Director's Cuts

October 22, 2000

Music on the Net
As per Ned's tips on trolling the Internet for music, you'll need either the RealPlayer or the Windows Media Player in order to listen to audio.

Sites to Surf:

• CDNOW - has high-quality MPEG (mp3) samples as well as RealAudio
• amazon.com - the mega-retailer everyone knows, RealAudio samples only
• GoGaGa Internet Radio - check out the freeform channel
• Internet Underground Music Archive - one of the first music sites on the 'Net, the place to check out unsigned bands. Cool Radio Iuma pop-up radio will play a continuous music stream or allow you to skip ahead to the next selection
• WFMU - terrific freeform station in New Jersey
• KCRW - Santa Monica NPR station. Check out Morning Becomes Eclectic Monday-Fridays.
• All Songs Considered - NPR's web-only music program, hosted by All Things Considered director Bob Boilen. Very nice RealPlayer multimedia presentation.

Life after Phish
Now that the popular improv band Phish has disbanded (or at least gone on sabbatical), here are other "jam bands" worth checking out (a tip o' the director's beret to NPR resident Phishhead Molly Peterson for helping compile this list!):

•  String Cheese Incident - bluegrass-influenced
• Galactic and Medeski Martin & Wood - funk-inspired
• Lake Trout - cool techno grooves
• Rusted Root - one for the "miscellaneous" column
Jam Band links:
• JamBase
• Jambands.com

Ned's other picks of the new and the noteworthy
• Erin McKeown - striking cd debut by young vocalist who writes in folk, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles
• R. L. Burnside - modern djs and producers add an eerie sheen to the sound of this Delta blues legend
• Michael McGoldrick - modern music meets ancient Irish on this solo cd from Capercaille pipe and whistle player
• Capercaillie - Lovely modern Celtic music, featuring vocalist Karen Matheson
• Milladoiro - ancient Celtic roots are evident in music from this group from the Spanish provice of Galicia


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