Relative Something

I no longer recall why I was feeling a need to try to define my tastes in music, but it has been looming as a task I should tend to since I mentioned it in a post last week.

So, what music strikes my fancy? First of all, keep in mind that I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s and that will be clearly reflected in the bulk of what appeals to me. I think it would be fair to say that a core interest of mine is singer/songwriters. Two people who come to mind right away are Bruce Cockburn and Ani DiFranco, but that list includes Greg Brown, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, John Hiatt, Rickie Lee Jones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Joan Armatrading, Michael Johnson, Harry Nilsson, Karla Bonoff, Loudon Wainwright III, Lucy Kaplansky, Randy Newman, and Steve Goodman, to name enough that I’ll leave someone worth mentioning out.

I like the guitar sound of Eric Clapton and the ’70s rock of Derek and the Dominos, The Allman Brothers, Santana, The Band, Little Feat, Dire Straits, Hall & Oates, and Loggins & Messina, as well as the monumental groups, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Doors and The Who.

I have a weakness for harmony and that drew me to Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Some of my favorite harmony is provided by singing siblings, of which The Roches may take the cake. Los Lonely Boys are siblings whom nail some pretty fine vocal harmony.

There are times that I get a hankering for music out of the jazz category, and Weather Report is probably what best defines the subset of jazz that I find most appealing. Steps Ahead, a jazz fusion project of vibraphonist, Mike Mainieri, is also one of my favorites, especially when Peter Erskine was on drums. I’ve got some Al DiMeola and Larry Carlton in my collection.

I have always had an ear for acoustic guitar. The group, America, knew how to use several together to great effect, as did the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Guitarists Leo Kottke, Norman Blake, David Bromberg, Billy McLaughlin, Bruce Cockburn, Pat Donohue, Laurence Juber, Peter Lang and Rodrigo Y Gabriela come to mind.

I like randomness and that leads to my interest in Wookiefoot, Adrian Belew and his work with The Bears, Hindu Rodeo, Tim Curry, Trey Anastasio, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Moxy Fruvous, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, The Duhks, and Pomplamoose. At the same time, I am a fan of classics like Chicago, The Rascals, Lovin’ Spoonful,  Three Dog Night, Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan and the solo work of John Lennon and George Harrison. I don’t think there has ever been a song that Stevie Wonder recorded that I didn’t enjoy. I like some Roxy Music and a fair amount of Talking Heads. I’m a huge fan of Stevie Ray Vaughan. That brings to mind the band, Indigenous, and their guitar star and singer, Mato Nanji.

More recently I have liked what I’ve heard of Ray LaMontagne, Of Montreal, Nickel Creek, The Avett Brothers, and Mumford and Sons. All of them probably reflecting the artists I have listened to for so many years.

For what it is worth, that is a painting of some of my musical interests using just a portion of the colors that make up the sound pallet from which I have been influenced. Time will tell what purpose it might serve… if any beyond what it is on its own here as a random Tuesday post.