On March 30, 2020, William Harrison Withers Jr. aka Bill Withers died aged 81. He was singer-songwriter and musician (guitar, keyboards), active from 1970 until 1985. He composed and recorded several major hits, including “Ain’t No Sunshine” (1971), “Grandma’s Hands” (1971), “Use Me” (1972), “Lean on Me” (1972), “Lovely Day” (1977), and “Just the Two of Us” (1980). Withers won three “Grammy Awards” (1971, 1981, 1987), “ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage” award (2006), was inducted into “West Virginia Music Hall of Fame” (2007), was inducted into “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” (2015), and received honorary degree from West Virginia University.
Tag Archives: 2015
Glass Hammer: The Breaking of the World
On March 31, 2015, “Arion Records/Audio Resources” labels released “The Breaking of the World”, the fifteenth Glass Hammer studio album. It was recorded in 2014, at “Sound Resources” in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was produced by Fred Schendel and Steve Babb.
Personnel:
- Carl Groves – lead vocals
- Susie Bogdanowicz – lead and backing vocals
- Fred Schendel – lead and backing vocals, keyboards, guitars
- Alan Shikoh – acoustic, classical and electric guitars
- Steve Babb – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
- Aaron Raulston – drums
- Steve Unruh – violin
- Michele Lynn – lead and backing vocals
- Bob Katz- mastering
- Michal Xaay Loranc – cover and booklet art
Track listing:
- Mythopoeia – lyrics by Steve Babb, music by Steve Babb, Alan Shikoh
- Third Floor (A Play in One Act) – lyrics by Fred Schendel, music by Alan Shikoh, Fred Schendel
- Babylon – lyrics by Fred Schendel, music by Steve Babb
- A Bird When it Sneezes – music by Alan Shikoh
- Sand – Fred Schendel
- Bandwagon – lyrics by Carl Groves, music by Fred Schendel, Carl Groves
- Haunted – lyrics by Carl Groves, music by Fred Schendel, Susie Bogdanowicz, Michele Lynn
- North Wind – lyrics by Steve Babb, music by Alan Shikoh, Carl Groves
- Nothing, Everything – lyrics by Steve Babb, ,music by Steve Babb, Carl Groves
Andy Fraser
On March 16, 2015, Andrew McLan Fraser died aged 62. He was songwriter and musician (bass), worked with Alexis Korner, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Toby and Sharks, but was best known as founding member and bassist of Free.
Idlewild: Everything Ever Written
On February 16, 2015, “Empty Words Records” label released “Everything Ever Written”, the eighth Idlewild studio album. It was recorded 2013–2015, at “Chamber Studios”, “The Depot”, “Jane Street Studios” in Edinburgh, “An Tobar” in Isle of Mull, and was produced by Rod Jones.
- Roddy Woomble– lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Rod Jones– acoustic and electric guitar, trumpet, backing vocals, string arrangements
- Colin Newton– drums, percussion, filing cabinet
- Andrew Mitchell– bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals
- Luciano Rossi – piano, Hammond organ, keyboards, organ, Farfisa organ, prepared piano, harmonium, Mellotron, Rhodes, backing vocals
- David Jack– bass guitar
- Gordon MacLean – double bass
- Hannah Fisher – violin, backing vocals
- Sam Irvine – saxophone
- Henry Bird – trumpet and trombone
- Catrin Pryce-Jones – violin
- Ailsa Taylor – violin
- Cavan Campbell – viola
- Maya Burman-Roy – cello
- Graeme Young – marching snare
- Reuben Taylor – organ portamento strip
- Kris Pohl – engineer
- Graeme Young – additional engineering
- Craig Ross – additional engineering
- Gordon MacLean – additional engineering
- Owen Mulholland – additional engineering
- John Agnello– mixing
- Dave Eringa– mixing
- Steve Fallone – mastering
- Andrew Wightman – front cover illustration
- Oscan Sansom – band photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Roddy Woomble, Rod Jones, Colin Newton, Andrew Mitchell and Luciano Rossi.
- Collect Yourself
- Come on Ghost
- So Many Things to Decide
- Nothing I Can Do About It
- Every Little Means Trust
- (Use It) If You Can Use It
- Like a Clown
- On Another Planet
- All Things Different
- Radium Girl
- Left Like Roses
- Utopia
Avishai Cohen: Into the Silence
On January 29, 2016, “ECM” label released “Into the Silence”, the eighth Avishai Cohen album. It was recorded in July 2015, at “Studios La Buissonne” in Pernes-les-Fontaines, France, and was produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel:
- Avishai Cohen– trumpet
- Bill McHenry– tenor saxophone
- Yonathan Avishai – piano
- Eric Revis– double bass
- Nasheet Waits– drums
Track listing:
All track by Avishai Cohen
- Life and Death
- Dream Like a Child
- Into the Silence
- Quiescence
- Behind the Broken Glass
- Life and Death (Epilogue)
Tord Gustavsen: What Was Said
On January 29, 2016, “ECM” label released “What Was Said”, the seventh Tord Gustavsen album. It was recorded in April 2015, at “Rainbow Studio” in Oslo, and was produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel:
- Tord Gustavsen- piano
- Simin Tander- vocals
- Jarle Vespestad- drums
Track listing:
- Your Grief – Tord Gustavsen, Jalai Al-Din Rumi
- I See You – traditional, Hans Adolf Brorson
- Imagine the Fog Disappearing – Mathilda Montgomery-Caderhielm, Wilhelm Andreas Wexels
- A Castle in Heaven – traditional, Bernt Støylen
- Journey of Life – traditional, Elias Blix
- I Refuse – Tord Gustavsen, Kenneth Rexroth
- What Was Said to the Rose/O Sacred Head – Tord Gustavsen, Hans Leo Hassler, Jalai Al-Din Rumi
- The Way You Play My Heart – Tord Gustavsen
- Rull – Tord Gustavsen
- The Source of Now – Tord Gustavsen, Jalai Al-Din Rumi
- Sweet Melting – traditional, Johan Ludvig Allendorf, Peder Jacobsen
- Longing to Praise Thee – traditional
- Sweet Melting Afterglow – traditional, Johan Ludvig Allendorf, Tord Gustavsen, Peder Jacobsen, Simin Tander, Jarle Vespestad
Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau: Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau
On January 27, 2017, “Nonesuch” label released “Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau”, album by Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau. It was recorded December 30, 2015 – January 2–3, 2016, at “Avatar Studios’ in New York City, and was produced by Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau.
Personnel:
- Chris Thile– vocals, mandolin
- Brad Mehldau– vocals, piano
Track listing:
- The Old Shade Tree – Brad Mehldau, Chris Thile
- Tallahassee Junction – Brad Mehldau
- Scarlet Town – David Rawlings, Gillian Welch
- I Cover the Waterfront – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman
- Independence Day – Elliott Smith
- Noise Machine – Chris Thile
- The Watcher – Brad Mehldau
- Daughter of Eve – Chris Thile
- Marcie – Joni Mitchell
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan
- Tabhair dom do Lámh – Ruaidri Dáll Ó Catháin
- Fast As You Can – Fiona Apple
RIB: Something Completely Different
On January 22.01.2016, “MKC”, “Green Hill Records” and “KRAN Records” labels released “Something Completely Different”, the debut RIB studio album. It was recorded in January 2015, at “MarryPhat Studio” in Skopje, Macedonia.
Personnel:
- Jane Trajkovski – guitar, trumpet, arrangements
- Ivica Dimitrijevic – vocals, guitar, arrangements
- Filip Stanchevski – drums, percussion, arrangements
- Ivica Jankulovski – recording, mixing, mastering
- Kosta Lazarevski – design
Track listing:
All tracks by Jane Trajkovski and Ivica Dimitrijevic.
- Go!
- Cruising
- Easy
- Johnny
- Sunset
- Something Completely Different
- Atmosphere
- For Mattson 2
- Surf This Wave
Chris Potter: Imaginary Cities
On January 16, 2015, “ECM” label released “Imaginary Cities”, the 19th Chris Potter album. It was recorded in December 2013, at “Avatar Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel:
- Chris Potter- soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
- Adam Rogers− guitars
- Craig Taborn− piano
- Steve Nelson− vibraphone, marimba
- Fima Ephron − bass guitar
- Scott Colley− double bass
- Nate Smith- drums
- Mark Feldman, Joyce Hammann − violin
- Lois Martin − viola
- Dave Eggar− cello
Track listing:
All tracks by Chris Potter
- Lament
- Imaginary Cities 1: Compassion
- Imaginary Cities 2: Dualities
- Imaginary Cities 3: Disintegration
- Imaginary Cities 4: Rebuilding
- Firefly
- Shadow Self
- Sky
Anchoress: Confession of a Romance Novelist
On January 15, 2016, “Kscope” label released “Confessions of a Romance Novelist”, the debut Anchoress aka Catherine Anne Davies album. It was recorded in 2015, and was produced by Catherine Anne Davies and Paul Draper. The album won HMV’s “Welsh Album of the Year”, “Best Newcomer” at the PROG awards.
Personnel:
- Catherine Anne Davies – vocals, piano, guitar, flute, omnichord, mellotron, wurlitzer, glockenspiel, celeste, sampling church bells, orchestra of typewriters
- Paul Draper – vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Catherine Anne Davies, except where noted.
- Long Year
- What Goes Around
- Doesn’t Kill You
- You and Only You
- One for Sorrow
- S. Fuck You
- Popular
- Bury Me
- Intermission (Notes to the Editor)
- Waiting to Breathe
- Chip on Your Shoulder
- Confessions of a Romance Novelist
- Rivers of Ice – Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Iain Maclachlan
