heavy use of chordal patterning

Pandora is a site that recommends music based on suggestions (pointed out to me by Matt). But rather than a person-person collaborative filtering approach (e.g. http://www.last.fm/user/tristanf/) it seems to be based on a very detailed genre-based approach.

"Over the past 5 years, we've carefully listened to the songs of over 10,000 different artists - ranging from popular to obscure - and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time.".

So I set it up with John Coltrane and it started playing tracks like those shown below...and, yes, they were pretty 'Trane-like. (Link)

Blue Rose by Donald Harrison because "Based on what you've told us so far, we're playing this track because it features block chords, a piano solo, aggressive drumming, a driving swing feel and a groove oriented approach."

Bye George by Michael Brecker because "it features tenor sax head, aggressive drumming, a groove oriented approach..."

Or starting with Common gave me tracks with "east coast rap influences, R&B influences, a knack for catchy hooks, headnodic beats and use of call & response vocals." Link

I'd love to see the classification system and it would be nice to be able to navigate by this - e.g. show me more tracks with a piano solo and a heavy use of chordal patterning (!). Have a go - but note that after 10 hours of music you have to start paying.

Build An Ark - Peace With Every Step

This has been on my list for a while - I was going to get it from Amazon but it was out of stock so it's my first album purchase from iTunes.

Made by a collective of musicians from LA as an anti-war statement this album includes a range of styles kind of reminding me of Pharoah Sanders and Sun Ra ("Build An Ark" - aaah I get it) and with a singer sounding a lot like Leon Thomas. I particularly like "You've Got To Have Freedom", one of my all time favourite tunes anyway, and a version of "Always There" featuring a great mid-tempo Rhodes riff and band members shouting out to their lost musical heroes - "Billy Higgins", "Eric Dolphy!", "Charlie Mingus!", "For those we've loved who have passed on..."

Also a cover of Equipoise by Stanley Cowell which I've got on the Max Roach album "Members, Don't Git Weary" - really nice tune. Fierce drums on this album BTW.

Build An Ark - Peace With Every Step
Max Roach - Members, Don't Git Weary