Turn off the radio and listen to some music!

     At one point, record stores and radio used to be the only means by which we could come across new music (or bootlegged casette tapes?).  Now, we're able to get music straight from the artists in the purest forms without meddling from record labels, sponsors, and contractual obligations.  Of course, most of what you'll hear on mainstream radio consists of music following the tried and true "hit" formulas.  The formulas work and make people a lot of money.

     However, sometimes it's nice to listen to something a little different, a bit more edgy.  Experimentations always runs the risk of coming-off as gimmicky, but some of them really do yield something cool.  In this blog post, I've got three YouTube videos that displays music you probably won't hear on the radio (though one of them was featured in a movie).

     First-up, guitar + kalimba.  I'd long thought about doing something like this and even unsuccessfully tried mounting my thumb piano to my guitar.  Well, someone beat me to it, and boy does he do so successfully!

     Second: an unlikely trio of piano, guitar, and ... beatboxing?  How's this for a fusion trio?  If you find the intro a little inaccessible, fast forward about a minute into the video.  Magic.  And how about that ragtime solo?

     Third and finally for today, how about fusing rock/disco beats with Mongolian folk music and throat singing?  You might recognize Altan Urag's music from the movie Mongol.  The fusion of western style composition and drumming with the sounds of eastern folk instruments has been addictive to my ears since I saw the film.

     Have any recommendations of your own?  Let me know!