And just in case you wanted to know what former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is up to these days (yeah, the Smoke on the Water dude;)... here he is playing Renaissance Rock with the beautiful Candice Night:
!!MUSIC BREAK!!
Its been far too long since I had some music on my blog...so to remedy that, here are three different songs with the same name. I was looking for something to post from You Tube when I came across the Gary Moore song Over the Hills & Far Away-a wild and wonderful celtic rocker. Then, looking at the links I realized that there were at least two other songs with the same name that I love just as much, so here they all are:
This is the Gary Moore song...the video is pure 80's, but the drumming is mesmerizing and the guitar is incredible!
One of my absolute fave Led Zeppelin songs with a nice memory attached...one night a long time ago after a Robin Trower concert, a girl friend and I were invited to a party by a beautiful TALL exotic-looking guy (I found out later he was from Turkey) that I had only just met and sort of had a bit of a crush on (guys taller than me are hard to come by, lol). Not being the sort of girl who follows guys to parties in neighborhoods she's never been to, I was a bit nervous at first. To my delight, when we got there it was actually one big jam session with a lot of really great guitar players, no orgies or scary drug dealers & the lovely Turkish lad played this song~I was definitely in love then;)
From the BBC television series Sharpe. This one is totally Ian's fault..I never would have discovered Sean Bean if it hadnt been for Ian and his Napoleonic wars fixation...but this is a great series and here is a delightful set of snapshots of the actor who is right up at the top of my "sorry honey, but I will always love a few Englishmen" list.
Rick Wakeman is AMAZING~ totally AMAZING! (okay, so his hair needs a lot of help, but just watch his fingers and you'll be okay) Dont let the sweet soft beginning of this piece fool you...listen until he gets going...you wont believe your eyes! I saw him in person a couple of years ago and yes, his hands REALLY do move that fast...whooooosh.
If you have never heard of him, chances are you have still heard him before...my first introduction to him (unbeknownst to me at the time) was the gorgeous piano solo in Cat Steven's version of "Morning Has Broken"...he has recorded with David Bowie, several solo projects and of course is probably best known for his work with the band Yes.
This is a bit of a montage of several of his solo works...my hubby informs me that the carnival like bit in the middle is from Merlin, and that the INCREDIBLE bit that starts around 3:00 minutes is one of the 6 Wives of Henry the 8th...probably Catherin Parr if he remembers correctly.
Ian & I are honored to be able to host Ian's friend Jim Malcolm in concert this evening. Jim is a scholar and a gentleman and has an AMAZING voice...not to mention his guitar playing, etc. We have had a fun couple of days hangin with him and talking history, folk music and life in general. Here is a video from You Tube of Jim singing one of my all time favorite Robert Burns songs celebrating the common man:
I love the whole song, but especially the last verse:
Then let us pray that come it may
(As come it will for a' that)
That Sense and Worth o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree an' a' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's comin yet for a' that,
That man to man the world o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that.
The first piece in my new Fairy Lights Magic Forest collection
I remember late one night at a bluegrass festival in Bean Blossom, Indiana when I was 16...I was walking from one jam session across a field to a wooded area when I looked up and saw the most amazing sight. The WHOLE stand of trees on the other side of the field was covered in fireflies all the way to the top of the trees. I have never seen that many in one place at one time before or since~it was pure magic! I caught my breath and just stood for a few moments listening to the fiddle music wafting on the breeze and watching the twinkling fairy lights.
It may be a bit difficult to match a bunch of guys in cowboy hats to that image, but I really wanted to include this music with my story. Bill Monroe was a character, and his brand of music isn't for everyone, but he captured what he called the "ancient tones" in many of his tunes. Kentucky Mandolin is one of my favorites and was one of the tunes I heard played by some of these same guys on that magic night...close your eyes when you listen and I'll bet you can see the fairies dancing too;-)
Absolutly nothing to do with jewelry, but if you've read my blog very long, you know I love music:-)! This one of my favorite traditional songs AND one of my favorite rock bands~ two different genres but a fascinating mix. BRIAN SETZER playing a BANJO. Fans of British traditional folk music may more readily recognize the tune as the rather bloody ballad, Matty Groves. I much prefer the happy sweet version that it evolved into when it was handed down in the Appalachian mountains of Eastern Tennessee & North Carolina. If you are interested in hearing the song in a more traditional setting, there is an excellent Doc Watson version of the song also on You Tube.
Well, okay...maybe the ONLY jewellery I've really noticed in a Folk Rock video...but probably the title I actually want to award John Jones of the Oysterband is the "one of the most amazing voices in Folk Rock and the voice most likely to make me happy"
This video is Where the World Divides, a song from their most recent album Meet You There. Its hauntingly catchy and a new favorite of mine!
When Ian and I first met we lived 4,000 miles apart (Edinburgh to Kansas), and since we were both musical beings to the core, one of the intitial ways we got to know one another was through the music we loved. The first mix tape he sent included this band.
It is difficult to explain the exhilarating feeling I had when I first heard John Jones sing "I am the fountain of affection, the instrument of joy..." and the rest of the band rip into the amazing instrumental that opens When Im Up I Cant Get Down . Its very "dancey", that song. I knew when I heard it for the first time that my life was about take an amazing turn for the better, and I have been living one big delightful adventure ever since.
RUNRIG is an amazing Scottish band from the Western Isles. They make great music to create by, such incredible passion!!
If you have never heard them before, give yourself 10 minutes and enjoy this magical set...there are actually two songs on this video, and the second is even more incredible than the first so listen all the way through:)
If you are in Europe this year you may have a chance to catch them live...visit their official website here:
Did I mention that my muses travel in groups? This particular group Oysterband, is a wonderful muse for a cold rainy day (which we still seem to be having, even though it is Kansas and supposedly spring here!). The video below features Osterband's lead singer, John Jones and Ray "Chopper" Cooper on Cello (yes, he's rocking a CELLO;) Im off to create...enjoy the music:-)
