Active Listener: May 2013

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Podcast 49 - Yearning

I can't believe we're at podcast 49! You better get excited for Podcast 50 because I've got something special planned but, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This podcast has a much different feel that the last few. This collection jumps all over the genre map and I had a hard time figuring out what it was that connected them for me but I knew there was something. Eventually I came upon the word yearning. Initially I was thinking "gray day yearning" but those extra two words really limit the scope of yearning that one can imagine. Yearning does not have to always be a depressed longing. It can also be an aspirational striving. And a million other things. So before I box in your imagination with more word clutter let's just get to the tunes.

Reach out, connect, share your thoughts and recommendations. Whether it's through the blog, or the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com.activelistener), or by email (activelistenerpodcast@gmail.com)) doesn't matter. Just come join the conversation. More the merrier.

Video Links

Phoria - Red (Unofficial Fan Video) (link)

Kenna - Hell Bent (link)

Thanks for listening and don't forget to support the artists,

Aaron

Direct Download Link

Tracklist

1. Migration by Avre Henriksen on Cartography

2. Red by Phoria on Bloodworks

3. Anchors (Instrumental) by Djrum (free download)

4. Reunion by The xx on Coexist

5. Lullabies (Jim-E Stack Remix) by Yuna (free download)

6. Spoken by Hidden Orchestra on Archipelago

7. Hellbent by Kenna on New Sacred Cow

8. The Morning by The Weeknd on Trilogy

9. Jasmine by Jai Paul

1. To get new episodes

- Open your favorite podcast program (Itunes, Downcast, etc...)

- Search for Active Listener

- Select the Active Listener podcast

- Click subscribe

2. To get older episodes (that don't show up in Itunes)

- Head to the podcast website http://activelisteneraaron.blogspot.com

- Use the Blog Archive file tree on the right hand side of the page to locate the episode you want and click the link

- To stream the episode just click the name Podcast xx - ...

- To download, right click (open apple click on a mac) on the name and from the menu that pops up select “Save link as…”

- Choose location and file name and then download

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Podcast 48 - African Strings and Skins

So you were probably expecting a Coachella round up podcast right? Maybe next time. Currently I am still trying not to think about it so I can avoid those painful waves of Coachella awesomeness withdrawal. Basically it was a lot of fun and there was some great music. I will be sure to get to it eventually but after all the SXSW stuff it's time for a non festival related mix and boy do I have something special for you today.

This podcast has some music that is very close to my heart. It is really the roots of my life as a drummer. As most of us do, I live many different lives: podcaster, phd engineer, dad, etc... but drummer is still a very important one. It's much more on the drum set these days (actually practice pad while kids sleep) but originally it was all about the djembe and that is all thanks to Budhi Harlow, my drum teacher in Santa Barbara. Drumming in a west African percussion ensemble opened my eyes and ears to a whole continent of music I hadn't really considered.

This mix is just a taste of what I have found and doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what's out there. Take a listen and be sure to hit me up with your own recommendations on the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/activelistener), on the blog at http://activelisteneraaron.blogspot.com, or even by email at activelistenerpodcast@gmail.com. Reach out. This is all about music discovery.

Videos

- Example of Mamady Keita with traditional drum ensemble (link)

- Ballet National du Senegal recorded by camcorder (link)

- Highlights from a European ballet based on Senegalese ballet (link)

Thanks for listening and don't forget to support the artists,

Aaron

Direct Download Link

Tracklist

1. Olantungi Sun Song by Budhi Harlow on Djembe Classics

2. Sinte by Budhi Harlow on Konkoba: Dance of the Forest

3. Sunu - Diansa by Mamady Keita on Nankama

4. Le Serpent by Guem on Percussions Africanines Pour La Transe