Heard Too Late 2023 :: Dosh, Ismaily, Young

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Yesterday we began a short series of posts highlighting 2023 albums I didn’t get a chance to spend enough time with prior to compiling my year-end list with Lee Gallagher and the Hallelujah’s “The Falcon Ate The Flower.”

Next up is the self-titled release from Dosh, Ismaily, Young. Featuring “drummer Marty Dosh (Dosh, Andrew Bird, Fog), bassist Shahzad Ismaily (Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, Secret Chiefs 3, Arooj Aftub), and guitarist Tim Young (Wayne Horvitz’s Zony Mash, David Sylvian, Michael White).”

With Shazad already appearing on the 2023 round up with Love In Exile by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily, this marks Ismaily’s second appearance on my favorite albums of 2023.

This is not so much a review as a profile, so I take no shame in quoting the Bandcamp page to help you get a picture of this wild ride: “On their debut self-titled release, these master musicians effortlessly deliver six solid tracks including an 11-minute krautrock mindblower, a meditation on the end of the world, and explorations into Stax-soul, space-rock, and free-jazz.”

If you’ve taken the time and effort to read this far, it’s probably because we share the same music vibes. I highly recommend this release, especially since physical copies are in short supply.

Watch the official video for the opening track, “Blast:”

  • Support Dosh, Ismaily, Young at Bandcamp

  • Purchase Dosh, Ismaily, Young’s music at Amazon

Ernie Francestine's Character of Light

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Pittsburgh guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Ernie Francestine’s third album Character of Light will be released July 22 by WarHen Records.

Francestine is a music teacher and plays in multiple acts, including the Buckle Downs. But whereas the Buckle Downs mine soulful R&B, Francestine’s newest solo album takes a quieter turn but demands your attention nonetheless.

Ernie says:

“Character Of Light was born in Spring of 2021 when Warren Parker of WarHen Records reached out about recording a solo album. I dove in and immediately began writing and compiling ideas.

I wanted to record an album inspired by the music I listen to most. Character Of Light brings together hints of folk, ambient, traditional acoustic music and Tropicalia.”

Character of Light feels immediate yet nostalgic. Francestine says he wanted the album “to feel like a welcome guest at any time of day in any season” and he has succeeded. This is music for all seasons; on the porch at dusk, or serenading the sunrise. The music is warm, welcoming and intriguing. Guitar lines weave in and out of one another while Moog synthesizers and field recordings add ambient wash. The music feels lived in (in the best possible way) yet reveals new details with each listen.

Character of Light (both the album and the song) arise in a gentle wash of guitar and invokes whatever may come with a wistful hopefulness. This is instrumental music with a voice. In “Two Birds,” that voice is the sparse but not spare piano melody floating above guitar and building into a worldless chorus that is somehow both hopeful and forlorn. “Everything is Transparent”soulfully saunters down a melody lane that you know you’ve never been down before but somehow feels familiar; like home. “Wild Purple” conveys that memory on the tip of your tongue that doesn’t need to be spoken after all. “The Stone & The Evergreen (Pt. 1).” closes the album with a melody you feel like you’ve known your whole life. And maybe you have and Francestine is just reminding us.

Check out "Two Birds:”

I recently had a chance to catch up with Ernie to chat about the project.

Tell us about the title, Character of Light:

I had been kicking around ideas for a title for a long time and a few contenders came and went. I was having trouble getting the last track of the record (Character of Light) written and recorded and I just stumbled upon this phrase in my head and I immediately knew it was going to the title of the record and of the last song I was finishing up. I like the ambiguity of it and I also think it encapsulates what the record is about. It feels like the record.

This music is very different from your other projects. Was it difficult for you to “find a voice” in instrumental music?

Writing for my other band (the Buckle Downs. is very different and I really wanted to do something that I could see the entire project through to the end myself. One principle I use in writing music is eliminating anything that will slow me down. I have my entire recording set up ready to go at any moment and after recording my first instrumental recording during the pandemic (The Quiet Shift) - I knew I wanted to continue in this genre because it felt like the one with the least amount of restrictions to actually completing a chorus…a song….an album. I am able to see tangible progress without second guessing if it needs drums, a different melody or changing lyrics.

Was there a vision beyond “an instrumental album?”

I think he heard my previous release "The Quiet Shift" and was interested in something with a similar vibe. I would say that this one builds on that release. That one was recorded entirely on my iPad with no more than one overdub on each track. This one is definitely more layered and uses a wider variety of instruments.

You note that you wanted to record an album "inspired by the music" you listen to most. Who might be a few artists that were touchstones or inspirations for this project? What music do you listen to most?

I listen to ….instrumental music the most. Whether that’s jazz, Brazilian music, Afro beat, tropicalia, instrumental folk guitar. I like figuring out the emotion the music is trying to convey without the help of lyrics.

What’s next for you?

Whats next: am really feeling inspired to keep this going and try to work more within the sound I've created for myself. I've got conceptual ideas for a few albums in my head and usually the one that wins out is the one I sit down and start working on. I've learned to always try and make the demo a usable take because we used a lot of demo takes on the final tracks of this record. So I feel set up with more knowledge and better processes to compose in a more efficient manner.

All proceeds from the sales of this album will be donated to Everytown, an organization fighting for sensible gun laws across the country.
www.everytown.org

Birds of Maya Live In Philadelphia (06.24.21)

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No really, I can’t get enough of Birds of Maya lately. Check out this recent juicy live nugget.

Sorry, no setlist or any other information, but do you really need it?

Ya dig?

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John Fahey Live at the New Varsity 1981

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John Fahey Live at the New Varsity 1981.


Setlist:

  1. Sunny Side of the Ocean

  2. Spanish Two-Step / Hawaiian Two-Step

  3. Spanish Flang Dang

  4. Lion

  5. Steamboat Gwine Round The Bend

  6. How Green Was My Valley

  7. Poor Boy A Long Way From Home

  8. Wine and Roses / The Red Pony

  9. Guitar Lamento

  10. Candyman / Brenda's Blues

  11. When The Fire And The Rose Are One

  12. Imitation Train Whistles / Steel Guitar Rag

  13. Revolt Of The Dyke Brigade / Funeral Song For Mississippi John Hurt

  14. Southern Medley

  • Visit John Fahey’s website

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Birds of Maya Live In Philadelphia (02.15.13)

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If you haven’t heard the newest album Maya from Philadelphia’s Birds of Maya, please stop what you’re doing and go get it. Otherwise, you’ll want to pick up what I’m throwing down today.

Birds of Maya, live at (PhilaMOCA); Philadelphia, PA 2.15.13.

Sorry, I don’t have a setlist or anything for this one, but you could probably figure it out if you were so inclined?

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R.L. Burnside 1978

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I don’t know a thing about this footage, but I’ve watched it several times over the years and thought I’d share it with you fine people on Holiday at the Sea. It features several live performances by Burnside, two seemingly on the side of the road and one at home (?) surrounded by family (?). We do know that there are notes that the footage was filmed in Pensacola County, MS, 09/02/78.

Sorry, I don’t have the setlist for this one but we could probably figure it out pretty easily if we were so inclined. I just haven’t been.

Enjoy.

  • Visit R.L. Burnside’s page at Fat Possum

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Miroslav Tadić & Yvette Holzwarth Live at Nikšić Guitar Festival, Montenegro 2020

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From the Youtube page:

“Miroslav Tadić and American violinist and singer Yvette Holzwarth perform at the jubilee fifteenth edition of the Nikšić Guitar Festival. The premiere performance of arrangements, compositions and improvisations based on the rich treasury of Balkan folklore from Tadić's new album "Luka" (Harbor).”

Setlist:

  1. Ne si go prodavaj, Koljo

  2. Eleno ḱerko eleno

  3. Gajdarsko oro

  4. Petro, Petrolenko

  5. Shenandoah

  6. Happy 13

  7. More sokol pie

  8. Kucano oro

  9. Wayfaring Stranger

  10. Rustemul

  11. Vuprem oči

  12. Ej ti momče Oridjanče

  13. Nana

  • Visit Miroslav Tadić’s official website

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  • Visit Yvette Holzwarth’s official website

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Tinariwen Live At KEXP

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Tinariwen live for KEXP (2014).



Setlist:

  1. Cler Achel

  2. Timadrit In Sahara

  3. Tahalamot

  4. Chaghaybou

Grant Green Trio (1969)

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Here’s another Youtube Treasure that I haven’t bothered to research much. I’m sure many of you can tell me when/where exactly this is from, and I look forward to learning all of that.

But in the meantime . . .

Setlist:

  1. I Don't Want Nobody to Give me Nothing (thanks Sean Graham)

  2. Oleo

  3. Insensatez

  4. Blues in G (?)

  5. Sonnymoon For Two (Thanks Harry)

Additional Players:

  • Larry Ridley on bass

  • Don Lamond on drums

  • Visit Grant Green’s page at Blue Note Records

  • Purchase Grant Green’s music at Amazon

Thin Lizzy :: Live at Sydney Opera House, 10/78

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Thin Lizzy :: Live at Sydney Opera House, 10/78.

From the Youtbue Page:

“In October of 1978 more than 26,000 screaming fan packed the Sydney Opera House in Australia for an unforgettable concert. Thin Lizzy's lineup for this show was Phil Lynott (Vocals/bass), Gary Moore (Guitars), Scott Gorham (Guitars) and Mark Nauseef (Drums).”

Again, no setlist for this one, though I imagine is out there somewhere. Please let me know if you find it.

Rainermentals :: A Holiday At The Sea Playlist

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Here’s a playlist of some Rainer Ptacek instrumentals. I remember making this mix when we lived in KY, so it must have been around 2003 or 2004 and I’ve listened to it a ton since then.

18 tracks taken from 4 different albums (follow the key after each song title).

Enjoy.

Tracklisting:

  • Here Comes Lilly? (#)

  • Cheeseball (&)

  • Instrumental #13 ($)

  • Di Lantin

  • Ode to N2O (&)

  • Instrumental #5 ($)

  • Opening Aunt Dora’s Box in 6/8 (&)

  • Instrumental #10 (chore ending) ($)

  • Improv in E (%)

  • Instrumental #9 (wait a minute) ($)

  • Within You Without You (&)

  • Horse Hair (#)

  • Instrumental #3 ($)

  • Curiouser and Curiouser (&)

  • Instrumental #4 (slight humming) ($)

  • Shifting Blues ($)

  • Instrumental #6 ($)

  • Arabing ($)

  • # = Alpaca Lips (2000)

  • & = Nocturnes (1995)

  • $ = The Farm (2002)

  • % = Live At The Performance Center (2000)

  • Visit Rainer Ptacek’s official website.

  • Purchase Rainer’s music at Bandcamp.

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  • Visit previous posts about Rainer.

Elkhorn's Acoustic Storm

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I don’t live somewhere with seasons. I live in a place that is hot or less hot. In the middle of a desert and I don’t understand why anyone ever thought it was a good idea to build a major metropolitan city here, Phoenix (or its adjacent suburbs.

But I still have a soul. And I miss seasons. I mean, I have experienced them, they’re just currently part of my imagination and not my life.

And even though I don’t like Christmas music, music, music often has a strong seasonal element for me. Not that this is Christmas music, but it was recorded in the midst of a snow storm. Elkhorn (usually a guitar duo made up of childhood friends, Jesse Sheppard and Drew Gardner was scheduled to play a show with (third guitarist) Turner Williams Jr. but the show was snowed out as the group was snowed in (see what I did there?). Making the most of the night, the group hunkered down in Gardner’s home studio and improvised some jams. The first installment, The Storm Sessions was released earlier this year and we are now treated to the acoustic counterpart, The Acoustic Storm Sessions.

The resulting two pieces evoke the crispness of winter and the crackle of a first snow. Meditative but not lulling. Meandering but not lost. These are musicians at ease with themselves and the music flowing through them. Slowly unfolding, the first song plays with interlocking and intertwining patterns that sometimes resolves themselves and sometimes simply morph into something else.

The record is hitting mailboxes this week and I can’t wait for you to hear this one.


  • Visit Elkhorn’s official website

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  • Browse all Holiday at the Sea Elkhorn posts

Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson and Steve Nistor Rehearsing (August 2013)

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Yesterday’s Daniel Lanois double-whammy reminded me of this 20-minute instrumental jam. Daniel Lanois, Jim Wilson and Steve Nistor are caught “rehearsing” but no other context was given. Maybe you know? Maybe you don’t.

Enjoy.



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Sandy Bull

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Believe it or not, I was recently looking for video of “American Primitive” guitarists on YouTube and there was one glaring absence. Though maybe not as well known as John Fahey, Leo Kottke or even Robbie Basho, Sandy Bull was no less accomplished or influential.

Bull passed away in 2001 but, for whatever reason, had largely gone unnoticed in the public eye. There’s just not a lot out there. That’s part of what makes this new video so exciting. Thanks to Photo of the 21st century for posting this gem: “Acoustic music and interviews taped live in front of an audience in Marina del Rey (Los Angeles) 10/23/89.”

  • Visit Sandy Bull’s page at Drag City.

  • Purchase Sandy Bull’s music at Amazon.