What are your top five "outside the industry" music favorites? Tania León
[On the road when NewMusicBox caught up with her, León shared what she was listening to while traveling.]
I am writing to you from Florida. I have some music that is inspiring to me here:
Egberto Gismonti, composer, guitar, and piano soloist (Brazil)
Egberto Gismonti’s Meeting Point, a recording of Egberto’s symphonic music with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra. “Frevo” is included in the CD. Egberto as the piano soloist. ECM Records 1586 533 681-2.
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
A CD by Columbia Jazz Masterpieces: Columbia Records/CBS Inc. CK 40579.
Chinese composer based in France (Paris) since early 80’s. Crossfertilization between two cultures: China/France. Gigan Chen’s recording of Symphonic works with the Orchestre National de France. The recording includes works such as Iris Devoilee, Reflect d’un temps disparu for cello and orchestra (Yo-Yo Ma soloist and Wu Xing).
NG La Banda, Salsa Orchestra (Cuba)
NG La Banda, a salsa band from Cuba, Jose Luis Cortes. Selection No. 7 on that CD has always given me plenty to think about with regards to “la energia poliritmica, y el poder de movimiento” in the work (polyrhythmic energy, and power of movement).
J.S. Bach Suites II, III, IV for Orchestra
Amsterdamse Bach Solisten, Marc Minkowski, Conductor. A live recording with no editing. Getronics CD ABS 9501 Digital.
The list is only a fraction of the world of sound I love to inhabit. The five CDs I mentioned above did not include Janacek, for example. I listen and listen. I very much enjoy the musics of the people of our polycultural world. Lately, I have found it challenging to discern the counterpoint of voices we get showered with by families of wild turkeys as they go singing to the forest. And…what about the birds? … Well, it is wonderful… It sounds…