Dr. Zeus' Favorite Music

This is a little stale, but here you go...

6 and 12 String Guitar, Leo Kottke

A Rainbow in Curved Air, Terry Riley

A Zed and Two Naughts, Michael Nyman

African Head Charge

Alice Coltrane

At the Ryman, Emmylou Harris

Sigh...

Bali

One of the more exciting albums I know.

Bob Dylan

The man's a genius.

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

Brothers and Sisters, The Allman Brothers

CD of JB II, James Brown

Caravanserai, Santana

Dance to the Beat of my Drum, Babatunde Olatunji

"Love: two souls together into cement."

Diga Rhythm Band

Done by the Forces of Nature, Jungle Brothers

Europe '72 & Anthem of the Sun, Grateful Dead

The China/Rider on Europe '72 was once voted "Most Often the Cause of Getting It." My first time with Anthem of the Sun was a beautiful sunny day alone at my brother's house. I was browsing through his record collection and came upon it. I thought, "I wonder what this one's like..." From the instant of that first, thin organ note, I was entranced. I did not move, perhaps even breathe, until the needle picked up again.

Face to Face, Oscar Peterson & Freddie Hubbard

My brother described their version of "All Blues" as "the best massage music I've ever heard." I prefer Music for 18 Musicians.

First Album, ZZ Top

Flute and Gamelan of West Java

One of the more relaxing albums I know.

Garcia, Jerry Garcia

Happy Trails, Quicksilver Messenger Service

Herbie Hancock

John Coltrane

"My Favorite Things" was the first song to get me interested in jazz. I'd been making a random noise tape and caught about 30 seconds of John wailing off the radio on it. Every time I listened to the tape I'd wonder who it was. Then one day I heard it again in a cafe and accosted the cashier. Everything he did was marvelous. I'm especially fond of Crescent and Coltrane.

Koyaanisqatsi, Philip Glass

Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin

Lincoln, They Might Be Giants

A tough choice. I love all their albums so much.

Lynton Kwesi Johnson

Miles Davis

I had to write a review of Kind of Blue for an Introduction to Jazz class. I said that "All Blues" sounded like train trip across the country. It was the first time I got jazz, and it's remained one of my favorite songs. These days I especially like ESP, Nefratiti, and In a Silent Way.

Music for 18 Musicians, Steve Reich

I first heard this at an estate sale for an aging hippie, from whom I got many other exquisite artifacts, too. I'll be forever indebted to this man who was dead the day I met him.

Nocturnes, Chopin

I had to get it after reading Metamagical Themas.

Paul's Boutique, The Beastie Boys

I played this for my sister. "Wow," she said, "that's really post-modern." Knocks my socks off.

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Pharoah Sanders

The Creator likes green eggs and ham.

Rain Parade

It's always a treat to find someone else who likes them. My college girlfriend introduced me to them. Some people like Cat Stevens when they're depressed; I like Rain Parade.

Ravi Shankar

Shut Up'n Play Yer Guitar, Hot Rats & Apostrophe, Frank Zappa

Signs of Life, Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble

Fellow Berkeley High grads amaze me.

Stevie Ray Vaughn

I was sad when he died.

Talkin' Blus, Bob Marley and the Wailers

My friend David actually insists he can understand what Bob is saying between songs.

Talking Heads

So many happy memories...

The Best of the Ventures

The Carl Stalling Project

Makes cartoons in your head.

The Island of Living Puke, Zoogz Rift

This was given to me by my friend Sally. She was working for the UW Daily and they'd gotten it as a promo but couldn't stand it. I now own every album he's ever produced.

The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys, Traffic

The Musical Offering, Bach

And I had to get this after reading Gödel, Escher, Bach.

The White Album, The Beatles

Thelonious Monk

Thick as a Brick, Jethro Tull

I used to listen to this on the (usually late night) drive home from my medium-distance girlfriend's in high school. I had it down perfectly so the tape would end as I pulled into the driveway at home.

This Time We Are Both, Rova

Velvet Underground

Virgin Beauty, Ornette Coleman