On the Playlist 17JUL2018…

Been a bit of a crazy afternoon and evening dealing with stress of teenage kids so put something on later this evening which is very relaxing and emotionally connecting for me. Walter Zuber Armstrong Solo Performance Inside UBC Museum of Anthropology. When I was in graduate school living in Vancouver I also studied jazz clarinet with a local Vancouver musician (I am sure he will make an appearance in these posts at some point). I used to go down to Granville Island Market and hang out on weekends quite frequently. Tucked away in the market on most weekends was an elderly gentleman playing flute. I enjoyed his playing and got to know him. We talked about music and he always encouraged my playing. I will never forget him telling me to keep at the long tones on my clarinet. I had of course purchased his tape that he was selling which I enjoyed listening to a lot but I enjoyed going down to the market and hearing his flute echoing through the hall and then dropping by to say hi. He lived in Bellingham and taught at the college there. He would come up on weekends to play at Granville Island market. A couple years ago when I was back in Vancouver I went down to the market to see if he was there. He wasn't so I asked around about him at the stalls near where he used to sit. After asking a couple people one of them remembered him and said that he hadn't been there for many years. I did some research and discovered that he had passed away shortly after I left Vancouver in the late 90s. His music on this tape is haunting and yet very relaxing. The acoutics are especially interesting as the recording was done inside the UBC Museum of Anthropology which is an interesting building in its own right. Ah, feeling mellow now.

Walter Zuber Armstrong - Solo Performance Inside UBC Museum of Anthropology

On the Playlist 29JUN2018…

A bit new agey here with Sho Hamada and Surfside Sketch. A collection of solo guitar pieces inspired by the surf. Each piece is title by the wave height, temperature and date. Basically, this is just very nice peaceful guitar music despite the idea. I was expecting something potentially strange and wonderful when I bought this based on the description. I was pleasantly surprised on one account as it is wonderful.

Sho Hamada - Surfside Sketch