Halloween music and radio musings

Rosie And The Witch Cats: These singers, featuring standout soloist Rosie, who could sing a double high C, were all the rage in 2006.  They started out singing for gourds.  As word of mouth (?) got around, they found success singing for humans.

Although Poltergeist Sammy's expression might suggest otherwise, he'd really like to hear soothing, tasteful Halloween music, such as Vince Guaraldi's "The Great Pumpkin Waltz."

Some music and radio-related Halloween memories and thoughts:

• I won my first prize from a radio station in 1982.  For being the designated caller, I won a bag of Halloween candy from KADI.  I shared some of it with family and friends, as there was no way I could eat that much candy.  That victory started me thinking, "If all you have to do is be a certain caller or answer a trivia question correctly, that's not a bad return from a radio station.  I'm surprised more people don't do this."  This started me on a decade-long run of calling in and winning CDs, concert tickets, and small amounts of cash from various stations.  When I worked at radio stations in college and professionally, I thought it was fun to answer the request line and say, "You're caller one.  Please try again," "You're caller two.  Please keep trying," and then, finally, "Congratulations!  You're caller 10!  You win!"  This only backfired once, when the engineer at one station happened to be the designated caller; he wasn't aware a contest was going on and said he wasn't eligible to win. 
• I remember listening to a husband-and-wife DJ team broadcasting a program of Halloween music and stories in the '90s.  Once, the husband got a little too into his ghoulish character and said on-air, "I've got some nice apples with razor blades in them!"  His wife, in a tone of voice that only a wife can use effectively with a husband, broke character and asked, "Now, why did you say that?"  Although it was clear he wasn't serious, I don't blame her for questioning his judgment.
• During my last Halloween trick-or-treating, an older, brazen kid ran out of the bushes and stole a friend's candy sack.  Shortly after this, the rest of us flagged down a police car.  The officer sympathized with my friend and said, "I've got a lot of candy in my patrol car you can have.  The only problem is, I don't have a bag or anything to carry it in."  Fortunately, another friend had dressed up as a musician, so the officer put the candy in this friend's saxophone.    
• I have yet to hear Shivaree's "Goodnight Moon" on any radio station or music service this year.  That's a shame, as its vibe screams Halloween right from the first note.
• Need a continuous loop of Halloween sound effects?  Try putting track 42, "Owl/Wind," from the 1992 release, "Sony Music Special Products: The Complete CBS Audiofile Sound Effects Library," on repeat. 
• During my freshman year, my college orchestra presented a Halloween concert.  The plan was to show "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" from the Disney movie, "Fantasia," with the sound turned down, as we played the music.  Earlier in October, the conductor told us that the movie had been checked out of the college library, and he wasn't able to find anyone who had a copy of it.  The orchestra watched a potential alternate version of the movie, in which an artist drew the story in time to the music, while clicking her heels periodically.  Looking back, "Mystery Science Theater 3000" could have had fun with it.  The conductor sat silently during the screening.  At the end of it, he turned to the orchestra and said, "We're not showing that."  Fortunately, he was able to obtain a copy of the Disney version in time for the concert.
• Undoubtedly, some people will watch multiple episodes of "The Twilight Zone" today.  Although some viewers will look to be frightened or unnerved, my favorite episode of the series, "A Passage For Trumpet," offers its protagonist a huge ray of hope.  Jack Klugman stars as Joey Crown, a down-on-his-luck trumpet player, who thinks he doesn't want to live anymore and steps in front of a truck.  Luckily, he's given a second chance at life and finds it worth living, after all.  In real life, if a close call and lucky break like that couldn't make a musician play--and live--with feeling, I don't know what would.

Here's wishing everyone an enjoyable, safe Halloween.  Here's hoping there's a place for music in it.

An eccentric misunderstanding

Years ago, in my high school yearbook, there was a photo of a saxophonist from our jazz band.  The caption said he was playing "Witchopera's Bowl."  When I read that, I thought, "I'm in the jazz band, too, and I don't remember playing a tune called 'Witchopera's Bowl.'"  Then, it dawned on me.  The tune was actually "Woodchopper's Ball" by Woody Herman, which we did play.  The caption writer apparently misheard the song title.  To me, "Witchopera's Bowl" sounds like an avant garde production you'd see acted out on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" I can just imagine a candy dish coming to life and singing melodramatically to trick-or-treaters.  (i.e.  "You're taking twice as many Snickers as anybody else!  For shame!  For shame!  They'll make your stomach ache!")  Of all the ways that song title could have been misheard, I thought that was especially unusual.

KCOU playlist flashback: Blues 101--10/29, 30/92

I always liked that KCOU's "Blues 101" closed out one day of the week and kicked off another.  When KCOU DJs hosted specialty shows, such as "Blues 101," they were allowed to choose a featured artist to play throughout the show.  John Mayall, whose influence on the British blues scene was considerable, was my featured artist on this night 23 years ago.  This was the first time I filled in as the host of "Blues 101," and, of all the playlists I assembled for that show, this was my favorite:

   1.  Red Sky-John Mayall (#)
(The tune's intro alone made it an ideal leadoff track for the show.)
   2.  Country Road-John Mayall (#)
   3.  Stormy Weather-Doc & Merle Watson
(Everyone from Lena Horne to Jeff Lynne has recorded "Stormy Weather."  I have yet to hear an off-putting version of it, and the Watsons don't disappoint.)
   4.  Something On Your Mind-Professor Longhair
   5.  That's Why I'm Crying-Koko Taylor
(Taylor sings with just the right balance of power and delicacy here; it's difficult not to feel her anguish.)
---
   6.  Creeper Creeps Again-James Cotton (*)
(I was glad a listener requested this, as its seven-minute sustained uptempo harmonica groove is impressive.  If I'd played it on a freeform shift outside of "Blues 101," I probably would have segued it with Lynyrd Skynyrd's "I Know A Little.")
   7.  Evans Shuffle-Muddy Waters (*)
(A cool, steady, midtempo harp number.)
   8.  Away Down In The Alley Blues-Lonnie Johnson
   9.  The Laws Must Change-John Mayall (#)
(This is a level-headed approach for a progressive fixer-upper to take.)
 10.  Play The Harp-John Mayall (#)
(This is my favorite Mayall tune; try getting this riff out of your mind once you hear it.)
---
 11.  Tell It To The Gov'nor-Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (*)
(All players have ample room to solo on this one in concert.)
 12.  Life Ain't Nothing But A Party-B.B. King
 13.  Till The Morning Comes-Big Twist & The Mellow Fellows
 14.  I Believe I'll Dust My Broom-Robert Johnson
 15.  Mean Old Bedbug Blues-Bessie Smith
---
 16.  Chicago Line-John Mayall (#)
 17.  A Hard Day's Night-John Mayall (#)
(I wouldn't have expected Mayall to tackle a Beatles tune this way, but it works.)
 18.  Driving Till The Break Of Day-John Mayall (#)
(The blues intersect with jazz here, thanks to a successful blend of guitar and horns.  This set moves backwards through Mayall's immense discography, starting in 1988, going back to 1976, and ending in 1973.)
---
 19.  Hot 'n' Cold-Albert Collins
(As I wrote last year, this is from one of the most consistent albums of blues instrumentals, "Truckin' With Albert Collins."  This uptempo track could work with Chuck Berry vocals on it, but it's already strong as it is.)
 20.  Ten Years Ago-Buddy Guy
 21.  Rain-Little Charlie And The Nightcats
 22.  The Sky Is Crying-Lightnin' Slim
(Appropriately, the tune perks along in its own good time, allowing each soloist to have a say.)
---
 23.  The Bear-John Mayall (#)
 24.  Down In The Slums-Curtis Jones
 25.  Black Cat Blues-Memphis Minnie
---
 26.  Sunshine-John Mayall (#)
(An unfortunately overlooked track in Mayall's canon; I liked the way it ended "Blues 101" on a fast flourish.)

(#) indicates a track by the featured artist, John Mayall.
(*) indicates a listener's request.
--- indicates a station break between songs.

Stingray Music highlights XI

Some of the better selections I've heard today:

Adult Alternative

• Walk In The Sun-Bruce Hornsby (Some of Hornsby's most poignant lyrics, brought home with excellent punctuation on the piano.)

Baroque

• Francois Couperin: Treizieme Concert, joue a deux violes (Henry Purcell, Kevin Mallon, Aradia Ensemble & Margaret Little) (An engagingly subtle, quiet work for strings.)
• Lorenzo Zavateri: Concerto Duedecimo a Tempesta di Mare (Freiburg Baroque Orchestra/Gottfried von der Goltz, conductor) (In contrast to Couperin's piece, this is a more boisterous work for strings, seemingly influenced by Bach.)

Chamber Music

• Edvard Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13-II. (Ivan Zenaty & Antonin Kubalek) (An expressive, lyrical performance by violin and piano of an emotional movement.)

Cocktail Lounge 

• Caper At The Coffee House-Warren Barker (Does anyone else hear a "West Side Story" vibe in this instrumental?)
• I Like London In The Rain-Blossom Dearie (This is perhaps Dearie's most appealing song; her voice floats above appealing jazzy, orchestral underscoring.)

Folk Roots

• Rough Edges And Ragged Hearts-Linda McRae (An honest alto voice conveys moving, universal sentiments.)

Jazz Masters

• Under A Blanket Of Blue-Coleman Hawkins (Elegant, sublime saxophone, ideal for late-night listening.)

New Age

• Yodel 1-Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Repetition of a musical undercurrent isn't necessarily a bad thing, particularly with this selection of instruments layered on top.)

SiriusXM highlights XIX

Standout tracks heard since Sunday:

1st Wave 

• Breaking Us In Two-Joe Jackson (Somehow, the somewhat off-key singing makes the vocals all the more sincere.  This also happens just as effectively on the early version of "Sentimental Lady" Bob Welch sang with Fleetwood Mac before rerecording it as a solo hit.) 

'40s Junction

• Till Then-The Mills Brothers (Pure class, from start to finish.  Vocally and instrumentally, the tune has an appealing feel that predates the doo-wop style of the '50s.)

'60s On 6

• The Enchanted Sea-The Islanders (How many instrumentals can you name offhand that incorporate the accordion, whistling, and backing vocals so naturally?  This is one such tune that's simultaneously eerie and comforting.)

'80s On 8

• Take It Away-Paul McCartney (One of McCartney's best solo hits; it sounds endearingly of its time and, unfortunately, doesn't get much airplay today.)

'90s On 9 

• Shimmer-Fuel (One of the strongest examples of good hard rock from the '90s; it illustrates Robert Frost's observation, "Nothing gold can stay," convincingly through powerful vocals, crashing guitar, and strings.)

The Bridge

• Carefree Highway-Gordon Lightfoot (As Greg Kihn sang, "They don't write 'em like that anymore.")
• Moonshadow-Cat Stevens (Considering that the protagonist is contemplating the possibility of falling apart bit by bit, his outlook is astonishingly cheerful.  Few people would look on the bright side to this extent.) 

Chill 

• Today-Zero 7 (Contemporary yet futuristic in its vocals and instrumental backing.)

The Coffee House 

• I Can't Forgive You-Rebecca Pidgeon (The ease with which Pidgeon sings such seemingly carefully considered lyrics makes them sink in all the more.)
• Lowdown (acoustic version)-Boz Scaggs (It's interesting to hear such a well-known hit slowed down and sung more contemplatively.) 

The Loft

• Can't Find My Way Home-Alison Krauss (Krauss covers this Blind Faith tune effectively by staying true to the feel and phrasing of Steve Winwood's vocals.)

Real Jazz

• Stella By Starlight-Robert Glasper (It's a tribute to Glasper that he can put a contemporary spin on a well-covered jazz standard and make it sound fresh.  It's a tribute to the song that it holds up so well in this incarnation.) 

Siriusly Sinatra 

• On The Sunny Side Of The Street-Willie Nelson (This rendition features a light, breezy touch on piano and vocals, entirely appropriate for the song.)

Watercolors

• Benny-David Sanborn (One of Sanborn's best soulful saxophone wails.  I always looked forward to playing it on KNJZ.)
• You Know What It's Like-Gabriela Anders (Anders is an easy-on-the-ears singer, with a smooth jazz/Brazilian style.  In fact, her entire "Wanting" CD is a pleasure to listen to continuously.)

The nature of improvisation

The ensemble that performed at my grade school strengthened my interest in jazz, so I wish could remember the band's name.  I remember being impressed that jazz's improvisational nature applied not only to the music, but also to its concert banter.  A percussionist had explained earlier how just about anything can be a percussion instrument.  To demonstrate, he started humming a tune through a straw.  When one of the other players was taking a little longer than usual to find a pitch while tuning, he asked the player, "Soda straw?"  "No, thank you," replied the player. 

Now, there's something you wouldn't expect to see at the symphony.

An overlooked cover tune IX

Before praising today's cover tune, here's wishing everyone affected by Tuesday's passing of Cory Wells, one of Three Dog Night's three lead singers, well.  Wells sang lead on the Randy Newman-penned tune, "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)," and it's difficult to imagine anyone singing it more distinctively than he did. 

The Wolfgang Press covered "Mama..." in the early '90s.  I played their version on KCOU and was struck by how quickly it got my attention.  The keyboard intro drew me right in, the subtle vocals were an interesting choice, and the band's decision to transform the song into a dance tune worked.  It's not the way I'd ever imagined hearing a tune that Three Dog Night popularized, but The Wolfgang Press deserves credit for thinking outside the box.

Tone deaf advertising

When I worked at WEW, the station attracted an older audience and ran many commercials for retirement homes.  The announcers, in most cases, presented the benefits of assisted living with grace and sensitivity.  One commercial, however, made my skin crawl.  The daughter in the commercial sounded like she was praising a child's first attempt to read.  She cooed that at her father's retirement home, "he's learning.  He's challenged."  "He's treated condescendingly,"  I said to myself when I first heard the ad.  "He's infantilized.  He's disrespected, despite his lifetime of hard work, rigorous studies, and raising his children."  To this day, I marvel at how off-putting her tone was.

SiriusXM highlights XVIII

Standout tracks that got my attention yesterday and today:

Bluegrass Junction

• Calico-Ron Block (A new, compelling midtempo banjo and fiddle instrumental.  There's a solid consistency throughout Block's latest release, "Hogan's House Of Music," thanks in part to such guest stars as Alison Krauss and Sierra Hull.)

The Loft 

• So. Central Rain (Live)-R.E.M. (The tune, complete with Michael Stipe's "I'm sorrrrrrrrry!" refrain, works just as well in concert as it does in the studio.)

Margaritaville

• The Boy In The Bubble-Paul Simon (Stellar lyrics about "the days of miracle and wonder" and instrumentation that grabs you right from the first note.  It's arguably the best track on Simon's "Graceland" album, which is saying a lot.)

Outlaw Country 

• Chairman Meow-Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion (This isn't really outlaw country music; it's actually an ear-catching singer-songwriter/power pop tribute to a cat owner.  Think Maura and Pete Kennedy with a bit of a twang.  SiriusXM played the electric version, but the song is every bit as strong acoustically.)
• King Harvest (Has Surely Come)-The Band (The outlaw country label isn't quite accurate here, either.  The protagonist's pro-union outlook, a subtle, unusual chorus, and one of the coolest gurgling keyboard undercurrents I've ever heard comprise this motley album rock track that somehow works.)

Real Jazz

• Things Ain't What They Used To Be-Ray Bryant (Considering how encouraging and full of life this piano rendition is, the song's title is rather misleading.)

Siriusly Sinatra 

• Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered-Linda Ronstadt (Movingly sung from the heart, as expected.  The Charlie Watts Quintet and Bernard Fowler recorded one of the other strongest renditions of this.)

Soul Town

• The Horse-Cliff Nobles & Co. (With an energetic groove as strong as this, I'm not surprised this instrumental was such a big hit in 1968.)

Stingray Music highlights X

Some of the stronger selections I heard yesterday:

Baroque 

• Johann Sebastian Bach: English Suite No. 6 in D minor, BWV 811 (Glenn Gould, piano) (Gould's deft approach to the piano serves all eight movements of Bach's final, and largely brisk, English suite effectively.)

Cocktail Lounge

• Je Pense A Toi-Paul Mauriat (For those who remember the more uptempo side of KEZK's easy listening format prior to the late '80s.)

Cool Jazz 

• November-Catherine Russell (Lyrically suitable for times when Winter arrives earlier than usual.)

Flashback '70s

• Thinking Of You-Loggins & Messina (Considering how universal the lyrics are and how happily they're sung, it puzzles me that I've only heard this song on the radio once.  I heard KCLC play it once, over a decade ago, and it baffles me that oldies stations don't play it, as well.  Inexplicably, this Loggins & Messina hit has been largely forgotten.)

Folk Roots

• Firecracker-The Wailin' Jennys (An excellent trio of harmonious singers carries off a tasteful, heartfelt set of lyrics.)
• Sleep On-Alison Krauss (In the same lyrical ballpark as "Firecracker," and one example, among many, of how consistent Krauss is from album to album.)
• She Moves Through The Fair/Urge For Going-Seanachie (Two folk classics, sung and segued compellingly against a Celtic backdrop; what's not to like?  It's interesting to hear "Urge For Going" sung at a faster clip than it typically is; Joni Mitchell, Tom Rush, and Mary Black recorded effective slower versions of it, but Seanachie's interpretation also works.)

Jukebox Oldies 

• Goin' Out Of My Head-Little Anthony & The Imperials (Everything's right there on the surface, lyrically.  The Lettermen also recorded a moving version of it.)

New Age

• Don't Know Why-Pat Metheny (It's captivating to hear a great Norah Jones tune transferred so naturally to the guitar.  It's from one of Metheny's best releases, "One Quiet Night."  Also recommended: "Last Train Home" and "Over On 4th Street.")

Retro R&B

• Last Night-The Mar-Keys (A memorable, of-its-time sax/keyboard instrumental.  If the title doesn't ring a bell, trust me; you've probably heard this riff used as background music.)

World Carnival

• Tum-Tum-Tum-Jackson do Pandeiro (One of the most joyous musical pick-me-ups I've heard in some time.)

SiriusXM highlights XVII

Standout selections heard this morning:

'40s Junction 

• Sentimental Journey-Les Brown And His Band Of Renown with The Ames Brothers (An impressive blend of big band elegance with vocals to match; I wish I'd played this version on WEW.)

Bluegrass Junction 

• Aged Pine-Della Mae (Mae uses an aged pine as an effective lyrical simile for the heart.)
• You Don't Run Across My Mind-Irene Kelley (Segues well with Maia Sharp's version of "A Home.")

The Bridge 

• You've Got A Friend-Carole King (James Taylor's version is the one most listeners know, but King wrote it and performs a heartfelt rendition of it in her own right.  Worth seeking out: King's concert recording of it with Taylor.)

Classic Vinyl 

• I Got A Line On You-Spirit (Tight, infectious album rock, in which every element--guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, and vocals--rises to the occasion.)

Real Jazz

• My Funny Valentine-Miles Davis (Sublime, expansive, contemplative trumpet...In short, it's Miles.)
• Satin Doll-Ray Bryant (A cool stride piano rendition of a stellar Duke Ellington tune.) 
• She Waits For The New Sun-Kenny Garrett (A pensive, moving saxophone and piano instrumental.)
• Triple-Swiss Jazz Orchestra/Michael Zisman (An impressive big-band-meets-the-accordion sound.)

SiriusXM Fly

• Anytime-Brian McKnight (An especially heart-wrenching tune about missing someone.)

Soul Town

• Rock The Boat-The Hues Corporation (One of the best examples of smooth vocals and catchy instrumental backing elevating lyrics that would sound pedestrian otherwise.)
• These Eyes-Jr. Walker & The All Stars (As appealing as The Guess Who's version is, it's also refreshing to hear a saxophone-and-harmony-vocals take on it.)

Studio 54 Radio

• On The Radio-Donna Summer (Holds up lyrically in a way that a lot of dance tunes from its era don't.)

Stingray Music highlights IX

Some of the stronger selections I heard Tuesday:

Chamber Music

• John Weinzweig: Dance of Masada (Catherine Manoukian & Akira Eguchi) (Gripping, intense interplay between violin and piano.)

Classic R&B And Soul 

• Don't Knock Love-Barbara Carr (A strong uptempo tune; Carr belts out the lyrics with full energy, and the combination of her voice and the saxophone brings to mind Sam Cooke's "Twistin' The Night Away.")

Jazz Masters

• Secret Love-Hank Garland (A laid-back guitar sound reminiscent of Joe Pass.)

Jazz Now

• 402 E. 116th St.-Cameron Wallis (Elegant saxophone wailing sets the mood and maintains it.) 

Kids' Stuff

• Jump In A Pile Of Leaves-Mama Mac (Why not?  It's a fun seasonal tune.)

Pop Classics

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 (Janos Starker) (Starker's tone is compellingly bright, lyrical, and resonant.)
• Sigismond Thalberg: Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 5: II. Adagio (Razumovsky Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Mogrelia, conductor; Francesco Nicolosi, piano) (Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata came to mind as I listened to this movement.)

The Spa

• Voices-Liz Story (One of Story's many rich piano melodies; its inclusion on her best-of compilation, "Welcome Home," is well-earned.)

Periodic Table arena rock

In my high school chemistry class, each student was required to give a report before the class about one of the elements in the Periodic Table.  The teacher asked us to pretend to be our assigned elements and speak in first person.  My presentation on nitrogen earned me a score of 98%, but there's a way I might have been able to push that up to 100%.  It would have been a stretch, as my singing range has always been limited, but what if I had gotten all the necessary facts about nitrogen into my report by singing, "I am nitrogen...," to the tune of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man?"  Any student who pulled that off with any three-syllable element would have deserved a perfect score, I think, just for sheer moxie.

Not your everyday sunrise

I remember former KMOX morning personalities Bob Hardy and Bill Wilkerson having the following exchange in November 1984:

Hardy: That's an unveiling sunrise?
Wilkerson: Oh, yeah, that's grape punch with floating cinnamon sticks.
Hardy:  I'll tell ya...What?  Grape punch?
Wilkerson: Look at that.  Don't you see that?  Grape punch with floating cinnamon sticks.

Hardy and Wilkerson then delved into a newscast.  Then, during the weather forecast:

Hardy: I'm cruisin' all up and down that horizon, and I don't see cinnamon sticks and grape punch...

----

...I had never seen grape punch with floating cinnamon sticks in the sky, either--until yesterday.  While driving yesterday morning, I saw the sunrise, and there they were.  The grape punch was readily abundant.  I had to look closely to see the floating cinnamon sticks, but they were there, as well.  I'm not entirely sure of my own blood type, but Wilkerson's description of a sunrise has stayed in my mind.  It was a pleasure, 31 years later, to see it brought to life.

An atypical standout V

If it were closer to Christmas, I would just as easily cite this artist's version of "Frosty The Snowman" as a successful example of casting against type.  "Extraordinary Machine," the title track from Fiona Apple's 2005 CD, also displays her talent for taking an unexpected left turn.  Before her third CD was released, I anticipated something closer in style to her previous work, such as "Shadowboxer" or "Criminal."  Instead, Apple led off her third release with a can't-keep-me-down-regardless-of-what-the-world-throws-at-me set of lyrics, set to an instrumental backing that brings to mind Peter And The Wolf.  The full range of her alto voice is on display here, as she sings about her inner strength and making the most of a situation while doing things her own way.  Yesterday, I wrote about songs in which protagonists feel out of place or out of step.  Apple's "Extraordinary Machine," like Sting's "Englishman In New York," illustrates that if it works for you, it's fine to take a different path and not follow the crowd.

Feeling out of place? These are your songs.

Three of the best songs, in my opinion, for when you feel out of place or out of step:

• Alien-Atlanta Rhythm Section ("Now and then, we all are aliens," the band sings in its tale of someone who feels like he doesn't belong.  This was a minor hit for the band, but it deserves more airplay.)
• Englishman In New York-Sting (One of the best songs about staying true to yourself, even when it puzzles those around you.)
• Throwback-Tony Banks (As I wrote previously, this should have been a huge hit for the Genesis songwriter/keyboardist.  It sounds like a ready-made theme for a TV show about time travel gone wrong.)

Tomorrow, I'll spotlight a song, in a different context, that could also qualify for this list.

Subtlety Central FM?

One effect of being the board operator during a new age music show: When it's your turn to take the mic, you might start talking like the most tranquil host on Earth.  My on-air delivery was already subtle to begin with, and doing the local breaks during a syndicated new age show in the early '90s made me sound as though I was a syllable and a half away from falling asleep.  I had nothing against the music; much of it was pleasant and relaxing--so relaxing, however, that even a serious public service announcement came out sounding like, "Have you inadvertently sawed off part of your hand while building a bench?  Don't worry.  The universe will replenish your fingers.  All things in good time."  I thought that if the station had played new age music full-time, a good slogan would have been, "New Age Radio: Just Be."

Different doodles, different backgrounds

Guess which one of these families had more exposure to the media at an early age:

When I was a kid, I would watch the July 4 fireworks in the park with neighbors across the street.  One year, it rained, and the fireworks were canceled.  To pass the time, one of the family's seven kids handed each of us a magazine, paper, and colored pencils, and said we could draw pictures of animals inspired by the nature magazines.  Everyone but me drew just an animal with nothing else in the picture.  I, however, drew a panda sitting atop a radio station billboard drinking a can of Coke.  I wrote on the billboard, "KOKE Radio: In Panda City, Missouri, Coke is it!"

As soon as I saw everyone else's drawings, I thought, "Yep.  We're being raised differently."

FM dial scan highlights XLII

Five of the best selections I've heard tonight:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Late In The Evening-Paul Simon ("Howzit Bayou" played several of Simon's songs today, in honor of his 74th birthday.  There's certainly no shortage of excellent material from which to choose.  "Late In The Evening," however, is one of Simon's most infectious melodies.)
• I Miss Your Bones-Hospitality (If I hadn't learned otherwise, I would have thought this was a new wave hit from the late '70s or early '80s.  Actually, it was released last year.  The tune has an appealing, basic guitar hook and vocals to match from Amber Papini.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Twisted Blues-Wes Montgomery (Proof that an ensemble can cook and sound breezy simultaneously.  Montgomery pulled this off routinely.)
• Wake Up-Dave Weckl Band (Good synchronicity between the saxophone and rhythm section here.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E minor: V. Rondo-Finale, Allegro ordinario (Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel, conductor) (The timpani intro sets the tone for an energetic, brass-and-strings-dominated movement.  This is how to bring a symphony to a dramatic, satisfying close.)

Staying on top of your game

A memory from an orchestra rehearsal years ago:  The conductor, displeased with the way the ensemble sounded, told the orchestra, "You're only as good as your most recent performance.  Remember that!  (When) it's garbage, you're garbage!"

Another memory of a different conductor, leading another ensemble whose rehearsal hadn't gone well:  At the end of a rehearsal, he told the orchestra, "Next week's rehearsal is going to be prepared, and it's going to be professional.  If it isn't, I'm going to kick some butts!"

Strangely enough, in both cases, the next rehearsals sounded better.  Fortunately, no one was kicked, either.  I could just imagine the next concert programs reading, "Thanks to the conductor's exasperated threats, the orchestra will present an inspired performance tonight of..."

Two-option traffic lights?

Years ago, I heard a radio talk show caller suggest to the host, "Most people ignore yellow lights anyway; maybe, it would be better if traffic lights just had red and green options."  "How would that work?" replied the incredulous host.  "You're driving along, and suddenly--Bam!" 

It's interesting what seems like a good idea to some callers when they're waiting on hold.

One song, two pronunciations

How do you introduce a song on the air when there's a dispute over how its title, "Relaxin' At Camarillo," is pronounced?  On WEW, I handled it this way:

"Up next, it's Charlie Haden Quartet West with Relaxin' At Cam-a-rillo.  Or, others would say Cam-a-rio.  It's good music either way on 77 WEW."

Several years later, I heard a jazz DJ on another station mention both pronunciations as he back announced the tune.  I appreciated the validation.

What would the dream interpreter say?

Years ago, I heard a dream interpreter on the radio say that music in a dream often represents turbulence or a need to slow down one's thinking.  I wonder what the interpreter would have made of dreams in which...

• ...animated moose are dancing and hanging out at a bar while Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" plays on the jukebox.
• ...you turn on the radio to hear, for the only time, a trio of rappers performing a hip hop version of Robert Frost's poem, "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening."
• ...a motley assortment of your high school teachers is in a Murphy's Oil Soap commercial, singing at least one line apiece of the "I've been usin' Murphy's Oil Soap..." jingle.

Just wondering--um, for a friend....Yeah...Ahem...

Online radio sampler highlights XXV

Highlights from this afternoon's listening session:

KAMP (Tucson, AZ)

• Ghost Ship-Blur (Thanks to a strong synergy between the vocals and laid back instrumentation, this track holds up well on repeated listens.)

KSBR (Mission Viejo, CA)

• Renewal-Mark Stephens (Engaging vocals, with the feel of a George Duke track.)

KUNV (Las Vegas, NV)

• Because Of You-Gerald Albright (A sunny saxophone part, and just the right amount of vocals.)

WMBR (Cambridge, MA)

• Come To The River-Dianne Reeves (Reeves sings with such conviction that I wouldn't doubt that the river has "the answers to the questions of [one's] soul.")

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Sweet Emotion-Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon (Kottke and Gordon serve this Aerosmith song well by lowering the volume, making the vocals a bit more subtle, and emphasizing Kottke's guitar.)

Got those mystifying chair placement blues...

Another example of my high school orchestra director's quirky personality:  There was only one time I received a much lower chair placement at a state music competition than I thought I deserved. As I checked the seating list, my high school orchestra conductor walked by and asked, "How are you holding up?"  "Not so well," I replied.  "I'm thinking about getting out of this bass playing racket and becoming a blues harmonica player instead."  Without missing a beat, he said, "You should go to Mississippi.  That's how you break into the blues scene."  As I asked in a previous post, who else would respond that way?

Off-the-cuff birthday warbling

Years ago, as I walked to my desk at work, a chorus of co-workers sang "Happy Birthday" to me.  At the end of the song, one of them assumed a deadpan voice while telling me, "That was a spontaneous thing we did."

Now, that's how you cap off a considerate sing-along.

A smart edit

I heard this recently on a radio station that's seeking money for needed improvements:

"That jar of change you've got under the kitchen counter?  We'll take that.  (Pause)  Well, we won't take that.  We'll accept it."

I thought the announcer made a wise revision there.

Retro FM dial scan highlights: 10/4/85

Based on some unearthed air checks and notes I made on them, here's a sample of what I heard on the St. Louis FM dial on this day 30 years ago:

KADI 96.3 FM

• Jamie-Ray Parker, Jr. (I don't think I've heard this on the radio since it was a hit.  It's actually one of Parker's stronger uptempo hits.  It's commendable that even though the protagonist is no longer with Jamie, he still doesn't want anyone saying negative things about her.)
• Too Late For Goodbyes-Julian Lennon (Although I don't hear it played often these days, I always thought this was a good example of how hard it is to write a song.  It's difficult to write a song with universal sentiments in a way no one ever has before, but Lennon pulls it off.  His quirkier follow-up hit, "Say You're Wrong," is even more original, but it's rarely played today.)

KCFM 97.1 FM

• Where Is The Love-Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (As I wrote last month, is there another duet in which the breezy vocals are this appealingly at odds with such ominous lyrics?)
• All Alone Am I-Brenda Lee (Played too often, the lyrics might start to sound a bit too heavy on the self-pity.  In small doses, however, the tune is one way to acknowledge that you're feeling down.)

KYKY 98.1 FM 

• Turn Your Love Around-George Benson (Still one of Benson's catchier hooks that still gets commercial airplay today.  KYKY, incidentally, is the only station on this list that still has the same call letters it had in 1985.)

WMRY 101.1 FM 

• We Work The Black Seam-Sting (It speaks well of WMRY that it delved so deeply into the album, "The Dream Of The Blue Turtles."  This somber, thought-provoking track isn't the most obvious choice for commercial airplay, considering that "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free," "Love Is The Seventh Wave," and "Fortress Around Your Heart" are also on the album.)

KHTR 103.3 FM

• "Miami Vice" Theme-Jan Hammer (What instrumental captures the essence of 1985 better than this one?)

WKKX 104.1 FM

• Always On My Mind-Willie Nelson (Some of Nelson's best lyrics, in a showcase that transcends the label of country music.)

FM dial scan highlights XLI

Five of the better tracks I've heard since last Saturday:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Acorns-Molly Ledford & Billy Kelly (A fun acoustic tune, released in March, with fitting lyrics for Autumn.  The backing vocals enhance the lead vocals appealingly.) 

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Easy Walker-Christian McBride Trio (The combo of Christian Sands, Ulysses Owens, Jr., and McBride shows that piano, drums, and bass are all that's needed to produce an easy-on-the-ears walking melody.  If you like "Easy Walker," you'll probably also like the similar feel of "East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon.)"

KCLC 89.1 FM 

• Brick-Ben Folds Five (What do you do when faced with such a heavy, life-changing decision?  Folds sings about the dilemma the protagonist and his girlfriend face with gripping, agonizing sincerity.  It's still easy to hear, 17 years later, why this song launched the group onto the pop charts.)

KWMU 90.7 FM

• Un Poco Loco-Bud Powell (Powell makes his composition simmer on the piano.  Tito Puente's version is also recommended.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Stars-Simply Red (It had been a while since I'd heard "Stars" on the radio, so it was refreshing to hear it last week on "The Jazz Collective."  "Stars" is arguably one of the band's most endearingly memorable melodies.  However, a good case can also be made for "Sunrise," thanks in no small part to its sampling of the Daryl Hall & John Oates hit, "I Can't Go For That.")

Shuffle mode results XXV

Results from today's iTunes shuffle mode session:

  1.  Tudo Bem (All Is Okay)-Bobby Watson
(This uptempo sax-and-horns number is fit for a fiesta, and it's a highlight of the "Tailor Made" CD.)
  2.  A Boat Like Gideon Brown (Live)-Great Big Sea
(An ode to an admired boat, sung with considerable self-assurance and Celtic instrumentation.)
  3.  Everywhere-Brooks Williams
(One of Williams' happier, more carefree efforts that would segue well with Peter Mulvey's "You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams.")
  4.  Burnside-Stephen Bennett
(A more optimistic-sounding guitar instrumental than the title suggests.)
  5.  Fly At Night-Chilliwack
(A reflection on the satisfaction a rock band feels while playing in concert and a look at the adjustments musicians make to life on the road.  KSHE plays this every now and then.)
  6.  Love Is Like A Rock-Donnie Iris
(A minor of-its-time hit from 1982; a cool guitar part and a chorus fit for an arena.)
  7.  Smoothie Song (Live Session-iTunes Exclusive)-Nickel Creek
(For a long time, this was my most-played iTunes song.  Great spitfire interplay between all instruments in this version.  If the studio version appeals to you, this rendition won't disappoint you.)
  8.  Stupid Thing-Nickel
(Who else remembers the second season "Buffy..." scene in which Buffy, Willow, and Xander dance at The Bronze to this song?  It's a powerful tune about things one shouldn't have done and the precarious nature of saying and doing more ill-advised things.)
  9.  Magpie To The Morning-Neko Case
(Case sings, "Don't let this fading Summer pass you by," along with a vulture's warning about the futility of trying "to outrun sorrow."  A reality check with a bit of hope.)
10.  Don't Play Me-Owl & The Pussycat
(A short, well-sung warning of a tune.)
11.  Wish I Could-Norah Jones
(A downcast, compellingly sung tune about triggering bittersweet memories.)

Can't say it too many times

A conversation from the mid '90s that made me realize why announcers have to repeat things so often:

Co-worker: I heard you on the air yesterday while I was driving.  You were promoting a concert for...Who was it?  For some reason, I want to say Poppin' Fresh...
Me:  That's the Pillsbury mascot.  I'm trying to think of which concert promo you might have heard.
Co-worker:  No, it was for The Poppingtons.  No, The Rippingtons.
Me:  The Rippingtons...That's right.

It dawned on me that this must be why announcers repeat the same information, such as a phone number, a store location, or a price, so many times in a commercial. It's one thing to expect people to retain all of the necessary information after one hearing as part of a job or when taking a class.  It isn't realistic, though, to expect every listener to remember everything you've said when they're listening to a radio station passively, by choice.