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My musical tastes are eclectic and broad, spanning several generations and centuries as well as many cultures and languages. On this page, which will be frequently updated, I hope to provide a small but generous sample of the music that inspires me. Eventually, when legally permissible, I will provide literal samples of the music, but for now I will simply inform you about artists you can explore on your own.

Early Influences

As an ear-trained musician and a devout bass player from my early teens, I looked to innovative, melodic bassists who were settting the standard for creativity: in the 70's that meant Geddy Lee of Rush, John Entwhistle of The Who, and John Deacon of Queen. (Yes, there were other influences in my early musical development: I wouldn't forget John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, for instance, or Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith.)

So, what are some of the best albums featuring the aforementioned artists? Although they don't all date from the most influential decade, each album listed below is seminal for the group - a must-have.

Rush: Hold Your Fire

"Hold your fire, keep it burning bright; Hold the flame 'til the dream ignites. The spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission."

When will Neal Peart receive his well-deserved Pulitzer for his lyrics? The brilliant double-ententre between abstinence of force and the creative fire that it engenders deserves my highest praise.

Queen: A Night at the Opera

Freddie was the "flame that burned twice as bright" (Blade Runner ref). No group so well fused the romantic classical tradition with effusive, lyric-driven rock as did Queen.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is recognized as the #1 song of the 20th century. But don't stop there.

The Who: The Who Sell Out

A joyous irony: Pete and Co. presciently include product endorsements in their melodic, poignant songs. Who would have forseen that Hendrix and the Stones would be welcomed as background music for 21st century commercials?

Truly this is The Who at their apogee.

Dig deeper

Another tremendous influence on my musical - and spiritual - development was the Romantic movement. Here are some early influences, ranging from Beethoven, Rachmaninov, and Gershwin (my holy trinity of composers) to Ultravox and Vangelis.

Beethoven: Piano Concerti

Conductor: Claudio Abbado

Pianist: Maurizio Pollini

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerti

Pianist: Rachmaninov/ Ashkenazy

Rachmaninov was hailed as the greatest pianist of his generation (as Beethoven and Chopin were of theirs). Unfortunately, recording technology was not quite up to snuff; still, it's worth seeking out his performances. (Imagine if we could hear Chopin or Beethoven!)

Gershwin: Various Works

Pianist: Oscar Levant

Gershwin regarded Levant as the best interpreter of his music. So, modestly, do I.

Ultravox: Quartet

George Martin's (producer of the Beatles) decision to oversee this album heralds the peak of the New Romantic movement. There's not a weak track on this album, which is why I place it in front of Rage In Eden. Vienna is also a must-hear, along with some of the earlier John Foxx material.

Vangelis: 1492 - Conquest of Paradise

Ridley Scott, one of my fave directors, also tapped Vangelis' brilliance in mood-setting for the Blade Runner soundtrack.

Les Miserables: Original London Cast Recording

This perfect musical is reviewed elsewhere. Were it not for their scant output, these composers would belong in the pantheon with Lerner and Loew.

Ella Fitzgerald: The Cole Porter Songbook

I know of no greater lyricist in the 20th century (Neil Peart apart) than Cole Porter. When I saw Harry Connick, Jr. in concert years back, he admitted such. And noone can sing/scat like Ella. Period.

Maná: MTV Unplugged

Oí el concierto de Maná en Las Vegas y le debo decir: ellos son los maestros de pop en español. No hay nadie en el mundo contemporaneo que puede espresar tantas ideas inredantes como Maná.

Laura Pausini: Lo Mejor De Laura Pausini

Tiene Laura Pausini una voz sin igual. Me encantan tambien sus ideales. Esta collección hay que comprar.

Overheard lately on my fave internet radio station, KCRW:

Frou-Frou, Belle and Sebastian, Eskobar

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