Favorite music of 2015

2015, much like 2014, produced a good selection of releases across the genres.  My top 10 favorite songs of the year--at this moment--are:

  10.  Hylife-Marcus Miller
(A bass-anchored stew of saxophone, keyboards, and vocal punctuation that simmers.)
    9.  (No Place I'd) Rather Be-Kam Franklin
(As a rule, I don't usually seek out dance music.  This release got my attention, though.  Franklin's powerful voice is perfect for this genre, so here's wishing her a bright future.)
    8.  Unstoppable-Lianne La Havas
(Impressively jazzy, hypnotic vocals on this midtempo track from July.  Also recommended: "Midnight" and "Ghosts.")
    7.  Folhas Secas-Doug Beavers
(A sublime, elegant number for trombone and strings; it's one of the most beautiful instrumentals released this year.)
    6.  Waltz For Judy-Bob James & Nathan East
(More elegance--for piano, bass, and strings this time.  It's from one of this year's stronger jazz releases, "The New Cool."  Also recommended: "How Deep Is The Ocean," "Seattle Sunrise," "House Of Blue," and the title track.)
    5.  Crossing Muddy Waters-Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz & Aoife O'Donovan
(One of the most impressive triple threats in the singer-songwriter genre today; all three of them are strong artists individually, so it was a pleasure to hear them host "A Prairie Home Companion" earlier this year.  This track is a moving, straightforward story of one woman's hard life.)
    4.  Return To The Moon-EL VY
(Released in August, the song's cryptic lyrics are set to a backing track that's difficult to forget, especially in the chorus.  It contains one of 2015's catchiest hooks.) 
    3.  Brokedown Palace-Watkins Family Hour
(Sara Watkins and Fiona Apple are in excellent voice, as usual, on this impressive cover of a Grateful Dead tune.  Also recommended: "Early Morning Rain.")
    2.  Jackrabbit-San Fermin
(Charlene Kaye's strong lead vocals grab the listener immediately in this energetic title track from the band's indie release.  Adventurous instrumentation, particularly in the horn and string arrangements, dominates the song, as well.)
    1.  Home-The Boxcar Lilies
(The most beautiful, heartfelt harmonizing of the year, in my opinion.  This song has followed a trajectory in my rankings similar to my favorite song of 2005, Thea Gilmore's cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Sitting In Limbo."  The first time I heard each song, I thought, "That's well-sung from the heart."  I kept going back to each of these songs and elevating their rankings as the end of the year drew closer, until, finally, when the time came for me to compile my list, I thought, "Not only is this tune well-sung from the heart, it's my favorite song of the year."  Karla Bonoff's original version is moving, as well.)

Other noteworthy tracks from this year, listed alphabetically:

• Cardbord Castles-Dengue Fever (An infectious blend of swirling surf-style/spy movie theme guitar and catchy vocals; a 2015 standout track that sustains a compelling grove for five minutes.  Incidentally, that's not a typo; that's how "Cardbord" is spelled in the song title.)
• 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.)
• Don't Dream It's Over-Sylvan Esso/Flock Of Dimes (A fine cover of the Crowded House tune, originally played on avclub.com, as it might sound if sung in outer space.  Its availability as a 45 is a nice retro touch.)
• Ghost Ship-Blur (Thanks to a strong synergy between the vocals and laid back instrumentation, this track holds up well on repeated listens.  Does the instrumental backing remind anyone else of George Benson's "Breezin'?")
• Little Steps-Beatrice Allunni & Marc Peillon (A good, contemplative piano/bass instrumental.)
• Morning Sun-Melody Gardot (Sung with Gardot's customary old soul charm.)
• Morning World-Teen Daze (A track that falls somewhere between indie and mainstream pop; its floating-in-space instrumentation meshes perfectly with its vocals.)
• The New Ground-Kristin Andreassen (A singer-songwriter highlight of 2015; pleasant vocals in a well-crafted song.)
• A Potter's Song-Maria Schneider Orchestra featuring Gary Versace (A 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.)
• Real June-Seoul (It's good to know that two stations at 88.1 FM, in Columbia and St. Louis, have played one of 2015's most tuneful, seemingly Beach Fossils-inspired melodies.)
• Take A Little Time-Kathryn Calder (Calder's airy, well-produced vocals shine against an '80s-sounding synthesized arrangement in this fun track.  Watch the video, as well, to see Calder make it the through the rain and outrun various pencil-sketched creatures.)
• Understand The Problem-Quiet Company (A promising, well-sung, easy-to-relate-to track from the band's "Transgressor" CD.  Of all the songs on this list, this one rocks the hardest.)
• Up Above My Head-Rhiannon Giddens (A powerfully sung gospel track that would segue well with Patty Griffin's "Move Up.")
• Warrior-Laura Marling (Marling channels Suzanne Vega in this haunting tune.)
• Wherever Is Your Heart-Brandi Carlile (The theme of this song, "Wherever is your heart, I call home," has been paraphrased thousands of times in virtually every genre of music.  It still feels fresh in this track.)

Apples and oranges: Determining song rankings

As I prepare to rank my favorite songs of 2015 in tomorrow's post, I identify with Rob's plight in the movie High Fidelity as he's ranking his favorite songs for a reporter--and calling her back, asking her to move one song up in the rankings and another one down.  I've approached song rankings that way before, thinking and rethinking them as though the fates of nations were on the line.  Ultimately, a person's favorite songs fall where they do in the rankings because of personal taste and other factors that can't be explained fully.  When I'm ranking a list of favorite songs for the year, though, the following factors typically come into play:

• How does the strong strike me?  What draws me to it?  Is it the tune's well-written, thought-provoking lyrics, well-sung vocals, and/or well-played instrumentation?  Or, does it just have a catchy hook?
• Do I truly like this song, or am I willing it to make my rankings because of my respect for the artist's prior work?
• If it's a live recording of a song the artist has released previously as a studio rendition, does the live version's quality equal or surpass the studio take?  Is it truly a strong live version, or am I letting my opinion of the studio version or the crowd's feedback in the live version cloud my judgment? 
• If it's a cover song, does its quality equal or exceed the original version's quality?  Does the artist bring something new and imaginative to the table, or is it a version that stays as close to the source as possible?  Depending on the song, either approach has its merits.
• How well does the song stand up to repeated listening?  A cerebral singer-songwriter might present a well-argued case in song, for instance, that climate change needs to be taken seriously.  While I might admire the heart and conviction behind the lyrics and might not be able to refute them, the song might not have much of a discernible, memorable melody.  On the flip side, a song might have an extremely catchy hook, but after three or four listens, I've had my fill of it because there's not much there. 
• Am I letting the fact that I first heard this song back in January or February cloud my judgment?  Does the song not seem as fresh to me now because I've heard it so often?  Or, has hearing it so often strengthened my conviction that it's excellent?  If I heard a song for the first time just two weeks ago, am I not giving it its due because it's still fairly new to me?  Or, do I like it because it just hasn't worn out its welcome yet?
• Is my current mood influencing where a song is ranked?  If I'm in an upbeat mood, am I not giving this subtle piano instrumental the credit it deserves?  Or, if I'm in a quiet, reflective mood, am I not acknowledging how good this uptempo track with a blistering guitar melody is?
• How do I rank one song against another when their genres are completely different?  As you may have noticed from reading this blog, I tend to favor singer-songwriter music, jazz, and power pop most often.  When I like two songs almost equally, what breaks the tie in my rankings?  That leads me into my final bullet point.
• Which songs have I listened to most?  I can talk about admiration and respect for a song or an artist all I want, but in the end, it comes down to this: What songs have made me listen to them--not out of any obligation, but simply because I like them?

I'll rank my favorite songs of 2015 in tomorrow's post and include a list of many honorable mentions.  We'll see how it turns out--and if I end up revising my choices later.

An apparently not-so-obvious disclaimer

Considering that some radio stations are having countdowns of 2015's most popular songs, I wonder if any of them will issue the disclaimer I heard one announcer make years ago.  After back announcing the titles, artists, and rankings of several songs in a countdown, he said, "Just a reminder that we can't play requests during the countdown.  During a countdown, we play the songs in the order they're ranked.  I've explained this to some listeners on the phone, and a few of you have said, 'Well, just play mine, then.'  Again, during a countdown, we play the tunes in the order they're ranked."

Only in college XII

One night, I was playing a set of soft, subtle music on KCOU.  As I was playing the theme from "The Young And The Restless" on the air, a listener called the request line.  "How long are you going to keep doing this?" she asked.  "I'd really like to hear more upbeat music."  "Is there any particular song you'd like to hear?" I asked.  "No," she replied. "I'd just like to hear something more upbeat."  Sensing an opportunity, I started the next set of music by saying, "A listener called in, wanting to hear more uptempo music.  I aim to please, so here comes some more uptempo music on KCOU, Columbia."  I then started playing The Brady Bunch's "Time To Change."

Only in college XI

An early '90s conversation in the cafeteria:

Student 1: What's your major?
Me: I major in communication with an emphasis on radio.
Student 1: So you can become a DJ?
Me: Yes.
Student 2 to Student 1, noticing him grinning and rolling his eyes: Well, someone has to do it!

Fortunately, there's always Bach...

Classical radio stations often play Johann Sebastian Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" on Christmas, but it's comforting to know that it's just as moving on any other day.  One caution, though: If you're listening to it while wrapping presents on Christmas Eve and getting frustrated at your inability to wrap them symmetrically, it's best to avoid shouting, "Arrrrrrggggghhhhhh!"  I did this two nights ago, and suddenly, the piece shifted into a minor key.  "Sorry, sheep," I said, when I realized what had happened.  "I didn't mean to startle you."  Fortunately, the piece then went back into its original major key.  Apparently, the sheep were content again.

FM dial scan highlights XLIX (Christmas edition II)

Christmas morning, 2015: Who says a cat and a mouse can't put aside their differences and enjoy Christmas music together?  Sylvia and her mouse have figured this out.

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!  Here are some of the Christmas gems I've heard on the radio since late last night:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• White Christmas-Otis Redding (Steve and Cat Pick are doing their usual reliable job of providing a mixed, varied Christmas soundtrack on "Sound Salvation."  Redding's emotive take on this carol is among the highlights so far.)
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Kate and Anna McGarrigle (The McGarrigle sisters and special guests bring out this carol's serious nature vocally.)
• It Came Upon The Midnight Clear-Rosanne Cash (Steve Pick gave the "Acoustic Christmas" various artists compilation its due on the air and said that he keeps going back to this track every year.  That's understandable, as it's one of the most effective, intimately sung renditions.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• White Christmas-Beegie Adair (Adair captures the essence of this carol on the piano with her customary elegance and taste.)
• Good King Wenceslas-Manfredo Fest (An uptempo, Latin-influenced highlight from the compilation, "A Concord Jazz Christmas 2.")
• O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)-Bruce Barth (A cool piano-based rendition with a bounce.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Driving Home For Christmas-Chris Rea (Rea's rasp suits this tune that deserves more airplay well.)

KSD 93.7 FM

• Go Tell It On The Mountain-Little Big Town (Solid guitar, lead and backing vocals in one of the stronger renditions I've heard.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Harry Connick, Jr. (A smart jazzy arrangement that brings to mind Raul Malo and Shelby Lynne's version of "It Takes Two To Tango.")

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Winter Wonderland-Andy Williams (One of the most optimistic renditions; if you listen closely, the bluebird comes back and decides to stay.)

W279AQ 103.7 FM, a.k.a. KLOU-HD2

• Celebrate Me Home-LeAnn Rimes featuring Gavin DeGraw (I think Kenny Loggins and Al Jarreau recorded the two best versions, but this rendition deserves its due, as well.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day-Harry Belafonte (Thought-provoking lyrics sung with the necessary gravity.)

Christmas Eve music and radio musings

2004: Serious Sammy assumes a serious listening post for Christmas music.

Some music and radio-related thoughts and observations on this Christmas Eve:

• The Radio Arts Foundation's station, K297BI 107.3 FM, started 48 hours of commercial-free Christmas music at midnight with "March Of The Toys."  Based on the sound of this uprising, the toys take time to celebrate Independence Day, as well.
• I always felt sorry for KFUO's announcers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  While they got to enjoy the beautiful music that the former station at 99.1 FM played during "A Classic Christmas," they basically came into work on those days just to read weather forecasts, as there was no back announcing of the music, once the station posted its Christmas selections online.
• I don't think I've ever heard it on the radio, but Fats Domino recorded one of the coolest versions of "Jingle Bells."  "Jingle Bells" isn't one of my favorite tunes ordinarily, but Domino rocks its rhythm on the piano and vocally.
• Or, if an easy listening version of "Jingle Bells" suits you more, Paul Mauriat and his orchestra recorded perhaps the best, most spirited instrumental rendition.  
• For unusual yet endearing arrangements of Christmas favorites and some more obscure songs, let Kate Rusby's "Sweet Bells" CD win you over.  Her voice's angelic quality should make even the hardest-to-please listener come around.
• During a recent Pandora listening session, my brother and I heard "Driving Home For Christmas" come up more frequently, in different versions, than we ever had on the radio.  I remember WRTH playing Michael Ball's version of it frequently one year, but otherwise, that tune isn't usually played on St. Louis radio stations.  It fits the mood of the season, though, whether it's Ball's version, Chris Rea's rendition, or the Celtic-infused cover by The High Kings.
• Given its lyrical appreciation for Christmases past, present, and future, Glen Campbell's "There's No Place Like Home" is ideal for Christmas Eve.  It seems especially appropriate to listen to it on vinyl.

Here's wishing everyone who observes it a pleasant Christmas Eve!

Caroling in the gym before the break

I don't recall it happening every year, but for at least three years, my elementary school would have a round robin Christmas carol sing-along in the gym.  Near the end of the school day just before Christmas vacation, the vocal music teacher would play the piano as each kindergarten through fifth grade class sang a prepared carol.  Other classes were invited to sing along.  While this usually went off without too many hitches, a few thoughts come to mind:

• I imagine that "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" isn't sung as often in public school as it was then.  I would guess that most public schools who still have these kinds of sing-alongs stick to secular tunes, such as "Winter Wonderland" or "Sleigh Ride."
• One year, our class sang "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas."  For some reason, a group of students must not have thought that the lyric, "And when you walk down the street..." sounded cool enough, as a few of them, despite the teacher's admonishments, insisted on singing, "And when you're walkin' down the street..."  
• More than once, I remember all-school sing-along of "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" turning into a fiasco.  Inevitably, one class would start shouting out the lyrics instead of singing them.  Another class would feel compelled to up the ante and shout the next verse even louder.  The next class would shout its verse even more obnoxiously; this would continue until the last class in the rotation would abandon any pretense of singing and simply scream, "AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!"  Not surprisingly, Mrs. S. would call the sing-along to a halt and say, "Let's start again and just sing the verses this time."

Given that most kids' minds are already on the upcoming vacation just before it starts, why not spend the last hour before the break getting into the holiday spirit?

An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune XI

"I Wonder As I Wander" has never been one of my favorite Christmas carols.  Its typically dreary arrangement, although appropriate, doesn't strike me as very appealing.  One version of it, however, impresses me a lot.  Ordinarily, when a vocalist or instrumentalist attempts to sing or play "I Wonder...," it's in a somber operatic or orchestral style.  Brooks Williams, however, proves that it works better on an acoustic guitar with folk-style vocals that jump and skip.  Those aren't obvious choices for that carol, but Williams makes them work, resulting in the best rendition I've heard; I've never paid more attention to the lyrics of "I Wonder..." or found myself singing along without realizing it more than I have with his version.  Although most carols are best heard in their traditional arrangements, Williams shows how "I Wonder As I Wander" is an exception.

A carol best heard sparingly

As I listened to John Denver and The Muppets sing "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" on KEZK this morning, I thought, "This is the only version of this carol I'd want to hear repeatedly."  Denver and The Muppets bring out the fun in it, but almost every other version of it is largely tedious. 

Hearing "...Twelve Days..." also reminded me of an assignment in my eighth grade English class.  "Choose a Christmas carol and revise its lyrics with a Halloween theme," the teacher said.  After hearing a few students murmuring possible lyrics such as "Twelve ghosts a-haunting" and "Eleven bats a-flying," she added, "The one restriction is that you can't choose 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas.'  It's too easy to write lyrics that are just random lists of Halloween-related items, so if you were going to choose that carol, please select another one instead." 

I still think that was a reasonable request.

FM dial scan highlights XLVIII (Christmas edition)

2003: Sammy the cat, who might or might not have been pawing at the Christmas tree in time to "Silver Bells" by Kevin Eubanks.

Standout Christmas selections heard yesterday and today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Winter Wonderland-Jerry Byrd (A laid-back instrumental rendition that lives up to its album's billing of "Christmas In Hawaii.")
• Light Of The Stable-Emmylou Harris (Harris brings to mind elements of Rosanne Cash and Joan Baez in compellingly sung lyrics about going to see the newborn Christ child.)
• Silent Night-Mayim (The a cappella harmonies from these three women coalesce extremely well.  Their CD, "Sacred Season," is strongly recommended.  Among its other highlights: "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Beside Thy Cradle, Here I Stand," "The First Noel," and "Lo, How A Rose.")
• The Holly & The Ivy-Loreena McKennitt (A somber rendition, sung with powerful, sweeping conviction.  I could imagine Mary Fahl singing it similarly.)
• Frosty The Snowman-Leon Redbone with Dr. John (Redbone's voice suits the tune especially well, particularly on the "thumpity thump thump"s, and Dr. John's vocals add grit.  It's a fun romp that commercial radio stations ought to play.)  

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Silver Bells-Kevin Eubanks (Eubanks ups the carol's tempo on guitar and includes subtle scatting for an effective smooth jazz take.)
• Winter Wonderland-Howard Alden & Ken Peplowski (A spirited, expansive rendition for guitar and clarinet.  Also recommended: Peplowski's take on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.")

WSIE 88.7 FM, WFUN 95.5 FM, and KEZK 102.5 FM 

• The Christmas Song-Nat King Cole (One of the most deserving of all Christmas perennials; a version this richly and elegantly sung should hold up through the decades, and clearly, it has.  It's not surprising that I'd hear it on three radio stations in one afternoon.)

Seeing a carol through to the end

I almost never turn the radio off in the middle of a phrase when listening to a song or piece that I like.  If it's a selection I like pretty well, I usually wait for a logical break in the song before turning it off.  If it's a selection I like even more, it's not unusual for me to wait in a parking lot, circle the block a couple of times, or drive down various side streets looking at Christmas lights until the song reaches its conclusion.  Once, as I listened to a strong choral rendition of "The First Noel," my instinct for knowing when a song ends was put to the test, unexpectedly.  I was about to park, thinking my pulling into a space would coincide perfectly with the carol's last verse.  It didn't work out that way, however.  Normally, I would expect "The First Noel" to end with the lyric, "Born is the king of Israel!"  This version, however, threw me for a loop by elongating that lyric, and tacking on the first of several false endings.  I thought it was about to end, when suddenly, I heard, "Nooooooellllllll!"  "OK," I thought.  "That must be the end."  I was wrong.  After a breath, I heard, "NOOOOELLLL!"  "There.  That's a logical place to conclude," I thought.  I started to turn the ignition off, only to hear the choir come roaring back in with "NOOOOELLLLLLLLLLLLL!"  "Surely, that must be the end," I figured.  Nope.  The choir, in an attempt to shatter the windshield glass of anyone listening in a car, belted out, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" even louder.  For good measure, there was a brassy instrumental finish on top of that.  About three years later, after I'd used the ATM, gone through the car wash, mailed a few Christmas cards, visited the recycling center, and helped utility crews restore power to three neighboring towns, the carol ended.  Or, at least, I think it did.  For all I know, as soon as I turned the radio off, the choir might have started singing a seldom-heard follow-up verse, "The second noooooellllll is the one that's not first..."

Energetic tinsel-throwing music

A memory from the '90s: My dad was explaining to my brother and me the best way to put tinsel on a Christmas tree.  I'd put on the CD, "Merry Christmas," by The Brothers Four.  As he began his explanation, the most unusual track, "The Night Is Christmas Eve," started playing.  While the CD consists of mostly familiar carols sung in a style similar to that of The Lettermen, the third track is a raucous standout with the chorus, "Ya, ya!  Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya!  Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya!"  It was tempting to start throwing tinsel everywhere with reckless abandon, to coincide with the music.  I didn't do that, however.  After all, it wasn't my tinsel, and it would have been disrespectful.  Still, if you're looking for a high energy Christmas carol fit for a tinsel-throwing spree, you might seek out "The Night Is Christmas Eve."

Best to rephrase that "thank you..."

Although I'm sure Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is well-intentioned, the lyric, "Tonight, thank God it's them instead of you," doesn't sit quite right.  It's great to be thankful for the blessings you've received, but I'd like to believe that no one would phrase his or her thankfulness that way.

Online radio sampler highlights XXIX

Some late-night listening highlights:

KUAZ (Tucson, AZ)

• Blue N' Boogie-The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band (I kept thinking of Charlie Ventura's "Euphoria" as I listened.)
• Wilpan's Walk-Chico Freeman (Sax, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums come together to pull off this fast romp.)

KWMU-3 (St. Louis, MO)

• Winter Wonderland-Hampton String Quartet (From the cleverly executed concept CD, "What If Mozart Wrote 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas?'"  Other standouts: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "Frosty The Snowman.")
• The Boar's Head Carol-Robert Shaw Festival Singers (My brother's observation about this carol, "It sounds as though Eric Idle should be singing," is accurate.  Nevertheless, this version is sung with appropriate force.)

WBER (Rochester, NY) 

• New York, New York (Live)-Ryan Adams (It's good to hear that this track, with its lyrics of resilience in times of adversity, works so well as an acoustic tune.)

WEKU (Richmond, KY)

• Tenderly-Whitney James (Engaging vocals with subtle piano and trumpet accompaniment.)
• Central Park West-Matt Ray (An elegant, sublime piano instrumental played at a reflective, in-its-own-good-time tempo.)

WKZE (Red Hook, NY)

• When The Time Comes-Jess Klein (Commendable lyrics about taking a leap, sung energetically against a brassy backdrop.)
• It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas-The Sweetback Sisters (A surprising instrumental arrangement of the tune that channels Johnny Cash by way of The Ventures.)

A favorite Christmas mix tape label

A favorite inscription that a radio friend wrote on a Christmas mix tape label she sent me in the '90s: "What the...?  This egg nog expires Dec. 21?  How festive is that?!"

Surprisingly downcast Christmas shopping music

During a recent grocery shopping trip, I was surprised to hear Michael Jackson's "Little Christmas Tree" over the sound system.  Stores generally play upbeat Christmas music, such as "Deck The Halls" or "We Need A Little Christmas."  It was unusual, while shopping, to hear Jackson's tale of feeling rejected at Christmas, much like the lonely Christmas tree he sings about.  If I hear "What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas?" by The Emotions in any store, I'll be even more surprised.

Three quirky, welcome Christmas selections

Ten years ago, if you listened to KEZK for any length of time on or shortly before Christmas, you probably heard "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass.  It's not the most obvious choice for a commercial station, but KEZK played it frequently that year.  As I listened to Alpert's Christmas album this morning, I thought about what a heartwarming song it is, given its happy ending.  Thanks to Santa Claus and Jack Frost, the sleigh bell that can't jingle ends up jingling again.  I'm guessing the tune must have caught a lot of kids' ears when it was released in 1968.  It would be refreshing if any radio station here starts playing it again. 

It will also be impressive if any station here plays Alpert's version of "Sleigh Ride," which has a "Laugh-In" Christmas special vibe in its brass arrangement, or his respectful rendition of "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring."  Christmas is the season when soft rock stations and stations preparing for a format change are able to play more easy listening arrangements than they ordinarily would, which often increases the number of listeners and results in a ratings spike.  At this time of year, there's room for all three of these distinctly different selections on the radio.

FM dial scan highlights XLVII

Standout tracks heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Profoundly Blue-Duke Robillard featuring Jay McShann (An easy-going instrumental for guitar and piano that would segue well with Hot Club Of Detroit's "Patio Swing.")

WSIE 88.7 FM

• You're My Thrill-Freddy Cole (As usual, Cole sings warm sentiments with the perfect amount of restraint.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Eet-Regina Spektor (Endearing vocals and piano from 2009.  Apparently, the protagonist would like to return to a simpler time in life--childhood, perhaps.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Do You Hear What I Hear?-Bing Crosby (One of the most authoritative voices carries this carol more effectively than almost anyone.)
• Sleigh Ride-The Ronettes (It's easy to start tapping your toes, moving your head, or singing along with this version--without even realizing it.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Don't Bring Me Down-ELO (Jeff Lynne has few rivals in creating big walls of sound and maintaining them.  Hippo Campus sings an impressive cover of this on avclub.com.) 

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Peri's Scope-Bill Evans Trio (Ear-catching piano that perks and swings; it's one of many highlights from the "Portrait In Jazz" album.)

Annual Christmas cheer revisited

I wrote last year about the calls I've made to dial-a-carol services.  After making my annual call today, I thank the carolers who conquered my request, "Angels We Have Heard On High," so smoothly and confidently.  Not everyone can navigate the range required on the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" refrain, but those singers nailed it.  Given my limited singing range, I'm impressed when any vocalist comes remotely close to staying in tune through the entire refrain.  Here's wishing those singers and other vocalists with that degree of courage and confidence many more successfully fulfilled caroling requests.

A favorite musical Christmas train wreck

I remember my high school jazz band as having a lot of talent scattered throughout the ensemble.  For some reason, however, our rehearsals of Christmas carols were often somewhat anemic.  One rehearsal from November 1987 stands out.  During our first run-through of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)," several brass players missed the coda designation in the music, causing about one-third of the band to play a different verse than the coda.  Hearing two clashing verses at once made Mr. B., our director, bring things to a halt.  "Here's the coda, for those of you who don't know what that is," he said.  "Coda, please...Ready?"

The next attempt was still somewhat lackluster; on the second go-around, at least, everyone played the same verses at the same time.  I remember thinking, "It's a good thing we still have several weeks before the concert."

"Dash from your car into the building, if you can."

Years ago, I was excited about the prospect of starting on-air work at a radio station.  Learning the station's address compromised my enthusiasm, however.  I asked a broadcasting school instructor, "How safe is that neighborhood?"  After a pause, he replied, "Well...Just don't use the ATM there."  I stayed with the job but thought, "'This could be the death of me' isn't a recurring thought you should ever have when driving to or from work--or anywhere else."

Reflections on John Lennon's passing

Thirty-five years after John Lennon's death, I still have many of the same thoughts I had decades ago.  Obviously, above all else, my main recurring thought is, "How does anyone ever have the audacity to kill another person with absolutely no justification?"  In addition:

• So much has been written about Lennon's standout Beatles and solo tracks.  "Across The Universe," in my view, deserves a special mention.  Its unusual structure and lyrics that stay on the same chord for a good, long while and keep building without a breath make it a refreshing, unusual, and difficult-to-sing highlight of his career.
• One of Lennon's most infectious melodies, to my ears, is "The Ballad Of John And Yoko."  Vocally and instrumentally, it's among his best uptempo efforts.  Although it might sound like an odd segue, I paired it with a Lucinda Williams track, "Big Red Sun Blues," on a mix CD I made for myself years ago.  Listen to those tunes back to back, and you'll hear a melodic similarity.
• It's reassuring to hear so much of John's voice in his son, Julian.  This is especially apparent on Julian's hit, "Valotte." 
• George Harrison's "All Those Years Ago" is a well-written and compellingly sung tribute to Lennon.  It's not the kind of hit you hear on the radio today, as its sentimentality, nostalgia, and mention of God in the lyrics are very of their time, but it still deserves airplay today.  In my opinion, it's one of Harrison's strongest solo tracks.
• I remember finding it ironic that my fourth grade teacher was the first authority figure to break the news of Lennon's death.  At the time, I was in private school for my one and only semester, and I thought, "If the next equivalent of John Lennon is sitting in a classroom like this, at a school that doesn't value the arts all that much, (s)he might still be successful.  If (s)he is, however, it will be in spite of the arts education here, not because of it."  The school had no instrumental music program, no art teacher, unless you counted each homeroom teacher who periodically assigned projects involving construction paper, and a vocal music teacher with no classroom of her own, who wheeled her supply cart from class to class and would sometimes say at the end of class, "Stand up and say thank you to me!"

It's reassuring to see that after all these decades, the general public still appreciates the vast Lennon-McCartney canon and likely will for decades to come.  Many singer-songwriters affect listeners emotionally, but very few ever have (or likely will) resonate with listeners on the scale that John Lennon and Paul McCartney have.  I write this, knowing that these are two of the safest statements I've penned on this blog so far.

Ideal Christmas walking music

I was irked, at first.  One December night eight years ago, I was unable to find a parking space near home, so I left my car in a nearby parking garage.  I ended up being glad I did that, however, because walking over to the garage later that evening gave me the chance to appreciate the snowpeople that parents and their kids had created and an excellent version of "The Holly And The Ivy," played on church bells.  I still don't know which church had the good taste to let that carol resound through nearby streets; I was glad to have that rendition as my accompaniment, though, as I walked to my car, no longer irked.

Bass on ice: A turtle's tale

It was a nice way to earn some extra money shortly before Christmas.  During my freshman year of college, the bass player in a community orchestra was unable to play Handel's "Messiah" in concert at a local church and asked if I'd like to fill in.  I agreed to step in, despite having only 24 hours to learn the music before a rehearsal.  I picked it up faster than I'd anticipated, so I felt on top of the world.  On the night of the concert, however, there was one obstacle I hadn't taken into account.  I had planned to walk from campus to the church with my upright bass.  I didn't realize, however, that getting from campus to the church without breaking my neck would be harder than I'd expected, given that the sidewalks were all coated with ice.  I was lumbering along with the bass at a glacial pace when two orchestra players drove by and offered to drive the bass and me to the church.  So, all these years later, I want to thank Antoinette and David, once again, for saving me from a possible concussion and a splintered bass.  For any double bass, cello, tuba, harp, timpani, xylophone, or piano player who might end up in this predicament, here's hoping your own equivalents of Antoinette and David are there for you.  For that matter, here's hoping the sidewalks aren't icy on the night of your concert.

An atypical standout VI

Best known for its folk rock, Fairport Convention took some interesting turns on its somewhat overlooked "Nine" album.  While the band recorded a lot of its best work early in its career, such as "Meet On The Ledge," "Now Be Thankful," and a strong cover of Joni Mitchell's "Eastern Rain," "Possibly Parsons Green" is an atypical standout.  Trevor Lucas sings lead on the tune that could have passed for an American country rock hit.  Sandy Denny recorded many of the best vocals during her years with the band, but Lucas deserves credit for pulling off the unusual "Possibly Parsons Green" just as well as more traditional numbers, such as "Polly On The Shore."

Christmas narration and guitar for kids

If you're lucky enough to work at a freeform radio station and want to remember what it feels like to be a really young child at Christmas, play "Santabear's First Christmas" by Kelly McGillis and Michael Hedges.  McGillis narrates the tale endearingly, and Hedges provides captivating guitar accompaniment.  You'll make some kids happy and keep them listening, potentially, for over 23 minutes.

Reeling in listeners with breakfast pizza

I've never seen much of a point in morning radio announcers having restaurant representatives plug their (usually non-breakfast) foods on the air.  Often, they'll bring in free samples, and the DJs will wolf down such non-8 a.m. foods as burgers, steaks, and pizza.  DJs or their restaurant guests will often ask, "Doesn't that look delicious?"  I think a former co-worker had it right; he said he feels like responding, "No, it looks like a radio!"

Curbed road rage, thanks to Christmas music

The frustrated driver started growling and snarling, wondering why it was so difficult to find a way out of the parking lot.  After what felt like an eternity, he pulled off into traffic, wondering why all those other cars had to be there at the same time he was.  As traffic started to move, he realized he'd been listening to "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" the entire time--and started to laugh at the contrast between the music and his excessive grumbling over nothing.

If only we could all catch ourselves that way before letting road rage get the better of us...

Persistent earworm alert XV

Let's see...I've got my track shoes on, so I'll just get a good running start...

...OK, now that I'm far enough away, where no one can throttle me, here's today's persistent earworm...

...It's "We Are Santa's Elves" from the "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" soundtrack.  I've had it stuck in my mind since last night...

...There I go--dashing away, advisedly...

...One more thought, though: Do assembly line workers ever sing this ironically?