1990s compilation 2LP set on Blue Note.
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Shirley Horn - Softly
Recorded in 1988 on Audiophile Records.
The year may not be one you think of when it comes to classic jazz but Shirley Horn is just remarkable.
A stunning album.
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The chameleons script of the bridge
Heard a song at the weekend which reminded me of chameleons so had to dig this out and give it a listen followed by arctic moon so so good 
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Counting Crows | August and Everything After | Uniti Core. T Bone Burnett does his usual great job on production. Remember buying this on the day of release when I heard it playing on the shop system. Had to ask the owner who they were. It’s a nice album to fall back on, not demanding, just a bunch of great songs.
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Now interestingly having (oddly?) enjoyed an AI album mainly due to the female vocals and it sounding quite ‘tight’ it occurred to me that ‘proper’ Pendragon may never have had much on streaming platforms - most of their stuff I have on CD or LP.
So how do I play them in the car which has no CD player if there are limited albums/tracks on Qobuz or Apple’s Music? (Kowtow album only I think).
Yes, I could rip the CD and use some kind of device, Roon’s remote play (if I had Roon) or memory stick to play ripped tracks or (if the car has one) use an aux input for the audio system (and of course iPhones have no 3.5mmm out these days so it might need to be faffing with Bluetooth playback).
It’s just made me realise how much bands may be hindered if they don’t offer their discography online via streaming services for portable/vehicle playback.
Just checked their website which no longer seems to have options to go to merchandise pages which used to have clothing, CDs/LPs and DVDs of concerts (maybe BluRays). Have they decided physical media has had its day?
There is an article about Bandcamp - maybe should take a look to see what’s there from them.
Just looked on Bandcamp - much of their audio is there for purchase in digital formats. Interestingly the URL has them as ‘pendragon3’ so were there 2 other bands with the same name prior to this on Bandcamp?
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You can stream them without buying them via Bandcamp but you would have to bluetooth your phone and then you can’t be looking at your phone while driving!
Pallas is another great band with limited exposure on Qobuz. They have a bunch of stuff on Bandcamp but not a lot of their “classic” stuff (Cross And The Crucible, Dreams Of Men).
I am at a loss these days why bands don’t put all their stuff up for sale digitally - I assume they must no longer have the rights to them but then you would have thought the “rights owner” would then do it. Surely making some digital files available can’t be an expensive proposition
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I didn’t look at all their albums on Bandcamp but very few allowed me to play the tracks in a browser, in fact only a recent one - if that’s the same with a smartphone and streaming to the car’s audio via Bluetooth it’s potentially limiting.
I had the same thoughts about rights especially if the band members have changed over the years.
Herbie Hancock | Maiden Voyage | Herbie Hancock, piano · Freddie Hubbard, trumpet · George Coleman, tenor saxophone · Ron Carter, bass · Tony Williams, drums | ‘The Treasures Of Blue Note’ Series LP (2008)
I suppose that ‘Maiden Voyage’ is the kind of album jazz experts can discuss, analyze, or write about for hours on end — something absolutely remarkable happens every two minutes.
Alternatively, one can just sit back and embark. Tonight, I opted for the latter.
Claude
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Haydn | String Quartets | Angeles String Quartet | Philips 1994-1999
Listening to disc 1 and then disc 21 is like listening to Please Please Me and then Abbey Road.
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Giraffe - The Towering Inferno With Bongo Drums (2026).
“A co-release between Org Music and Aquarium Drunkard, the album blends cosmic psychedelia, jazz-informed interplay, groove-driven improvisation, and ambient textures, documenting four accomplished musicians discovering new territory together in real time. The result is a fluid, immersive listen driven by instinct, curiosity, and collective chemistry.” Bandcamp. Nice.
6 Likes