Toumani Diabaté

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Toumani Diabaté: (born Aug. 10, 1965, Bamako, Mali); aka: Toumani Diabate, Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra. Diabeté is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional folk music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles. In a collaboration work with Ali Farka Touré the two made a world-wide appraised album In the Heart of the Moon (2005) with Malian mandé folk music.

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Ali Farka Touré

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Ali Farka Touré: Touré is a multi-instrumentalist but is mainly known for playing the guitar. Ali Farka Touré died in 2006 (from bone cancer) but has released a number of acclaimed albums (including Talking Timbuktu, 1994, as a collaboration with Ry Cooder), and he became known as Africa's blues man or John Lee Hooker of Africa, anyway, a man of the blues. In a collaboration work with Toumani Diabaté, the two made a world-wide appraised album In the Heart of the Moon (2005) with Malian mandé folk music. Interesting music from Mali seems like an endless pot. I'm not saying it's the only interesting country in Africa but it's really amazing how much music has come from Mali, and these two are the exquisite artists of Malian mandé music.

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Chet Baker

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Chet Baker (birth name: Chesney Henry Baker; Dec. 23, 1929 - May 13, 1988), was born in Yale, Oklahoma, USA, and died in Amsterdam, The Netherlands some 58 years later. He's one of my absolute favorite jazz artists alongside Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Billie Holiday, Dexter Gordon, and Stan Getz. He had a highly original style, which was expressed in his brilliant soft and fragile singing voice and the tender melancholic beauty of his horn. Chet lived a hard life with alcohol and drug addiction which considerably shortened his life. He is a one the biggest jazz artists of the 1950s and 1960s, and is perhaps mostly known for his restrained playing style and influence on the foundation of cool jazz, as well as his fragile singing voice. In the 50s and 60s he was a male icon due to his photogenic looks. His trumpet career was boosted when he played with The Gerry Mulligan Quartet feat. Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), Chet Baker (trumpet), Larry Bunker (drums), Carson Smith (bass). In the mid-50s he was promoted alongside Frank Sinatra and also had a film role in 1955 but refused to go further in an acting career. He spent many years travelling and playing in Europe in the '60s. In 1966 he was brutally beaten up in a drug related incident in San Francisco, and from the early 1970s he mostly played and lived in Europe. He ended his life after a fall from a window in Amsterdam - presumably as a result from taking both heroin and cocaine.

Chet Baker at the end of his career, and as a young photogenic star

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The Streets

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The Streets: founded in Birmingham, England, UK, 1994; disbanded in 2011. The name is the project name for Mike Skinner (aka Michael Skinner, birth name) born Nov. 27, 1978, Birmingham, UK (aka Grafiti, The Beats). In its initial state, The Streets was an actual group project formed by Skinner (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers; arranging, composing, mixing) and with Johnny Drum Machine (drums, percussion, orchestration, production), and from the recording states he is the only one to have assisted Skinner on his solo-project throughout all the years, and Kevin Mark Trail (vocals, production, composing, from 1994-2003; 2007-2011). Leo the Lion (vocals, from 2003-2007) was an associate member during the recording of the second and third studio albums. The musical style in the beginning was UK hip hop, grime, and UK garage in a combo with club and dance, and slowly progressed to include more electronic styles (most noticeable on the final albums) always making use of mixing and sampling. Skinner wrote and composed almost all music and the lyrics are often about his own life, its ups and downs, his relationships, and always with a reference to working class England. Before the final album, Skinner proclaimed the end of The Streets after the forthcoming album. He announced that he would continue to make music in some way, and still as of 2011, The D.O.T. was founded as a collaboration project by Skinner and Rob(ert) Harvey (vocalist of The Music), and their studio debut album was released Oct. 2012.

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John Frusciante

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John Frusciante took part in the initial heydays of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1988-92), especially in co-creating the great Blood Sugar Sex Magik double album (1991). As he left the band in '92, everyone saw how incapable the remainders of the band were in created anything of interest while he was gone, which he was in more than one sense. His drug abuse almost sent him to an early grave but luckily he stayed around. After years with heavy drug abuse, he resurrected, and then rejoined the Peppers in '98. He helped them back on track as they soon released Californication (1999), By the Way (2002), and later the double cd Stadium Arcadium (2006) before he left again in 2009, however, the Chilis were very fortunate this time in finding a highly capable substitute in Josh Klinghoffer, Frusciante's close friend. Meanwhile Frusciante's productive creativity also made room for a strong solo career of much more experimental rock nature and singer / songwriter style. Frusciante's music often deals with the more philosophical parts of life: life and death issues, and the conception of contact with a spiritual world. On his most recent albums he has continued the experimental side of rock with electronic and primarily instrumental compositions.

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Kings of Leon

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Kings of Leon is an American quartet founded in Nashville, Tennessee, 1999. The band consists of three brothers and their cousin Matthew - (Anthony) Caleb Followill (b. 1982) lead vocalist & rhythm guitarist, (Cameron) Matthew Followill (b. 1984) on lead guitar & backing vocals, (Michael) Jared Followill (b. 1986) on bass & backing vocals, and (Ivan) Nathan Followill (b. 1979) on drums, percussion & backing vocals.

The band's music was originally a mixture of southern rock, blues rock, and country rock mixed with a certain amount of psychedelic rock, but the music has changed along the way towards clearer pop / rock and an alt. rock style on albums from around 2008 and onwards. As Americans, KOL enjoy greater popularity in Europe than in the US, e.g. the debut album peaked at number #133 on the national albums chart, whereas it peaked at number #3 in the UK (selling more than four times as many albums here), and although the band's second album made a fine entry as number #55 in the US, but again the it landed as a number #3 in Britain. Both their 2008 and 2010 studio albums topped the charts in the UK, as they did in several other countries worldwide, and despite having by now experienced two album releases, which both peaked at number #2 in the US (in 2010 and 2013) - both of these albums topped the charts in Britain as they did in a number of other European countries as well as in Australia - so after six studio albums (as of 2015), the band has yet to achieve the same success in their home country.

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Arctic Monkeys

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Arctic Monkeys: is a British band formed in High Green, Sheffield, England, in 2002. Members: Alex Turner (lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar), Jamie Cook (rhythm & lead guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar, backing vocals), Matt Helders (drums, backing vocals). Former member: Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left shortly after the debut album's release in 2006. The driving force in the band is the lead vocalist, guitarist, as well as its main composer, Alex Turner. From the start, the band was very much in the spotlight, and the debut album became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. They have already won dozens of prizes, and all their albums have peaked at #1 on the British album hit list, and they have all sold "Platinum" or "Gold".

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Kent

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Kent (formed 1990 as Jones & Giftet in Eskilstuna, Södermanlands län, Sweden) is the greatest Nordic pop / rock band around - from the late '90s as well as, and most dominantly, in the new millennium - and they just keep producing new albums with new material that blows you away. What a bless it is! I almost wish I was Swedish….
In '92 they changed name to Havsänglar and in '93 to Kent, which at this point consisted of Joakim Berg on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Sami Sirviö on lead guitar, Martin Roos on rhythm guitar, Martin Sköld on bass & keyboards and Markus Mustonen on drums & backing vocals. Roos left the band after having released the band's first album - after which he became the band's manager.
The first album I listened to with the band was Hagnesta Hill (1999). I didn't pay it much attention.. then. I just thought that the track "Musik Non-Stop" was a Blur rip-off and the rest wasn't really interesting. Then by chance, I listened to Du & jag Döden (2005), and was stunned. I then listened to and bought the former, realising how good it actually is, and then I sort of went backwards, one album at a time. At this point I began to realise how great the band is. Röd (2009) made me conclude they are the best pop / rock band of all Nordic artists.
Band members: Joakim Berg (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Sami Sirviö (lead guitar, keyboards, bass), Markus Mustonen (drums, piano, keyboards, backing vocals), Martin Sköld (bass, keyboards).

EDIT: 2018

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[ Utan: SKITBRA! Fan, det' så jävla grymt, bara! ]

My collection of Kent releases (1995-2016)

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Lisa Ekdahl

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Lisa Ekdahl (born Jul. 29, 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer / songwriter who started as a folk pop singer / songwriter but she has released albums in more traditional pop as well as in the vocal jazz and bossa nova genres. She has become a leading solo performer in Scandinavia with trademark of her high pitched, clear and delicate innocent singing voice.

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The Cardigans

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The Cardigans: is a Swedish band formed in Jönköping, Sweden, 1992. Members: Peter Svensson (aka Anders Peter Svensson, guitar), Magnus Sveningsson (aka Magnus Johan Sveningsson, bass), Bengt Lagerberg (drums), Lars-Olof Johansson (keyboard), and Nina Persson (aka Nina Elisabet Persson, lead vocalist). The band has existed unchanged since its formation in '92. Peter and Magnus were influenced by heavy rock and heavy metal before joining with the other band members. The initial sound, which may be heard on their first three albums, starting off with the debut, Emmerdale (1994), the band played a style with vocal jazz elements and a style close to easy listening with a strong influence from baroque pop of the 1960s, and to what some would refer to as indie pop or twee-pop. Hence, the band progressed into more traditional pop / rock, at first with some britpop inspiration and later shaped with a more country rock, folk rock style, and ultimately on their latest and so far final album, Super Extra Gravity (2005), the sound is pop / rock close to alt. rock / indie pop. The majority of their songs have lyrics written by Nina Persson and music composed by guitarist Peter Svensson. After the band's commercial success with Gran Turismo (1998) they all went on a hiatus. Nina Persson got married, and she formed the project band A Camp together with Niclas Frisk (from Atomic Swing) and her husband Nathan Larson (from Shudder to Think). Bassist Magnus Sveningsson released a solo album under the name of Righteous Boy, and guitarist Peter Svensson formed a collaboration project with Kent vocalist Joakim Berg named Paus (Swedish for Pause or Break, as both Kent and Cardigans were bands contemporary on hold). Most recently, the band played live concerts at various festivals in 2012 and 2013 but no material has officially been under its way.

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Zucchero Fornaciari

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Zucchero: (birthname: Adelmo Fornaciari, [aka Zucchero Fornaciari, aka Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari]; Sep. 25, 1955) was born in Roncocesi, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is perhaps the best selling Italian pop musician to date. His musical career began around 1970 playing with several bands, but it wasn't until he gained national success in 1981 with the band Taxi, as they won Castrocaro music festival. He then played at the biggest Italian music festival, San Remo, the following year, and in 1983 he released his solo album Un po' di Zucchero, which is a collection of poetic Italian blues rock and singer / songwriter ballads and pop / rock songs, styles he has kept to since then. He has released approx. 15 studio albums and has appeared on many more collaboration albums, and from 1990 he has gained international success based on his works with both European and American artists, but he has performed world-wide and has often had famous guest appearances in his live concerts. Many of his original Italian songs have been translated into English, starting with his international hit "Senza una donna" from Blue's (1987), which appears as a duet version with Paul Young on his first international release Zucchero (1990), an album that also includes the song "Wonderful World", originally from Oro incenso & birra (1989), now featuring Eric Clapton on the '90 release. 

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Mellemblond

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Mellemblond is a Danish band (2006?) from Copenhagen. With initial changes the band came to consist of Kristoffer Munck Mortensen (vocals & guitar), Mads Brinch (guitar), Jens Hein (bass), Adrian Aurelius (drums), Silas Tinglef (drums). After 2012 the band name refers to Kristoffer Munck Mortensen's one-man music project with studio aid from many of the former band members. The musical style was initially neo-psychedelic singer / songwriter (the music centered on Kristoffer's lyrics) and blues rock, and some swamp rock, but it has evolved to a more quiet and simple version of the psychedelic style and a more accentuated singer / songwriter profile with lyrics in Danish. I also think that you may hear Steppeulvene - maybe in the nasal vocal of Kristoffer Munck Mortensen resembling that of Eik Skalø, and also somewhat in the swamp-like (Creedence Clearwater?) distorted guitar sound that is mostly heard on the debut album. 

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The Blue Nile

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The Blue Nile is a trio formed in the early 1980s in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Members: Paul Buchanan (vocals, guitar), Robert Bell (bass), Paul Joseph Moore (keyboards). The 3 members formed the band, initially named McIntyre, and actually played for some time without a drummer using drum machines and keyboard effects. Nigel Thomas (drums) has played on all of the band's albums but he doesn't figure on the official band member list and all photos of the band only feature the three forming members. Musically, they play art pop synth pop, and they're known for an original lo-fi style, using few instruments, and also for creating a unique dreamy shape of sound always centered on Buchanan's. lamenting and gentle singing voice. The Blue Nile has only released 4 studio albums over a time span of 20 years. For each album they released, the pause until next album's release, was increased. The first two albums, released on Linn Records were met by very positive reviews by the music press but failed in sales. For the third album, Peace at Last (1996), the band had signed with Warner Bros., but even a major international record label couldn't secure better sales, and is the band's least renowned album. The fourth and most recent album is High (2004) released on Sanctuary Records, which again secured fine reviews but small sales. After the the band's acclaimed second album, they played as studio musicians and guest stars on several other artists' albums, and the trio has remained unchanged in all years. The band's usual drummer, Nigel Thomas, released Public Face, Private Face (2002) as the project band Quiet City featuring vocalist and songwriter Paul Buchanan on three of the tracks, and in 2012 Buchanan released his solo debut album Mid Air. I bought the debut album back in '84, and have been a major fan ever since, always regretting they didn't release more often.
[ official site: thebluenile.org ]

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Tindersticks

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Tindersticks: formed 1992 (Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK); against the traditions of popular music context, the band originally counted 6 members: Stuart A. Staples (vocals, rhythm guitar), David Boulter (keyboards), Dickon Hinchcliffe (violin), Neil Fraser (guitar), Mark Colwill (bass), Al Macaulay (drums).
Before forming Tindersticks several members played in the band Asphalt Ribbons, formed in 1988. Members of AR were: Garry A. Watt (bass), Gaynor Backhouse (cello, trumpet), Rob Howard (guitar, accordion), Stuart A. Staples (vocals), later joined by Neil Fraser (guitar) and David Boulter (keyboards). In 1991 three new members were recruited: John Thompson (bass) and two of the members that should later form (i.e. change its name to) Tindersticks: Dickon Hinchliffe (violin), and Al Macaulay (drums). The band released an ep in 1991 titled Old Horse. Still as Asphalt Ribbons, and shortly before changing the band name, bassist John Thompson was replaced by Mark Colwill, which meant that the two bands basically now had identical line-ups.

Tindersticks is one of my absolute favourite bands. They make music that in an almost disturbing way suits my temper on most occasions. I have followed their progression from the very start, as I bought the debut album upon its release. The only time I've seen the band perform live was back in 1997 when they held a fabulous tight and intimate concert in Copenhagen (with Cornershop as warm-up band!).

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My collection of Tindersticks albums (1993-2012)

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Editors

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Editors was formed in 2002 in Birmingham, England, UK. Members: Tom Smith (aka Thomas Michael Henry Smith [birth name], vocals, guitar, piano), Russell Leetch (bass & synths), Ed Lay (drums & percussion), Chris Urbanowicz (guitar & synths, 2002-12), Justin Lockey (lead guitar, 2012-present), Elliott Williams (keyboards, synths, guitar & backing vocals, 2012-present). Editors was one of many neo-post-punk or post-punk revival bands to emerge in the late 1990s and in the new millennium on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US the dominating artists were Interpol, The Killers, The National, The Rapture and from the UK: Bloc Party, Art Brut, Franz Ferdinand and Editors, the latter being the most recent contributors of the new revival, and as such they have understood to combine the sound of the American style as well as the original British post-punk artists. The band play a distinct post-punk on their first two albums on which you'll find inspiration in the musical universe of the original post-punk bands as well as the earliest revivalists - both in content and form. Later on, the band has progressed into synth pop indie pop as well as alt. rock territory, and the band underwent a major change in line-up in 2012. Tom Smith is the band's lead vocalist, songwriter and dominating front figure, and I first heard of the band when the song "Munich" was played in a national radio program.

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Bloc Party

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Bloc Party: is a British band formed 1999, London, UK. Members: Kele Okereke (vocals, guitar), Russell Lissack (guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass, vocals), Matt Tong (drums). It's not easy to say by a few words what genre this band plays. The band started out in the new retro wave of post-punk but has played with many styles since the debut, including indie rock, indietronica, alternative rock, indie pop, alternative dance, electronic, dream pop, dance-punk, electro house, dance, synth pop. 

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Bob Mould

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Bob Mould (birthname Robert Arthur Mould; Oct. 16, 1960) was born in Malone (New York), USA. Toegther with Grant Hart, he was co-founder of the Minneapolis-based hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü (1979-1987), a trio that progressed to become a highly influential power pop, alt. rock band. Both Hart and Mould launched on solo careers immediately after the split and Mould released a well-received primarily acoustic folk rock, singer / songwriter debut album before setting off with his special trademark of alt. rock, power pop combined with a singer / songwriter tradition. The musical style of Hüsker Dü and both Hart's and Mould's earliest solo works have had an important role and may eventually have kick-started the whole grunge rock movement. In the early 90s he put together a new trio called Sugar (1991-95) under which name the debut album Copper Blue (1992) was released. In a sense it is somewhat hard musically to pin out any noteworthy differences from e.g. Mould's second album Black Sheets of Rain (1990) and that is to say the music he already produced but for the short period of time Sugar was around, the style was always alternative, indie pop, power pop with much less focus on the singer / songwriter element one may attribute Mould's solo works. Under the name Sugar, only two full albums was released and therefore the '94 album, which also became known as F.U.E.L., signalled the end of Sugar. From here on, Bob Mould has only released solo albums, almost in a Neil Young kind of way, always experimenting with new styles and very different productions. He proclaimed his retirement as musician in the late 90s as his sufferings from tinnitus made it more than difficult to stay an active composer of music, and the album The Last Dog and Pony Show (1998) was meant as a final release. However, he returned with brand new material in 2002 as he released his so far most electronic album Modulate. He may have slowed down on the production level but has kept releasing new material ever since. His latest album Silver Age (2012) is a return to the golden days of his best albums and also a return to power pop and alternative rock, and it has been received like one of his major releases from the early 90s. Mould is also co-founder of Reflex Records (founded by Hüsker Dü and Terry Katzman in 1981), Singles Only Label [SOL] (founded by Steve Fallon and Bob Mould in 1988?), and Granary Music [GM] (founded by Bob Mould in 2002) on which he has released his solo albums since.

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The Durutti Column / Vini Reilly

Vini Reilly photographed by Mark Warner (1988)

The Durutti Column / Vini Reilly. The Durutti Column is a project for British guitarist, pianist, and composer Vini Reilly (aka Vincent Gerard Reilly [birth name] born Aug. 4, 1953 in Higher Blackley, Manchester, UK). Vini Reilly has worked with various artists during The DC's lifetime. The formation of the project was initially a band name for drummer Chris Joyce and guitarist Dave Rowbotham in the beginning of 1978. Shortly after (still in Jan.), Vini Reilly, who was by then a former guitarist for a local punk rock band Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds, joined the two. Few weeks later vocalist Phil Rainford and bassist Tony Bowers joined the band, and only four months later Rainford was replaced by a new vocalist, Colin Sharp. The only recordings with this formation is two tracks featuring on A Factory Sample, an ep released Dec. '78 together with Joy Division, John Dowie and Cabaret Voltaire to promote the newly founded Factory Records. Actually, The Durutti Column was the first band to sign with the record label. Still as of '78, the band split with band members leaving to join other bands, and Reilly was then the only member to continue the 'band', which he did, encouraged by manager Tony Wilson, who gave Reilly studio recording time with producer Martin Hannett, which eventually resulted in the debut album The Return of The Durutti Column (1980). The jazz percussionist Bruce Mitchell began working (as drummer and co-manager with Tony Wilson) with Reilly on the project around 1981. Vini Reilly wrote and composed music for the project, and in time, various artists, drummers, percussionists, pianists, etc. have played with Reilly to help releasing new material, and the most persisting collaborator is drummer Bruce Mitchell. The Durutti Column has released about 50 albums (including at least 3 live albums) over the past three decades, some of which have been released as limited rarities, as Reilly has worked in many parts of the world. He has never experienced huge sales or big nominations but he is an internationally respected instrumentalist and composer. The studio debut album was indeed far from what was released at the time, but Reilly was never part of mainstream trends but kept to his original expression. His classical musical background is a foundation that flows in all compositions, and his musical style is mostly of an ambient neo-classical jazz compound. Some critics would claim his compositions are repetitious as well as albums but you could suggest the same thing about Beethoven, Mozart or Philip Glass, all composers he may have more in common with than contemporary modern pop artists, and that may very likely be a reason for his narrow crowd of followers. Personally, Vini Reilly is one of my absolute favourite musicians, and I have collected some 20 albums (so far, including 1 live album) from his hands. They are all original releases and several are true modern masterpieces. He is a musical genius but is most likely not to be recognised as such until... a near future, or after his death. He has stayed with small recording companies and seems like a very shy and private person who could never survive with a stardom he ironically deserves. He was the musical and compositional force behind Morrissey's debut album Viva Hate (1988) but didn't tour with Morrissey and once again he decided to work on his own, as he obviously prefers the quiet and unnoticed life in private.
Unfortunately, his health hasn't been strong - having struggled with anorexia for years - and in 2010 (at 57) he suffered two minor strokes, which caused some numbness in his left hand and the loss of control in his legs. A third stroke followed in 2011, which for some time left him completely unable to play the guitar and has left him declared disabled. [ 2013 article ].

Here's just a few of my favourite albums with The Durutti Column:

(4 / 5) The Return of... (1980) [cd]	(4 / 5) LC (1981) [cd]	(4 / 5) Without Mercy (1984) [vinyl]	(3,5 / 5) The Guitar and Other Machines (1987) [vinyl]	(4 / 5) Vini Reilly (1989) [vinyl]

[ official site: thedurutticolumn.com - biography ]

Laura Marling

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Laura Marling: (aka Laura Beatrice Marling, birth name) born Feb. 1, 1990, born in Eversley, Hampshire, Winchester County, UK. She was a member of the indie pop / rock band Noah and The Whale from 2006-2008. Apparently, she left the band after ending a relationship with front figure, lead vocalist, and songwriter of the band, Charlie Fink. Marling released her solo debut album in 2008, and her musical style is not he same as her former band. Laura plays folk singer / songwriter music in a traditional way with (strong) bonds to American female tradition of singer / songwriter.

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Laurie Anderson

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Laurie Anderson (aka Laura Phillips Anderson, born Jun. 5, 1947 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA) is an American art pop avant-garde and performance artist. Alongside her studio albums releases, she has worked with many other artists (musicians and non-musicians), and released several live albums, and she has also dedicated much of her live performances to the spoken-word genre. She has been honored with prizes for her music and for her musical influence to electronic and art pop music in general. She married Lou Reed in 2008.

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