September 16, 2016 by Doug Warren

Conspirare: Considering Matthew Shepard

Listen to the new choral album Considering Matthew Shepard just released by Conspirare. It was composed and conducted by Craig Hella Johnson as an oratorio that explores the life, death, and legacy about the young gay Wyoming man who was beaten to death in 1998.

New Album

Considering Matthew Shepard (2016) – 33 songs, 1 hr 45 min (2 CDs)

Videos

Here are some videos with songs from their new album.

Cattle, Horses, Sky and Grass – 6 min 53 sec

We Tell Each Other Stories – 4 min 54 sec

For those not familiar with Conspirare, these are videos from a PBS TV special “A Company of Voices: Conspirare in Concert” featuring their 2010 Grammy-nominated album recorded at Dell Hall, Long Center, Austin, Texas in 2008.

Agnus Dei (Samuel Barber) – 5 min 14 sec

Gabriel’s Oboe (Ennio Morricone) – with cellist Bion Tsang – 2 min 54 sec

Let the River Run (Carly Simon) – 2 min 8 sec

Will There Really Be A Morning – 3 min 25 sec

What If (Eric Whitacre) – 3 min 29 sec

I Love You / What a Wonderful World – 3 min 34 sec

Listen to more of his music at my Conspirare post with additional albums, videos, and links. This new album has been included there as well along with an updated playlist.

Photo credit: Considering Matthew Shepard @ Amazon (album cover)

August 26, 2016 by Doug Warren

Ingrid Michaelson

Listen to indie pop music from singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson on her new album It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense.

New Album

It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense (2016) – 10 songs, 35 min

More music by Ingrid Michaelson: albums, videos, and links.

June 18, 2016 by Doug Warren

Joan Baez: 75th Birthday Celebration

Listen to folk music with Joan Baez for her new album 75th Birthday Celebration from a historic performance on January 27, 2016 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The special event honored her legendary 50-plus years in music in an intimate, career-spanning live performance.

She performed alongside fellow artists and friends, including: David Bromberg, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, David Crosby, Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, Damien Rice, Paul Simon, Mavis Staples, Nano Stern and Richard Thompson. She is currently touring Europe this summer and United States in the fall.

Joan Baez: 75th Birthday Celebration (2016) – 21 songs, 1 hr 40 min

Videos

Here are a few videos.

Joan Baez 75th Birthday Celebration – Highlights – 1 min 57 sec

Diamonds & Rust – Duet with Judy Collins – 4 min 50 sec

This album is available from Amazon as either an audio CD or video DVD.

Photo credit: Joan Baez: 75th Birthday Celebration @ Amazon (album cover)

June 17, 2016 by Doug Warren

Judy Collins & Ari Hest: Silver Skies Blue

Listen to these duets by Judy Collins & Ari Hest on their new album Silver Skies Blue. She is a music treasure who has been singing for over 50 years, and still going strong as she even performs more than 100 shows a year at age 77. Ari Hest is a singer-songwriter from the Bronx in New York, who she has been performing with over the past few years, including a SXSW showcase in March. They collaborated on this duet album which includes 11 new songs which they wrote together.

Silver Skies Blue (2016) – 12 songs, 45 min

More music from Judy Collins: albums and videos

May 4, 2016 by Doug Warren

Leon Redbone

Listen to music by Leon Redbone. In 2014 he released a new album Flying By. It was announced in May 2015 that the legendary folk/jazz/roots performer has retired from both public appearances and recording.

Flying By (2014) – 12 songs, 35 min

More music by Leon Redbone: albums, video, and links …

March 26, 2016 by Doug Warren

Loretta Lynn: Full Circle

Listen to country music on the latest album Full Circle just released by music legend Loretta Lynn, her first in over ten years. It combines new songs with old classics, and includes duets with Elvis Costello and Willie Nelson. She was also reunited with Willie Nelson on stage after more than 30 years for a music video, which is included below. She is still the most awarded country recording artist after performing almost 60 years.

Full Circle (2016) – 14 songs, 38 min

Judy Collins: Strangers Again

Listen to these pop vocal duets on the album Strangers Again released last year by legendary folk singer/songwriter Judy Collins who has now performed for over five decades. I used to love listening to her music during the 60’s and 70’s … and still do.

Strangers Again (Deluxe Edition) (2015) – 15 songs, 59 min

Darlene Love: It’s Christmas, Of Course

Here’s a pop vocal album It’s Christmas, Of Course by Darlene Love.

It’s Christmas, Of Course (2014) – 12 songs, 41 min

Watch her final annual appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman after nearly 30 years.

Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (2014) – 4 min 4 sec

Here’s some (non-Christmas) music by Darlene Love. She is a member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the lead singer of The Blossoms, The Crystals, and Bobb B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, as well as background singer for some of most popular records of the 20th century.