Good Recordings for Late Night Chillin'

[cookie]

I often stay up late. Sometimes I listen to the silence; sometimes to music. I especially like to listen to solo piano at night. Other times, I'll play mellow vocal albums.

Lately I've listened to Keith Jarrett's "Radiance," John Stetch's Monk disc, Irving Berlin Songbook by Ella, and a nice Mel Torme ballads disc, "That's All." I also have a fondness for Sarah Vaughan's "After Hours" and a disc called "The Peaceful Side of Billy Strayhorn." And of course, there's Trane and Johnny Hartman. And bossa novas. And I like to listen to Bird with Strings at night---stuff like that.

I love rompin' hard hittin' swingin' jazz during the day and when I'm roarin' in the party hours, but late night I just need a little "comin' down" music.

Anything you'd care to recommend for the wee small hours??? (That Sinatra disc is another late night fave of mine).

[bostontricky]

Cookie - I'm so fried by the ends of some nights I can't even handle the Ella songbooks. I stick with Ella's recordings with just piano: the CD versions are called "Pure Ella" (warning: not to be confused with the compilation CD with the same title) with Ellis Larkin and "The Intimate Ella", with Paul Smith. Wunnerful.

[Pete C]

Djivan Gasparyan, I Will Not Be Sad In This World.

Review by Stephen Cook
This 1989 debut finds Gasparyan on several reworkings of traditional Armenian songs. Seconded by another duduk soloist playing a drone backing, Gasparyan produces deeply resonant and ethereal meditations on his ney-like instrument. These recordings were originally released on Russia's state-owned Melodyia label in 1983, but have been made available by Opal in this fine set. Modern listeners rest assured, Brian Eno gives his seal of approval to this amazing set of performances.

[cookie]

Yeah, those are good Ella discs. I don't have them on CD (just casette and probably not all of the material) and haven't thought about them in a while. I'll have to see if I can find the tapes.

Yeah, the Ella Songbooks can be a little bouncy for the late night, but I keep the volume low and just let it wash over me.

Another one I listen to late at night is Lady in Satin.

[cookie]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Djivan Gasparyan, I Will Not Be Sad In This World.

Review by Stephen Cook
This 1989 debut finds Gasparyan on several reworkings of traditional Armenian songs. Seconded by another duduk soloist playing a drone backing, Gasparyan produces deeply resonant and ethereal meditations on his ney-like instrument. These recordings were originally released on Russia's state-owned Melodyia label in 1983, but have been made available by Opal in this fine set. Modern listeners rest assured, Brian Eno gives his seal of approval to this amazing set of performances.

That sounds very interesting! Ethereal meditations? Yeah, I could use that latenight.

[Cem]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Djivan Gasparyan, I Will Not Be Sad In This World.

Yeah Pete, Gasparyan's amazing!

Grant Green's Idle Moments is a frequent late night album around here.



Also, as I've previously mentioned, I like mellow electronic music, if I'm trying to be productive.

IASW works wonders for me too... or as I often refer to it: In a Salient Way

[Cem]

John Zorn Redbird, Masada Guitars, Bar Kokhba
Portishead Dummy
Much of Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy), Sam Prekop, Jim O'rourke's output.
John McEntire's Reach The Rock
Just about anything by Al Green (depending on company)...

I'm such a friggin' 90's guy....it's embarrassing!

[stonemonkts]

I tend to prefer meditative, solo works for late night:



...are examples.

[lazarus]

[cookie]

I like Joni late-night, too. It's my favorite time to listen to any of her discs. Recently, it was "Turbulent Indigo"---not my all-time favorite Joni Mitchell disc, but one I like quite a bit. "Sex Kills" is a favorite from that disc along with "The Magdalen Laundries".

"Heijira" is a *great* disc, though. I haven't heard it for a long time. I'll put it in the late night stack.

Right now, I'm just listening to the crickets. Should I put that on the current WAYLTN thread?

[Ron Thorne]

Great thread topic, Cookie! I'll try to come up with a few of my favorites soon.

Originally Posted by Cookie

Right now, I'm just listening to the crickets. Should I put that on the current WAYLTN thread?

Absolutely!

[edpack]

One night I was driving home late after a gig in a wicked snowstorm and the station I had on the radio played "Hejira" in its entirety. Needless to say, I enjoyed the ride immensely. Perfect soundtrack to my trip.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

When all else fails, Bach cantatas mellow me out. "Jesu, Meine Freude" always works.

[Ron Thorne]

Now we're talkin', Steve!

[Jesse]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Djivan Gasparyan, I Will Not Be Sad In This World.

This is a beautiful release, and I have purchased more by Gasparyan since I heard this one in the 90's.

There is nothing else in my collection of music that blows through me like this one. The duduk, in the Armenian master musician Gasparyan's hands, owns deeply soulful, magical qualities.

This is music that seems to make time stop.





The recording Pete cites was created as a memoriam for the victims of the Armenian earthquake.

[Jesse]

Fixed.



[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

I tend to prefer meditative, solo works for late night baking.

...is an example.

[vibes]

I love latin jazz for late night listening, especially this CD:



A lot of Bill Evans CDs are great for late night listening as well. I just got through listening to this one:

[vibes]

I'm glad "Idle Moments" was mentioned. Here's another great Grant Green CD for late nights:

[stonemonkts]

[[QUOTE]QUOTE=Jesse]Fixed.

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

I tend to prefer meditative, solo works for late night baking.

[Brian L]

Doesn't all jazz sound better at night?

[Surfer]

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

...are examples.

'81 version I hope. The '55 is bright bluebird morning music.

[Surfer]

Grosse Fugue for String Qt. - Beethoven

This was 200 years ahead of its time.


Also,

Sibelius' 4th Sym.
Shostakovich's late Quartets
Black Saint and Sinner Lady
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow
Short Life Of Barbara Monk - Ran Blake
50th Anniversary Concert - Evan Parker

so many more . . . . . . . .



Edit: now that I read the title of the thread again, not sure these are appropriately "chillin'". They are good late night selections, though.

[Dan G]

nothing can beat the Dexter Gordon ballad compilation for latenight listening. Prefered context: in front of the fireplace with a cat on my lap, a good book and a bottle of scotch.

[stonemonkts]

Originally Posted by Surfer

'81 version I hope. The '55 is bright bluebird morning music.

Blasphemer!!!!!

I dig 'em both late at night. I could list hundreds more as I tend to do some serious listening in the wee hours, both baked, and un-.

Michael Moore's trio stuff is nice late, e.g..

I tend to steer clear of non-woody horns, strings more soprano than violas, and voices other than chant-y stuff like ragas, and whatnot.

Although for Beethoven I make the exception. I can do his 16 string quartets any night, even throw in the Grosse Fugue for kicks.

[Cem]

Originally Posted by Dan G

...and a bottle of scotch.

...tumbler has a more charming, pleasant ring to it, Dan...

[Dr Dave]

And wouldn't it have been great to hear Shirley Horn and Jimmy Raney together?

[jesus marion joseph]

Here's how out of tune (ha ha) I am with music in general: late at night if I'm not watching TV, I read a book. Sometimes I turn on my bedside radio while reading, but it's usually NPR or somesuch. Maybe I'll try some of these suggestions.

[Enforcer]

[chaamba]

[David b.]

anything by taku sugimoto...just for the respect of the silent night