutes. I used to love In the Garden of Eden, Iron Butterfly, but Gene Krupa has their drum solo beat all hollow….. this link has tons of versions, incl a flash mob
Found the 12 minute full version recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1938, sigh
And I have to turn off the news while I’m working at home, and play Johnny Cash Radio on Pandora: Alison Krause, Johnny Horton, Riders in the Sky, Tom Petty, Willy and Waylon and the boys…
Pingback: Music! – tierneycreates
Yes, I like/love concert DVDs but maybe not what most folks my age go for (Nine Inch Nails). I have a Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers that’s awesome. My favorite genre? Hmmm… blues? But there is just so much good stuff out there. Thanks for sharing this…