MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

Tonight we see the last of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. 3 down, Rheingold, Die Walkurie, Siegfried and tonite Gotterdammerung.

It’s been much better, much more apprehendable and much more beautiful than the first time we saw it. I won’t write a music review. Trust me on this.

I buy CD’s. They are more expensive. I don’t download. Jail seems like a bad plan. The music execs who are fighting downloading raised the price of CD’s because they are concerned about illegal downloading. Isn’t that counterintuitive?

I bought the latest Joe Cocker. Don’t bother. I love Joe Cocker’s Music, except. Remember him at his glory, not at my age. Frank Sinatra pulled a late life reprise. Some shouldn’t. JOE.

When I buy a CD I love, I play it to death. I play it until I wear it out. Included are: Several Joni Mitchell (too many to name), Tom Waites “Heart of Saturday Night”, K D Lang’s “Hymns of the 49th parallel”, Bernstein “Copeland’s Appalachian Spring”, Patsy Cline Compilation by 14 female artists (Wonderful), Kate Bush The Whole Story, Seal (Crazy), David Ruis (any but I like Sweet Mercies), Scott Brenner’s Paradise is Waiting, Joann McFatter’s Magnificent Obsession, Kevin Prosch’s Reckless Mercy and Several anointed worship CD’s too obscure to mention.

I have a new one.

FACING FUTURE by IsraelKamakawiowo’ole (Brudder IZ). 20 plays so far and it is growing on me more and more. You would recognize one cut from it immediately. A sweet high voiced man with a ukulele singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. Unfortunately it’s becoming overused in commercials and movies. Sort of Like Carmina Burana’s Il Fortuna.

This is “Hawaiian Music” except, it’s not. It’s one of the most beautiful albums I have heard in a long time. It took me over an hour to find it on the internet. I ordered a half dozen copies. It plays constantly in our home. It’s so hopeful and so rich.

It might be a little hard to find. Went to Borders bookstore and was told it was out of print. Right. It’s a gold record selling like hotcakes.

I predict even though Brudder IZ passed away nearly 10 years ago this CD is about to take on a new life of it’s own. Get it. It’s worth it.