One of my favorite Jambands.com features, returned last month when Senior Editor Mike Greenhaus began to contact a range of artists, writers and industry folk, asking them to look back on the year in music and beyond.
Mike has topped himself yet again with the range and pure volume of folks he has enlisted.
In case you missed any portion of his Auld Lang Syne series, be sure to take a look at set 1, set 2, set 3 and set 4.
As for my own glance back, we currently have our staff picks up at the site but here they are…
Favorite Discs
Bob Dylan Modern Times – Even if I rarely get past Thunder on the Mountain and Spirit on the Water before starting over again I and still cant quite understand how Dylan is collecting publishing on Rollin and Tumblin.
Honkytonk Homeslice Honkytonk Homeslice – For a period of time, the Reivers were my favorite band in the world. This warm disc scratches that forgotten itch.
Yo La Tengo I am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass – They’ve traveled a heady distance from Fakebook (a personal favorite) yet they remain eminently satisfying.
Ornette Coleman Sound Grammar – I’m not sure if I’d call this my sentimental pick because at times Ornette seems to eschew sentiment with his off-kilter vocab (but just then…).
The Disco Biscuits The Wind To Fly at Four – Custom-crafted for auto travel
Honorable Mention: moe. The Conch – My latest go-to disc for long car rides. It remains to be seen if it’ll land on my 2007 list (where it really belongs as it came out this year) but I had that advance for a while in heavy rotation.
Reissues
Phish Colorado ’88 – Of course
Miles Davis The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions- ssia
Favorite live shows
Allman Brothers Band, 3/11/06, Beacon Theater- This would make it solely for Roy Haynes sitting up with the ABB during “Afro Blue.” Nonetheless this was a keeper throughout and came with a bonus Frampton kicker.
The Cat Empire, 6/15/06, Bonnaroo- It seems that every year some band I know only vaguely will knock me on my ass during that Thursday night at Bonnaroo, sending me scurrying back to my computer to absorb all that I can about them. This was the year of The Cat Empire.
Anastasio, Gordon, Benevento & Russo 7/3/06, Hartford- This one brought me back even as it fixed my eyes on the horizon.
Honorable Mention: Widespread Panic, 9/22/06, Boston- Seeing Jimmy Herring with Panic just energized me, as it clearly did for the band.
And here’s looking ahead to 2007…
Later days and peace,
Dean
*****
Addendum: Never a laurel-rester, Mike later followed through with some reports that came in just past deadline. So here is his encore.
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