Gonzales - Solo Piano c/d

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I can't find a specific thread on this so here we are. I'm listening to this at work at the moment and it's an absolute joy, particularly as we have a crazy blustery day outside with intermittent squals of more snow than I have seen in Edinburgh for a bloody long time.

My only reservation is that I know nothing about this type of music. It does sound very much like terrible lounge piano music but, I think, somehow rises above that without losing too much schmaltz. As I don't have any references, I can't make a proper judgement. So, in context, is this really that good? What else is there around that's like this that's good and that I can compare it to?

hmmm (hmmm), Wednesday, 23 February 2005 16:04 (nineteen years ago) link

if you like it, why not just keep that feeling alive?

At least until winters over!

Back in the day I would have done a search for the original artist on all music guide .com and followed some of the 'similar artists' links, downloaded an mp3 or two. Those days are sadly gone now :/ MP3.com is alright as a stand-in though.

(last time I checked in AMG didn't crash anymore but still took almost 5 minutes to load the front page. Fuhgettaboutit).

'

itchy bits (itchy bits), Wednesday, 23 February 2005 20:02 (nineteen years ago) link

i'm pretty sure that most of the pieces on that album are inspired by eric satie. if you don't know his work you should certainly check it out... particularly all of the gnossiennes and gymnopoedies (sp?)... i prefer the sad stuff to the silly stuff with him, but it's all pretty good.
as far as the gonzales record though i only wish it had been played on a real piano.

firstworldman (firstworldman), Wednesday, 23 February 2005 20:15 (nineteen years ago) link

i quite like it, again knowing nought about this kind of music.
it does sound quite samey though, what with only the piano and the one hand doing chords and the other melody. but i guess that's kinda the point.

what is it played on if it's not real piano?

glenny g2003 (glenny g2003), Thursday, 24 February 2005 01:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Fake piano.

I like it too. And I hated his previous records.

Jacob (Jacob), Thursday, 24 February 2005 01:24 (nineteen years ago) link

ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!

One of the best albums of 2004.

Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 24 February 2005 04:05 (nineteen years ago) link

I would have done a search for the original artist

I really hate doing things like that I'm afraid. I always end up wading through piles of stuff I hate and that's similar in only a very superficial way.

I've been meaning to check Satie for a while so I will now do so. Ta

hmmm (hmmm), Thursday, 24 February 2005 11:03 (nineteen years ago) link

I just checked Gonzales on allmusic and it says his real name is Sasha Baron Cohen, which is the same as Ali G's creator. Can't be that common a name can it?

Nick H (Nick H), Thursday, 24 February 2005 23:29 (nineteen years ago) link

His real name is Jason Beck.

kit brash (kit brash), Saturday, 26 February 2005 10:23 (nineteen years ago) link

The Uncut review of this made it sound absolutely terrible. And Uncut gave it three stars.

Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 26 February 2005 19:29 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...
this is lovely.

s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 16 April 2005 20:00 (nineteen years ago) link

Does anyone know what this was recorded on, then? If it's "fake" piano, what's that constant wheezing and soft banging? I assumed it was his pedals.

This was shock of the year, for me - I loathed Gonzales until I heard this. (The Candian Fatboy Slim no more). It's beautiful.

I agree about Satie, mixed in with a lot of Chopin's quieter moments and a fair bit of Gershwin and even Vince Guaraldi. It's admirably restrained, too.

Huey (Huey), Monday, 25 April 2005 13:25 (eighteen years ago) link

yeah, unless there have been some serious badass MIDI/sound processing advances in making something sound like a beat-ass old upright piano, this is certainly "real." Unless you meant not "real" as in not a baby concert grand or something

b'angelo, Monday, 25 April 2005 20:40 (eighteen years ago) link

seven months pass...
I thought this came out in 2005 and I put it at #4 in my top ten at work.

I can't speak for everyone, but this album was like a breath of fresh air for me. Beautiful and simple. Satie and Chopin have pieces like this , but every CD I hear of theirs is intersperesed with "frolic-y" uptempo pieces that I don't really care for. Any other suggestions in this vein?

Really quite lovely, though. Everyone should check this out.

fizzcaraldo (Justin M), Saturday, 17 December 2005 09:16 (eighteen years ago) link

schumann's kinderszenen maybe, but they are slightly more romantic i'd think. keith jarrett occasionally plays like this though usually his style is less understated. i'd recommend sun bear concerts (10 lps) but köln concert is probably the one to start with. someone else who makes similar music is pascal comelade. he often plays a toy piano, very simple and naive sounding pieces. i quite like september song with robert wyatt. a last name I can drop in is george winston and his season albums on wyndham hill. maybe a little too pop and new age or something but i used to like him in the early eighties.

alex in mainhattan (alex63), Saturday, 17 December 2005 10:57 (eighteen years ago) link

sorry, george winston's record label is spelled windham hill, i think.

alex in mainhattan (alex63), Saturday, 17 December 2005 10:59 (eighteen years ago) link

i should also have mentioned harold budd's plateaux of mirror (with eno) here. it does not sound so much as classic piano, it has this wooly reverbing sound. the atmosphere is very calm as well. it's more of an otherworldly album than these slightly conventional impressionist pieces by gonzalez.

alex in mainhattan (alex63), Saturday, 17 December 2005 11:19 (eighteen years ago) link

if you ever get the chance to see g. do this live, GO.

s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 17 December 2005 18:01 (eighteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...
Back to Gonzalez - I've just discovered this album, and am really keen to play it on my own piano. It was mentioned that the sheet music would be available on his website, but I've never been able to access the site (www.gonzalezpiano.com). Has anyone been to the site, or know where to get the sheet music?

Hannah Bullock, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:22 (eighteen years ago) link

along this vein, which i no doubt upped elsewhere, is the Goldmund disc on Type called Corduroy Road. assauged the lobes on many a gray morning most of 2005.

imbidimts, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Unfortunately, his website (www.gonzalespiano.com) went offline and the only sheet music that surfaced was for "Gogol". It's a real drag, because I would've loved to learn how to play "Salon Salloon."

Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 02:01 (eighteen years ago) link

if you ever get the chance to see g. do this live, GO.

-- s1ocki (slytus...), December 17th, 2005 1:01 PM. (slutsky)

(repeated for emphasis)

s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 02:04 (eighteen years ago) link

This made my 2005 top ten and was obsessively played for months.
Yes, it's poppish Satie. Yes, it's quite nice.
He was supposed to play at the pub and it fell through (insert frowny face here).

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 02:07 (eighteen years ago) link

This was easily my most played album of 2005 and also my most bought. I got three copies for friends and family

Baaderonixx, born again in Xixax (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 09:06 (eighteen years ago) link

If you like the Gonzales album, you should make it your goal to search out the Thaddi Hermann mixtape from Boomkat.com. It's a GEM!

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=17579

Leeroy, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 20:12 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

Working together! DANANANANAA

Tape Store, Saturday, 12 April 2008 04:40 (sixteen years ago) link

?

baaderonixx, Saturday, 12 April 2008 07:28 (sixteen years ago) link

New song, from the new album Soft Power. I just so happen to have a copy that fell into my lap somehow:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/104167104304c721/

Telephone thing, Saturday, 12 April 2008 07:48 (sixteen years ago) link

Hmmm, sounds like Zappa

baaderonixx, Saturday, 12 April 2008 08:00 (sixteen years ago) link

How's the rest of the album?

baaderonixx, Sunday, 13 April 2008 08:16 (sixteen years ago) link

don't know, but working together (+ the awesome video) rocksssssssssss. one of the best singles of the year.

Tape Store, Sunday, 13 April 2008 20:01 (sixteen years ago) link

So it turns out this album has been out for quite a while already

baaderonixx, Monday, 14 April 2008 14:15 (sixteen years ago) link

douchechill!

s1ocki, Monday, 14 April 2008 14:58 (sixteen years ago) link

So it turns out this album has been out for quite a while already

eh?

Also:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2414/2412962163_30c5295cd3.jpg

James Mitchell, Monday, 14 April 2008 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link

Downloading now, yay.

forksclovetofu, Monday, 14 April 2008 21:14 (sixteen years ago) link

This is ... interesting

baaderonixx, Tuesday, 15 April 2008 07:58 (sixteen years ago) link

four weeks pass...

C'est un album magnifique.

I keep mashing up "Let's Ride" in my head with LCD Soundsystem's "Someone Great".

James Mitchell, Wednesday, 14 May 2008 20:26 (fifteen years ago) link

"Unrequited Love" is pretty fantastic. This album should receive more attention

baaderonixx, Wednesday, 14 May 2008 21:18 (fifteen years ago) link

Not liking the new one.

forksclovetofu, Wednesday, 14 May 2008 21:30 (fifteen years ago) link

four weeks pass...

EVERYTHING THIS GUY DOES IS SOLID DIAMOND

Noodle Vague, Friday, 13 June 2008 08:00 (fifteen years ago) link

This album will make more sense on summer trips on small european roads

baaderonixx, Friday, 13 June 2008 09:02 (fifteen years ago) link

one month passes...

Wanna impress a friend...burn em this CD...they're love it...unless they don't...

sonnyboy, Thursday, 7 August 2008 21:19 (fifteen years ago) link

Still would absolutely LOVE to learn how to play "Salon Salloon."

Mr. Snrub, Friday, 8 August 2008 03:03 (fifteen years ago) link

The new one is basically an updated version of Joe Jackson's 'Night & Day'

baaderonixx, Friday, 8 August 2008 07:47 (fifteen years ago) link

The new one would rule if anything else was as good as Working Together. I gotta get around to ripping it without all those bonus tracks though.

energy flash gordon, Saturday, 9 August 2008 07:40 (fifteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

^^ did this – it’s basically a B-minus Billy Joel album after the first track.

energy flash gordon, Wednesday, 27 August 2008 06:40 (fifteen years ago) link

four months pass...

Whilst I agree that the album is patch solid diamond, I have to say that "Working Together" is only the 2nd best track because THIS:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54222497ec058e6c/

is probably the greatest single track anybody put out last year.

"Two Ears" Laybelle (Noodle Vague), Friday, 16 January 2009 14:29 (fifteen years ago) link

PAtch = patchy

"Two Ears" Laybelle (Noodle Vague), Friday, 16 January 2009 14:30 (fifteen years ago) link

Yeah 'Unrequited Love' is the only thing I can remember from this album (besides 'Working Together' obv)

baaderonixx, Friday, 16 January 2009 14:38 (fifteen years ago) link

The middle 8-y/inter-verse "Can't sleep and ya/Can't breathe and ya..." is incredible.

"Two Ears" Laybelle (Noodle Vague), Friday, 16 January 2009 14:41 (fifteen years ago) link

there was a little party at the end, lots of cheering and streamers and stuff... i don't know what the last tune was, but it was really great. xp yes he had a little pause every three hours or so apparently!

william snakespeare (braveclub), Monday, 18 May 2009 14:41 (fourteen years ago) link

i'm sad i missed this. :(

Roz, Monday, 18 May 2009 14:43 (fourteen years ago) link

can someone make an animated gif of the whole thing

s1ocki, Monday, 18 May 2009 14:46 (fourteen years ago) link

just woke up, very hard to get to sleep. experienced hallucinations onstage, couldn't recognize people i knew in the backstage. wrist pain

http://twitter.com/chillygonzales/status/1834534048

James Mitchell, Monday, 18 May 2009 15:00 (fourteen years ago) link

two months pass...

Anyone else bought 'The Works'? Two CDs of the 'greatest hits' from the 27 hour show.

For sale on iTunes and Amazon, etc.

James Mitchell, Friday, 31 July 2009 13:49 (fourteen years ago) link

no way

dim sum dude (s1ocki), Friday, 31 July 2009 14:04 (fourteen years ago) link

whaaaaaat?!

Gigolo Grasiento (baaderonixx), Friday, 31 July 2009 14:30 (fourteen years ago) link

http://www.amazon.com/Guinness-World-Record-Works/dp/B002HFM3Z6

Includes covers of Careless Whisper, When Doves Cry and Eye of the Tiger

Gigolo Grasiento (baaderonixx), Friday, 31 July 2009 14:34 (fourteen years ago) link

The cover of Jamie Lidell's "Multiply" is just fucking incredible.

Amazing how much of this I remember from the performance two months ago.

James Mitchell, Friday, 31 July 2009 23:13 (fourteen years ago) link

On dis ting no hype.

Calamari Merkin (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 1 August 2009 13:13 (fourteen years ago) link

No actual CD for this "Two CDs"? :(

King Boy Banton Pato (sic), Sunday, 2 August 2009 02:23 (fourteen years ago) link

Think it is download only, yeah.

James Mitchell, Sunday, 2 August 2009 23:26 (fourteen years ago) link

^ SBed

King Boy Banton Pato (sic), Monday, 3 August 2009 05:41 (fourteen years ago) link

the opener off solo piano was soundtracking sports tonight clips last night, trufax

"woah man, flügelhorn" (haitch), Monday, 3 August 2009 06:12 (fourteen years ago) link

one month passes...

oh man ANDREW WK AND GONZO PIANO DUEL IN NYC NEXT FRIDAY

Young Scott Young (sic), Saturday, 19 September 2009 12:19 (fourteen years ago) link

after hearing his piano "cover" of Waves, my money is on Chilly.

girls just wanna have mixtapes (Masonic Boom), Monday, 21 September 2009 11:16 (fourteen years ago) link

Has it been officially released yet? Or is it just on Errol's 6music mix thing?

James Mitchell, Monday, 21 September 2009 11:43 (fourteen years ago) link

Just on the 6mix for now, but he said it was coming out (on 10" vinyl no less! curse that man for getting me back into buying vinyl) on Boys Noize records in, erm, November, I think?

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it's a lot better than I was expecting.

girls just wanna have mixtapes (Masonic Boom), Monday, 21 September 2009 11:45 (fourteen years ago) link

hey i see that 'solo piano: deluxe edition' has popped up at juno today with a DVD of videos, concert footage and the like. i can finally retire the old mp3s of this!

surge gainsbourg protector (haitch), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 01:39 (fourteen years ago) link

Yawn. Call me back when they release a super awesome deluxe version of the Solo Piano sheet music book with "Salon Saloon" on it.

Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 01:56 (fourteen years ago) link

AWK vs Chilly pt 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBIscATqAwk

edwardo notuomo (sic), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 02:03 (fourteen years ago) link

He's not a young man anymore, and this could be his last chance.

Playing a residency at La Pigalle in London starting November 4th with Jarvis Cocker.

http://vimeo.com/6898262

James Mitchell, Saturday, 10 October 2009 05:57 (fourteen years ago) link

Now with added Youtubes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeouuK42_PA

James Mitchell, Tuesday, 13 October 2009 13:05 (fourteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

He smashed a guitar! HE SMASHED A GUITAR AND IT WAS FUNNY!

New song with Jarvis and a free record for every table.

Also plays the piano with his feet whilst standing on it.

James Mitchell, Thursday, 5 November 2009 03:01 (fourteen years ago) link

one month passes...

Hi guys. I've fell in love with overnight. I NEED to play it on the piano,
has anyone got any suggestions? I'm not that advanced to read sheet music yet,
but would love to strum some of his his chords and melodies.....help

origin1979, Tuesday, 29 December 2009 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I FEEL ABOUT SALON SALOON.

Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 30 December 2009 04:37 (fourteen years ago) link

Yeah Salon Saloon is lovely, Mr. Snrub

Salvador Dali Parton (Turangalila), Wednesday, 30 December 2009 04:42 (fourteen years ago) link

this might help you out.

Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 30 December 2009 04:57 (fourteen years ago) link

one month passes...

Really looking forward to 'Ivory Tower'.

James Mitchell, Friday, 19 February 2010 12:06 (fourteen years ago) link

What is the song being played between "Touch It" "Dangerous" and "A Milli"? According to the tracklist it's "Vocal Chords" by Claude Vonstroke, but that's bullshit.

Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 23 February 2010 23:19 (fourteen years ago) link

one month passes...

'Never Stop', a song off Ivory Tower, is on the Boyz Noise Myspace page. It's, err, understated.

James Mitchell, Wednesday, 7 April 2010 21:21 (fourteen years ago) link

two months pass...

Restating this as genius:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANEBm7Ex1jw

Everyone says they will not first turn
In France we are cheaters - is wrong
Never mind me I got our message of love
it comes straight from our hearts
Because we do not care that you typed whores
The most important thing is that you mark for goals!

James Mitchell, Thursday, 17 June 2010 08:57 (thirteen years ago) link

haha love google trans.

lyrics are

Everybod'ys saying we won't get past the first round
that in france we're all cheaters
that's bad
but it doesn't matter - i got our message of love
that comes straight from our hearts
we don't give a damn that you're screwing whores
cuz the most important is that you score goals

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:39 (thirteen years ago) link

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk_rOFTSHQ4

Boysnoize Records proudly presents CHILLY GONZALES’ latest stunt “I AM EUROPE”, lead-single to the highly anticipated album IVORY TOWER (produced by BOYS NOIZE) which will be released worlwide in August through CHILLY GONZO´s own imprint GENTLE THREAT.

I AM EUROPE is not only a lyrical genius, it sends you on a disco – ride, building up and breaking down to finally echo the great entertainer´s mind about “Europe”, a “Toilet with no seat, flushing tradition down”.

http://www.boysnoize.com/blog/?p=2359

James Mitchell, Sunday, 25 July 2010 10:11 (thirteen years ago) link

is the chess movie going to come on a DVD with the album, or do they actually have some Canadian/French releases or TV screenings lined up?

Has admitted to being awesome in order to have sex (sic), Sunday, 25 July 2010 13:05 (thirteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

On the new iPad advert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpo__xhTSv8

James Mitchell, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 14:10 (thirteen years ago) link

one year passes...

So volume II coming out this summer - really looking forward to it!
http://vimeo.com/41982255#

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 21 June 2012 08:51 (eleven years ago) link

good news, the original is one of my favourite mood-pieces

Mexès Coleslaw Massacre (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 21 June 2012 09:06 (eleven years ago) link

indeed - if I knew how to, I'd probably be able to whistle the entirety of that album.

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 21 June 2012 09:32 (eleven years ago) link

I'm also excited for this. Chilly Gonzales is so cool.

bamcquern, Thursday, 21 June 2012 11:23 (eleven years ago) link

Lovely lovely album...makes you wonder why he hid his Light under a bushel for so long...

The Pastiche Liberation Front (sonnyboy), Thursday, 21 June 2012 11:40 (eleven years ago) link

Sure did! Unfortunately, I suck!

Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 21 June 2012 21:40 (eleven years ago) link

two months pass...

anyone got this yet? few listens in and i think it's fantastic.

Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Thursday, 30 August 2012 12:43 (eleven years ago) link

so this is out? totally forgot about - might pick it up tonight

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 30 August 2012 13:17 (eleven years ago) link

came out in London weeks ago in a Rough Trade exlusive with a bonus 15 mins or so of piano improv, annoyingly

itt: i forgot that he yells at a butt (sic), Thursday, 30 August 2012 14:52 (eleven years ago) link

not being super familiar with most of this guy's work, I checked out the trailer for the new piano album, and have to admit I don't see how to take him seriously. the music is imo pretty tedious, and his expressions, all the sweating...looks like send-up of a "serious artist", and not a funny one. in fact, it's eerie to me that he seems so popular. I don't get it

Dominique, Thursday, 30 August 2012 15:43 (eleven years ago) link

one month passes...

Just went to see him at the Barbican. Not so sure about his piano concerto, but everything else was ace.

Think this will be the only time I'll ever see anyone crowd surf at the Barbican.

Moon Fuxx (Jill), Saturday, 20 October 2012 22:12 (eleven years ago) link

one year passes...

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