Brad Mehldau just came up on Yahoo Radio

[cosine]

Next eight-and-a-half minutes will be filled with jazz trio goodness, oh yeah...

[Perd Hapley]

What is this Yahoo radio you guys keep bringing up?

[cosine]

What's that? Huh? What ya asking? *clicks pause*

Oh, now I hear you.

Yahoo Radio. Actually, it's more properly termed Launchcast Radio. It's under Yahoo music, if you have a Yahoo account of some sort you should be able to access it. Basically, it's just another Internet streaming radio program, but it happens to be my favorite. I've explored quite a few, and Yahoo Launchcast Radio seems to have a good assortment of music, plus you can rate music and it bases what it plays around your ratings. Currently I'm up to 848 ratings. You can set up different moods, where it only plays music from that genre, you get a personal "station,' where it remembers what you like, gives you suggestions of what it thinks you might like, or what others who like the same music as you also like...

I've rated an eclectic mix of music, but I like it.

[cosine]

Listening to Johnny Cash right now, oh yeah...

[cosine]

Three Dog Night blasting though my headphones right now, oh yeah...

[cosine]

Tony Rice and his brothers pickin' out some good bluegrass now, oh yeah...

[cosine]

B.B. King now, oh yeah...

FYI, I've set up four moods, Rock, Jazz, Classical, and Bluegrass/Country. I usually listen to Rock and Jazz, but tonight am just listening to my general station, listening to whatever Launchcast pulls up from the genres I've rated.

[Perd Hapley]

I've been on a Yahoo account for a few years now.  I remember fooling around with the "radio" at first, but haven't paid any attention to it since.  I'll give it another try.

It's playing "Sing Theresa, Sing" by Greg Laswell, whoever that may be.  Sounds quite nice.  

I used to listen to all kinds of stuff, (no, really, all kinds - OK, most kinds) but lately I'm almost exclusively talk radio.  For one thing, the CD player in my truck shot craps.  Cheap junk.

[cosine]

Are you listening to a public Yahoo radio station, or your own private station?

[Perd Hapley]

It's a station I set up way back when.  DMX right now!  It's been years.  I've got electronica, rap and blues as my genres.  I should probably remove the rap, since I don't follow that anymore.  A shame to lose any Outkast tunes, though.  I hope they've got some old-timey, folk and/or classic country.

[cosine]

You know, you don't have to wait for them to play something to rate it. If you really like something, and want to start hearing it, search for it, and rate it when it comes up. You can search for individual songs, bands, etc.

[cosine]

Lionel Hampton playing "Giant Steps" now... nice...

[Perd Hapley]

I just looked through all the genres.  They have world music and I am so there.  But they put bluegrass under country, when it should be under folk or world.  Philistines!  They also put classical under easy listening, the clueless schlubs.  Thanks for getting me started up again.

[cosine]

I just looked through all the genres.  They have world music and I am so there.  But they put bluegrass under country, when it should be under folk or world.  Philistines!  They also put classical under easy listening, the clueless schlubs.  Thanks for getting me started up again.

Ha! Those are my only two complaints about them too.


Alison Kraus singing now, very sweet...

[Perd Hapley]

Ah, two Dylan songs, albeit by The Dead (Baby Blue) and Jimmi (Watchtower, natch).  Now if it would just play Dylan himself, the old stuff.  Bring on the revolution, baby!  "He's only a pa-a-a-awn in thairrr game."  

This is quite a nice little station I've put together.

[Perd Hapley]

Alison Kraus singing now, very sweet...

Lucky!  My father-in-law was her guidance counselor, up in Champagne Illinois.  Hey, you know what?  My dad was in a short-lived bluegrass band a few years ago, and got to open for Ralph Stanley at Steelville, MO.  

CCR, right now.  Who'll stop the rain?

[cosine]

Does your dad still play bluegrass?

Charles Mingus playing "Body and Soul" right now, rather nice, being a pianist myself...

[cosine]

BTW, I'm going to have to go through and rate everything you've mentioned is playing on your station, so I can get a listen in on what you like.

[cosine]

Doc Watson! Pick it, Doc!

I'm up to 875 ratings now, I tend to rate stuff rather liberally. I can easily add 100 ratings in a single listening session.

[cosine]

Woody Herman, "Woodchopper's Ball"... foot-tapping swing beat...

[Perd Hapley]

Doc Watson is always worth a listen, and let's hope that's Bill Monroe's "Body and Soul."  High Lonesome, baby!

I should so go to bed, right now.

Thanks for the nice chit-chat.

Oh, yeah, Dad still plays.  Mandolin and guitar.  He's got a banjo but doesn't ever play it.  I should have learned guitar and banjo when I was a kid, but it'll probably never happen now.  Did you know the banjo is African?

[cosine]

Shania Twain playing now... I'm so embarassed... but I do like some of her music...




I should turn in too.

I rather liked the conversation we had in this thread too. Thanks.

[Perd Hapley]

Shania Twain playing now... I'm so embarassed... but I do like some of her music...

You should be embarassed.  

To paraphrase Dave Letterman: This is the only thing on APS right now.

[cosine]

Well, wasn't the banjo a common instrument in the South, especially with their African slave culture? Wouldn't it be natural that those captured for slaves would continue to make and play their indigenous instruments? And then the banjo spread into other musical circumstances. At least that was always my understanding of it, so I may not have my facts straight.

[cosine]

To paraphrase Dave Letterman: This is the only thing on APS right now.

Yeah, well, it's not all bad that this is the only thing on APS right now.