Happy Easter! Some music and radio-related thoughts:
- Recommended for the sacred nature of the holiday: "Christ The Lord Is Risen Again," as performed by The Cambridge Singers. If you enjoy John Rutter's interpretations of Christmas carols, you'll most likely enjoy his energetic arrangement of this hymn.
- When watching a performance of any song from the movie or listening to any song from the "Godspell" soundtrack, I think, "How on Earth would anyone go back to his or her mundane, everyday work and life routine after meeting Jesus?" Granted, most believers would probably have renewed zeal for living the way Christ advised, but, as an experience in this life, nothing could possibly top it.
- It's difficult to imagine anyone other than Ron Klemm hosting "Joy," which aired on the former "Classic 99," KFUO 99.1 FM. For several years, I listened to his annual "Joy Of Easter" program, during which he played many tasteful orchestral and choral Easter selections.
- I don't remember the source, but I remember WMRY, during its jazz/pop days in the '80s, playing "The First Easter," a story about Easter's origin. I haven't heard it since, but I wonder where the program originated.
- During a concert I saw in 1986, jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson
played a new tune that he announced as "Easter Sunday Morning." When
the tune appeared later on his "High Voltage" album, he'd shortened the
title to "Sunday Morning." I always wondered why he decided to drop
"Easter" from it.
- Does anyone else remember Dizzy Gillespie's portrayal of The Easter Bunny in "A Family Circus Easter?" I love how the kids accept a giant rabbit playing the calliope as part of their reality so easily.
- Has there ever been any hipper background music used in a cartoon than Vince Guaraldi's, as Snoopy and the kids enter the department store to buy shoes for Sally and eggs for Peppermint Patty and Marcie? Sidebar: "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" is one of the best Peanuts specials, but I still wonder why a store that looked like a JCPenney or Famous-Barr was selling eggs.
