Ingredients of a well-rounded CD

It's not unusual to find singer-songwriter CDs that include one or two of the following types of songs.  Finding a CD with all five of the following ingredients is unusual, however.  June Tabor's "A Quiet Eye" is well worth repeated listening, as it contains:

• a strong cover of a Richard Thompson tune, "Waltzing's For Dreamers."
• a well-sung version of a folk classic, "The Water Is Wide."
• an effective version of a '30s standard, "I'll Be Seeing You."
• lyrics that convey pride in one's nation while also providing social commentary on the state of things in "A Place Called England."
• a moving rendition of a song popular during World War I, "It's A Long Way To Tipperary."  When you can remember exactly where you were when you first heard a song, the song obviously has made an impact upon you.  Nearly 15 years ago, I was headed to a meeting at work and was about to veer off onto the last Missouri exit when Tabor's version of "...Tipperary" started playing on KDHX.  The two to three minutes of it I heard before arriving at work were enough to convince me that I needed to buy the CD ASAP.  

Even if singer-songwriter music isn't your cup of tea, "A Quiet Eye" is worth buying for anyone in your life who appreciates well-written, well-sung, and well-covered songs.

Online radio sampler highlights XX

I've heard a lot of captivating selections this afternoon.  Among them:

KRUI (Iowa City, IA)

• So What-Miles Davis (A landmark tune from one of jazz's most acclaimed albums, "Kind Of Blue."  Davis leads a top-notch ensemble and ties the song together with a famous two-note trumpet refrain.)

WRVU (Nashville, TN) 

• Watch The Sunrise-Big Star (One of the band's most appealing tunes; an acoustic gem with welcoming guitar strumming and vocal harmonies in the chorus.)
• Latin What?-Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion (A number that cooks.  This is an aspect of being on a noncommercial station I miss--being able to mix and match tracks from different, equally compelling formats in the course of an air shift.)

WUCF (Orlando, FL) 

• A Potter's Song-Maria Schneider Orchestra featuring Gary Versace (Another strong track from Schneider's 2015 release, "The Thompson Fields."  Versace's accordion captures the essence of a compelling Toots Thielemans or Stevie Wonder harmonica line.)
• Soon-Ernie Henry Quartet (Fine straight ahead, midtempo, sax-led jazz.)

WXXI (Rochester, NY) 

• Antonin Dvorak: Serenade For Strings in E major, Op. 22 (London Chamber Orchestra/Christopher Warren-Green, conductor) (I had the pleasure of playing this piece on the bass years ago, and I still think it's one of the warmest, most lyrical pieces I've ever played.)
• Franz Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 27 in G major (Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia/Bela Drahos, conductor) (A buoyant symphony and performance; its first and third movements have some of the exuberant spirit that Felix Mendelssohn would capture later in the first movement of his fourth symphony.)
• Carl Teike: Old Comrades (Philip Jones Brass Ensemble/Elgar Howarth, conductor) (Suitable for Independence Day; it's another piece that KMOX could have used as its morning march back in the day.)

WZBC (Chestnut Hill, MA) 

• Bones-Mornings (A good 2015 selection; there's a trance-like vibe in this jazzy instrumental, with hypnotic vocal punctuation and clapping.)
• Tenderly-Andrea (Segues smoothly with "Bones;" Andrea's R&B/chill vocals float over a trance-inducing backing track.)

Um...Thanks?

Reaction of a former co-worker upon viewing part of my CD collection: "Blood, Sweat & Tears?  Chicago?  You don't look that old."

Compliment or observation?  Hmmmm....

Lessons from the pit

Having played the bass in played in high school, college, and professional pit orchestras, I've learned that accompanying singers is considerably different from simply playing in an orchestra or jazz band.  To anyone who is about to play in a pit orchestra for the first time, you can expect that most of the following things will happen:

• It will be necessary not to be too wedded to any number's precise tempo.  In the heat of the moment, a singer might have an adrenaline surge or an attack of nerves and fly through a song at twice the tempo you've rehearsed it.  If you play a stringed instrument, I'd advise having a bionic arm on hand for such occasions.  I remember the first night of a professional production in which a soloist took her part and ran with it from the moment she started singing.  Everyone in the pit adjusted on the fly, although the piano player looked manic throughout the piece, and at least one of the wind players nearly turned blue.  Flexibility is critical when you're in a pit orchestra.
• When the orchestra pit is below the stage and you can't see the actors, you might feel as though you're listening to a radio program from the '40s.  Your ears will likely pick up every subtle variation in an actor's performance from night to night.  If an actor's character is especially melodramatic, a line such as, "I'm afraid it's the only thing to do," might turn into "I'm aFRAID it's the ONly thing to DOOOOOOOO!" over time.
• Even though the actors are delivering the same lines and the orchestra is playing the same music each night, expect audience reaction to vary from night to night--especially if the air conditioner stops working.
• Expect to be moved by the curtain calls, especially on opening night.  This is especially true during high school performances.  Your friends might impress you by writing perceptive English papers, proving triangles congruent on the chalkboard, or explaining the historical significance of various presidential elections.  Those demonstrations of skill and talent will pale, however, in comparison to seeing them bring characters to life and sing with passion and conviction that you might not know they had.  After a great performance, you will know them, even if only from a distance, in a way you didn't before.  You also can't underestimate the power of applause for a job well-done.  Typically, students and teachers in an algebra class don't cheer, stomp their feet, and whistle while shouting, "Rock on!  Way to find the y-intercept in problem 12!"  The enthusiastic feedback that actors and musicians elicit upon hearing the audience's cheers, however, can't help but make them glad they followed their dreams.  After nearly every pit orchestra performance, I felt as though I could take on the world.  I would also think, "I feel euphoric, and I wasn't even on stage.  Imagine how on-top-of-the-world the actors must feel."

Enjoy your time in the pit!  No other experience you have playing music for fun or for a living will be quite like it.

Ideal radio talk show music

I don't know if anyone has ever used it as a radio talk show's intro, outro, or bumper music, but whenever I listen to David Benoit's "No Worries," I expect a talk show host to break in and introduce the night's discussion topics or special guests.  It sets a light, pleasant tone that works as a main theme song or as bumper music in and out of commercials.  If you hear it, I'll be surprised if you don't imagine a talk show host saying, "We'll be right back..."

Now playing a pick-me-up tune on the piano...

I remember hearing "A Swingin' Safari" often as a kid.  It's an uptempo Bert Kaempfert instrumental that was a hit for Billy Vaughn and his orchestra.  I remember hearing it, along with many other tunes and Classical pieces, played on the piano in the family room.  Years later, I played Vaughn's version on WEW and was reminded of how quickly that song can erase a gloomy mood.

The same person who played it on the piano also walked in while I practiced the bass.  Our longtime family cat, Rusty, would often sing during rests in the music, in a way that he wouldn't at any other time.  (I was especially impressed when he replicated a dotted quarter note followed by two quarter notes, exactly as I'd played them, in sung meows.)  I'd get to a measure of rests, and she would ask Rusty to sing.  Usually, he'd oblige; occasionally, if his singing wasn't quite in rhythm, she'd chide him gently, "You're a little off the beat there, cat."

Happy birthday, Mom.  Your mastery of many tasteful piano pieces and appreciation for Rusty the cat's singing illustrate that your musical priorities, like Dad's, are in the right place.  Thank you for your influence.

An overlooked cover tune V

You might not think that the Joni Mitchell song, "Both Sides Now," which was a Judy Collins hit, lends itself to a fast romp, but Heavens To Murgatroid pulls it off.  I remember playing it on KCOU and thinking that I never would have expected to hear it as uptempo, electrified rock.  On the surface, lyrics that contemplative wouldn't seem suited to such an arrangement.  Although the Mitchell and Collins recordings will always be the standards by which the song is judged, it's a breath of fresh air to hear Heavens To Murgatroid zip through the song and make it its own.  Sometimes, the unlikeliest source provides you with a fresh take on a classic.

"Possibly a surprise or two..." or 12...

Yesterday, I predicted that there might be "a surprise or two" at the Erin Bode Group's Station Plaza concert.  After attending last night's impressive show, let's revise that to many more surprises than anticipated.  To elaborate:

• Bode performed two strong new songs.  "The Future" is a compelling, downcast tune, and "Believe It" sports an infectious melody that brings to mind elements of The Cure, Fleetwood Mac, and Squeeze.
• For the first time in the 10 concerts of hers I've seen, Bode spent as much time on cover songs as she did on her own material.  Among the covers that I hadn't heard her perform before: Sarah Jarosz's "Run Away," Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells," which Jarosz has also covered, an unusual arrangement of a Beatles classic, "Here Comes The Sun," Jackson Browne's "These Days," Beck's "Looking For A Sign," "In The Long Run" by The Staves, which is ideally suited to Bode's vocal range, a thoughtful, sincere interpretation of Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind," which Bode's mother requested, and an effective, unexpected arrangement of Randy Vanwarmer's 1979 hit, "Just When I Needed You Most."  The most impressive cover, to me, was her spirited take on Joni Mitchell's "Free Man In Paris."  "Free Man...," like "In The Long Run," is perfect for Bode's vocal range, and the band fed off her energy.
• The band performed two of the highlights from the "Photograph" CD at noticeably faster tempos.  "The Mountain" and "Beating On The Door" were particularly brisk.  
• It was interesting to hear the songs I most expected to hear spaced far apart in the playlist.  Bode performed "Chasing After You," "Joseph," "June," "The Little Garden," and "Photograph" in spaced-out intervals between cover songs.
• Two personnel changes in the band stood out: Kara Baldus stepped in admirably well as a keyboardist and backup singer, in place of longtime keyboardist and lyricist Adam Maness.  Tara Santiago's cello playing added color and depth to many of Bode's selections.  Bode and Santiago performed a particularly impressive rendition of Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean?"  It impresses me that Bode routinely chooses such material for this annual outdoor concert; it must be a challenge to present such intimate, thought-provoking standards over trains going by and audience shouts of "Hey, Biff! Sally!  Haven't seen you in ages!  Want to go get a pizza?!"
• Bode's husband, bassist Syd Rodway, played guitar exclusively last night, giving many tunes a higher-end resonance.  It was particularly interesting to hear one of Bode's mainstays, "The Mountain," performed this way.

As much as I've enjoyed hearing such favorites as "Holiday," "Sydney Come Down," "Heart Of Mine," "Hide Me," "Two" and the Paul Simon covers, "Born At The Right Time" and "Graceland," performed so compellingly in previous years, it was refreshing to hear strong new material and appealing, unexpected cover tunes last night.  It just goes to show that you might think you know an artist or a band; sometimes, you realize, however, that a talented band, in a different incarnation, and its strong lead singer can still surprise you in ways you weren't expecting.

7/31/14: An interview with Erin Bode

I've written previously on this blog about singer-songwriter Erin Bode.  Her pleasant soprano voice and songwriting talents that she and keyboardist Adam Maness share have resulted in many excellent concerts and CDs.  Her band and she will perform tonight at Station Plaza in Kirkwood.  As a preview of what listeners might hear tonight, here are excerpts from an interview I conducted with Bode after last year's Station Plaza concert:

What do you really love to sing, among all the songs that you sing?

 "...Irving Berlin, 'Reaching For The Moon.'  The melody is wonderful.  Irving Berlin has never written a song that doesn't have a perfect melody, that [doesn't express] perfectly the words.  I love all of his songs, and every time we pick one, it's very meaningful for me.  And the Paul Simon tunes that we did tonight, 'Born At The Right Time' and 'Graceland.'  I love everything he's done, but those, in particular, are maybe ones that people don't hear done all the time."

Do you have a favorite album of all the ones you've recorded?

"It is hard to choose, but I think, for various reasons, 'The Little Garden...' The quality and the sound of 'The Little Garden' is really spectacular.  That one was done really well.  I do love our Christmas CD, ['A Cold December Night,'] as well."

I love your version of "The Holly And The Ivy" and "Skating."  It works at any time of the year, I think.

 "Thanks!  I think so, too.  That's kind of what we were going for with the Christmas CD.  We wanted it to be something that puts you in the right spirit of things but that wouldn't only be good at Christmastime."

----

Which songs will Erin Bode perform tonight?  Most likely, two of her most compelling tunes, "Holiday" and "The Mountain," will be on the set list.  Probably "Heart Of Mine," which really comes alive in concert.  Possibly a surprise or two, such as "Sweater Song" or "Out Of Time."  Also, as indicated above, there will likely be some well-chosen cover songs.  Having seen her in concert each year since 2007, I know it'll be an enjoyable evening of music.

An overlooked cover tune IV

In 1967, Glen Campbell had his first hit with the Jimmy Webb-penned "By The Time I Get To Phoenix."  Two years later, Isaac Hayes had his first hit with a much different take on the tune.  It barely made the top 40, but anyone who has heard it likely hasn't forgotten it.  Campbell's version is a concise tale of a couple having problems.  Hayes digs deeper in a much longer version;  his rendition starts on one keyboard note and sustains it for a long while as Hayes does a monologue, explaining how tortured the man in the song feels and why he believes he has to exit the relationship, yet again.  Hayes finally starts to sing when the song reaches its chorus.  The result is a longer, fleshed-out back story that gives the listener a greater understanding of why the man feels so anguished.

It's also, as I found out, an offbeat way to start a radio air shift.  I started a KCOU shift with the Isaac Hayes rendition one afternoon, and a listener, who was probably used to hearing mostly hard, uptempo indie rock on the station, called and asked, "Is this some special kind of show?"  "No," I replied.  "It might be an unusual way to kick things off, but I want to give a good song the attention it deserves."

Persistent earworm alert VII

The opening notes caught my ears as I walked out of the gas station 2 1/2 weeks ago.  I knew the song would lodge itself in my mind and spring to mind at odd times for days, if not weeks, to come.  Sure enough...

...I'm thinking about it now.  With its Jackson 5-ish vocals, optimistic vibe, and keyboard hook that's nearly impossible to forget, its grip on the listener's mind is probably as firm today as it was in 1971.

Yes, when "One Bad Apple" by The Osmonds enters your mind, expect it to stay there--possibly forever.

WEW playlist flashback: 7/20/96

Here is the music I selected on this day 19 years ago for my 5:30-10 a.m. shift on WEW:

  1.  Strange Meadow Lark-Dave Brubeck
(Contemplative piano playing sets the mood for the day...)
  2.  A Song For You-Ray Charles
(...and contemplative singing segues with it.)
---
  3.  Tenderly-Rosemary Clooney
  4.  Light My Fire-Jose Feliciano
---
  5.  Poor Butterfly-Erroll Garner
  6.  Put Your Head On My Shoulder-Paul Anka
  7.  Chiquita-Richard Clayderman
---
  8.  I Got The Sun In The Morning-Les Brown and his orchestra with Doris Day
(The expression, "You can't crush an optimist," applies to Doris Day's sunny vocal approach here.)
  9.  Wake The Town And Tell The People-Les Baxter
10.  When The Sun Comes Out-Nancy Wilson
(Notice the wake-up-and-take-in-the-sunshine theme in songs 8-10?)
---
11.  Love For Sale-Ellis Marsalis
12.  This Could Be The Start Of Something-Lester Lanin
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13.  Love's Theme-Love Unlimited Orchestra
(An instrumental that's as refreshing and uplifting now as it was in the '70s.)
14.  Something To Remember You By-Don Cornell
15.  Three Coins In The Fountain-Frank Sinatra
16.  Stormy Weather-Lena Horne
---
17.  Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again-The Fortunes
(Despite its downcast lyrics, this oldie feels like a pick-me-up.)
18.  Walk Right In-The Rooftop Singers
(The tune's dated slang somehow enhances its appeal today.)
19.  Till There Was You-The Beatles
(One of Paul McCartney's best performances of a song someone else wrote.)
20.  Venus-Frankie Avalon
---
21.  Prelude To A Kiss-Sonny Stitt
22.  I Never Knew-Sam Donohue and his orchestra
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23.  It's Only A Paper Moon-Nat King Cole
(A melody that never goes out of style...)
24.  When I Take My Sugar To Tea-Glen Gray with Pee Wee Hunt
(...and it segues well with this melody.)
---
25.  Sometimes I'm Happy-Milt Jackson
26.  Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea-Stan Kenton
27.  The Jumpin' Blues-Jay McShann
---
28.  It's All In The Game-Johnny Mathis with Take 6
29.  How Little We Know-Joey DeFrancesco
(Smooth vocals from a strong CD, "The Street Of Dreams.")
30.  It Had To Be You-Kay Starr
31.  Come Rain Or Come Shine-Michele Shaheen
(A good version from a vocalist who deserves more acclaim.)
32.  The Best Is Yet To Come-Peggy Lee
---
33.  Open The Door, Richard!-Count Basie
34.  Java-Al Hirt
---
35.  Sioux City Sue-Bing Crosby
36.  King Of The Road-Roger Miller
(For a looser rendition, check out R.E.M.'s version, along with other interesting oddities, on the "Dead Letter Office" album.)
---
37.  Steppin' Out With My Baby-Tony Bennett
38.  Puttin' On The Ritz-Andy Prior and His Night Owls
39.  Green Eyes-Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra with Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell
40.  Up On The Roof-The Drifters
(As much of a stress-reliever as it was originally; this is still one of my favorite oldies.)
---
41.  Come Softly To Me-The Fleetwoods
42.  Singing The Blues-Guy Mitchell
43.  Cab Driver-The Mills Brothers
(One of my favorite songs that I ever played on WEW; if its bounce doesn't perk you up, here's hoping you have appropriate medication on hand.)
44.  Alley Cat-Bent Fabric and his piano
---
45.  Basin Street Blues-Ella Fitzgerald
46.  I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry-John Pizzarelli
47.  It's Just A Matter Of Time-Brook Benton
48.  Only Love Can Break A Heart-Gene Pitney
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49.  Melody-Paul Chambers
50.  Pebble-Coleman Hawkins
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51.  Don't Give Me That Jive-Fats Waller
52.  C Jam Blues-Duke Ellington
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53.  The Swingin' Shepherd Blues-Moe Koffman Quartette
(Yes, that's the correct spelling, in this case.)
54.  Oh Marie-Dean Martin
(The caller who identified this as a Dean Martin tune won a Dean Martin box set.  Each DJ was asked to choose a Dean Martin song and play it during his or her shift.  Naturally, the longer people listen, the better the ratings are, so I waited until my last hour to play this.)
55.  Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers
56.  Angel Eyes-The Four Freshmen with the Stan Kenton Orchestra
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57.  Walkin' My Baby Back Home-Johnnie Ray
58.  In The Still Of The Night-The Five Satins
(Of the tunes on this playlist, this oldie is in the upper echelon of songs that have held up.)
59.  Soft Summer Breeze-Eddie Heywood
(A refreshing piano instrumental that the former KCFM used to play during its Hit Parade format days.)
60.  Let's Call The Whole Thing Off-Harry Connick, Jr.
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61.  Easy Like-Billy Taylor
(An elegant piano instrumental that any good jazz station should play.)
62.  Someone To Watch Over Me-Toni Tennille
63.  Undecided-The Ames Brothers
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64.  I Never Knew-Louis Armstrong
65.  (CLOSING THEME) Closing Time-Tom Waits
(I brought in this CD from home each time I was on WEW, and I never got tired of playing this smoky piano instrumental at the end of each air shift.)
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--- indicates a short break for a slogan and time check or a longer break for back announcing the music.

Content to stay retro

A scene from six years ago: An outdoor Erin Bode concert had just ended, and a man was walking down the street near the venue.  Noticing that a large crowd was still there, he asked who had performed.  After being told it was Bode and what a talented singer she is, he replied, "I'm an old man.  Everyone after Benny Goodman is new to me."  Although he missed a great concert, his attitude is still refreshing.  We like whatever music we like, after all, and how can anyone not respect "Sing, Sing, Sing," among other Goodman standards?

The best stereo accessory I've ever had

2003:  The best sound system setup I ever had; it was thoughtful of the manufacturer to include a calico and a listening compartment for her.

Last year, I wrote about Rosie, the dearly departed calico cat.  Here's another memory: I was flipping through various SiriusXM music channels one morning until Rosie put a firm paw on my hand, indicating that I should stop on the '40s On 4 channel.  The song that she insisted I hear?  "A Gal In Calico."  I'm still not sure if that was an act of serendipity or recognition.

You're not wrong, but...

"I like 'Spain.'  It has that Spanish feel."

--A player in my high school's jazz band, circa 1988, upon finishing a rehearsal of Chick Corea's "Spain"

FM dial scan highlights XXXVI

Some of the better tracks I've heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Nice To See You-The Left Banke (The thoughtful side of late '60s rock, with a Beatles influence and of-its-time backward masking.  Also recommended: "Walk Away Renee" and "She May Call You Up Tonight.")
• Setting Sun-Elephant Stone (Uptempo yet downcast; this tune would segue well with "Pattern Skies" by The Greenhornes.)

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most-Carmen McRae (An effective, contemplative rendition.)
• I Waited For You-Miles Davis (An elegant '50s ballad that I'm surprised I don't hear more often.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Your Smiling Face-James Taylor (One of Taylor's few uptempo hits, fit for driving and facing the new day.)
• The Warrior-Scandal featuring Patty Smyth (Speaking of a tune that's fit for driving...)

A five-star album or a resplendent one?

For decades, Stereo Review, which is now Sound & Vision, had a quirky review system.  Instead of giving an album a concrete rating, such as a letter grade, a 1-10 rating, or a number of stars, the magazine would summarize each album with two adjectives.  One adjective applied to the performance; the other applied to the album's sound quality.  Although a review below the adjectives elaborated on the album's strengths and weaknesses, it was interesting to make a listening or purchasing decision based upon such at-a-glance adjectives as "resplendent" or "lugubrious."  (Reviewers used those two adjectives, among many, in the Classical music section, where the descriptions were especially imaginative.)  Eventually, the magazine started rating recordings on a one-to-five star scale.  That's handier for the listener, but every now and then, I'll read a review and think, "It would be quite a compliment to the artist to see this recording rated as 'gripping' or 'intoxicating.'  That's a summary you wouldn't find in just any publication."

The ending that has to be there

Todd Rundgren's "I Saw The Light" and "Hello, It's Me" are two of his best written, performed, and produced songs.  "I Saw The Light" has an effective instrumental arrangement unlike any other pop hit and heartfelt lyrics that say exactly what they need to say in three minutes.  The protagonist in "Hello, It's Me" sings honestly about a relationship that doesn't have a long-term future but one that he still wants to preserve.  As good as the shortened version is, the full version on the "Something/Anything?" album is even stronger.  In the full version, the lyric, "Think of me," becomes louder and more pronounced; the keyboard punctuates the lyric and then drops out, making the lyric all the more effective.  Although the fade-out on the shorter version is graceful, the longer version's vocal punctuation and firm ending are even more satisfying.

Shuffle mode results XXIII

Results of my latest iTunes music library random play:

   1.  Learn To Say No-Lydia Loveless
(Good, self-aware lyrics, sung with conviction.)
   2.  Hannah-Erik Voeks
(Propulsive power pop; a highlight of the "Sandbox" CD.)
   3.  Don't Talk-10,000 Maniacs
(One of the band's best sets of lyrics from perhaps its best album, "In My Tribe.")
   4.  An Olde Irish Aire (Danny Boy)-Tony Rice Unit
(A pleasant guitar rendition.)
   5.  Stay On The Ride-Patty Griffin
(Griffin sells a story with every ounce of conviction.)
   6.  The World Is Waiting-Frank Popp Ensemble
(Lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally strong; why wasn't this an American hit?)
   7.  I Don't Know You-New Riders Of The Purple Sage
(For fans of The Byrds; the vocal harmonies are similar.)
   8.  Black Bear's Picnic-Al Petteway & Amy White
(It's impressive when an instrumental with such a specific title conveys its exact image musically.)
   9.  Tempted (KFOG "Live From The Archives, Volume 7" version)-Squeeze
(The slightly faster tempo in this version works just as well for this song, which is one of the band's best.)
 10.  Quiet Village-Martin Denny
(With its exotic animal sounds and spooky lounge music piano arrangement, this track is suitable for Halloween.)
 11.  You'll Never Get To Heaven-The Stylistics
(From a group that knows its way around ballads.)
 12.  Solar-Renee Rosnes Trio with string orchestra
(A strong, lush reading of a Miles Davis tune.)
 13.  One Light Shining-Ruth Moody
(Moving lyrics and vocals by one-third of The Wailin' Jennys.)
 14.  Singing The Blues-Guy Mitchell
(A 1956 hit that I used to play on WEW; the whistling helps sell the tune.)
 15.  Only Fools Are Positive ("Live At KDHX, Volume 5" version)-Swing DeVille
(One smooth tango.)
 16.  Jacaranda Bougainvillea (Live)-Al Jarreau & The Metropole Orkest
(Jarreau sings encouragingly about trees and flowers as metaphors for hope; the orchestra enhances the song's optimistic vibe.)

An atypical standout III

When someone mentions The Beach Boys, which songs come to mind?  Most listeners would likely cite "Surfin' U.S.A.," "Barbara Ann," "I Get Around," "Good Vibrations," or some of their many other '60s hits.  Not every listener would think to cite "Sail On, Sailor," however.  Released in 1973, and again in 1975, anyone who had never heard it before probably wouldn't peg it as a Beach Boys song.  In my view, however, it's one of their best tunes.  The piano sets the mood, and Blondie Chaplin launches into the lyrics about life at sea.  The group's harmony on the chorus is among its most atypical--and best.  I first heard the song on KYKY in the mid '80s.  I called the request line and asked who was singing.  The DJ replied, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you.  Believe it or not, it's The Beach Boys."  It was a late addition to the "Holland" album, and it's the song I think of first in connection with it.  It was never a top 40 hit, but it's a key album track.

An overlooked cover tune III

Musicians often cite The Raspberries as an influential power pop band.  Their hit, "I Wanna Be With You," with its sing-along chorus and everything-on-the-surface lyrics, is one reason for that credit.  The Sneetches and Shoes, two excellent power pop bands who should have had commercial success, teamed up to record a cover of it, and the result does The Raspberries proud.  It's true to the original version's spirit and just as infectious. 

Being productive while on hold

I heard this on an AM radio talk show years ago:

Host: Let's see who's next.  John, you're on the air.

(After a short pause, someone started sawing wood.)

Host: John, put down that power saw, and come to the phone, please.

----

I'm not sure if John came to the phone, but that's the only time I've ever heard any talk show caller doing some woodworking while on hold.

Online radio sampler highlights XIX

Appealing selections I've heard this morning:

KHUM (Ferndale, CA)

• Circles-The Amazing (Airy vocals and guitar, with an appealing solo guitar playoff for the last minute and 40 seconds; a good, chill 2015 track.)

KKJZ (Long Beach, CA) 

• Morning Star-Ralph Moore (A good, straight ahead midtempo piano/saxophone instrumental.)

KMHD (Portland, OR) 

• Filles De Kilimanjaro (Girls Of Kilimanjaro)-Miles Davis (Not fully electric, not fully acoustic; a hypnotic, expansive trumpet piece with backing from a trio of jazz giants: Herbie Hancock (keyboards), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams (drums.)
• Fire And Rain-Hubert Laws (Laws transfers James Taylor's smash hit to the flute, giving it the feel of a bird in flight.)

KOPN (Columbia, MO)

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, "Archduke" (Live From The Marlboro Music Festival) (Mitsuko Uchida, piano; Soovin Kim, violin; David Soyer, cello) (Uchida plays the piano with considerable force, while Kim and Soyer provide lyrical support.  The third movement is particularly tender, while the fourth movement's spirited finish elicits well-deserved applause.)

KSBR (Mission Viejo, CA) 

• Life-Hil St. Soul ("It is just a little thing called life."  Well-sung reassurance that you don't have to have all the answers and that it's OK to search for them.)

KVRX (Austin, TX) 

• Main Theme From "Twin Peaks"-Angelo Badalamenti (The theme stands on its own as a subtle wake-up melody.)

Passive-aggressive day at the ballpark

Once, at a concert, a woman sitting next to me thought the man behind her was talking too loudly to those around him.  The way she confronted him amused me; instead of shouting at him to quiet down, she turned to him, full of enthusiasm, and asked, "Wasn't that a great song?!"  Naturally, he couldn't offer an opinion, as he'd talked all the way through it.

An overlooked cover tune II

Smokey Robinson recorded a number of well-crafted hits and album tracks, including "The Tears Of A Clown," "Quiet Storm," and "Cruisin'."  I was surprised, a few years ago, to hear "Being With You," a song that hadn't made such an impression on me, in a new light.  One talent that Sarah Borges shares with Lucinda Williams is her ability to record a compelling song that's neither fully rock nor country but straddles the line compellingly.  Hearing Borges and The Broken Singles put a twang on "Being With You" got my attention; it's faithful to the original version but cuts across two unexpected genres.  Borges and her band keep the tempo moving and convey the protagonist's sincerity.  It's easy to imagine their reworking of the tune on a bar jukebox.  Sometimes, the arrangement makes all the difference in how a song strikes you.

An overlooked cover tune

As it rained earlier today, two versions of "Rhythm Of The Rain" came to mind.  The first version I thought of was a big hit for The Cascades in 1963.  Although the song mimics falling rain's rhythm effectively, I think Dan Fogelberg's cover of it is more appropriately wistful.  The lyrics aren't especially encouraging, so Fogelberg's slower tempo is a more natural fit.  Despite being played on the radio, his version, surprisingly, wasn't a hit.

Who else would react this way?

A memory from high school: As I went to put my upright bass back in the storage room after a jazz band rehearsal, I noticed a leak in the ceiling.  I called the orchestra director at home, and we had this exchange:

Me: Hi, sorry to call you at home so late...I just thought you'd like to know that the ceiling in the instrument storage room is leaking, and water is starting to fall on the instrument cases.
Mr. D.: So, you're telling me to change our next concert program to Handel's "Water Music" and the theme from "Jaws?"
Me:  If you think that's best, yeah...

More musings on July 4 music

July 4, 2009: Fireworks over downtown Kirkwood, MO--and one of the few fireworks photos I've taken that turned out well.

More thoughts on Independence Day music:

• For a subtler yet no less effective version of the "Washington Post March," listen to the way Chet Atkins handles it.  He conjures up the feel of a larger ensemble with just an acoustic guitar.
• One highlight heard on KWMU-3 this morning: the Joseph Jenkins piece, "American Overture For Band," performed by River City Brass Band from Pittsburgh.  It's a medley of patriotic motifs fit for a film score.
• John Philip Sousa's "The Stars And Stripes Forever" brings out the patriot--or the performer, at least--in a lot of us.  I remember the energy an ensemble in which I played during eighth and ninth grade brought to it.  When we played it during my first year with the orchestra, the conductor asked the brass and wind players to stand up while playing the final verse in concert.  The following year, at a rehearsal, we played "...Stars And Stripes..." for the first time since that concert.  Even though it was a rehearsal, one brass player stood up reflexively when we launched into the last verse.  Looking back, I'm surprised more players didn't follow suit automatically; the piece has that kind of power.  During the annual Boston Pops July 4 concerts, the audience erupts in cheers when the American flag is unfurled during the last verse.  One year, I remember a group of girls in the audience forming an impromptu dance troupe and singing along with the last verse.
• Speaking of the Boston Pops, is there a more enjoyable, enduring orchestral tradition than the ensemble's annual July 4 concert?  Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops get the audience on its feet with a patriotic sing-along, perform several traditional Independence Day favorites, and accompany special guests, such as Arlo Guthrie, Jennifer Hudson, and Susan Tedeschi.  The fireworks display caps off the evening in fine form; although there's no substitute for seeing fireworks in person, the show in Boston is one of the best televised displays.

Here's wishing you an enjoyable Independence Day, whether you spend it reading accounts of or watching documentaries about the origins of the holiday, attending a patriotic concert or festival, or watching fireworks and saying, as someone I know once did while they exploded in the sky over the Gateway Arch, "Oooh...Red."

July 4: Incomplete without "Schoolhouse Rock"

Although each series of "Schoolhouse Rock" has its gems, the "America Rock" and "Grammar Rock" songs stand out most to me.  Those two series sport some of the most clever lessons for kids, in cleverly composed and performed tunes.  With Independence Day on the horizon, here are five of the best "America Rock" songs:

• The Great American Melting Pot-Lori Lieberman (A nice reminder that America is part of a larger world; considering how strong Lieberman's voice is, it's surprising that she didn't record more "Schoolhouse Rock" segments.  This is one of many excellent Lynn Ahrens compositions.)
• I'm Just A Bill-Jack Sheldon (This Dave Frishberg composition is one of the most memorable, well-written, and well-performed "Schoolhouse Rock" tracks.  Fittingly, Jack Sheldon, who sang lead on one of the catchiest, best-known "Grammar Rock" tunes, "Conjunction Junction," nails this song about how a bill becomes a law.)
• No More Kings-Lynn Ahrens (One of two songs on this list whose lyrics are ideal for Independence Day; the lyrics explain the origin of American independence and the obstacles that King George III imposed.  Ahrens, who was one of the most frequent composers and singers of "Schoolhouse Rock" songs, tells a story engagingly.  That's not surprising, considering that her debut for the "Grammar Rock" series, "A Noun Is A Person, Place, Or Thing," was one of the most complete, fully realized stories the series aired.)
• The Preamble-Lynn Ahrens (Ahrens summarizes the Constitution's preamble, drawing directly from its text.  For years, this song has run through my mind as I walk into my polling place to vote.)
• The Shot Heard 'Round The World-Bob Dorough (Bob Dorough, who composed all and sang most of the "Multiplication Rock" songs, plus many other "Schoolhouse Rock" tunes, turns in one of his strongest performances since "Three Is A Magic Number."  The tune presents a good summary of the Revolutionary War, with a bit of "God Bless America," for good measure.)

More thoughts on Independence Day music tomorrow...

FM dial scan highlights XXXV

Here are five of the best tracks I've heard since Saturday:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Village Green Preservation Society-Kate Rusby (Given the generally serious, poignant demeanor of her songs, I never imagined that Rusby would cover this tune by The Kinks and sing lyrics such as, "God save Donald Duck, vaudeville, and variety," even ironically.  She does, though, and it works.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Got To Get To The Island-Cedar Walton (Walton's piano underpins an energetic melody that features a considerable saxophone contribution from Vincent Herring.)

KWMU 90.7 FM

• Home-Maria Schneider (A "Jazz Unlimited" highlight: There's an interesting blend of pastoral shading and John Coltrane's influence in this instrumental from Schneider's new release, "The Thompson Fields.")

WFUN 95.5 FM

• Fantasy-Earth, Wind & Fire (One of the group's many strong '70s hits; it's a well-constructed progression that comes together in a sing-along chorus.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Tell Me The Truth-J. Thompson (It was a pleasure to hear this on "The Jazz Collective."  The mood it maintains, with a mysterious hook and whispered vocals, makes it an ideal late-night track; it could also work as the theme of a late-night TV drama.  It's one of the stronger tracks that a former smooth jazz station here, WSSM, used to play.)

Persistent earworm alert VI

It's odd how one's mind makes connections.  After seeing a reference to "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" in an article, a song lyric I hadn't thought about in years came to mind.  The lyric, "I live among the creatures of the night," has run through my mind for several days, triggering my memory of the 1984 Laura Branigan hit, "Self Control."  Honest disclosure: I like the previous five songs I've highlighted in persistent earworm alerts.  Although I don't dislike "Self Control," I'm mostly ambivalent about it.  In my view, "Gloria" was Branigan's best hit.