//  The composite results of our Top Ten survey are in.  - MF

From: Robert Pugsley (rmp6@leicester.ac.uk)
Subject: THE 1997 NANCINET TOP TEN!!!

Hello and thanks to everyone who sent there lists in,

A few quick facts...

257 albums (and 2 EPs) were recommended
The longest list was David Grants at 4.5 pages!
The most mentioned album of 1996 was Lucy Kaplansky "Flesh & Bones"
The "It's Not Her Best Album But..." goes to Nanci Griffith "Blue Roses From The
 Moon"
A Special Poetmuse Award Lucy Kaplansky and Mary Chapin Carpenter (because she 
said so :-))

Here is is the Top Ten...

1) Nanci Griffith - Blue Roses From The Moon (twice as many votes as Dar)
2) Dar Williams - End of the Summer (again, it's not her best album but...)
3=)  Steve Earle - El Corazon (2nd most mentioned as "Best Album of the Year")
3=) Tom Russell - Long Way Around (by virtue of new tracks/production)
4=) Kate Campbell - Moonpie Dreams
4=) Alison Krauss and Union Station - So Long, So Wrong
5) Kim Richey - Bitter Sweet
6) Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing (most mentioned as "Best Album of the Year")
7=) Kathy Mattea - Love Travels (most mentioned as "I didn't think I'd like this
 album but...")
7=) Van Morrison - The Healing Game

The results are a bit dubious, as NG's album got loads of mentions but almost al
ways
with the rejoinder "It's not her best but...", so is this the best album of the 
year? I doubt it...anyway everyone knows Kate Campbells is the best..... ;-)

OK, and here's the next ten...er...eleven

8=) Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind (Most mentioned as "A Return to Form...)
8=) Guy Clark - Keepers 
8=) Richard Shindell - Reunion Hill
9=) Robert Earl Keen - Picnic
9=) Patty Larkin - Perishable Fruit (Emily will be pleased...)
10=) Matraca Berg - Sunday Morning to Saturday Night
10=) John Prine - Live on Tour
10=) Bruce Robison - Wrapped
10=) James Taylor - Hourglass
11=) Mary Black -Shine (also most mentioned as "Biggest Disappointment...three t
imes!)
11= ) Paul Simon - Songs From The Capeman (only "Musical" entry!)

COMPILATIONS AND REISSUES

Only three compilations made it past one mention...

1) Various Artists - The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers (as a "new" album it would have
 been 9=)
2)  Tish Hinojosa - The Best of the Sandia
3) Lauro Nyro - Stoned Soul Picnic - The Best of...


Final leg...

Best back-handed compliment, Stephen Zeoli, who said "...and
finally Stevie Nicks sounds like an adult..."

Special mentions to Tish Hinojosa "Sonar Del Labertino" and Townes Van
Zandt "Rear View Mirror"...both got a lot of "mentions in passing".

I think the list shows that although we're a pretty diverse group, we
still know what we like, i.e. singer/songwriters with an edge (mostly).
It's also pretty evenly divided men/women - as it should be!
...and we're always prepared to give artists another listen, Dylan, 
Morrison, Earle, Taylor, Simon and Mattea for instance...and finally
we want to hear new stuff...like...now!

Honourable mentions go to Sarah Hickman, Cliff Eberhandt, The Sundays,
The Wallflowers, The Burns Sisters, Son Volt, Maura O'Connell, The Millers
(Julie and Buddy), The Indigo Girls, Patty Loveless and Jim White, all who just
narrowly missed the top slots...

And the winner of the prize draw, made by my lovely assistant Delores is...

Kathie Bargiel, congratulations, pick one of the top 10 you haven't got and I'll
send it over (oh, and I'll need a postal address!)...

Be cool yule, best wishes

Robert "so that's how many for the Goose Greek Symphony?" Pugsley

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From: Mike Baker (dancingmike@erols.com)                          
Subject: top ten -- late again!                                      

Hi Netters!

Well, at least I was sick this year! I was just plain late last year.

I have much of the same music that's already been discussed, so I'll
only wax eloquent about a few not previously mentioned.

I had several favorites this year. I'll save the one that has my heart
for last.

Tied for # 1 are three albums -- I'll count them as one because they're
a common project. Actually, I only have two of them, but based on those
I have the third HAS to be as good.

Ry Cooder -- "Buena Vista Social Club"
Afro-Cuban All-Stars (led by Ruben Gonzales) -- "A Todo Cuba le Gusta"
Ruben Gonzales -- "Introducing..."  (I don't have this one -- yet)

These were all recorded in Cuba by extraordinary musicians we've never
heard because every politician in America is afraid to lose Florida in
an election. Ry Cooder was the catalyst for the gathering of these
musicians and, as usual, he defers to "the masters". The albums show us
what we've been missing by isolating this country with such a great
musical heritage. I get "chicken skin" (for all you Ry Cooder fans)
whenever I hear these albums.

#2 Jimmie Rodgers Tribute -- not enough yodelling!!! That's not a
strong    complaint. This is a really fine album. I never would have
thought a    tribute album would be so high on my list two years in a
row -- last
   years' Bill Monroe tribute, "True Life Blues". I listen to this all
   the time.

#3 "John Prine On Tour". A year with a new John Prine album is,
by        definition, a good year.

#4 Jay Ungar/Molly Mason -- "Lover's Waltz". A beautiful album by two
of    the greatest folk musicians in America.

#5 Van Morrison -- "The Healing Game".

#6 Delbert McClinton -- "One of the Fortunate Few". Finally, a new
record by one of the best roadhouse blues singers anywhere. Loaded
   with great duets.

#7 The Mollys -- "Hat Trick". Keep an eye out for this Tex-Mex/Irish/
   Western/Polka band. They're one of the best shows I saw this year.
   They're loaded with energy and you'll polka your feet off! They have
   a web page -- http://www.azstarnet.com/~sorenso/.

#8 BeauSoleil -- "L'Amour ou La Foile". Michael Doucet keeps adding
new    elements to Cajun music and it just keeps getting better. If
you've
   never seen him play, hold your hats. He might just be the best
fiddle    player in the world.

#9 Laurie Lewis -- "Earth and Sky". This one has lots of her older
music    along with a few new ones. She does her "Texas Bluebonnets" for
all yew Texans.

#1AAA+++ A wonderful singer named Eva Cassidy -- "Eva by Heart".

Eva was for years a big favorite here in the Washington, DC area. She
was often courted by record companies, but she wouldn't pick a style and
go with it. Her guitar work supported her folk side, and her voice
bounced easily between pop and jazz. That last one is where I liked her
best. She only did two albums, along with winning the DC WAMMIEs many
times. Then we lost her to an especially aggressive form of cancer. This
last album was organized by her long-time producer, Chris Biondo. I have
yet to make it through the album's last song, " How Can I Keep From
Singing?" without reaching for a tissue -- just like I'm doing right
now. The album is on Liason Records 110296-2 (410)880-6111. I'll trade
tapes with anyone who wants to hear it. I imagine it will be hard to
find away from the DC area.

There were other good albums this year, but they just didn't make that
"Top 10". Solas and Natalie MacMaster both had fine new Celtic
recordings, and I haven't heard Sharon Shannon's yet. Maybe it would
have pushed out Laurie Lewis. Holly Cole, another favorite of mine, did
"Dark, Dear Heart" without the trio, and a bit more to the pop side. A
fine effort, but I thought she lost a bit of her edge without her trio.

Thank you, NanciNet, for telling me about Bill and Bonnie Hearns. I love
the album! And there were several good live albums, along with John
Prine's. The Subdudes just kept getting better, but not good enough, as
they disbanded with the live album as a swan song. I enjoyed Bernadette
Peters concert and the hot Zydeco of Nathan Williams, "Nathan and the
Zydeco Cha-Chas Live at Rock 'n' Bowl". If you ever get to New Orleans,
Rock 'n' Bowl is a don't-miss club. Where else can you bowl and dance to
Zydeco music? Asleep at the Wheel did a fine live album AND a real good
Christmas album, too. My favorite Christmas album was "Window Shopper's
Christmas" by 5 Chinese Brothers. What a hoot!

I'm always impressed by the range of music shown in the annual "Top 10"
lists. And I thought my taste was eclectic! The two albums that I was
really surprised to see were The Mollys "Hat Trick" and Bernadette
Peters Concert at Carnagie Hall. You guys are great!

Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too.


HOHOHO

Mike Baker
dancingmike@erols.com
 
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