WAER BlueNotes
BlueNotes from WAER is about the music we play, the artists that create it and you. Music, news, reviews, interviews and more. Enjoy!
“Area 52” is the infectious new album from dynamic duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela. Mix their Mexican heritage with their experience in metal bands and you get a unique blend resulting in hard-edged flamenco. It is literally impossible to keep still while listening to this album. Hear it in its entirety here courtesy of NPR Music.
The 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, the largest expo of its kind, is winding down after a crazy week. TThe annual Las Vegas extravaganza occupied the space of 35 football fields and boasted nearly 3,000 exhibitors.
Smartphones, tablet, smart car, Internet TVs, robots and much, much more decked the halls of the convention center. There was something to be found for everyone, from the talk-a-holic to the audiophile. Speaking of music: We’ve rounded up the best gadgets and accessories for music lovers.
One thing’s for sure about the WAER staff and volunteers: We are crazy about music. Hopefully, our passion for music and art comes through the speakers each and every time that you tune into 88.3 FM. We thought that we would take a moment to share some of what we’ve been listening to on our personal time. You’ll see artists that you are very familiar with on these lists but, hopefully, we will also provide something for you to discover for yourself as you enter 2012.
Happy Listening!
WAER Music Director Eric Cohen, when not programming jazz on 88.3, grooved to the following:
3) Tedeschi Trucks Band
4) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Soul Time
5) Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
6) Adele - 21
7) Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
8) Bill Frisell - All We Are Saying
9) Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
10) Gretchen Parlato - The Lost and found
WAER General Manager Joe Lee’s eclectic taste in music is known around the station. Here’s some of what Joe spent the past year listening to:
1) Adele - 21
2) Company of Thieves - Running From a Gamble
3) Group Love - Never Trust a Happy Song
4) Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome
5) Lenny Kravitz - Black & White America
6) The Black Keys - El Camino
7) The Roots - Undun
8) Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures
9) Young The Giant - Young The Giant
10) Foster the People - Torches
Recently, (jazz) musician Nicholas Payton wrote a blog that has the jazz and music world buzzing. Titled: Why Jazz Isn’t Cool Anymore, Payton describes, in what appears as stream of conscious thoughts, how the label “jazz” and the expectations that go along with it prevent the art form from growing. Read for yourself here. Also read his open letter to his dissenters contained on the same blog site. It is, to say the least, an interesting discussion with valid points. By the way, we start our description with “jazz” in parenthesis because Nicholas Payton does not recognize himself as a jazz musician as you’ll see in his open letter. Happy reading!
The 33 year-old British singer’s 4th album, due sometime in September 2012, will feature Asian influences.
Hip Hop artist Wyclef Jean reported to have squandered significant amounts of money from his Yele Haiti fund.
Coming off of the success of their 6th full length CD, “The King is Dead”, indie folk rock band The Decemberists is set to release a followup EP Titled “Long Live the King” around November 1st. Hailing from Portland, OR, The Decemberists songs range from upbeat pop to soothing ballads and feature a range of musical instruments including accordion, upright bass, Hammond organ and Wurlitzer organ.
You can hear The Decemberists music on WAER on The World Cafe, Common Threads and Real College Radio. Click the pic to hear selections from “Long Live The King”.
We took a stroll over to the Belfer Audio Archive at Syracuse University this week to examine material that WAER staffers recorded many years ago. To our surprise, we stumbled upon a veritable treasure trove of audio goodies including concerts and interviews taking place on the Syracuse University campus.
So much good stuff that we can’t just keep it to ourselves. There is enough material to create a series of programs highlighting the wonderful artists who graced our campus and the WAER air waves.
Who are some of these artists? Well, I’m glad you asked. We have recordings of Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock (recorded live in Kimmel Hall 1974), Boz Scaggs at Manley Field House, Gil Scott-Heron (recorded live in Hendricks Chapel 1973), Weather Report in 1972 and the list goes on.
Stay tuned to 88.3 FM in the coming months as we begin to produce a series that will knock your socks off!
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A few weeks back, WAER featured the latest from Trombone Shorty. You have to see this Tiny Desk concert from NPR. Click the pic and put a little funk in your life. You’ll be glad you did. Enjoy!
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