Webcast info for December 29, 2018

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I'm still out of town for the Holidays, so to close out Unpopular Music for 2018, we are repeating the program which closed out 2017.

Feel free to ignore any references to the weather, as today is about 40° warmer than last December 30. The tunes are still hot though. This was program came mostly from the BFR library, which is rare for me, mostly jazzy and upbeat, with a too on the nose ending.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music webcast for December 22, 2018

On a grey and drizzly Saturday before Christmas, we bring you a set of Unpopular Christmas music, at least not what they're playing at the mall. It's been a couple of years since I've done a full Christmas program, and now I remember why - Christmas songs are short! There's a lot of pieces to put together.



The program is bit more broken up by genre than is typical. We start with jazz a, as usual, but there's also a sort of Americana set, a bit more jazz followed by an upbeat set, before we bring you, on what is often a busy run-around day for may people, a bit of a chill-out, or contemplative set in the middle of the second hour.

See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for December 15, 2018

Music for a balmy mid-December afternoon (but not, you know, late-December - there's plenty of that music elsewhere.) There's a bunch of upbeat jazz in the first hour. I inadvertently follow the Verve Records rule and make the second song a ballad. The second more freeform hour gets a bit more contemplative before building back up.



See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for December 8, 2018

Definitely a variety show for you today. A couple of leftovers form last week. A few selections from my fallback artists. Some engaging bits of filler.

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See the playlist after the break...

No. 1 for December 1, 2018

John Payne plays along with Slim Slow Slider at the Cambridge Public Library

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that there has been no super-deluxe reissue of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. There has however been much other commemoration, particularly in written form.

One such item is local musician Ryan Walsh's book Astral Weeks: A secret history of 1968. Walsh led a presentation today at the Cambridge Public Library featuring most of the musicians from the band Morrison led in the Boston area in 1968 which first played the songs that ended up on the album, only to be replaced at the record company's insistence by studio cats for the recording.

The panel consisted of Walsh and three of the Boston musicians - John Payne (flute), Tom Kielbania (bass), Joey Bebo (drums). It was an enjoyable, but pretty standard panel discussion, but something amazing happened at the end.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for December 1, 2018

A broad century-spanning program featuring few items from the German jazz label MPS, and a couple of items from the soon to be (or maybe not) lamentably late Free Music Archive.

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See the playlist after the break...

Webcast info for November 24, 2018

trying to hitch a ride out of town for the holiday

What with the Somerville Media Center being closed this weekend for some reason, I've decided to go off and visit my family. There fore today we are presenting a repeat of the August 4, 2018 episode.
This featured a couple of long contemplative pieces from Lee Morgan and Charles Lloyd, a few jazz (or at least jazzy) interpretations of popular songs (or at least "pop" songs) therefore rendering them unpopular.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for November 17, 2018

This week we hew to the usual jazzy first hour/not-so-jazzy second. No grand themes, just a bunch of music I've heard recently kind of raggedly assembled for your consideration.

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for November 3, 2018

This week in recognition of the upcoming election, we present an artificact from your host's audio archive - a mixtape of political songs made in 1992 labeled "Revolution".

It is with a certain amount of trepidation that I turn over the programming to my 22-year-old self. It's easily the least jazzy, most rockin' episode in the series. The "unpopular" label is violated on several occasions. As for the political content of the songs, there's no real policy statements, essentially. At some level, you could just say it's a bunch of songs containing the word "revolution." At several occasions, there's a lot of bad language. It's more just a broad expression of where the roots of power should lie, who should benefit, and what our priorities should be. I don't distance myself from the politics presented, but sometimes worry if the proper context is clear. (For instance, I'm more pro-free speech than I am pro-outrageous-filth and its usual accompanying misogyny, and I certainly don't advocate political violence.)

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Anyway, I don't think this is about to change anyone's mind, but as last week's news showed us, people can be led to action when they hear their beliefs validated. With an opportunity to help change the direction of the country imminent, I can only hope to do the same.

See the playlist and more after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for October 27, 2018

Putting himself in meteorological peril merely by traveling to the studio, your host cast his fate to the wind to create a program with titles first reflecting the inclement weather, then the upcoming Hallowe'en festivities (boo). It sort of turned into a jazz show, but there's some pretentious 80's pop, plus a couple of rockin' selections. (For a proper Hallowe'en program check out John Funke's Backwoods Halloween Spooktacular on WMBR.org)

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for October 20, 2018

Today we bring you a program unafraid to put Bartók and Stevie Wonder in the same set, among other choice pairings. A program which hopefully doesn't reflect the dreary morning in which it was assembled but rather the sunny fall afternoon when it was presented. (there's at least one song appropriate for that.)

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See for yourself after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for October 13, 2018

So, you took a few weeks off and had three weeks to put a program together. Surely it was finished well before 10:30 this morning? Ha! I say, Ha!

Truth be told, I did spend a good chunk of yesterday putting the results of a rainy day spent out-of-town on a street full of record stores¹ on to the hard drive, so there was a bit more work than usual involved. Also we'll pay tribute to the late great Hamiet Bluiett.

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See the playlist after the break...

Webcast info for October 6, 2018

Today is the third and last of some personal obligations keeping me away from the Somerville Media Center. Today we are successfully rebroadcasting the episode from May 2, 2015.

Recorded on a beautiful spring day, rather than a promising early fall day, with open studios, rather than Honk! getting people out. (that's not where I am by the way, not that you were wondering)

As I've said before, it's a good variety show episode, and one of the first to get much attention on Mixcloud. It starts out jazzy, and then goes through a Latin phase and a somewhat mellow section in the second hour. I think you'll enjoy.

Webcast info for September 29, 2018

This is the second week I have obligations keeping me away from the Media Center. I am fairly certain that this week, in place of a new live broadcast, we will present a classic episode from May 2, 2015. As I said last week, it's a good variety show episode, and one of the first to get much attention on Mixcloud. It starts out jazzy, and then goes through a Latin phase and a somewhat mellow section in the second hour. I think you'll enjoy.

Nope it was August 1, ,2015. Not sure how that happened. Will the third time be the charm.
The next live program is October 13.

Webcast info for September 22, 2018

I have some family and social obligations that will keep me away from the Media Center the next three weeks. This week in place of a new live broadcast, we will present a classic episode from May 2, 2015. Update: Nope, it was the October 21, 2017 again. Try again next week.


It's a good variety show episode, and one of the first to get much attention on Mixcloud. It starts out jazzy, and then goes through a Latin phase and a somewhat mellow section in the second hour. I think you'll enjoy.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for September 15, 2018

A somewhat arbitrary selection for this week, with the usual jazzy/freeform divide, perhaps a bit too reliant on the Unpopular Music All-Stars (Coltrane, Zappa, Berne, Frisell, DeJohnette, Mingus.) I pump myself up a bit for Bill Frisell's show in Cambridge tonight. I present a more typical Randy Weston selection. Two events in and out side the Media Center provides minimal distraction. This post gets edited on air. Something for everyone!

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for September 8, 2018

Today's program follows the usual template of jazzy first hour, less-jazzy second hour. We remember Randy Weston and Khaira Arby. (Over on Mixcloud, PFKToledo gives Randy a proper sendoff.) There's a jazzy-yet -haunting piece from between-wars Germany. There's some afro-jazz, some swinging library music, a few, let's say, "jazz-aware" classical pieces. And more, including a song which reminds me of my time working in the CD department of a bookstore where I had no jazz, or really any good records to play (imagine a context where the James Taylor Christmas Album is the album you actually look forward to.)

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See the playlist after the break...

Webcast info for September 1, 2018

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The Somerville Media Center is closed for the Labor Day Weekend, so in lieu of live webcast, we are rebroadcasting the episode from October 21, 2017. At the time I described it as "a somewhat arbitrary assortment of jazz, afro-pop, electronic, film music and a contemporary classical extravaganza."

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for August 25, 2018

Today we present a program marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein is a primary influence on me, having demonstrated that different musics can live together in the same mind, even in the same music. We present today a sampling his work - his own music where he brings the concert world to the popular (ie Broadway) stage; where he brings elements of that stage (and the jazz sound-world) to his concert works. We have some jazz and rock interpretations of his works and a couple of the Maestro's benchmark interpretations of symphonic works.


See the playlist after the break...

Webcast info for August 18, 2018

I will be out of town this weekend, so in my absence we will present a rerun of my tribute to the heat from August 1, 2015. This was a pretty eclectic program with every thing from usual suspects like Monk and Coltrane to some Janáček from the then recently departed Ivan Moravec to some film noir music to a bunch of pop songs to a jazz cover of Led Zeppelin.

Stay cool.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for August 11, 2018

Another rainy day here in Somerville. This show is also livened up a live event happening just outside the window, overheard during the first two mic breaks.

Musically, we have a bit less jazzy show than the last two or three. We dip back in to a few albums that have been recently featured, and another couple of items from that box over by the window I've been sorting through the last month.

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for August 4, 2018

Pretty much a jazz show for this hot, rain-soaked summer day. Playing a few items, if not necessarily new, new to the Unpopular Music library. (and a couple of things from albums I may go back to too often.) Also, live Googling (at least, acknowledged live Googling,)

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see the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for July 28, 2018

Some music for a beautiful summer's day (at least where I was.)

The usual jazzy/freeform mix. A couple of Latin and Afro bits. A jazzy trombone concerto. Punk/jazz/disco. A variety show perhaps.





See the playlist after the break...

Hal Willner talks about the variety show

On last night's episode of Morricone Island on WFMU, noted hero of the blog Hal Willner used the term "variety show" while speaking with host Devon E. Levins about the "extravagant, cross-genre" tribute albums he's produced over the last four decades or so, as well as the episodes of "Night Music" he produced around 1990.¹ I may start using that term to describe the webcast, as they are directly influenced by these albums.

Willner was promoting a live presentation of the first of those albums, "Amarcord Nino Rota," which is happening in New York this week, but also talked about his entry into his unique spot in the music biz, as well as some of the other albums he's produced. All around an interesting program.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for July 21, 2018

Pretty much a jazz show this week, with much of the variety that word contains. There are a couple of poppy things, and a little piano strumming from when that sort of thing was new.

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for July 14, 2018

Today we return to the studio with the usual mish-mash of things jazzy and not. A tune is played after being referenced in another. An artist gets played after another group plays one of his tunes. A plea is made to support Cuneiform Records in their time of need. The microphone is bumped into on more than one occasion. Composed/conductor Oliver Knussen is remembered. A song from over thirty years ago describes the week's news. Something for everyone.

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See the playlist after the break...

Webcast info for July 7, 2018

not a recent photo from Boston

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I'm called out of town this weekend, so today we will be presenting an encore presentation of the episode from August 26, 2017.

If you recall (and I'm sure you do), I was feeling a bit lazy and uninspired, partly because of the hot weather of that week, which, after this week's clock melting weather, I would surely laugh at now.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for June 30, 2018

Today it music for people who think it's too hot to go outside and would rather stay in and listen to the internet. We have a typically jazzy first hour which includes two tenor sax-piano-drums trios from differing vintages. The  second hour becomes a bit percussion dominated, but moves toward some summertime sounds.

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Check it out after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for June 23, 2018

Today we try to break the usual rhythm with a program with basically two second hours. (I'm still a little low-energy.) Both sets are relatively jazzy with a couple of invocations of summer thrown in. Many tracks are kind of long (you've been warned.)

Unintentional connecting thread - groups with multiples of the same instruments.

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See for yourself after the break,,,

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for June 16, 2018

My somewhat triumphant return to the studio after a holiday/medically inspired absence.

The ususal jazzy first hour, with a grab-bag second hour which starts with a marking of Bloomsday for all you James Joyce fans.

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See for yourself after the break...

Webcast info for June 2, 2018 and June 9, 2018

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 Um, hello.

I don't know if anyone noticed, but I missed last week's program because I was in the emergency room. The June 24, 2017 episode was played instead.

I'll have to miss this week's program as I am recovering from surgery (nothing too bad, I assure.) The October 31, 2015 will be rebroadcast. Of course I hesitated a bit before choosing it, but as I recall, there aren't too many actual Hallowe'en references, otherwise there were some interesting selections on order. Plus, I like messing with people's senses of time.

I'm putting myself at 50/50 for next week. Watch this space.

Webcast info for May 26, 2018

The Somerville Media Center is closed for Memorial Day Weekend and I'm not around anyway, so today Boston Free Radio will rebroadcast the September 30, 2017 episode of Unpopular Music which I feel like I've replayed before, but I can't prove it.

If that's not enough, there's also the old Memorial Day episode from 2014 (plus profanity laden Sun Ra centennial set)

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for May 19, 2018

Who else brings you Sly Stone and Darius Milhaud?

We have our usual jazzy first hour/freeform second. We get nostalgic for 18 hours ago with some of the tunes played by Broken Shadows at the Regattabar last night. There's also a pair of selections written by Ennio Morricone along with some long pieces by David Lang and the aforementioned M. Milhaud, plus a bunch of this and that.

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Check out the playlist after the break...

webcast info for May 12, 2018

Off to visit Mom this weekend, so will be presenting the April 16, 2016 episode.

This was a pretty eclectic program, and includes one fantastically eclectic piece of music in particular which helped set me down this eclectic music listening path which led me to you.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for May 5, 2018

Today we do our usual jazzy/freeform configuration. We have a couple of selections from the late Bob Dorough (neither scholastic nor rockin') plus something you may consider a Cinco de Mayo Set, but you don't really have to.)

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See the playlist after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for April 28, 2018

I feel pretty good about this week's program, much more than last week. We have the usual first hour/second hour jazzy/freeform divide. I advocate for the alto-with-two-tenor sax line-up. There's even some new releases. The second hour has contrast with continuity and a couple of tracks from albums I hadn't listened to in years that were as good as I remember them.

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See for yourself after the break...

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for April 21, 2018

A workable program for a week where I was short of inspiration. jazzy and a bit noisy in the first hour, a little bit electronic and (perhaps a little too) subdued in the second

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See for yourself after the break

The Pulitzer Prize crosses the Rubicon (and I feel fine)

Hmmm, so the Pulitzer Prize is not just for unpopular music anymore.

I must say I'm not all that familiar with Mr. Lamar's music¹, and the little I've heard hasn't really piqued my curiosity. Should I feel obliged to listen further? We'll see.

I must say, though, that I am glad to see the committee continue their trek away from the Ivory Tower over the last decade or so. Since they've been giving awards to jazz musicians lately, I'm glad to see recognition spread to other new areas. And I suppose it's good that the Pulitzers can relate to African-American culture other than through honoring newspaper coverage of horrible things that happen there.

(Also, unlike my beef when Henry Threadgill won about giving the award to the record, not the composition itself, I'm confident that DAMN. was conceived as a piece of recorded music.)

At least they know better than to give an award to Bon Jovi.<sup>2

1</sup>Yes, I pretty much do live under a rock these days.
²We do however congratulate Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe on their induction to that dubious institution.

Playlist for the Unpopular Music Webcast for April 14, 2018

We spend today's webcast not overly contemplating the brief appearance of spring (this Friday and Saturday ONLY!!!! (Update: not only did the temperature drop as Saturday went along, it was snowing for a while as I was editing the archive version on Sunday morning)), but paying tribute to pianist/composer/poet/dancer/philosopher of music/other Cecil Taylor, who died in time for me to pay tribute to him last week had I heard the news in time (ie. before the webcast.) (Here's Ethan Iverson's tribute.) Stretching the limits of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (and being fairly certain he won't show up on Geek Love) we'll have a Cecil track in each half hour.



Otherwise, we have a jazzy show, some so-called "desert blues," some jazzy new music, a leftover from the Rite of Spring show a few weeks back, and more.

See the playlist (plus some notes, and some more thoughts on Cecil Taylor) after the break...