Spider Sounds: Diana Krall “Live In Paris”

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” is by Julie (aka Xinyi), one of our student workers, and features a live album from Canadian jazz pianist & singer Diana Krall which was originally released in 2002 and won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Thanks, Julie!

Diana Krall

Live In Paris

Diana Krall - Live In Paris

I picked the CD called “Live in Paris” by Diana Krall, because I personally prefer European-style music. This CD has many different pieces. The first one is called “I Love Being Here With You.” At the very beginning, the general rhythm sounds very lively and energetic. It provides me a happy feeling of living in Paris. Because of the quick rhythm and pace, I feel it encourages listeners to become more interested in living in Paris and assume living in Paris would be a colorful and interesting experience.

The second track is called “Let’s Fall In Love,” which has a very different mood from the first track and is much slower paced.
I think Paris is known as a romantic city, and the second track fits that “romantic” feeling quite well.

The other songs on this CD, in general, consists of alternating quick and slow tracks. I feel this is variety is good so listeners won’t feel bored when they listen to the whole album.

This album also is available to UR students, faculty and staff via our streaming service — click on this link to access it: http://librarycat.richmond.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=4353&recCount=25&recPointer=0&bibId=1455539.

New CDs added in April!

New CDs for April 2016

Classical

Johannes Brahms – Sonatas for Clarinet and Piano
Karen Gottlieb – Music For Harp
Mitchell Lurie – Mitchell Lurie, Clarinet

Mitchell Lurie, Clarinet

Mozart/Beethoven – Quintets for Piano & Winds
Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach – Genius – Music of Johann Sebastian Bach & Antonio Vivaldi

Quintets for Piano & Winds

Pop/Rock/R&B

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn – Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Big Sean – Dark Sky Paradise
Tamar Braxton – Calling All Lovers

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn

Death Cab For Cutie – Kintsugi
Aretha Franklin – Aretha Sings The Blues
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free

Aretha Sings The Blues

Jazz

Karrin Allyson – Many A New Day
Louis Armstrong – Blow Satchmo Blow
The Bad Plus – The Bad Plus Joshua Redman
The Bad Plus – The Rite Of Spring

The Bad Plus - The Rite of Spring

Terence Blanchard – Breathless
Michael Dease – Decisions
Chris Dingman – The Subliminal and the Sublime
Gil Evans Project – Lines Of Color

Michael Dease - Decisions

John Fedchock – Like It Is
Marshall Gilkes – Ko¨ln
Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio – Live In Bern
Lionel Hampton – 50th Anniversary Concert – Live at Carnegie Hall

Lionel Hampton - Live at Carnegie Hall

Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band – Eleven
Joe Magnarelli – Three On Two
Matt Ulery’s Loom – Music Box Ballerina
Matt Ulery’s Loom – Wake An Echo

Matt Ulery's Loom - Music Box Ballerina

Marcus Miller – Afrodeezia
Sun Ra and his Arkestra – In The Orbit Of Ra
Matt Ulery – By A Little Light
Matt Ulery – In The Ivory
Matt Ulery – Themes And Scenes

Sun Ra - In the Orbit of Ra

World Music

Andy Lau – Love: Special Edition
Amira Medunjanin – Silk & Stone

Amira Medunjanin - Silk & Stone

Electronic Music

Qluster – Tasten
Jane Rigler – Rarefactions: Compositions via Improvisations
Madeleine Shapiro – Sounds Nature: Works for Cello and Electronics

Jane Rigler - Rarefactions

Spider Sounds: U2 “The Joshua Tree”

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” is by Alexandra, one of our student workers, and features the critically acclaimed album The Joshua Tree by U2. This was U2‘s fifth studio album. It was released in the spring of 1987. Thanks, Alexandra!

U2

The Joshua TreeU2 - The Joshua Tree

U2 is the purest example of clean, meaningful, and everlasting music. It is almost impossible to choose one soundtrack to shine amongst the rest but if you only have time to listen to one album, then The Joshua Tree is the one to pick. Lyrics from “Bullet the Blue Sky,” “Mothers of the Disappeared,” and “With Or Without You” represent the political and social turmoil occurring during the time of production and the sense of hope lost during these troubling times. Just as the biblical overtones of The Joshua Tree signify a guide to lead disciples to the Promised Land, the album reminds us of the healing power of music.

Spider Sounds: Les Misérables

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” is by Rebecca, one of our student workers, and features the original Broadway cast recording of the acclaimed musical Les Misérables. Thanks, Rebecca!

Les Miserables - Original Broadway Cast

In the thirty years following its English-language debut, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables has rightly earned its status one of the world’s most beloved Broadway shows. Adapted from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel of the same name, Les Misérables appeals to bookworms, history buffs, and music lovers alike. The musical tells the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict whose journey from Prisoner Number 24601 to upstanding citizen and finally fugitive on the run from a relentless police inspector tragically intersects with the unfolding of the fateful June Rebellion in Paris.

This original Broadway cast recording brings to life all of the stunning lyricism and vitality of the stage production. The heartbreakingly melodic vocal themes and nearly seamless musical accompaniment weave the listener into the gritty realities of life in Orléanist France, and are well worth revisiting for those already familiar with the show.

Catch the revolutionary spirit this spring by listening to the original Broadway cast recording of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables!

Spider Sounds: Sufjan Stevens “Come On Feel The Illinoise”

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” is by Colette, one of our student workers, and features a 2005 album by critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. Thanks, Colette!

Sufjan Stevens

Come On Feel The Illinoise

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

After his first state themed album, Greetings From Michigan (2003), Sufjan Stevens turned out yet another excellent state themed collection in 2005. Known for his use of varied instruments including trumpets, vibraphones, banjos, and others, Come On Feel The Illinoise is a classic Sufjan creation.

Some of my favorite tracks include:

“The predatory wasp of the Palisades is out to get us!”
The feeling of this song works directly against the wackiness of the title — it is sincere, with incredible and heartfelt lyrics.

and

“John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”
This song is about — you guessed it — the famous serial killer. Sufjan does a masterful job describing and humanizing Gacy, and ends with the line:
“And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid”

This line exemplifies Sufjan’s skills as a lyricist. The entire album has such a wonderful motion to it, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is a Sufjan Stevens fan, or anyone looking to listen to something new.

Come visit the Parsons Music Library and discover what we have available!