The Ripple Effect: The Music Commentary Radio Show  

For years, Racer and I have waxed on (and off) about the splendors of music in a live setting. After all, the live setting is the most natural way to catch a musician bearing his or her soul. On a good night, that soul will be felt with the heat of a thousand suns and will have a lingering affect on how you listen to music for years to come. Capturing these momentous occasions can be like capturing the proverbial lightening in a bottle. Musicians have their off nights. They’re bound to err a time or two in their performances, and you know what? That’s okay too. Just don’t release those performances to the unsuspecting fans! For me, a live release needs to show the artist not just playing the songs that I expect to hear, but to perform them with a different nuance than that which was recorded in the studio. I want to hear the voice quiver a little, but not completely break down to the point of crud. I want to hear a different drum fill or a change up in the intro to my favorite jam. Speaking of jam, I’m not opposed to an extended jam in the middle of a tune that turns into a medley of classic rock tunes. Basically, give me the structure of the songs that I know and love and add some flavor to them. A little nuance. Some people might even call it soul.

more . . . http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2009/09/ernie-halter-live.html