I’m constantly humbled by how little I know about music. Bob recently offered me a humbling moment when he introduced me to Late Night Tales, a 20-year-old compilation series that I missed for the past 20 years.
As I sit in the wee small hours of Sunday morning, recovering from a marathon workday and recuperating so I can do it again tomorrow, I put on Bonobo’s set and let the sound fill the darkness.
I could write about this set for the rest of the night. I could write about how Dustin O’Halloran’s opener invites me to sink deeper into my chair and the puppy next to me to sink deeper into her puppy sleep. I could write about how Khruangbin takes a guitar line I hate and wraps it around me like a warm blanket. I could write about how “Baltimore,” the title track from Nina Simone’s worst album, takes on a poignant tone because the words are still true 40 years later. I could write about how Bill Evans’ “Peace Piece” beautifully fades into two minutes of silence that stretch into the night.
Instead, I sink into my chair and watch the puppy chase her puppy dreams. My body and mind relax. I don’t know how this set will sound during the day, but Bonobo’s late night tales are magical in the silence of starlight.
Released: November 17, 2013