There is no greater gift than the gift of music.  I share it with those I love.

So what do Eric Clapton and Jean-Luc Ponty have in common?  Who the hell is Jean-Luc Ponty any way?  Let’s just start by saying that both feature breathtaking guitar solos.

A very dear friend has dedicated a good portion of his life to researching, unearthing and interpreting Spanish and Latin American renaissance and baroque music.  It is quite a treat.  Ethereal sounds transport you to what feels like a bustling court dance, or an aching heart in love, or a reflection on monastic life.

I don’t get new music very often.  Mostly, I buy things that I hear in concert for the first time and I really like.  I used to catch up a little sooner when I listened to the radio, but that’s not one of my usual channels any more.

One day as I was walking to my office, I had this gut wrenching feeling that I had already heard all the music I was ever going to hear in my life.  Since I’m so comfortable in repetition, it occurred to me that I could very well never have the initiative to find something new on my own.

My friend has a vast collection of probably 40,000 records, of which he selected 5,000 as his core listenings, things that should be on any music lover’s bucket list.  In an act of incredible generosity, he shared his list with me.

It took me literally 4 years to go through his core collection.  While I cannot in good faith say that I heard it in full, I did sample every record on the list of 5,000.  Many made it to my collection and in full disclosure to the record industry, I ended up buying everything that I kept.

Among the delicacies I discovered, two stood out prominently: Eric Clapton’s “461 Ocean Boulevard” in its special edition coupled with “Live at Hammersmith”, and Jean-Luc Ponty.  Links to these in the Resource page.

I had heard Clapton of course and admired his rendition of “Tears in Heaven” enormously.  More than once, has brought tears to my eyes.  But “Live at Hammersmith” is just a masterpiece.  He’s obviously not the greatest singer in the world but he transmits feeling from the bottom of his soul like very few do.  What a delicious pairing with Yvonne Elliman’s voice.  Can’t say which of the songs is my favorite.  To start it all, “Smile” is such a simple heart warming song, brings a little light to my heart every time; and then the “Let it Rain” end has transported me to the point of almost losing my stop on my train more than once.  That’s what I like to describe as musical orgasm.

I love clean, distinguishable, traceable musical sounds.  It’s all too common for guitars to jumble up in raw power.  Clapton and George Terry do a superb job of letting every note come out just right, singing to each other, harmonizing, respecting each other’s flow.  I could not stop listening to this for weeks last year.

And then there’s Jean-Luc Ponty.  Had never heard of him until my friend’s introduction.  What incredible sound and energy.  Perfect for a morning wake-me-up.  What a fabulous way to extract new life from a violin.  And how masterfully combined with modern sounds.  What guitar riffs on “Is Once Enough” from the “Aurora” album.

Ponty’s music has its delightful atonal stretches.  Key transpositions in just the right places to make you say “huh?” but then smile because it sounded just right, like the start of the violin solo in “Infinite Pursuit”  from the “Fables” album.

Ponty has become quite popular at home.  My little one has a very eclectic taste and approves of jazz selections often while my older one is too engrossed in mainstream.  But Ponty will make both of them move and shake.

Thank you my dear friend for your beautiful gift to last a lifetime.