Making Music Recomendations

I’m not a DJ.

That sounds like an obvious, almost frivolous thing to say. But, for a lot of musicians I know, the distinction between being a “creator” of music and a mere “selector” of music is an important one. Sometimes it carries with it powerful emotions about the role and prominence that DJs have in popular culture. This distinction also spills over into the how I respond when asked to make music and album recommendations.

I’m fascinated by the way cafes and restaurants select music. From one perspective it makes sense for these establishments to turn to DJs for playlists of popular music. But, I’m not sure a lot of places are doing that great a job of matching their music choices to their vibe, ethos, or brand.

One of of my favourite cafes bucks this trend with a very good and original selection of tracks. Their music doesn’t come from a DJ, but from a proprietor who is a jazz lover and is personally involved in making his own playlists. It’s a bold move and it works – in terms of both aesthetics and marketing.

I’m often asked to suggest albums and artists on a personal level, but I’m frequently hesitant to make recommendations. It’s a self-conscious aversion – my tastes don’t track popular culture but I have no desire to come across as obscurantist or elitist.

However, I also don’t want to be unhelpful either. So, I’ve decided to get off the fence and blog some music recommendations over the next two weeks. I’m not going to claim that these are ”best of” lists in any way at all. In fact, I’ll admit that they are kind of the opposite, really subjective lists from one person’s musical journey (into jazz, funk and world music).

So, if you find this blog interesting, then you may well find an album or two that could take your fancy. By all means, let me know if lists in other genre’s might be helpful in the future.