Tag: Music

On Missing Jimmy Buffett: That One Hurt a Lot More Than Expected

No celebrity death has ever hit me as hard as Jimmy Buffett's. Mr. Rogers' and Dr. Seuss's came very close. Well, Ray Bradbury's certainly did, but I knew the man. He was both a mentor and a dear friend. I told him that I loved him, and he told me the same. But I only met Jimmy Buffett once, and I'm pretty sure that of the two of us, I am the only one who remembered it. I actually cried real tears when I heard the news that Jimmy Buffett had passed away, and I'm not even sure I can articulate why.

Thinking About Music, Stories, and Author’s Voice

I've been thinking a lot about music, and how it influences emotion in movies. How do we as book authors do this same in our fiction? How do we capture music in the written word?

Music Review: “Old Blue Truck” by Charles de Lint and “Crow Girls” by MaryAnn Harris

Listen to Old Blue Truck by Charles de Lint and Crow Girls by MaryAnn Harris If you've read the contemporary "real world" mythic fantasy works of Charles de Lint, you know he has a knack for creating believable characters that seem just a little too real, and stories that exist somewhere in the twilight land … Continue reading Music Review: “Old Blue Truck” by Charles de Lint and “Crow Girls” by MaryAnn Harris →

“Secret Voyage” by Blackmore’s Night

Once again, Blackmore's Night takes us on a journey through ancient times to modern. As always, Richie Blackmore's guitar stylings are energetic and complex while Candice Night's vocals are utterly bewitching. The merry band of minstrels that accompanies them are solid as always. The album begins with an instrumental, "God Bless the Keg," opening with a harpsichord solo until other instruments join in, ending with a haunting, deep organ. That leads seamlessly into "Locked Within The Crystal Ball," a song that echoes the darkest, most romantic fairy tales—with a beat that's somewhere between fast Celtic folk and driving rock. Those two cuts provide a very strong opening.

Tuesday Night Irish Music Jam Session at The Grange Public House

Every Tuesday night, there is a Celtic music jam session at the Grange Public House. While most of us sit around in a circle, nursing our ales and listening in a sort of golden haze of happy ecstasy, some of Atlanta’s very best traditional music play—well, whatever you feel like.

“The Promised Land” by Dar Williams

If you know Dar’s music, you’ve likely already heard The Promised Land. If not, well, think of the realm of Sarah McLachlan and Sheryl Crow, with lyrics that can be mentioned in the same sentence as Waits, Cohen, Williams, Newman, Mercer, Dylan, and Simon. The Promised Land is a good place to start. But then, so is The Honesty Room, My Better Self, The Beauty of the Rain, The Green World, or … heck, any of them.. Do yourself a favor and listen. Closely. Then listen again.