[Bob in St. Louis]

I can see it now...the creation of a new thread, "What particular piece of music transforms/transports you the most". 

Bob

[launche]

I was only asking of Traderx because him words were so very on point, just peaked my curiosity at the moment.  But all the more music talk the better.

Coltrane is one of those artists that has truly perplexed the hell out of me.  I think the only artist that I can recall I have listened to and literally taken the record and said "I am not ready for this" and put it away.  Now I have heard complex music, many classical pieces come to mind but even those I felt I could begin to approach.  But with some Trane material, couldn't even figure a proper starting point it seemed like beginning to comprehend the vastness of the universe.

His material has taken me from the highest points of joyous exhale, to the lowest depths of bewilderment, to places of serene beauty, to points of terror and frustration.  I recall one record with him and another sax player (Rollins? another favorite) dueling and I swear it was like someone was slaughtering elephants, the sheer weight, intensity and seeming absence of melody in this free for all was well beyond me.  To this day, it's the only CD I've ever taken out and literally threw across the room.  It seemed to perplex and stir emotions in me so much that I had to take a walk and get my head right.  It's been many years since, my wife or the housekeeper must have tossed it (maybe I broke it) but I was never able to find it again.  The man can bend and explore notes as if he was weaving a ball of yawn.

He was the first artist I encountered that made the think of the masters of symphonic/classical music as but mere musical architects, he was a musical warrior.  Forever changed my thoughts and perceptions of classical music as the highest form or the standard, by comparison it had little breath of life.  Appearing to be born from thought processes and not from flesh and blood or the core of living beings.

[Browntrout]

I bought one of Coltranes albums second hand to see what it was like and I've played it twice. I concur with you in that it did not sit right with me and was a little unsettling. I personally think that while most artists choose to express good emotions even sorrow can be good a few choose to or just do express bad ones and maybe he is one of them? (just a thought)
  My Mother is very sensitive/intolerable of that sort of music, very disconcerting, broken, and insane in character, she will leave a room with a physical reaction to it or demand it is turned off repeatedly proclaiming she cannot listen to it, she can get histerical. There is dark music really dark music but why one would listen to it I don't know.
   Some classical music appears contrived to me also, Bach is one who strikes me as overtly intellectual and this makes me wary but listening I soon forget this.

[TRADERXFAN]

I tend to drift towards the philosophical side of life. My personal interest tends to analyze our existence in how our habits and beliefs shape our choices, and hence collectively shape society and cultures. Consequently, the most important music for me, is music that allows a person to transcend the individual and get in touch, if only briefly, with the truth of the universal human condition. (Which is also true of all art).  This is the essence of the beauty for me. It is timeless and universal.  The themes of the human drama repeat in all of history, and music is just different expressions of that emotional truth.  

Well said and I agree.
If I may ask is there a genre of music that aids most in this thought process,  care to share a record or so with us.  

Also, in my time on the few forums I visit, we rarely ever talk about the music.  It's supposed to be the universal language but we rarely ever talk about it.  Take this site for example, 98% of the content is about everything else but actual music. I am far behind on my music discoveries and when it has been talked about I've found the discussions, mentions very helpful.

Well I am not very wide ranged in my knowledge or exposure of music actually.

 I think I may have put in too cerebral terms, what is essentially a natural thing. I described a general affinity for music in probably too disconnected a term. The "singer-songwriter" would be the genre I would say most typifies this experience for me. 

So, off the top of my head, (maybe because it "hit me" recently when I was listening to this while sanding some speakers in the garage) this one would be an example where I have felt connected to another person with a completely different life experience but something that I could share in and feel as though I understand, during certain moments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore_(album)
You can sample some of these tracks here:
http://www.amazon.com/Folklore-Nelly-Furtado/dp/B0000DFZZA/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1241720321&sr=8-16

I can tell you I was amazed by this performance in the movie "Talk to Her" -and I didn't know what the guy was singing about, but I sure felt it... I still remember it to this day and it was years ago I actually heard it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA6G0Fq7d5U
Caetano Veloso - "Cucurrucucu Paloma"

Also I like Alicia Keys and Chris Isaak, and Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, and especially Fiona Apple

I think audiocircle does have a great mechanism for sharing music though -the "what are you listening to" thread, and the little message that you see in the bottom of the posts.

-Tony

[jimdgoulding]

Launche-  Coltrane probably went thru more changes than anyone.  Evolution for him was life, I expect.  My favorite Trane is his early 60's period with his very famous quartet.  There is an Impulse album titled simply Coltrane.  The best release of it, re-release, is from Verve.  The bass can be heard better on this release and felt.  The drums will reside in one large part of your room (tho within it's own acoustic to be specific).  Unforturnately, so far as I know, this is only available in a five CD book, The Impulse Albums, Vol 1.  It's available as a single album, I'm sure (tho maybe not from Verve).  On the opening track, Coltrane is respectful of melody all along.  He keeps returning it to launche his excursions taking a higher and more forceful step each time.  His tone on tenor, totally his own, is very well recorded and displayed on this.  He attacks you but in an organized way building the intensity in steps.  By the time he is peaking, a few bars before and just after his pianist's solo, I am clutching my breast and bursting at the seams with emotion!  It just never quits.  That's in the masculine sense, bro's.

Could I make a CD (I can't) with single tracks to introduce Trane to someone, I would begin with My Favorite Things (yep, from the movie taken beautifully in waltz time), Spiritual from Live at The Vanguard, and that opening track, Out of This World, to which I refer.  Believe I would include Afro Blue and The Promise from Live at Birdland, as well.  By the time of his next studio release, Meditations, he had changed gears and expanded his group to include Pharoah Sanders and a second bass player and maybe a percussionist or two.  I don't really remember.  When the opening track begins, I'm totally immersed in the theme and I what I think is to follow.  Then it becomes entirely too dark and turgid a place for me.  Horrible to me, really.  I think Trane was pretty far gone by this time.  Maybe I just couldn't hang.  Lots of live dates followed from his label.  He had a contract, after all.  I'm not sure if I can recommend any of them.  Maybe Mjosef can comment about some.

If you ever listen to Out Of This World, Launche, you got to be willing to do one thing . . listen totally LOUD.  Coltrane will do the rest.  Make no value judgments.  Just fixate on each note he plays and how he plays it.  We he soars go with him.  He can fill your heart with humility and compassion.

 

[BobM]

There are several CD's/albums that I consistently reach for and never tire of after hearing them over and over. Yes, sometimes one will hold my interest for 2-3 years and then fade from my immediate pick list. But when I go back to it I generally hear that "connection" again.

Here's a few that I like, in no particluar order:

Ritenour/Gruisin - Harlequin
David Benoit - American Landscape
Pat Metheny - As Falls Wichitah So Falls Wichitah Falls
Pat Metheny - Secret Story

All of these paint a picture for me and create a mood. Sure, there's others that I go to when I'm in a mood and want to hear something to compliment that mood. But these consistently take me to a special place.

There are others that do this for me too, but I didn't think you wanted a long list.

Enjoy,
Bob

[jimdgoulding]

I almost forget . . A Love Supreme.  Accessible and fine examples of Coltrane's intensity on track 2 and 3.  This album is written as a piece.  A monument of the man's work of that time, really.  Trane isn't going insane on this.  It was after THIS one that Meditations was released.  McCoy Tyner's playing on Supreme is superb.  And on The Promise from Live at Birdland, above all. 

Traderxfan-  Thanks for those and your wise words.   

[Browntrout]

This is the most meaningfull and comunicative music to me I know and I do know it as I have listened to it since I was a child. Often I could not sleep during my parents divorce and my Mother would play this to me as I drifted off. I only recently looked up the meaning of the words as really I prefer not knowing.
  Two pieces, if you care to listen the first is here.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5W67uBRZCo&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fuk%2Esearch%2Eyahoo%2Ecom%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF%2D8%26y%3Dy%26fr%3Dybr%5Fbt%26p%3Dthomas%2Btallis%2Bmiserere%26SpellState%3Dn%2D3531031&feature=player_embedded
 
The words are very simple being:  "Miserere nostri Domine, miserere nostri"
 Which translates as                "Have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us."  repeated over and over.

 This is the most beautifull music I have ever heard so I thought I'd share it with you, if you were not already aware of it.

The second is here....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cn7ZW8ts3Y&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fuk%2Esearch%2Eyahoo%2Ecom%2Fsearch%3Ffr%3Dybr%5Fbt%26y%3Dy%26p%3Dthomas%2520tallis%2520spem%2520in%2520alium&feature=player_embedded

The words are:            Spem in alium nunquam habui præter in te, Deus Israel:
                                qui irasceris et propitius eris,
                                et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis.
                                Domine Deus, Creator cæli et terræ,
                                respice humilitatem nostram.

Which translates as:     I have never put my hope in any other but in you, God of Israel,
                                who will be angry and yet become again gracious,
                                and who forgives all the sins of suffering man.
                                Lord God, creator of heaven and earth,
                                look upon our lowliness.

also..                         
                                Sing and glorify heaven’s high Majesty,
                                Author of this blessed harmony;

                                Sound divine praises

                                With melodious graces;

                                This is the day, holy day, happy day,

                                For ever give it greeting,

                                Love and joy, heart and voice meeting:

                                Live Henry princely and mighty,
                                Harry live in thy creation happy.

We can see that the composer has stated that the true author of the peice is heavens high Majesty. I like the line  Love and joy, heart and voice meeting.

[jimdgoulding]

Knock out gorgeous music, mate.  Beautiful.  I believe Reference Recordings recorded the Tallis group some years ago.  But I'm quite sure these recordings are made with love.  Cheers.

[Browntrout]

If I could get hold of some Tallis on vinyl I would be very happy. I have been to see the Tallis Scholars but if I could hear them in a church in Italy that would be a dream come true

[geowak]

Music is beautiful. My beautiful. I like beautiful Art too. My beautiful.
If you get the meaning here. It kind of makes me high. Someone here said to kill pain and suffering, and it's better than drugs or alcohol and the like. Yes that's a great answer, but I would add it makes me relax too.

Lets not forget that great sound systems let you hear all the nuances of the original recording. Maybe that is part of why Audiocircle exists for us.

Jimi Hendrix- he is insane good.
Eva Cassidy- she sings like an angel.
Pink Floyd- takes me to another place and time (I love it)

The older one gets, the more the tastes change and you can discover music that at one time did not catch your interest. That is really cool. I am really starting to enjoy classical music now, I did not when I was young.