If not for the coffee stop today's soundtrack would have been one single track. Clocking in at just a hair under 17 minutes, America the Beautiful (Medley) from Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra would have filled my entire commute. It's the fourth track from the album Not In Our Name, and combines the standard of the song's title with Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Ornette Coleman's, Skies of America. This occasional project-group with different musicians gets called together to express a musically political statement every now and then. This album, released at the height of the recent Bush era and Iraq war, "...is dedicated to creating a better world; a world without war and killing, without poverty and exploitation; a world where men of all governments realize the vital importance of life and strive to protect rather than to destroy. We hope to see a new society of enlightenment and wisdom where creative thought becomes the most dominant force in all people's lives." This particular medley is an amazingly rich and, in places, moving, piece of music. Hearing it today is also a good reminder that just because we have finally shed that president we have yet to outrun his disastrous legacy. Not in our name, indeed.
Bon Jovi's duet with LeAnn Rimes is probably the closest thing on my entire iPod to "new country" and while I don't cotton to that genre of music generally, this is a well executed song with some great classic rock guitar work mid-way through.
The Nil Krogh album is one of those odd happy finds I stumbled across while exploring for new music a couple years ago. Strong ensemble jazz with sultry hip-hop influences, there is a very unique sound to the whole album.
Today's full soundtrack:
- Charlie Haden: America the Beautiful (Medley)
- Bon Jovi & LeAnn Rimes: Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
- Nils Krogh: Things We Do (Jazzy Sport Crew Remix)
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