So we’re here. The end of 2013 arrived and where did it all go. It only seems like yesterday that I was sitting in the sun during precious moments of the day, but they’re behind us and we’ve rampaged into winder, celebrated a wonderful solstice and festive period and are ready for launch into 2014. After enjoying the dawn of Christmas the previous week, it was wonderful and a pleasure of presenting the final Phoenix FM show of 2013 and herald the dawn of 2014. I continued looking back at some of the musical highlights of the year, but also the previous year as I remembered when De Fuego joined me live in the studio. They are Edina Balczó and Davide Lufrano Chaves and the reason I revisited that episode is because I heard the upsetting news over the Christmas period that Davide had passed away after an extended period of illness. He was supremely talented musician who was loved by everyone that saw him play. One great example he left behind was how he was able to embrace his talent and live a life performing and doing what he loved. That was also reflected in what people saw and even though it is immensely upsetting to lose him, it was at least wonderful to have seen him burn brightly and make such an impact.
During the launch into 2014 I also played more music that inspired me in 2013, such as Nação Zumbi and the new albums by Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight and Mazzy Star and I felt it appropriate to leave 2013 with a beautiful Devi prayer and set the tone for a wonderful new beginning. You can listen to the show again here:
Here’s the playlist for 31st December 2013 (Albums in brackets)
1. Belly – Now They’ll Sleep (King – 1995)
2. Dinosaur Jr. – I Know It All So Well ( I Bet On Sky – 2012)
3. Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight – New Beginnings (Underground – 2013)
4. Monster Magnet – Dopes To Infinity (Dopes To Infinity – 1995)
5. Nação Zumbi – Propaganda (Nação Zumbi – 2002)
6. Soulfly – Living Sacrifice (Prophecy – 2004)
7. Rage Against The Machine – People Of The Sun (Evil Empire – 1996)
8. Stone Temple Pilots – Down (No. 4 – 1999)
9. Mazzy Star – In The Kingdom (Seasons Of Your Day – 2013)
10. Dan Reed Network – Rainbow Child (Slam – 1989)
11. Elliott Smith – Don’t Go Down (A Basement on the Hill – 2004)
12. Paco De Lucia – Chick (Zyryab – 1990)
13. De Fuego – The Empty (Bluebird – 2012)
14. De Fuego – Bluebird (Live Phoenix FM Session – January 2012)
15. De Fuego – E Minor (Live Phoenix FM Session – January 2012)
16. Ulrich Schnauss – A Long Way To Fall (A Long Way To Fall – 2013)
17. Craig Pruess & Ananda – Devi Prayer (108 Sacred Names Of Mother Divine – Sacred Chants of Devi – 2002)