Records I've Listened To

Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra (2 Discs), Electric Light Orchestra (1995): For years and years I've come across ELO records at Salvation Army and at used bookstores, but never once was I even slightly inclined to check them out. Not because I already knew what they sounded like; to be honest, I don't even think I had much of an idea of what I *thought* they sounded like. But I just assumed that they were unlistenable. So, I was immensely surprised recently when, first, my friend Jon played some of their songs on a party mix he put together for our 10th year college reunion and I liked them, and, second, "Mr. Blue Sky" was suggested by more than one person as a good song to play at a friend's wedding. So, the other day I got this two disc comp at the library and even on a first listen I've already heard several other songs that sound pretty damn good. (In case you were wondering: as Jimmie Rodgers put it, this story has no moral.) (11/06)

Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, George Gershwin (1993): I don't know which is weirder, ontologically speaking, piano rolls or audio recordings. How about audio recordings of piano rolls? What, exactly, am I listening to? Am I listening to George Gershwin play the piano? Hell if I know. All I know is that this is a very pleasant recording of some pretty sparse piano versions of some of Gershwin's hits, good enough for me to want to get Volume Two. I've been on a bit of a Gershwin kick for the past year or so, and I think I'll listen to these versions quite a bit, probably not as much as some of my favorite vocal or more heavily orchestrated versions, but probably more than most of the other jazz piano versions I have. We'll see. (10/06)