Mikes Music Corner

I have slipped on the smoking jacket, settled into my favorite cozy chair and have a small fire roaring in the background. The scene is set for another chapter of Mikes Music Corner. ( good start considering I have no fireplace or smoking jacket.....how about a Robe and a nice computer chair!)

Lets start with a couple of my current library projects. I have spoken in the past about my love of going to the library and finding music. In the last 4 months or so I have been ordering and collecting cds on my computer hardrive. I then make cd's out of these collections. I stumbled into the Time Life music series that has a collection of year by year hit cd's from the 70's. So if I want to hear Kung Fu Fighting ( and who wouldnt!) from Carl Douglas (1974) I dont have to buy a entire CD from him! I have about 6- 80 minute cds worth of the stuff! I did the same thing with KISS music. Steven is into them in a big way at the moment. I collected all of the quality stuff I could get my hands on, that resulted in 5 cds worth of GOLD! :-)

Now on to the stuff I have purchased recently.

Stevie Wonder - A time to love-

I am a huge fan of early Stevie, ( Talking Book, Innervisions, Fullfillingness first finale, etc....) great creative music. Then came the 80's , Hotter than July was a solid piece cd. After that, Stevie has made music that goes against the grain of those great 70's records. I think the problem is that he tinkers way too much with technology and the sound of his music sounds too sterile. Please, just lock yourself into a room with a electric keyboard, a real drummer and a bass player and sing......I will buy many copies and recomend it to all my friends! :-) Now on to the review. This cd is a mixed bag. It took 10 years for him to release this. So its hard for me not to have big expectations. After a couple of listens, I feel a little let down. Too much of what he has been doing after 1985 and too little of what "uncle mike" would like him to do. It still is great to hear his voice singing new material after such a layoff. Also it is worth noting that he sounds as great as ever. Maybe its time for him to find a producer that kicks him in the butt and makes him focus on what made him great.

Rory Gallagher -Self titled ( 1970)

I know most of you are saying "who?" This guy is a great lesser known gem for fans of the blues. Born in Ireland...this guy sounds like a cross between clapton and a little of jimi hendrix. He had a strong folowing in europe , but not very well known in the states. His career was cut short by illness and alcoholism. This is his debut Cd. At 24 years of age you would never think a young guy could write such songs about hard living and loss of love. Its not entirely a sad cd, because of the stunning guitar work. The blues are like that, the sadness of the lyric mixes with the joy of the instrumentation and you find yourself smiling at it all. I strongly recomend this and just about any Rory CD. You will not be let down.

Ok... writers cramp setting in...smoke is billowing from my imaginary fireplace. Smoking jacket is making me sweaty. Till next time.