Today in Music – B B King was born!!
“Into the Morning” with the progressive bluegrass of Greensky Bluegrass – “Demons”
One of the albums that has been in my rotation since it’s release last week, is If Sorrow Swims from Greensky Bluegrass. Greensky
Bluegrass is one of my favorite progressive bluegrass bands. I discovered their music a few years back and loved the album Live at Bells, on that album the band really displays their musicianship. I liked their last album Handguns, but not as much as the earlier albums. If Sorrow Swims reminds me more of their earlier albums. Here’s a statement from the band’s website about the band…
Exploring the Psychedelic/Space Rock of the UK’s Amplifier – Mystoria!
So yesterday the soundtrack for my run (you can read about the run here) was the latest release Mystoria
from the UK psychedelic/Space rock band Amplifier. Amplifier plays highly original material using deeply personal lyrics with walls of noise and stunning melodies. Mystoria is the fifth studio album from the band. They have also released several singles and EPs and one live album. The original members of the band were Sel Balamir lead guitarist and vocalist, Matt Brobin on drums and bassist Neil Mahony. After there 2011 release the band members changed with former Oceansize guitarist Steve Durose and bassist Alex “Magnum” Redhead joining the band in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The last two years have been a very prolific period in the band’s history. Between Echo Street and Mystoria the band released the EP Sunriders, which was followed by Live in Barcelona 2013. This contrasts with the release of only one EP Eternity that they release in the five years between Insider (2006) and The Octopus (2011). Balamir explains it like this….
Exploring the Jazz of Post-Bop Drummer – Elvin Jones – Elvin!
Origianally Posted at FreeWheelin Jazz Safari – Sept 14, 2014
Among the Jazz birthdays on September 9th was post-bop drummer Elvin Jones. Jones was born in 1927 and was best known for
his time with the John Coltrane Quartet. Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan and was one of seven children of Henry and Olivia Jones. His family was very musical and his two older brothers Hank and Thad both became respected jazz musicians. Hank was a pianist and Thad played trumpet and coronet.
Civil War: September 14, 1862 The Battle of South Mountain – Rebels Hold, Lee retreats, McClellan dawdles!
Fox’s Gap at the battle of South Mountain, MD. Sunday, Sept. 14, 1862
Yesterday I wrote about Barton Mitchell’s discovery of Special Order 191 concerning Robert E Lee‘s troop movements during his Maryland Campaign in 1862. The discovery of the orders provided information to Gen George McClellan, then commander of the Union Army allowing him to locate and pursue Lee’s troops. Lee had divided his troops and sent the troops under Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws to western Maryland to capture Harper’s Ferry. To continue his pursuit McClellan’s troops and stop McLaws and Lee. McClellan’s troops had to cross South Mountain, which is the name for the extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains into and through the western portions of Maryland. There are three major gap’s through the mountains. From south to north they are Crampton’s Gap, Turner’s Gap and Fox’s Gap.
On this Date in History – Corporal Barton Mitchell finds Robert E Lee's Special Order 191! Did he save the Union??
Sometimes the course of human history is latered by the actions of men and women that are well-known to us, and then
Copy of Lost Order displayed at Crampton’s Gap, Maryland.
sometimes the person is someone who no one knows or little remembers. On September 13, 1862 Corporal Barton W. Mitchell,of the 27th Indiana Volunteers, part of the Union XII Corps, became one of the later. On that date, Mitchell discovered an envelope with three cigars wrapped in a piece of paper at a campground recently vacated by Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill, a subordinate of Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Mitchell realized the significance of the find and gave it to his Sargent John M Bloss. The papers went up the chain of command along the way an aide to Brig. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams….
On this Date in History – Corporal Barton Mitchell finds Robert E Lee’s Special Order 191! Did he save the Union??
Sometimes the course of human history is latered by the actions of men and women that are well-known to us, and then
Copy of Lost Order displayed at Crampton’s Gap, Maryland.
sometimes the person is someone who no one knows or little remembers. On September 13, 1862 Corporal Barton W. Mitchell,of the 27th Indiana Volunteers, part of the Union XII Corps, became one of the later. On that date, Mitchell discovered an envelope with three cigars wrapped in a piece of paper at a campground recently vacated by Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill, a subordinate of Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Mitchell realized the significance of the find and gave it to his Sargent John M Bloss. The papers went up the chain of command along the way an aide to Brig. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams….
Exploring the Ambient,New Age, Prog of Netherlands’ Forest Field- Onwards and Upwards!
On Tuesday of this week the soundtrack for my run was Forest Field’s second release Onwards and 
Upwards. According to their website……
- Forest Field is not a band
- Forest Field is a project
- Forest Field is lead by Chinawhite guitarist Peter Cox
- Expect some guests announcements soon…
- The music is a combination of ambient, new age, progressive rock
- with vintage sounds like mellotron, piano and organ
- but also electric and acoustic guitars
- and bass and drums where the song needs it
The project is the child of Chinawhite guitarist Peter Cox of the Netherlands. Onwards and Upwards is a combination of instrumental tracks (odd-numbered) and vocal tracks (the even-numbered ones). Central theme is “it´s not the falling down, it´s the getting up again” (from Stronger)..All of the instruments are played by Cox with the exception of the Native American flute on the song “Hope”. The flute is played by Sue Straw. The vocals are ably provided by Phil Vincent. I knda’ like the instrumental tracks more than the vocal ones, but I really do like Vincent’s vocals, so I guess it’s really a toss-up. Cox is more than able on all the instruments, but I do think that he is at his best when his guitar is soaring through a track!!
