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Dusted Features
Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: Saxophonist Darius Jones and dreamweaver Julianna Barwick.
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Listed: Darius Jones + Julianna Barwick
Darius Jones
Darius Jones has been playing alto saxophone in New York since 2005, but it wasn’t until this year that he released his debut as a leader, Man’ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) on AUM Fidelity Records. The 31-year-old composer is a hot commodity in the gotham jazz scene, playing with Cooper-Moore, William Parker, Jim Black and a laundry list of other creative souls. Last night, his quartet Little Women celebrated the release of its new album Thoat, also on AUM Fidelity with a performance at Bruar Falls in Williamsburg, but if you missed that show, you can view another one of his foursome’s perform at SoHo’s Roulette via the club’s Vimeo channel.
1. John Coltrane - Stellar Regions
This is a record that I rediscovered recently. I can’t stop listening to it. I feel like Trane, on this recording, reached a place of abstract beauty. The band sounds so in tune with the way he is deciding to play. I want to be this good some day.
2. Sun Ra - St. Louis Blues Solo Piano
Sun Ra has always been one of my heroes. Hearing him in such an intimate setting is a revelation into the reality that there is no in and out. There is only intent and feeling. His version of “Honeysuckle Rose” is killing on this record.
3. Betty Carter - The Audience with Betty Carter
It’s hard to reduce my love for Betty Carter down to one record. I think she is a master of phrasing and timbre manipulation. She has been a huge influence on me. Her version of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” is one example of her brilliance; of freedom within structure.
4. Don Cherry/Dewy Redman/Charlie Haden/Ed Blackwell - Old and New Dreams
This record is like a hang. These guys have been playing together for years and it sounds that way. This record just makes me happy.
5. Karen Clark-Sheard - Finally Karen
I have been listening to The Clark Sisters since I was a baby. I think this record shows the brilliance of improvisation within Gospel music. Karen’s flights of improvisation and ad-libbing are gut-wrenching. I wish I could do on my horn what she does with her voice. “The Will of God” is just ridiculous.
6. Joan as Police Woman - Real Life
This is a sexy soulful girl who I discovered some years back. Joan Wasser has a really great sense of sincerity as a musician. I hear her personality so much through her music, which is something I truly admire.
7. Bob Moses - Wheels of Colored Light
This is my favorite Bob Moses record because it is just him playing duo with horns and voice. Track 3 with Jeanne Lee is so intimate you would think you were listening to two lovers. I feel you really get a clear view of Bob’s playfulness and warmth on this record. He is a beautiful human being.
8. Matthew Shipp - New Orbit
This record proved to me that you can be out and intelligent and beautiful all at the same time. I have admired Matthew’s playing and musical concept for the last decade. He is a unique voice in this modern time.
9. McCoy Tyner - The Real McCoy
This is just a great record that I keep coming back to. The whole band just sounds so loose and connected to each other. All the tunes are classics. I love Joe Henderson’s playing on this record.
10. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
This record combines my love for both electronic music and hip hop. Flying Lotus is an innovator. What he’s doing with beats is so juicy. It makes me think about the importance of timing and feel.
Julianna Barwick
Julianna Barwick is a solo recording artist and Brooklyn transplant, via Louisiana/Missouri. With a youth minister father, her childhood involved a great deal of time spent around church choirs—something that has informed her own music, today. Shortly after college, Barwick began experimenting with loop-based song craft, eventually recording her self-released debut Sanguine in 2007, and the iridescent Florine EP, last year. She has been featuring in such publications as The New York Times, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, Pitchfork and of course, here at Dusted.
1. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
I am a huge Joanna fan. I saw her at BAM a couple years ago. She played with a few bandmates and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. She played Ys in its entirety, some of Milk Eyed Mender, and some other tracks — it was the best concert I’ve ever seen. I was fully blown away at the sound, and also her singing these long, epic songs from start to finish. Needless to say, I was deeply looking forward to her new record, and it has been in very heavy rotation for about two months now. OK, maybe almost exclusive rotation. I have a new favorite every few days, and just reading the booklet is a joy in and of itself. I think my very favorite sound in music is a mix of sad and beautiful, and some of her songs are truly devastating — in the best way. She has such a unique voice, vision, approach and talent, and it has truly been a treasure I’m continuing to delve deeper into and love.
2. Grouper - Roy Montgomery/Grouper Split
Grouper is another one of my absolute favorites. She has such an amazing, unique soundscape that she creates, and it’s completely transportive. There’s no telling how many hours I’ve spent with her music playing and laying in bed, or staring out a window. It’s so beautiful. I was a little behind on getting the tracks from this split and I cannot express how gorgeous they are. “Hold the Way” is falling in love. Completely. The mindmelt you experience when you’re completely, utterly falling in love. I want to hear every thing that comes from this woman forever and ever.
3. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
What can I say about Panda Bear. When I first moved to New York I had the opportunity to see Animal Collective play at Tonic, when they were still putting stuff on their faces and wearing masks. I remember feeling like it was some kind of satanic ritual, with all the strange yelps and clapping and weirdness — I had never seen anything like it, coming out of Oklahoma. I continued to follow AC’s every move after that. When seeing them live, I was always struck by PB’s drums/percussion playing — totally full-on amazing. I think I can safely say he owns my favorite singing voice in the world, so when he put out Young Prayer, it was a total gift — beautiful, stripped-down singing, clear as a bell. Then, Person Pitch. PERSON PITCH! I still listen to it regularly. It’s pure magic. No one can touch that record. It is perfect. Totally amazing.
4. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
This is another record that if I had a dollar for every time I’ve listened to it, I could definitely take a trip to Paris tomorrow. The lyrics, the sound, the bitterness, the sadness, the venom — he’s got such a unique sensibility that doesn’t sound like anyone else’s. This record was a soundtrack to many, many moments over the last year. I have to also say that I was also hooked on “Sycamore” and “Our Anniversary” from other albums, sometimes listening to them on repeat for very long periods of time.
5. Animal Collective - "La Rapet"
This one came on shuffle today. I got Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished as a birthday gift many, many moons ago and I remember listening to it the first couple of times and it going completely over my head. Then I kept wanting to listen to it, over and over, exclusively... It sort of did the same thing to me musically that Bjork’s first record did when I was 14 — I just didn’t know sound and construction like that existed. It also (still) seems like another universe, another world that it’s coming from. “La Rapet” is epic. It fully goes from frantic to sorrowful and back again like nothing I’ve ever heard.
6. Arthur Russell - "Losing My Taste for the Night Life"
I love Arthur Russell’s music. This particular song is so amazing. That sad/beautiful thing, and so much so that I literally cannot listen to it sometimes — otherwise I’ll definitely be having the sads pretty quick. I am always amazed at a musician’s ability to use one instrument and their own voice to create something unlike anything else. I wish I could be more like Arthur in every way.
7. Brian Eno - "1/1"
I have to admit I’m still getting to know Eno’s work — and this song definitely resonates with me a ton. Very few pieces of music can totally take you to another place, or allow you to create a world in your mind and stay there for awhile. I love letting my imagination go with this one. It’s so beautiful.
8. New Order - "Age Of Consent"
This one reminds me of high school. New Order has a cool that is hard to come close to. This song sounds kind of angry and badass and sinister — I love it.
9. Washed Out - "Feel It All Around"
This song has been in heavy rotation over the last few months. It’s super lilting and positive and sexy — like being with your lover in Hawaii (I would assume).
10. A Silver Mt. Zion - "13 Angels Standing Guard ‘Round the Side of Your Bed"
The first time I heard this song was in Mister Lonely. I wondered if I was imagining it, the way it fades in and washes over you! I had the heart clenches big time with this one and was seriously resisting the sobs in the theater. So beautiful. I’m pretty sure it’s the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard.
By Dusted Magazine
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