What are some examples of esoteric music outside of the mainstream?

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Well what esoteric music do you like to hear, I mean outside of the mainstream?

For example, for me Joe Satriani although is mainly instrumental is still well known, and other guitars wankers are also mainstream, the main problem whith Satriani that his music is self centred on his guitar alone and you can't hear a band which is interacting.

For me two bands which are quite esoteric are Gamalon and Gongzilla, which their sound is great and unique, for gamalon especially their debut album from 1987 is perhaps the best (typically for bands they have one album which outshines everything else theyv'e done before or after that).

And you?

 

[GDBot]

GrooveSalad Radio streamed through Shoutcast. Some sets are a lot better than others so be patient.

 

[humanino]

Some people call the music I like esoteric. I call them ignorant

I love Leoš Janáček, Zoltán Kodály, Thelonious Monk, Jaco Pastorius, Franck Zappa, or Pierre Boulez, to list a few little related with each other, but whose name I sometime wonder how one could ignore.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Jaco Pastorius with Bireli Lagrene were awsome duo, Bireli has a new tune where he plays the bass with a tribute to Jaco, you can find it in youtube.

I guess your two first names are croatians, are they playing world music? (an awful term which someone coined for music which isn't Jazz, Pop or Classic).

 

[jtbell]

Janáček and Kodály were Czech and Hungarian composers of "classical" music during the first half of the 20th century. I use "classical" in quotes because although their music is part of the tradition that includes Mozart, Beethoven, etc., it's quite different in harmony, structure, etc., and includes nationalistic elements corresponding to their backgrounds.

I go for 20th-21st century "classical" composers from the Nordic and Baltic countries myself. Besides Sibelius who is well-known enough to be "mainstream", there are people like Carl Nielsen, Vagn Holmboe and Per Nørgård (Denmark); Jón Leifs (Iceland); Harald Sæverud and Geirr Tveitt (Norway); Leevi Madetoja, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Aulis Sallinen and Kalevi Aho (Finland); Allan Pettersson, Karl-Birger Blomdahl and Hilding Rosenberg (Sweden); Eduard Tubin, Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis and Erkki-Sven Tüür (Estonia); Peteris Vasks (Latvia); etc.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Sorry, the only musicians I know from there are terje rypdal (guitarist from norway), jonnas hellborg (bassist from sweden) and those swedes brothers who played with Allan Holdsworth.

I'm not that big of a fan of classical music, it's not something I daily hear, I have rare occasions when I listen to such music.

Although profound musicians in Jazz and Avant Garde music have a great deal of knowledge of classical music, something I can't say of most Pop musicians.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I always try to plug my favourite musicians that are not that well known. I don't think many people care for them though, probably why they are not that well known.

Zoe Keating...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJiybW81mXA&feature=related
is one probably more to the liking of the classical music lovers though she does more modern/experimental cello. She is an ex member of the band Rasputina which is fairly well known in the goth-industrial scene.

Soul Coughing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YhY4kEMBOk&feature=related
is a strange mix of electronic, jazz, rock, and experimental with coffehouse beatnik style lyrics. They started to get big but then went their own ways and are rather obscure now.

Darkest of the Hillside Thickets...

is a Lovecraft inspired geek punk/metal band.

Devil Doll...

is a rockabilly/blues/torch singer.

Sun City Girls...

are just strange.