GREAT MUSIC: an out of control iPOD

Sometimes, putting the iPOD on shuffle is a terrific thing.  I have almost 4000 tunes in the iTunes library and it is hard to put them all in appropriate playlists.  Most tunes have been copied from my CDs or LPs.  I have paid about $300 to the artists for new stuff I find on iTunes.  That's about three dinners for two.  I am happy to pay a royalty, I did not steal new material. 

However, tonight, I came across three ENTIRELY UNLRELATED tunes that are worth writing about.  My tastes stray far off the top 40 so you are not expected to be familiar with these artists.  I am not stuck in the 1970s either.  Suffice to say they all have SUBSTANTIAL FOLLOWINGS as they fly under the music radar.

1. Hotel Luna - Suzanne Ciani

She was one of the original artists on Peter Bauman's Private Music label.  Peter Bauman was one of the original membes of TANGERINE DREAM.  Private music was birthed around the time of Windham Hill, in the mid 1980's.  That was around the time when Yanni was their first breakout artist. 

Hotel Luna is a hotel on the island of Capri where Ciani stayed while composing her self-titled CD about her Italian heratige.  We stumbled onto Hotel Luna back in 2004 on a trip to the Amalfi coast.  Brings back fond memories but this is a great tune anyway.  explore Suzanne if you do not know her.  This is a soft, romantic tune.  From the Hotel Luna CD.

2 The Great Debate - Dream Theater

Hmmm.  Progressive Metal Music and STEM CELL RESEARCH. That is the subject of the 12 minute suite.  They debate it in a song.  Many voice overs, this is a song not for the "low information voter."  A rousing tour de force of Dream Theater.  On the Six Degrees of Separation collection.

3. Return To The Realm Of Eternal Renewal - Steve Hackett

Most of you are familiar with Steve Hackett as the lead guitar of early Genesis.  He has been a favorite of this author since the early 1970s.  This piece is an original classical acoustic solo guitar piece.   Wonderful, will put you in quiet contemplative mood.  On the Metamorphosis CD.