Music to enjoy in 2018

There are bound to be some bright spots next year in music, as the following artists will have new releases:

• David Byrne (The Talking Heads leader has recorded a plethora of quirky rock with effective international enhancements throughout his long career.  I'm not sure what's left for him to accomplish, but I'm sure he'll come through.)
• Field Music (Field Music has shown some noteworthy Talking Heads sensibilities in its music, so if there's even one new track as remotely compelling as 2016's "The Noisy Days Are Over," their new release will be well worth hearing.)
• First Aid Kit (These sisters recorded a particularly strong, thoughtful release with "Stay Gold."  The 2014 release's title track is one of its highlights.  I look forward to hearing more of their captivating vocal harmonies next year.)
• I'm With Her (This is the release I'm most eager to hear next year.  Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan are consistently strong performers individually, so hearing this singer-songwriter trio together should be one of 2018's best treats.)
• They Might Be Giants (Whimsical, off-kilter...How else do you describe this unique vocals-with-accordion band whose underground following has stayed with them since the '80s?) 

I'm also curious to hear the music The Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band, Cowboy Junkies, Scott Hamilton, and Johnny Marr will release.  2018 looks promising.

Persistent earworm alert LXXX

One recent night at work, someone had looked up how to spell separate and left the dictionary entry up on the screen.  That was all it took for a 1994 staple of KPNT's playlist, The Offspring's "Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Separated)," to infiltrate my mind.  That song about senseless violence starting at a younger age, with its recurring Egyptian-style riff and memorable hook, "You gotta keep 'em separated," is still on my mind right now.

For some reason, it feels like Christmas was a long time ago.

Rockin' out--softly?

When I was in high school, one of my teachers announced to the class how much he disliked the terms "adult contemporary" and "soft rock."

"'Adult contemporary' makes me ashamed to be an adult," he told us.  "As for soft rock, those two words don't belong together.  How is it rock music if it's soft?"

He didn't suggest an alternative to either of those terms, however.  I wonder what he thinks of the term "yacht rock" that's often applied to soft rock artists of a certain time.

Online radio sampler highlights LXIX

Five noteworthy tracks heard today:

KQAL (Winona, MN)

• Ain't No Sunshine-New York Voices (Bill Withers still sings it best, but this is a respectable vocals-with-saxophone arrangement.)

WERS (Boston, MA)

• Motion Sickness-Phoebe Bridgers (Emotionally honest, somewhat hypnotic vocals make this one of 2017's winners.)

WFSK (Nashville, TN)

• Inseparable-Natalie Cole (The tune's warm sentiments bring Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.'s "Wonderful" to mind.)

WMBR (Cambridge, MA)

• 'B' Movie-Gil Scott-Heron (Sadly, the political observations Scott-Heron expressed in 1981 apply even more disturbingly today.)
• Brand New-Eddie Robinson (A life-affirming gospel/R&B tune from 1974.)

Yes, it's cold. Thanks for not belaboring it.

Thank you to the radio broadcasters I've heard giving weather forecasts lately.  I'm glad that, during these current three-degree conditions, no one has advised me to bundle up.  I appreciate it when I'm trusted to make the mental leap from "It's three degrees," to "It's cold out there."

A passive-aggressive review

Looking at FM dial scan notes I wrote years ago, I'd forgotten that I described an instrumental as a "seemingly endless yet pleasant enough accordion piece." 

Apparently, it wasn't pleasant enough, however, for me to track down its title or artist.

Persistent (Christmas) earworm alert LXXIX

2004: Sammy under the Christmas tree--a good location for napping and hearing Christmas music over nearby speakers.

If you're going to have a Christmas tune on involuntary repeat mode, Sammy Davis, Jr.'s "Christmas Time All Over The World"  isn't a bad one.  It conveys the universal euphoria that accompanies Christmas so joyfully that I wouldn't mind hearing it several more times today.  Granted, if it were being written today, it would be ill-advised to include the lyric, "Though the customs may change and the language is strange..."  Still, the sincere intent behind wishing everyone nearby and far away a merry Christmas comes through.

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it.

SiriusXM highlights LXXX (Christmas edition)

Christmas Eve standouts:

Country Christmas

• I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day-Suzy Bogguss (The vocals stay true to the spirit of Harry Belafonte's rendition.  Also recommended: John Gorka's rendition, titled "Christmas Bells.")

Deep Tracks

• Oh Christmas Tree-California Guitar Trio (A respectful instrumental arrangement that wouldn't be out of place if played in a forest of evergreens.) 

Holiday Soul 

• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Take 6 (The ensemble's doo-wop arrangement does the tune justice.  I'd expect no less from the voices behind such first rate gems as "Gold Mine," "Get Away, Jordan," "Mary (Don't You Weep)," and an excellent rendition of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.")

Holiday Traditions

• It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year-Chris McDonald Orchestra (If Michael B. Nelson's big band arrangement of "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear" resonates with you, this instrumental arrangement likely will, also.)
• Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town-The Mills Brothers (The ensemble takes just the right tack with the vocals, harmonizing with a light, bouncy touch; this is a wise choice, as this tune about surveillance would sound leaden and off-putting if the vocals were too heavy-handed.  Their rendition of "Here Comes Santa Claus" is even more impressive.) 
• We Three Kings-Ella Fitzgerald (Fitzgerald sings "We Three Kings" with appropriate gravity, and the piano accompaniment underscores the arduousness of the trio's journey.)

The Loft

• Silver Bells-Booker T. & The MGs (The R&B-fashioned organ arrangement that brings The Temptations and The Four Tops to mind keeps the tune perking, making it suitable driving music.)

The Message

• Drummer Boy-Jars Of Clay (Too often, most renditions of "The Little Drummer Boy" are reverential but too repetitive.  Jars Of Clay's kick in the guitar and drums gives the carol a needed shot of energy and imagination, making it just contemporary enough for repeated listening.)
  

Navidad

• Silver Bells-Anne Murray (This rendition has gotten a healthy dose of deserved local radio airplay this season.  The piano intro, which reminds me of the Kenny Loggins tune, "Celebrate Me Home," and Elton John's "Your Song," catches my ears each time, and Murray's conviction sells the tune convincingly.) 

The Village

• The Peace Carol-John Denver & The Muppets (One of the strongest tracks from the soundtrack of the TV special, "A Christmas Together."  Denver and The Muppets harmonize beautifully on this earnest, reverential melody.  Why haven't I heard this on the radio every Christmas?)

Watercolors

• Deck The Halls-The Yellowjackets (This saxophone-led arrangement contains just enough dissonance to keep things interesting.)

A fresh yet familiar carol III

In honor of Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen's birthday today, I recommend his instrumental, "Downhill Sleigh Ride," not to be confused with "Sleigh Ride."  The guitar arrangement and sleigh bells make me envision someone trying to catch up to a sleigh in which the horses have gotten a head start.  Its melody brought Mason Proffit's "It's All Right" to my mind, which intrigued me right away.

Persistent (Christmas) earworm alert LXXVIII

I've listened to scores of Christmas carols over the past month.  I've heard tons of pop, rock, folk, jazz, easy listening, international, R&B, Gospel, and Classical arrangements of almost every remotely well-known carol.  Despite this range of diversions, however, one tongue-in-cheek Yuletide tune still infiltrates my mind at least once per day.  Last December, on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," Colbert debuted his own composition, calling it "the worst Christmas song of all time."  If you haven't heard it, find "Christmas Is Now" on YouTube and expect it to settle in your brain, possibly forever.  To his credit, Colbert's simple, repetitive tune benefits from the breathy vocal gravity of Norah Jones and vocals and piano accompaniment from the show's bandleader, Jon Batiste.  Last night, while taking an important message at work, I maintained my usual low-key, polite demeanor as I spoke to the caller.  The entire time, however, "Christmas is now, Christmas is now, Christmas is Christmas, and now it is now," stayed on a persistent mental loop.  It's still there now.

Admittedly, there are far worse fates.

Acceptable context for The Grinch

Kudos to KDHX for playing the entire audio from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" on "Hip City" yesterday.  Can we all please agree that "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is best heard within the entire context of the show and not separately?  When played out of context on the radio, it doesn't segue with any Christmas carol and wears out its welcome quickly.  "Welcome Christmas," on the other hand, stands just as well on its own.  "Trim Up The Tree" does, too, to an extent.

A fresh yet familiar carol II

Rick Braun's "The Christmas Clock" is another familiar-sounding carol you might not have heard.  If you enjoy the instrumental scoring in the 1984 film, "A Christmas Carol," starring George C. Scott, you'll likely enjoy Braun's overlooked composition.

A fresh yet familiar carol

If you're seeking a carol that isn't played on the radio but still sounds familiar, listen to Nashville Mandolin Ensemble's "Christmas Is Coming (Around.)"  It captures the festive joy of the holiday while sounding like a brisker than usual version of "Simple Gifts."  At a minimum, radio stations should use it as a music bed.

FM dial scan highlights XCII (Christmas edition)

December 2010: Sylvia settles into her Christmas music listening post on top of the stereo.

Christmas standouts heard today:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Frosty The Snowman-Monday Off with Bucky Pizzarelli (Singing about Frosty's prowess on guitar reveals another admirable facet of his character.)
• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Bill Evans (That must be one hip Santa, if he makes his entrance to this cool slice of piano jazz.) 

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Frosty The Snowman-The Ronettes (One of the tune's best arrangements, sung with a light, upbeat touch.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2

• Pastorale (O Christmas Tree)-Canadian Brass featuring Eric Robertson (An interesting blend of hymnlike stateliness from the brass players and slightly whimsical, seemingly calliope-inspired underpinning from Eric Robertson on the organ.)
• Tchaikovsky: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy-The 442s with Peter Martin (During today's interview with Radio Arts Foundation's Kathy Lawton Brown, 442s instrumentalist Adam Maness jokingly referred to this arrangement as a nightmare.  Actually, it's the freshest, jazziest take on this piece I've heard.  Peter Martin's piano accompaniment is a key ingredient of the arrangement's appeal.)
• Fanfare/Joy To The World (Live)-The Bach Society Of St. Louis & Dr. A. Dennis Sparger (The commanding, brassy introduction made me think The Boston Pops were about to play "Liberty Fanfare" by John Williams.  This beautiful blend of vocalists, recorded at Powell Symphony Hall, "repeat(s) the sounding joy" compellingly.)

A segue fit for Christmas Eve

Listen to the shimmering, quivering outro of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles medley, "Deck The Halls/Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella."  At the nanosecond it ends, launch into the comparable shimmering, quivering intro of Freiheit's "Keeping The Dream Alive."  You'll have a smooth transition from two Christmas standards into a tune whose lyrics fit Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve equally well.  I've had this idea for a segue since the mid '90s, but I've never heard anyone else play these two songs together.  If you're free to program your own music at a noncommercial station this Christmas, however, this is a transition worth making.

Hightailing it to Bethlehem

To me, Bing Crosby's version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is definitive.  His voice exudes regal authority as he proclaims the news of Christ's birth.  Last night, however, I listened to another take on the carol I hadn't heard in a while.  Instead of playing up the royal proclamation aspect, The New Christy Minstrels focus on the urgency of going to Bethlehem.  Although Charlie Byrd's guitar rendition achieves this to some degree, The New Christy Minstrels pull off an even faster tempo.  They play and sing "Do You Hear...?" as though the head of the recording studio is going to barge in any second, end the session, and cut the building's electricity.  Although it doesn't have quite the wacky, manic vibe of "Yakety Sax," it's in the ballpark.  Apparently, however, it's possible to sound reverential even when you're in a hurry.

Context? XXXV

Yesterday, I heard a morning DJ promote an upcoming DJ rather unconventionally.  As Jimmy Eat World's version of "Last Christmas" faded out, he said, "This will be (the next DJ's) last Christmas...I don't know why I said that."  I hope nothing ominous happens to that next DJ.  The radio business, much like life itself, is fickle.

The deserved longevity of Dial-A-Carol

It's reassuring to be reminded, in an era of so much technology, that the human touch still endures. The Dial-A-Carol volunteer's commitment to pulling off a reverential rendition of "What Child Is This?"  impressed me when I called this morning.  "What Child Is This?" isn't the easiest carol to sing, considering the swooping vocal range it requires.  The caroler sang it well, however, and I was particularly impressed with her fortitude in conquering the drama and inflection needed when singing, "This, this is Christ the king..."  Kudos to that caroler, and if you're calling one of those services this year, may the rendition of your requested carol be as heartfelt and on-key as hers was.

Favorite music of 2017

Here are my subject-to-change top 20 favorite songs of 2017:

   20.  Moving On-Anna Of The North
(The ethereal, airy vocals in this lyrical pep talk, released in September, remind me of The Cocteau Twins.)
   19.  Patient Zero-Aimee Mann
(Well-written lyrics that I gather are about being in the early stages of one's career, having a cautiously optimistic outlook, and grappling with fame when it's new to you.)
   18.  Higher Ground-Nathan East featuring Kirk Whalum
(When you play jazz bass the way East does, Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" is a natural choice for an instrumental cover.  I've been glad to hear WSIE playing it this year, as it's one of the more appealing smooth jazz cuts of 2017.)
   17.  Cozy-D-ROCKSTEADY
(This appealing groove, released in February, features chill instrumentation and recurring vocals that would flow well after the Boehm featuring Melody Noel track, "Future Self.")
   16.  The Rush-Treasureseason
(A memorable soprano-voiced hook over an electronic backdrop.  The band's own "Blurred Edges" segues well with this track.)
   15.  Speak Low-Eliane Elias
(A cool, sly arrangement of this jazz standard, with compelling vocals from Elias and trumpet accompaniment from Randy Brecker.)
   14.  Boy, Don't Be Afraid-79.5
(Possibly the most appealing dance groove of the year, with vocals and flute-dominated jazz instrumentation seemingly pulled out of the '70s.)
   13.  We Could Fly-Rhiannon Giddens
(A beautifully sung, heartbreaking reminder of inhumanity and injustice throughout history.  One of 2017's more bracing songs.)
   12.  Song For My Father-Louis Hayes featuring Gregory Porter
(A compelling blend of vibes, drums, and resonant vocals; this impressive rendition of Horace Silver's tune is one of 2017's stronger jazz tracks.  Also recommended: Porter's tribute release to Nat King Cole, featuring beautiful renditions of "The Christmas Song," "Mona Lisa," and "Pick Yourself Up.")
   11.  Second Nature-Neil Finn
(A highlight of the Crowded House singer's latest release, "Out Of Silence."  A well-put-together arrangement of lead and backing vocals, keyboard, and strings coalesces effectively in this tale of a match between a man and woman that probably should happen but won't.)
   10.  When I Woke-Beth Bombara
(This St. Louis artist's March-released tune about looking for love or something less in the wrong places made an immediate impression on me; its tone and energy remind me of Maia Sharp's "Something Wild.")
    9.  Crying In The Chapel-Regina Carter
(A warm, moving violin interpretation of a much-covered song, which Ella Fitzgerald, among others, brought to the public's attention.)
    8.  Gentle On My Mind-Alison Krauss
(As I've written previously, this uptempo tune should have been a bigger hit for the departed Glen Campbell.  It contains some of the more compelling lyrics about a couple's chemistry that I've liked, and Krauss strikes the right emotive tone in her vocals.)
    7.  Our New Blood-Anders Parker
(A promising look at the future; Parker's thoughtful vocals are set to a waltzing guitar and violin backdrop in this enjoyable acoustic number, released in April.  It would be ideal background accompaniment in any number of "This Is Us" episodes.  I'm curious to know if the chord sequence on the guitar reminds anyone other than me of Fairport Convention's "Bring 'Em Down.")
    6.  My Emotions Are Blinding-Tennis
(There are appealing elements of Carole King's approach to songwriting and vocals in the chorus, and the tune has stayed with me since first hearing it in February.)
    5.  Darling-Real Estate
(One of 2017's more tuneful gems.  The pleasant guitar melody and vocals convey the softer, Kings Of Convenience-style side of power pop.)
    4.  24 Hours From London-Little Murders
(If you're waiting for a yes or no answer from someone about the future of your relationship and you expect to be rejected, this is about as tuneful as waiting music gets.)
    3.  Shine On Me-Dan Auerbach
(If you have a pulse, singing along with the tune's poppy chorus is almost involuntary.  It doesn't hurt that the tune's feel brings Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open The Door" to mind.)
    2.  Old Churchyard-The Wailin' Jennys
(Beautiful vocal harmonies, as expected, make this cover of a traditional English tune about grieving for the deceased in the right measure shine.  The group's cover of Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" is also excellent.)
    1.  Early Spring-Finn's Motel
(This St. Louis band's tune, released in April, is my favorite song of the year.  I was primed to like it immediately, thanks to its guitar-and-vocals arrangement that brings The Jayhawks and many "How I Met Your Mother" episodes to mind.  Further keys to its first place ranking for me are the second verse and follow-up coda after the second chorus.  The protagonist has a potentially life-changing decision to make.  What does he decide?  Listen and find out.)

FM dial scan highlights XCI

Saturday through Tuesday standouts:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Light One Candle-Yale University Out Of The Blue (Peter, Paul & Mary's live version, with its conviction and urgency, remains the definitive rendition for me.  Still, hearing "Light One Candle" with fewer backing vocalists acknowledges the suffering and the deceased more plaintively.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Consequence Of Love-Gregory Porter (Porter's rich, heartfelt vocals make this one of the highlights of last year's "Take Me To The Alley" release.  The title track is also one of the CD's highlights.)
• The Christmas Song-The Manhattan Transfer (I mean it as a compliment when I say this is a sleepy, warm blanket of a vocal arrangement.)
• Frosty The Snowman-Marcus Roberts Trio (One of the strongest versions I've heard; the bounce Roberts gives it makes it ideal for a piano instrumental.)
• Flipside-Norah Jones (It's gripping to hear Jones sing and play with this much force.  Other  standouts from 2016's "Day Breaks" release: "Peace" and "It's A Wonderful Time For Love," which would segue with Van Morrison's "Moondance.")

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly-Percy Faith and his orchestra (One of the better, statelier orchestral renditions.  The consistency throughout Faith's "Music Of Christmas" album makes it an ideal Christmas morning accompaniment.  Also recommended: "Joy To The World," as the orchestra captures the carol's triumphant nature perfectly.)
• Sleigh Ride-Andy Williams (The sleigh bells, lead and backing vocals make this an appropriately carefree, spirited rendition.)
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing-Amy Grant (One of the most endearing versions of this carol that captures your ear with Grant singing a cappella, at first, and other voices lending support in good measure.)

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

• What Christmas Means To Me-Stevie Wonder (I'm glad Wonder's infectious excitement about all that Christmas offers still gets radio airplay so many decades later.)

Late '80s recording tech humor

I've written numerous posts about the quirky personality my high school orchestra director, Mr. D., displayed in and out of class.  Here's some very of-its-time dialogue from orchestra class, circa 1988:

Student: How do you like CDs?
Me: It's good that they exist, for the convenience factor and the sound quality that tops a record that's warped or skips.  I just wish they made blank CDs I could record onto, like cassette tapes.
Mr. D., walking by with uncanny timing, grinning from ear to ear: They do.  You just have to have your own factory.

Mr. D. then laughed his trademark, "Ha, ha, HA!" and walked on.

Time for "Name That Conductor..."

While listening to a Boston Pops CD, "A Christmas Festival," yesterday, I remembered an early '80s moment from the TV game show, "Tic Tac Dough."  Host Wink Martindale asked a contestant to name the longtime Boston Pops conductor.  The contestant didn't know that Arthur Fiedler was the conductor, but I did, having checked out several Boston Pops Christmas albums from the library.  I still think it speaks well of the show's question writers that they assumed a contestant would know Fiedler's name.  With the possible exception of "Jeopardy," I doubt that any TV game show today would expect contestants to know Fiedler's name or the name of the ensemble's longtime current conductor, Keith Lockhart.  Although that doesn't indicate the downfall of civilization, it's still slightly unfortunate.

Awaiting an important trio of boats

Thanks to pandora.com, I heard my new favorite instrumental version of "I Saw Three Ships" on Thursday.  Jon Schmidt approaches the carol with a unique blend of force and grace on the piano.  The interlude he plays from :59 to 2:18 stays true to the song's central theme while expanding on it; during that stretch, it's easy to imagine the three ships coming closer to their destination and onlookers chomping at the bit to greet the passengers.  Schmidt's rendition strengthens my appreciation of "I Saw Three Ships" as a carol.  It's amazing how much just the right amount of embellishing can make you see a carol you've heard hundreds of times in a new light.

"This isn't a quiz, but your answer is correct."

Years ago, I mentioned to a co-worker that I thought "Wassail, Wassail" was one of the Christmas carols Mannheim Steamroller performs best.  She surprised me by singing the first verse of it.  I thought, "You win the farmer's market poll, then.  If I surveyed 10 random people, most respondents would say they haven't heard of 'Wassail, Wassail' or would confuse it with 'Here We Come A-Wassailing.'  A smaller number of respondents would be familiar with the carol but wouldn't be able to match Mannheim Steamroller's instrumental rendition with its lyrics.  Well done..."

I still think "Wassail, Wassail" is one of Mannheim Steamroller's best tracks; its lack of an overly synthesized arrangement makes it work for the same reason as their version of "In Dulci Jubilo."

The solemnity of "Up On The Housetop?"

It dawned on me today that nearly all of the many Christmas selections I've listened to from my own collection are about the solemnity of the holiday.  I've listened to multiple renditions of "The First Noel," "Away In A Manger," and "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear," for instance.  Subconsciously, I think I've reasoned that I've already heard Bobby Helms singing "Jingle Bell Rock" or Andy Williams belting out "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" repeatedly, as they're the two Christmas tunes I've heard most on KEZK and KLOU so far this season.  Still, at the pace I'm going, I'll have heard all of the solemn, reverential Christmas carols in my collection before Christmas Day. At this rate, I'll be acknowledging Christ's birth with The Ventures tearing into their guitars on "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" or America singing "Frosty The Snowman" with a more contemporary feel than the tune usually receives.  Nothing wrong with that, of course...Still, the occasion calls for something more reverential...Wait a minute...

...I've got it.  Dan Fogelberg's "The First Christmas Morning."  I haven't played that yet.  There's the appropriate degree of reverence needed for December 25...I've solved this problem that isn't really a problem.

Online radio sampler highlights LXVIII

Ready for your Beach Boys-style falsetto?  Here goes, then..."They're the caaaaaaats with allllllll the toyyyyyyyyys..."

Early morning standouts:

KAFM (Grand Junction, CO)

• Songbird-Eilen Jewell (A lyrically effective metaphor for anyone whose help is essential for your survival; Jewell's voice and a guitar are all that's needed to pull it off.)

KBOO (Portland, OR)

• Don't @$&* Around With Love-The Blenders (You don't usually hear profanity in this type of tune.  At first, I thought this was a modern vocal group doing a '50s R&B/doo-wop pastiche.  Per multiple sources, though, it's actually an alternate version of the band's "Don't Mess Around With Love," recorded in 1953.  Both versions contain equally smooth harmony singing.)

KOSI (Denver, CO)

• The Man With All The Toys-The Beach Boys (A fun, short tribute to Santa Claus; in my opinion, it holds up better than "Little Saint Nick.")
• Caroling, Caroling-Nat King Cole (Cole's rendition of "The Christmas Song" gets a lot of radio airplay at this time of year.  His elegant version of "Caroling, Caroling" deserves its due as well, however, as does his moving rendition of "Away In A Manger.")
• Mary's Boy Child-Celtic Woman (Celtic Woman honors Harry Belafonte's reverential version while picking up the tempo.)

WBGO (Newark, NJ)

• Let It Snow-Kitty Margolis (Margolis makes the vocals swing, and the piano underpinning gives the tune a glossy sheen I wish other renditions of it had.)

WXXI (Rochester, NY)

• Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 14, "Death And The Maiden" (Hagen Quartet) (Convincing portrayals of tenderness, somberness, and ferocity, especially from the violins.)

A function of age?

Maybe it's because I expect life to be more of a mixed bag as I get older, but this year, I've been less inclined to hear "Coventry Carol" as one of the drearier Christmas carols.  Today, after listening to versions by John Denver and Joan Baez, I realize I haven't given it enough credit for its reverence.

However, if I ever start feeling that way about "Carol Of The Bells," I'll know I've gone off the deep end.

A record store's welcoming ambience

Spring 2010: The welcoming atmosphere of Webster Records.

Sometimes, it isn't just the music that draws you in.  I always enjoyed the inviting vibe that Webster Records gave off.  It was obvious upon a quick glance around the store that the staff of Webster Records put thought not only into the music it sold but to the decorations on its walls and bins.  The store's bright lighting illuminated the posters, plates, and other musical mementos, providing a welcoming atmosphere in which to shop.

Webster Records closed at the end of January 2012, and I still miss it--not only for its music but its ambience.

Persistent earworm alert LXXVII

Watching "Saturday Night Live"'s sketch,  "The Race," brought to mind an '80s tune that's almost impossible to forget once you hear it.  Are you ready for it to lodge itself into your brain for an hour or, more likely, a day?  If not, feel free to go back three years and read one of my favorite Christmas-themed blog posts.

For the brave readers still remaining, my earworm this morning is Matthew Wilder's "Break My Stride."  That tune ran through my mind prominently one night during college.  I took a nap before an orchestra concert in which I was supposed to play.  I slept through the alarm and woke up at 7:45, 15 minutes before the concert's starting time.  I changed into concert garb hastily, darted out of my dorm room, flew down six flights of stairs, and ran faster through the streets of Columbia than I ever had.  In my mind, Wilder was singing, "I've got to keep on moving," about eight times louder than usual.  I arrived at the theater out of breath but on time.  My fellow bass players, not knowing if I'd make it in time, had considerately unpacked my bass for me.  I learned my lesson that night; leave nothing to chance on the night of a concert.  Even if you've only had an hour of sleep that day, don't take a nap.  Also, head to the venue much earlier than I did.

An impressive Christmas songwriting feat

Composing an original song about the true meaning of Christmas is no easy feat.  After all, how does anyone compete even remotely with the poetry of standards such as "Silent Night," "The First Noel," or "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear?"  Two artists, however, pulled it off.

Peter Mayer's "Love Is Born Anew," which received airplay on KDHX's former singer-songwriter show, "Blue Highways," sports a flute-based introduction reminiscent of R. Carlos Nakai and William Eaton.  The contemplative, wandering-through-the-woods intro gives way to Mayer's guitar and vocals, conveying the rejoicing that followed Christ's birth.  It's difficult not to sing along involuntarily with "Won't you sing the song of love made new, born on this Christmas day...?"

Erin Bode's "The Star's Song" accomplishes a similar feat.  This Adam Maness-Erin Bode composition chronicles God's selection of the star that would guide the three wise men to the stable of Christ's birth.  Its captivating, declarative chorus, "Follow me down the road that leads to Bethlehem," stays with me whenever I hear it.

Just when you think you've heard the story of Christmas already conveyed in every imaginable form...

SiriusXM highlights LXXIX

Standout tunes heard this afternoon:

The Bridge

• I Don't Want To Know-Fleetwood Mac (Some of the most immediately accessible uptempo Lindsey Buckingham-Stevie Nicks vocal harmonies matched with equally accessible, hook-laden guitar accompaniment.)

Holiday Traditions

• Jingle Bell Rock-Chet Atkins (In some ways, this version holds up as well or better than the Bobby Helms original.  Brisk guitar and subtle backing vocals are a smart way to go here. Another highlight of the "East Tennessee Christmas" album: the appropriately somber solo guitar rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.")
• Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town-The Mills Brothers (The Mills Brothers sing this as a straightforward, matter-of-fact, midtempo guide on how to stay in Santa's good graces.  Also recommended: the best, bounciest version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" anyone has ever recorded and everything else on the ensemble's "Merry Christmas" album.)

The Loft

• Gone, Gone, Gone-The Everly Brothers (One of the catchiest, most concisely arranged tunes about a relationship ending abruptly.  Fairport Convention covered it impressively, with strong group vocals and equally crisp guitar accompaniment.)

ONEderland

• I've Been Thinking About You-Londonbeat (Over a quarter-century later, this still holds up as a pop/dance hit with easily relatable lyrics.)

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

• Back On The Chain Gang-The Pretenders (A well-written and well-sung '80s hit about carrying on after a loss.  Decades later, it hasn't worn out its welcome, and it shouldn't.)

Silk

• One Last Cry-Brian McKnight (The universal feeling of pain after a rejection, sung with the right level of emoting.  This tune came up frequently in KNJZ's rotation.)

Soul Town

• Until You Come Back To Me-Aretha Franklin (To my ears, this is one of Franklin's most appealing melodies.  I'm surprised it doesn't get more radio airplay, given how accessible and memorable the tune is.  I also recommend Basia's excellent cover of it.)

Watercolors

• Angels We Have Heard On High-Spur Of The Moment (A fine driving, sax-dominated smooth jazz rendition.)

Ambling on with two Christmas carols

When your Christmas spirit makes you want to skip down the lane, consider using John Fahey's medley of "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" as your accompaniment.  Fahey gives each carol a bounce on the guitar, and pairing them illustrates their common thematic ground.  Neither carol is ordinarily intended for ambling down a country road, but in this case...

Not a statistically valid sample, but...

After remembering this announcer's turn of phrase, I should admit saying a comparable example on-air.  When a baseball team defeated a team from Limestone, I reported that the winning team "took Limestone to the quarry."

My phrasing amused the newscaster.

"Took Limestone to the quarry!" he exclaimed off the air.  "Drew, that's a good one.  I like it a lot."

Because that was the only feedback I received to my choice of phrasing, I'll continue to say the reaction from listeners was 100% positive.

Favoring variable chair placements

My college orchestra director had the right idea about chair placements.  He told me during my freshman audition that seating was rotational.  It wasn't a precise rotation, however, as in volleyball.  Typically, each section would have three or four seating arrangements per year, resulting in up to four different concertmasters and two or three different principals in the non-violin sections.  That way, multiple talented musicians got to have a turn at having a lead role, and the other musicians got a chance to hear pieces from different perspectives in the room.  Once, he told the orchestra, "Some years, over the course of a school year, I've been able to take all of the second violinists and make them firsts.  Some years, I haven't been able to do that."  That impressed me.  It would have been even more impressive if he'd said, "Some years, I've been able to take all of the second violinists and make them trumpeters," or "I've been able to give each trombonist a turn at playing timpani."  Admittedly, it would have stretched the definition of rotational seating, though.

Context? XXXIV

Perhaps I heard this wrong.  However, yesterday, I could have sworn I heard a radio announcer on a program spotlighting British choral composers say, "He managed to keep his head and return to being a priest." 

"Avoided being beheaded" isn't an accomplishment you typically see in a composer's biography.

Sort of a compliment, perhaps

Once, I answered the phone for a business and read off the required introductory spiel.  When I didn't get a response, I read the spiel again.  The caller responded, "Oh, I'm sorry.  Your voice is so well modulated, I thought it was a recording."

In one sense, that's a compliment; the caller thought I sounded professional.  By the same token, it could also mean I sounded robotic and soulless.

I imagine this has happened to a lot of radio announcers.

FM dial scan highlights XC

Highlights from this afternoon:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Take The A Train-The Quebe Sisters (Old school-style strings fit this country-based take on the Duke Ellington classic well.)
• M.T.A.-The Kingston Trio (A political ad expanded into a sing-along folk hit; one of my teachers led our sixth grade class in singing this at camp.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• White Christmas-Lee Ritenour (One of the subtlest, most soothing renditions of this; Ritenour shows this carol works as a contemplative guitar instrumental.)
• Jingle Bells-Oscar Peterson (Possibly the hippest instrumental version of this, thanks to the jazzy bounce of Jack Schantz on flugelhorn and Peterson on piano.)

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

• Silent Night-The Temptations (Although the group's earlier, shorter version is moving and reverential, their longer, six-minute rendition is even more impressive, showcasing the warmth of their tenor and baritone vocalists.  The band's closing wish, "Merrrrry Christmas--to. all. of. you," is a sincere, effective ending.)

Shouting "Wilma!" with gusto

You're the director of a high school jazz band.  The score for "The Flintstones" theme calls for the band to shout, "Wilma!" in unison near the end of the piece.  Do you perform the piece as written, or do you ask one person who can shout, "Wilma!" with full commitment to carry it off?

My director took the latter approach, and it was the right call.  Will, the saxophonist, belted it out with the right volume and inflection each time.  With a voice that's best suited for Classical and late night jazz shows, I'm sure I wouldn't have done that half as well.

Online radio sampler highlights LXVII (Thanksgiving edition)

Whether your taste in Thanksgiving music runs toward a reverential instrumental, such as Jay Ungar and Molly Mason's "Thanksgiving Waltz," a hip-for-its-time song of gratitude, such as William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got," or the "Turkey In The Straw" excerpt that Emerson, Lake & Palmer slip into their rendition of Aaron Copland's "Hoedown," I hope you hear your favorite seasonal selections today.  Here are some of the noteworthy ones I've heard so far:

KQAC (Portland, OR)

• Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Home Sweet Home (Alan Feinberg, piano) (A thoughtful take, with many keyboard flourishes, on a familiar favorite.)
• Percy Grainger: Harvest Hymn (City Of London Sinfonia, Joyful Company Of Singers/Richard Hickox, conductor) (Ideal accompaniment for witnessing a panoramic vista in Autumn.)

WRTI (Philadelphia, PA)

• Ron Nelson: Mayflower Overture (Keystone Wind Ensemble/Jack Stamp, conductor) (Conveys the drama, turbulence, and promise of the Pilgrims' voyage to their new world.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Thanksgiving Song-Mary Chapin Carpenter (Lyrically, this is the essence of Thanksgiving--bringing the most important people in your life together and expressing gratitude for them.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Visitation-Carrie Newcomer (As usual, Newcomer excels at writing and singing sensitively about life's hard questions and appreciating life's most meaningful moments.)
• Step Inside This House-Lyle Lovett (When you're getting to know someone, you can tell a lot from the mementos that person displays.)
• Coming Home-Eileen Ivers (A beautifully, resonantly played fiddle instrumental.)
• Simple Gifts-Tracy & Thea Silverman (A somber violin, flute, and recorder rendition from the Windham Hill compilation, "Thanksgiving."  It underscored a scene from "Once And Again" effectively.)

As always, thank you for reading and supporting the artists I've cited.

An overlooked cover tune XLII

Sometimes, it's challenging for an instrumentalist to cover a song whose lyrics are its main appeal.  Stanley Turrentine pulled this off, however, in his cover of David Soul's "Don't Give Up On Us."  Soul topped the charts with the ballad in early 1977.  Turrentine released his version later that year, proving that a tenor sax could pull off the tune's feel as gracefully as a vocalist.  I've never heard any radio station play it, but it would fit easily into a traditional or smooth jazz playlist.

SiriusXM highlights LXXVIII

Standout tunes heard yesterday:

'60s On 6

• Baby, Now That I've Found You-The Foundations ("Baby..." and "Build Me Up Buttercup" have enjoyed continued life on oldies stations, for good reasons; both songs convey universal sentiments in sing-along arrangements that don't wear out their welcome.  Alison Krauss covers the tune admirably, as well.)

'90s On 9

• She's So High-Tal Bachman (I remember this being played frequently on WVRV, "The River," in 1999.  The lyrics about desiring someone you won't likely get should hold up in any era.)

Carolina Shag

• Inventory Of Heartaches-Susan Trexler (This sentiment has been expressed thousands of times in song but not quite like this--and not usually with harmonica backing that's this engaging.)

Holiday Traditions

• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Lester Lanin (A sharp, brisk big band arrangement that I would have played on WEW.  Listening to this version, I never get the impression that Santa is lollygagging on the job.)
• Silver Bells-Al Hirt (What Henry Mancini's orchestra and chorus might have sounded like with a solo trumpeter.)

Real Jazz

• Bags' Groove-Hank Jones (Jones drives the melody of this Milt Jackson tune on piano, bringing to mind a hip, urban alternate theme for "The Odd Couple.")

Silk

• There'll Never Be-Switch (This could segue with Earth, Wind & Fire's "Can't Hide Love" and contains elements of "That's The Way Of The World" in its vocals.)

Watercolors

• Where Do You Want To Go?-Lindsey Webster (Laid back, accessible vocals fit for late nights on a smooth jazz station.)

Signing on with the sunrise

If I ever got to choose a jazz station's "(Name of station) now begins its broadcast day" sign-on music, I'd select Stanley Turrentine's "Papa 'T.'"  Its opening chords convey a sunrise more convincingly to me than almost any other song.  Also, if Turrentine's assured saxophone playing doesn't make you want to welcome the new day, I don't know what to tell you.

An overlooked cover tune XLI

Another standout Johnny Mathis recorded for his "I'm Coming Home" album: "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)," which was an inexplicably minor hit for The Stylistics in 1971.  Wisely, Mathis stuck to the original ballad's arrangement, showing that the Thom Bell-Linda Creed tune needed no further embellishments.  Considering the song's lyrical universality and depths-of-the-heart emoting that The Stylistics and Mathis pull off, both versions should be better known.

Fit for familiar ground

Johnny Mathis has released huge quantities of albums over the last 60 years, so it's not surprising that a 1973 album title track of his would become lost in the shuffle.  I've only heard his tune, "I'm Coming Home," once on the radio, years ago.  Lyrically, it reminds listeners how important being true to yourself is.  Musically, "Only Yesterday" by The Carpenters flows well after it.  It doesn't receive nearly as much radio or online airplay as Simon & Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound" or "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins.  Its sentiments, however, are just as suitable for a trip home at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Context? XXXIII

Heard one recent early morning from an AM radio talk show host: "They're not so friendly when you're lost in the woods."

Was the host referring to big, bad wolves?  Hermits who claim the woods for themselves?  A college alumni association that finds you even in the wilderness and wears down your steadfast refusal to join because the state and various wealthy benefactors already fund the university?  Actually, upon doubling back to the station, I learned he was talking about grizzly bears.

Grudgingly, I'll concede that the most pedestrian answer is often the correct one.

Online radio sampler highlights LXVI

Six compelling selections heard today:

KUAF (Fayetteville, AR)

• W.A. Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K.530 (Alfred Brendel, piano) (An accessible piano piece in an accessible key.  The opening and closing movements, Allegro moderato and Allegretto, are upbeat, easy-to-follow movements, while the middle movement, Andante cantabile, is more delicate, measured, and sorrowful, at times.)

KXCI (Tucson, AZ)

• Every Morning-J Mascis (Some fine acoustic guitar and a lyrically honest account from Dinosaur Jr.'s guiding force of how facing a new day or uncomfortable situation sometimes feels; if I'd been at KCOU in 2014, I would have played this.)
• Another World-Miranda Lee Richards (This release from June features thoughtfully sung lyrics about vulnerability and staying optimistic even during bleak times.  The cello underscoring is appropriately ornate.)

WRTI HD-2 (Philadelphia, PA)

• How Deep Is The Ocean? (Live)-Beegie Adair Trio (Most renditions I've heard of this are slow or midtempo sung ballads.  Adair's piano-anchored instrumental proves that the tune works as a faster number that swings.)
• Star Eyes-Bill Holman Big Band (This ensemble's rendition shows excellent precision and call-and-response phrasing.  I was predisposed to like it after learning that "Peanuts" composer Vince Guaraldi was at the piano.  Also recommended from the "West Coast Jazz In HiFi" album: "(Back Home Again In) Indiana," which shows off the group's uptempo chops.)

WSCR (Frederick, MD)

• 4-Page Letter-AFTA-1 featuring Nikko Soul (An appealing way to add lyrical and instrumental spice to a "Quiet Storm" format.)

Warped expectations?

Surprisingly, no St. Louis radio station has switched to all Christmas music so far this year.  I know it's only a matter of time.  Strange that it's now normal to expect at least one station to have jumped the gun by November 15...Once upon a time, that wasn't the norm.

November 16 update: I knew it was only a matter of time.  KEZK flipped over to all Christmas music at noon, and KLOU started mixing in Christmas music not long after that.  As expected, a lot of the most predictable boxes are being checked off.  That's not a bad thing, when the most predictable tracks are by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, The Carpenters, Brenda Lee, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Vince Guaraldi Trio, The Ronettes, James Taylor, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, and Amy Grant.  All of those artists recorded Christmas tracks that are evergreens for good reasons.

Pesky "Classical jazz" stations?

Soon after WSSM, the former smooth jazz station at 106.5 FM, went on the air in 2000, someone I knew asked, "We already have KFUO.  Does St. Louis need another Classical jazz station?"

Despite all of my passionate proselytizing about the enticing, separate genres of jazz and Classical music, those formats were one and the same to her.  They were just forms of instrumental music to which she didn't usually listen.  Her reaction reminded me that one person's passion is another person's only-sporadically-sampled background music.  It also reinforced that as often as I like to think of both formats as secure, they're still select tastes.

A semi-gracious winner, at best

About 28 years ago, I won a soft rock station's elevator music contest for identifying an easy listening instrumental cover of  Peter Cetera and Cher's "After All."  After congratulating me, the DJ asked, "So, is there anything you'd like to say to the other people in the elevator?"  Caught off guard, I responded, "Oh, Jesus Christ..."  "Uh, never mind, then," he replied.

In retrospect, I wish I'd had the presence of mind to just say, "No, thank you."

So, it didn't happen exactly like this...

Sylvia: Peaceful, purring tabby or crafty tabby hooligan?  Those qualities aren't always mutually exclusive.

Two days ago, I went to take my cat, Sylvia, to the vet.  I was unable to start the car after several attempts, so I had to cancel the appointment and have a new battery installed.  Although it was momentary, I swear I heard giggling from Sylvia's cat carrier.  I couldn't prove that she had drained the old battery.  Still, after hearing the song she played after getting out of her carrier, I wondered.  It was a rare alternate version of a Harry Belafonte tune called "Man Smart, Tabby Smarter." 

I hadn't known there was such a version.  I was torn.  I didn't know whether to let Sylvia's possibly nefarious scheme irk me or admire her clever initiative and record collecting prowess.  I took her to the vet the next day, though, and she was a good sport.  I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt.

FM dial scan highlights LXXXIX

Compelling tunes heard this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Somewhere In Time-David Mallett (The heartfelt spirit of this acoustic number's lyrics and vocals brings "The Thanksgiving Song" by Fred Holstein to mind.)
• Turtle Dove-Dori Freeman (This new release blends elements of '50s ballads and Linda Ronstadt's vocals appealingly.)
• When I Woke-Beth Bombara (This St. Louis artist's tune, released in March, made an immediate impression on me; its tone and energy remind me of Maia Sharp's "Something Wild.")

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Living For The City-Ramsey Lewis (A smooth instrumental rendition of the Stevie Wonder standout.)
• You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go-Madeleine Peyroux (Shawn Colvin's version of this Bob Dylan tune is still my favorite, but Peyroux's breathy alto vocals and nightclub jazz arrangement serve the tune well.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Better-Regina Spektor (I admire the protagonist's resolve to help someone whom she might not be able to reach.)

WFUN 95.5 FM

• I Apologize-Anita Baker (A somewhat underrated low-key track of Baker's, augmented by Take 6's strong backing vocals.  In retrospect, this was one of her more appealing tunes played on KNJZ in 1994.)

Sage advice: Dodge flying music stands

Our high school orchestra once sat in on the rehearsal of a college orchestra in another state.  Our tour guide warned us matter-of-factly about the conductor's notorious temper.

"I'd advise all of you not to sit in the first few rows," he told us.  "He might throw a stand or two."

Fortunately, the conductor threw no stands on that day in the '80s.  Still, it concerned me that our tour guide wasn't being facetious and that throwing stands into the audience was treated as a mere personality quirk.  In an age of so much being posted on YouTube, I doubt that behavior would be tolerated today.

Online radio sampler highlights LXV

Eight noteworthy tunes heard today:

KCLC-HD2 (St. Louis, MO)

• Get Ourselves Together-Delaney & Bonnie (I can't imagine any producer telling these singers, "Once more, with feeling," as there's plenty of grit and soul here.  This is about as close as album rock gets to R&B without being R&B.)
• Omaha-Moby Grape (A fun, fast, of its time, i.e. 1967, romp that should have been titled "Listen, My Friends."  Also recommended: "Come In The Morning" and "Looper.")

WBOM (Rockford, IL)

• Apache-Jorgen Ingmann (A guitar instrumental of a theme seemingly intended for a western filmed in space.)
• Over Under Sideways Down-The Yardbirds (This would segue well, to my ears, with "19th Nervous Breakdown" by The Rolling Stones.)

WDCB (Chicago, IL)

• Lovely Day-Freddy Cole (To me, the Bill Withers original is still the best version, but Cole and company do a fine lounge-tinged, jazzy take on it.  Impressive trumpet work by Terell Stafford.)
• Pannonica (Live)-Peter Bernstein (A good guitar-based rendering, released in July, of a memorable Thelonious Monk melody, with compelling rhythmic support from Brad Mehldau on piano and Christian McBride on bass.)

WKZE (Red Hook, NY)

• It Would Be So Easy-Cassandra Wilson (A compelling case for not leaving your feelings for your significant other unspoken.  Rhythmically, the tune reminds me of the Esther Phillips song, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is.")
• Bitter Truth-Iron & Wine (I suspect that Lyle Lovett and Chris Isaak would also sing this effectively plaintive tune, released in August, convincingly.)

Good advertising, good medicine?

If I ever have to take medication for rheumatoid arthritis, I'll likely inquire about Xeljanz XR.  I have to respect an advertiser whose commercials contain music played on vinyl and feature the Orleans hit, "Dance With Me," which I have on a 45.

Admittedly, that's not an advisable way to choose a medication.  Still, if it's feasible, I'd like to reward such smart marketing.  Bring on the joint pain and inflammation!

Actually, let's not have any joint pain or inflammation.  Let's put it off for a while, at least.

When a song's context is everything

Grappling with Sammy the cat's passing since yesterday has caused an unfortunate chain reaction of memories for me; I've thought back to other difficult times in which previous pets have passed away.  In reflecting on them, I've realized I've become a little smoother--or less contrived, at least--in dealing with the grief that sets in just before the end of a cat's life.

In June 2001, I took a lot of photos of a previous cat, Simon, on his last day.  I thought that as long as he was still alive, I should be preserving his memory.  In retrospect, taking all those photos on his last day wasn't a great idea.  A sorrowful wave sweeps over me whenever I run across or even think about that envelope of photos.

I made a different mistake with Rusty, another cat who passed in December 2000.  Because Rusty enjoyed listening to music, I was determined to play as much music as possible for him on his last day.  He'd often responded well to jazz and swing guitar, as well as piano pieces, so I made sure those genres were well represented.  When I saw Rusty for the last time, Van Morrison was singing the chorus of the William Butler Yeats poem, "Crazy Jane On God."

I know there's no one right way to grieve.  Still, I think simply petting your cats and telling them how much you've enjoyed their company, as I did with Rosie and Sammy, is a better way of handling things than the way I dealt with Simon and Rusty.  Admittedly, there's a certain poignancy to hearing Van Morrison sing the Yeats line, "All things remain in God," at the end of your cat's life.  It's respectful and reassuring--and I haven't listened to it since that day 17 years ago.

In memory of Sammy the cat

2005: Sammy staking out a good post from which to listen to Christmas music.

It's difficult, at best, to write a blog post about a cat who has been part of your life for over 16 years, when he just passed away and you just saw him earlier this morning.  Nevertheless, Sammy was a wonderful family cat, so I'm attempting to put raw emotions to the side and forging ahead.

Sometimes, we forget how much the most important people and pets in our lives enhance our enjoyment of great music.  I'm thankful that the London Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams will forever be intertwined with Sammy and his calico sister, Rosie.  While looking after the cats at my parents' place one early morning several years ago, the three of us listened to this symphony on SiriusXM.  We all sat relatively still throughout the piece; at its conclusion, we gave it a collective four paws and two thumbs up.

Sammy was not only a music critic, however.  He was also a contemplative cat who pondered all the angles carefully before making a decision.  Nick Drake's "One Of These Things First" struck me as a suitable theme for him; in the song, Drake muses about the various vocations he could have chosen.  If Sammy had been human and pursued a career, I'm sure he would have had comparable reflections.

In most respects, Sammy experienced life at a more deliberate pace than his take charge calico sister, Rosie.  I've written previously about how Carole King's "Really Rosie" fit her personality well. The Call's "Let The Day Begin" captures some of her seize-the-day outlook, as well; granted, some of the "Here's to you"s would need to be changed to "Here's to me," to capture her spirit accurately.

One exception to Sammy's slower pace, however, was the excitement he exhibited when hearing and seeing birds.  When Rosie and he sat in the window and watched birds, Sammy typically took the lead in squealing with delight.  Even on the third go-around, the "Wild Bird Songs" compilation album still made him sit by a stereo speaker and squeal.

Sammy's sudden "Mowwwwwww!" that he would break into before running across the room in his younger years and the lower-pitched, voice-of-experience meow he adopted in later years had a musical quality unique to him.  Our family will never forget Sammy's signature meows or the happiness he elicited from us for more than 16 years.

In memory of Bill Wilkerson

I was sorry to learn of KMOX and KTRS personality Bill Wilkerson's passing on Thursday.  I remember the easy, lighthearted banter that Wilkerson had with KMOX's former Total Information a.m. personality Bob Hardy.  An example from August 5, 1985:

Wilkerson: Now, because of our hours here, I'm talking about in the morning, breakfast is pretty much a late morning affair for us, right?
Hardy: Yeah, I never have been able to crawl out of bed at a quarter to four and sit down to bacon, eggs, and hash browns.  That just doesn't cut it.  I don't think it does for you, either.
Wilkerson: Yeah, (KMOX co-worker) Rudy has been able to, but he's been unable to find breakfast.
Hardy: Nobody serves at that hour, right?
Wilkerson: That's right, and his wife says, "Don't be ridiculous."  At any rate, what I'm getting at is there's a study in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch this morning about something that has been debated for years.  Do you need breakfast?  Yes or no?  Now, you said, "Sure."  You mean you want breakfast.  We're talking about, do you need breakfast?  You always want breakfast, Rudy, but because of the growing interest in the restaurant business with breakfast, you know, everybody's serving breakfast.  As a matter of fact, it says, "Breakfast in restaurants is the fastest growing segment of the dining out trade, according to a 57% increase in business from 1977 to 1984."
Hardy: I'll be darned.
Wilkerson: But according to the studies here, it seems that, as one person says, "If, physiologically, you don't feel you need breakfast, then you shouldn't eat it."  In other words, they can't find any really hard evidence that going without breakfast affects your performance.  Now, you hear children who don't eat breakfast perform below par.  Well, here it says skipping breakfast has an adverse effect on a child's late morning problem solving performance, but he says you can't extrapolate that for adults.  So, apparently, it does affect children somewhat because when children eat breakfast, they perform better in problem-solving situations when attention is critical.  But, other than that, as far as adults are concerned, it seems as though if you don't eat it, it's no big deal.  As they say here, breakfast can either get you off on the right foot or virtually ruin your diet for the entire day, but it's entirely up to you. (It) depends on what kind of person you are.  So there.
Hardy: So, (the) bottom line is, nobody still knows about anything.
Wilkerson: Nobody knows.
Hardy: OK.  Well, it makes sense to me.  You eat your breakfast after you've been on the air for three or four hours.
Wilkerson: Yeah, but...
Hardy: That's really a brunch for you.
Wilkerson: Right, but the longer I go, I'm becoming bored with breakfast.
Hardy: Bored with breakfast.
Wilkerson: Bored with breakfast, yeah.
Hardy: Well, how do you intend to handle that?
Wilkerson: I have no idea.
Hardy: I mean, are we to put in a little kitchen here or something?  You want to do a little something on your own, just to lighten up your life?
Wilkerson: Actually, I prefer to have a grilled chop at this hour, as opposed to your normal breakfast.
Hardy: I'm sorry?
Wilkerson: A grilled chop.
Hardy: A grilled chop.
Wilkerson: Yes.
Hardy: Like a lamb chop?
Wilkerson: Yeah.  Instead of your bacon, your eggs, your marmalade, that sort of thing.  I'm bored with all of that stuff.
Hardy: Find me a restaurant that'll serve you a grilled chop at 10 minutes before 7:00.

I liked that Wilkerson and Hardy talked as if they were two neighbors bantering over the backyard fence about the latest news.

I also listened to Wilkerson calling the infamous Mizzou-Colorado football game, with its erroneous fifth down, on my birthday in 1990.  Even a casual Mizzou football fan must have seconded Wilkerson's frustration that day when he said, "The clock stopped!  Why has the clock stopped?!"

Wilkerson's easy-going demeanor on the airwaves will be missed.  I hope that, if he wishes it, the sunrises in his afterlife look like "grape punch with floating cinnamon sticks."

Can't listen too much

My high school orchestra director, Mr. D., surprised me once when he was going over a passage with another section of the orchestra.

"What do you think about what you just heard?" he asked me.

"I'm sorry," I replied honestly.  "My mind wandered, and I wasn't really listening."

"This is an ensemble," he reminded me.  "We listen to each other."

Mr. D.'s unexpected question irked me slightly.  Admittedly, however, it was a good reminder that even when your section isn't playing, listening to those who are is the respectful, responsible thing to do.

Persistent earworm alert LXXVI

I remember the Sherwood Ford jingle as, "He gives a better, better deal on a better, better car, and he sells at a better, better price price.  He gives a greater, greater deal on a greater, greater car--so good, good, you got to say it twice twice."  Naturally, a "Sherwood Sherwood Ford Ford" tag followed that jingle in the radio commercials.

I can't say that's one of my favorite commercial jingles.  Decades later, however, I still remember it, so that's effective advertising...

...Or maybe not, as I drive a Toyota.

A positive change of the guard

A memory from 1999: The radio was on WVRV, "The River," one night at work.  Fiona Apple's latest single, "Fast As You Can," was playing.  I remarked to a co-worker, "This new single of hers isn't getting much play here."  "I can see why," my co-worker responded.  "It's not that great of a song."

I thought it was an interesting choice of a release for Apple, whose previous singles, "Shadowboxer," "Sleep To Dream," and "Criminal," had been more accessible and received more airplay.  Some listeners might have been turned off by "Fast As You Can"'s manic lurches in tempo and the protagonist's warning that a potential suitor might be wise to flee.  Still, the song was always strangely intriguing to me. 

I thought back to that night as I listened to "A Prairie Home Companion" last Saturday.  Apple was one of many musical guests in a packed show, and she performed an impressive, spitfire rendition of "Fast As You Can."  At the 4:29 mark, she shouted, "GO!!!!"  A great albeit brief band freakout, which "...Prairie Home..." host Chris Thile led on mandolin, ensued, bringing the song to a dramatic close.  It was a pleasure to hear one Apple's underappreciated tunes get its due.

Another musical highlight: Dan Auerbach's "Shine On Me," which has become one of my favorite songs of 2017.  If you have a pulse, singing along with the tune's poppy chorus is almost involuntary.  It doesn't hurt that the tune's feel brings Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open The Door" to mind.

To top everything off, "...Prairie Home..." also featured renowned violinist Hilary Hahn performing moving works by J.S. Bach.

This Saturday's show should be stellar, as Thile's old band, Nickel Creek, will reunite.  Just running through the possibilities of everything they might perform makes it a can't-miss show, in my estimation.  I've raved before about the collective abilities of Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins, and Thile; any band that can produce such gems as "Reasons Why," "Out Of The Woods," "The Lighthouse's Tale," "Beauty And The Mess," "Smoothie Song," "This Side," and "Young," deserves considerable respect--and record sales.

Yes, I miss the singular voice that is Garrison Keillor and his "News From Lake Wobegon" monologues.  However, the musical guests, the continuity with the previous "...Prairie Home..." incarnation, and Thile's showmanship demonstrate that this new version of "...Prairie Home...," now in its second season, is in excellent hands.

Making history with a "new" format--or not

Over a decade ago, a DJ I know was at a radio station meeting.  A consultant announced that the format to which the station was switching had never been done in St. Louis.  Later in the meeting, the DJ told him, "Actually, (this format) has been done here before."  "No," he replied.  "It hasn't been tried here." "Yes, it has," she replied. "I did afternoon drive at (the previous station with that format.)"  "Oh," he replied sheepishly.  "I told (the new radio station's powers that be) it hadn't been done in this market."

It's easy to proclaim something is historical when you don't know its history.

Online radio sampler highlights LXIV (Halloween edition)

With all due respect to Sting, you haven't heard the most gripping incarnation of "Moon Over Bourbon Street" until you've heard these three witch cats sing it.  Their balalaika accompaniment is also a key ingredient.

Six selections heard today whose titles, at least, relate to Halloween:

KWMU-3 (St. Louis, MO)

• William Bolcom: "Graceful Ghost" Rag (Paul Jacobs, piano) (Although ragtime classifies the piece's genre accurately, midtempo contemplative swing is just as accurate.  The production is appropriately airy for a ghost-themed composition.)
• Rudolf Friml: The Devil's Joke (Stephanie Chase, violin) (This piece demands considerable dexterity and precision from a violinist.  I'm no fan of the devil, but if he wanted to defeat Johnny in that Charlie Daniels-narrated "Devil Went Down To Georgia" fiddle playoff, he should have mastered this piece.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Ghost Town-Dispatch (In case you were wondering, this isn't a cover of the Halloween-appropriate tune by The Specials.  It is, however, an effective, matter-of-fact look at a town whose businesses are mostly shuttered.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Ghost Writer-Garland Jeffreys (Not just any artist could sing about this profession and make it sound this appealing.  The organ intro gives the tune instant atmosphere.)
• Bury My Lovely-October Project (Weighty lyrics demand an epic vocalist, and Mary Fahl's grandiose alto is perfect here.)
• Haunt You-Mesa Jane (When wondering if you're on the right path in life, who doesn't feel like this, at least part of the time?  A steady dance groove underpins compelling vocals and accessible lyrics about second-guessing yourself.)

Wobbling the pitch sparingly

With stringed orchestral instruments, I've always thought of vibrato as a pinch of salt you add to a dish.  Typically, you don't pour a full shaker of salt onto your food; you might, however, season it sparingly with a little salt.  The same should be true of vibrato.  When it's appropriate to give a passage added warmth, wobble the pitch as needed.  If you use vibrato on every note, however, the effect is compromised, and it might look like you're showing off.

After reading about how vibrato used to be perceived in David Byrne's impressive book, How Music Works, I felt vindicated about using it sparingly on the upright bass.

FM dial scan highlights LXXXVIII

Wednesday through Sunday standouts:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• The Raven-The Flat Five (Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, set to a Lambert, Hendricks & Ross-style vocal arrangement, with bass and drums. Credit to Dr. Jeff, host of "The Big Bang," for selecting this seasonally appropriate track and the next two songs.)
• The Kind Of Love We're In-Freedy Johnston (The tune's structure and arrangement brought Ambrosia to mind as I listened.  Also, it's not immediately obvious, but does the way Johnston sings the chorus remind anyone besides me of the "I just know we'll have a good time" section of Janet Jackson's "Runaway?")
• Paradiso Twist-The Kaisers (To me, this surf instrumental sounds like The Ventures with a hint of the early Beatles tune, "I Saw Her Standing There.")

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Moonlight In Vermont-Chet Baker (Sublime trumpet, with a moving piano interlude.)
• If I Tell You I Love You-Melody Gardot (If there's room for a song in film noir, this could work.  Gardot's assured, wise-beyond-her-years vocals somehow soften the blow of rejection.)
• Steppin' Out-Jeanette Harris featuring Tm Watson (A steadily energetic saxophone-and-bass groove, ideal for morning drive on smooth jazz stations.)

KSHE 94.7 FM

• Empty Pages-Traffic (Some of Steve Winwood's most appealing vocals, augmented by the keyboard's bounce.)
• Autumn/The Winter Long-Strawbs (Thoughtful ruminations on the transitions between seasons.  It's a shame album rock stations don't play songs like this more often.) 

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

• Sweep Around-The Williams Brothers (If you prefer to hear these sentiments in a gentler, less direct way, listen to The Mills Brothers sing "Brighten The Corner Where You Are.")

Breaking format on Halloween

I remember tuning into big band/jazz/oldies station WEW on Halloween 1996 and hearing the swingin' sound of...Alice Cooper.  In the spirit of the holiday, the DJ was playing Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare."  Earlier that day, the morning host had turned the first hour of his shift over to his "vampire brother who somehow got into the studio." (Actually, it was the host himself, assuming the role of a vampire.)

If I'd been on the air then, I probably would have done something subtler to mark the holiday, such as playing Martin Denny's "Quiet Village" and Bob McFadden & Dor's "Mummy."  Looking back, though, I say, Good for those two DJs...Why not?  It's once a year, after all.

"Company's here! There's the interval!"

When the doorbell rang years ago, it hit home just how fully into music I was.  Most people, upon hearing a doorbell, would look to see who was at the door or open the door.  I opened the door, but before I did, I said, "Those doorbell notes are a perfect fifth interval."

Who does that?

SiriusXM highlights LXXVII

Standout selections heard this morning:

'70s On 7

• Right Down The Line-Gerry Rafferty (Another way of conveying the sentiments expressed in Jim Croce's "I'll Have To Say I Love You In  A Song."  As much as I've always liked Rafferty's "Baker Street" and "Get It Right Next Time," this, to me, is Rafferty's best song, by a nose.)

The Coffee House

• Stay (I Missed You)-Lisa Loeb (I've always liked the honesty and vulnerability with which Loeb sings this.  Her new release of covers, "Lullaby Girl," is also recommended; her rendition of "Dream A Little Dream" is a highlight.)

Escape

• Who Can I Turn To?-Beegie Adair (An elegant piano cover, fit for a traditional jazz station.  I also recommend Nancy Wilson's vocal rendition.)

The Loft

• Second Nature-Neil Finn (A highlight of the Crowded House singer's latest release, "Out Of Silence."  A well-put-together arrangement of lead and backing vocals, keyboard, and strings coalesces effectively in this tale of a match between a man and woman that probably should happen but won't.)  

Margaritaville

• Pata Pata-Miriam Makeba (A well-known, much-covered dance number with strategically placed spoken word interludes about the dance.  A dance this joyous should have a difficult time wearing out its welcome.)
• You Can Get It If You Really Want-Jimmy Cliff (One of Cliff's best-known recordings, for good reason; it's a sunny, singable tribute to what one can achieve through hard work and perseverance.)

Real Jazz

• It's Only A Paper Moon-Marcus Roberts Trio (With solid, well-covered material like this, the trio is already halfway home.  In a configuration of piano, bass, and drums, it's impressive and unusual to hear the bass carry the melody.)
• Satin Doll-Ray Bryant (It's impressive to hear a piano take the place of a big band in this Duke Ellington classic.  I hear elements of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" in this rendition.)
• When I Fall In Love-Chucho Valdes (In most renditions, this is a sensitively sung ballad.  Valdes, however, shows that it also works as a brisk piano instrumental.)

Soul Town

• For Once In My Life-Stevie Wonder (One of Wonder's best early hits; it expresses the exuberance virtually anyone would feel upon finding the one for whom they've searched.)
• Hello Stranger-Barbara Lewis (Sultry vocals and one of the best uses of "shoo-bop, shoo-bop"s in a pop song.  Yvonne Elliman also sings it well.) 

Symphony Hall

• J.S. Bach: Lute Suite in C minor, BWV 997 (Ricardo Gallen, guitar) (Gallen pulls off the uptempo yet somber aspects of the suite with aplomb.)

Watercolors

• Mt. Airy Road-George Benson & Earl Klugh (It's puzzling that former smooth jazz radio stations here didn't have this immediately accessible, uptempo guitar track in heavy rotation.)

In memory of Fats Domino

In memory of Fats Domino, who passed away yesterday at 89, here are five of his best songs, in my opinion:

• Blueberry Hill (If you watched "Happy Days" for any length of time, you heard this.  It contains one of the most memorable piano intros and one of the most memorable hooks of any '50s recording.  It's not surprising this was Domino's biggest hit.)
• I'm Walkin' (Another Domino hit that some listeners might have encountered through "Happy Days."  It's possibly his catchiest uptempo hit, with a hook that grabs the listener right from the beginning.)
• It Keeps Rainin' (I don't hear this played anywhere today, but it conveys universal sentiments about the sadness of romantic rejection effectively.)
• Jingle Bells (The song isn't one of my favorite Christmas tunes, but Domino recorded one of the best renditions.  He rocks the rhythm on the piano and vocals, giving the tune a boogie woogie feel.)
• Walking To New Orleans (Possibly Domino's best song.  Other artists sing about climbing the highest mountain or swimming the deepest ocean, and you know they're only speaking metaphorically.  Domino sings this so convincingly, it's easy to believe he's actually heading to New Orleans on foot.)

Stingray Music highlights XLVIII

An eclectic array of compelling tunes I heard on U-verse this morning:

Big Band

• Don't Get Around Much Anymore-Duke Ellington Orchestra (If this stately Ellington number isn't on the ballroom's dance playlist, the playlist is incomplete.  My high school jazz band played this; even though I was a bassist who didn't get to play the melody, I was honored to provide the rhythmic underpinning of such a renowned classic.)

The Chill Lounge

• Polarnacht-Palfinger (A hypnotic, swampy-sounding instrumental, recorded with the subtle ambience of crackling vinyl.)

Classic R&B And Soul 

• It's My Thing-Marva Whitney (This record was released in 1969, but I'd never heard this James Brown vocalist's clever response to "It's Your Thing" by The Isley Brothers until today.  Whitney uses "It's Your Thing"'s template to state her case without hesitation.)

Gospel

• I'll Be The One-Bri (Briana Babineaux) (A convincingly sung proclamation of volunteerism for a noble mission.) 

Holiday Hits

• The Raven-Alan Parsons Project (A raven's caw opens this spooky 1976 blend of electronically altered vocals, powerful instrumental crescendos, and a recurring fanfare that reminds me of Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good," released two years later.)

Jazz Now

• My Ship-New West Guitar Group featuring Peter Eldridge (Charlie Watts and Bernard Fowler recorded the definitive version, in my opinion, but this is a jauntier arrangement with pleasant guitar and vocals.  I can imagine Livingston Taylor and Kenny Rankin approaching the song similarly.)

The Spa

• Saturday-Zanaelle (This plaintive piano instrumental could pass for a soap opera theme.)

A defiant right-handed lefty

When I played the upright bass, my strongest assets were my intonation and rhythm.  In the eyes of some judges, however, my left hand position on the bass left something to be desired.  I usually didn't curve my left hand properly on the bass because it was uncomfortable.  Because I played in tune and in time, however, I never understood why it mattered.  One judge at a solo/ensemble festival in high school noted his dislike of my left hand position three times.  On the evaluation sheet, he wrote, "Your left hand position is bad," and "The next time you go to a professional symphony concert, watch the left hand position of every player, and copy it!"  Even when praising my intonation, he couldn't resist slamming my left hand.  "Considering the way you hold your left hand, your intonation is quite good," he wrote.

Reading that qualified compliment taught me what a left-handed compliment was.  Nevertheless, my left hand remained defiant, as I continued to play in tune and in time.

SiriusXM highlights LXXVI

Noteworthy songs heard this morning:

The Coffee House

• You Really Got A Hold On Me-She & Him (An effective cover of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles doo-wop number.  The seemingly-recorded-in-a-tunnel echo on the vocals captures the intimacy of the lyrics convincingly.)

Escape

• Dancing On The Ceiling-Jack Jezzro (A bouncy acoustic guitar rendering of the Rodgers & Hart tune.  If you like the way Earl Klugh covers "It's Only A Paper Moon," "If I Only Had A Brain," and "You Make Me Feel So Young," Jezzro's take on "Dancing..." should satisfy you, as well.)

Kirk Franklin's Praise

• I've Seen Him Work-Anita Wilson (A powerfully sung case for trusting that God won't abandon you.  I hear elements of Joe Sample, the Luther Vandross hit, "Stop To Love," and '80s power chords in the instrumental accompaniment.)

The Loft

• Movies-Hothouse Flowers (One of the more semi-lighthearted singer-songwriter gems on the band's strong album, "Home."  Not just any tune advises you to "find a friend in a film."  Also recommended from the album: "Christchurch Bells," "Dance To The Storm," "Give It Up," and the cover of "I Can See Clearly Now.")

Real Jazz

• Cry Me A River-Jim Rotondi (The longest, most reassuring version of "Cry..." I've heard; Renato Chicco's organ playing and Rotondi's trumpet runs mute the sorrow you hear in other versions, such as Ella Fitzgerald's, of this much-covered song.)
• Maiden Voyage/Everything In Its Right Place-Robert Glasper (On Tuesday, I wrote about how seamlessly Kerri Anderson wove Bob Dylan and Blue Oyster Cult together in her cover, "All Along The Watchtower (Don't Fear The Reaper.)"  I never would have imagined anyone pairing Herbie Hancock's jazz landmark, "Maiden Voyage," with Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place."  Hearing Glasper's excellent traditional jazz piano rendition shows the common ground between two seemingly disparate tunes.  When I take notes on appealing SiriusXM, Stingray Music, FM dial scan highlights, and Online radio sampler highlights contenders, I write, "BLOG?" in the margin by selections I'm most likely to cite here.  Hearing the intro of "Maiden Voyage..." made me, in a rare occurrence, write "BLOG," without a question mark next to it.)

XL Backspin

• Tennessee-Arrested Development (Why do bad things happen to good people?  Why do some of the same good people get hit with tragedies repeatedly?  "Tennessee" addresses these injustices directly by asking the hard questions.)

Stingray Music highlights XLVII

Ear-catching tunes heard this morning:

Classic R&B And Soul

• Atlantic Avenue-Average White Band (I've owned this tune on vinyl for decades and thought since childhood that it should be a hit, but this was the first time I'd ever heard anyone else play it.  Vocally and instrumentally, the tune justifies the appeal of what many listeners would consider an enjoyable getaway locale.  If I were programming a smooth jazz station, "Atlantic Avenue" would be in the rotation.)
• I'll Never Love This Way Again-Dionne Warwick (Throughout her entire career, Warwick has been an engaging vocalist.  Although many listeners gravitate toward the soaring, leave-nothing-on-the-table emoting of Whitney Houston on "I Will Always Love You," Warwick's subtler emoting on "I'll Never..." and scores of other hits strikes me as more realistic and suited to repeated listening.)

Cocktail Lounge

• Half Forgotten Daydreams-John Cameron (A beguiling fusion of easy listening and Quiet Storm formats; not just anyone can blend the best elements of laid back R&B and lush strings, but Cameron pulled it off.  The recurring "wah-wah-wah-wah-wah" cements the tune firmly in 1974.  It would flow well after Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Forever In Love.")

Folk Roots

• The Beaches Of St. Valery/Elizabeth Clare-Battlefield Band (A compelling tale about the horrors of war and the lack of appreciation that some combatants face.  It's a pleasure to hear such a well-written Celtic narrative on this channel.)
• Illinois-Anna Tivel (Unsettling lyrics, sung hauntingly.  I'd be curious to hear Sara Watkins cover this.) 

Jazz Masters

• The Peacocks-Jimmy Rowles & Stan Getz (Setting the scene for some film noir?) 

Jazz Now

• Emily-Mike Rud (An uptempo guitar rendering of the Mercer/Mandel tune.  I also recommend Nika Rejto's more expansive, flute-based rendition.)
• Never Let Me Go-Helen Sung (This contemplative piano-anchored instrumental allows the tender contributions of violinist Regina Carter and the rhythm section ample room to breathe.)

New Age

• The Fifth Wave-Suzanne Ciani (Anyone who thinks all new age music involves just holding the same synthesized chord down for an eternity and performing inoffensive but unmemorable melodies should listen to "The Fifth Wave."  Ciani displays a moving range of emotion and force on the piano here.)

A byproduct of good medical news

Earlier this week, I was a nervous wreck.  I was fairly certain I'd get a tough-to-handle medical diagnosis.  Fortunately, however, things turned out much better than expected.

Suddenly, Neil Diamond's "I'm Alive" sounds more resonant to me than ever.

SiriusXM highlights LXXV

Standout tunes heard this morning:

'90s On 9

• Prayer For The Dying-Seal (One of Seal's most gripping songs; somber lyrics, sung with exactly the right degree of emotion.)

The Beatles Channel

• In My Life-The Beatles (Some of the most thoughtful lyrics about appreciating one's past and present; the Baroque harpsichord solo fits perfectly with the song's blend of sentimentality and nostalgia.  For years, I've said that "Rubber Soul" is my favorite Beatles album, and this reflective tune is the best of the bunch, in my opinion.)

The Coffee House

• Santeria-Aimee Allen (No disrespect to the band Sublime, but Allen's thoughtful acoustic cover gives the lyrics more heartfelt delicacy.  Her approach to the vocals reminds me of Ani DiFranco.)

The Groove

• Strawberry Letter 23-The Brothers Johnson (The Brothers Johnson put some gloss on this strong Shuggie Otis tune, resulting in a big hit 40 years ago.  The more I hear this, the more I appreciate how difficult it must be to sing.  As in "Across The Universe" by The Beatles, there isn't a true chorus; both songs keep building lyrically on what they've started and don't allow much room for the singer to take a breath.)

Heart & Soul 

• Gold-Andra Day (Honestly, powerfully sung lyrics about the consequences of choosing the wrong partner in life.)

The Loft 

• Book Of Dreams-Suzanne Vega (We can all be strong and resilient in our dreams, if not in everyday life.)

Tom Petty Radio

• The Woods (Exclusive)-Tom Petty (Sadly, when quality musicians pass away, you sometimes notice aspects of their music you wish you'd appreciated more when they were alive.  That's the case for me with "The Woods."  Listening to this acoustic version now, I hear elements of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and "Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers; that's a respectable trio of influences, to say the least.)

Stingray Music highlights XLVI

Standout tracks heard today:

Adult Alternative

• Like Fugitives-Rosanne Cash (Cash's heartfelt vocals are perfect for conveying narratives of loss and injustice.) 

Canadian Indie

• Evelyn-Hannah Georgas (The chorus of steely yet soft-spoken resolve should amp up a lot of listeners.  John Parr's "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" segues well with this, to my ears.)

Classic R&B And Soul

• Inspiration Information-Shuggie Otis (Considering how accessible the vocals are, it's puzzling that Otis didn't have the commercial success in the '70s that he deserved.)
• I Want You-Marvin Gaye (It's deceptively difficult to pull off lyrics that are direct yet laid back, but Gaye pulls it off here.) 

East Africa Gospel

• Katonda Muliro-Angel Kisakye (Kisakye sings reassuringly about God's role as a consuming fire.)

Jazz Now

• Easy Walker-Christian McBride (Christian Sands carries the tune's elegance on piano.) 

Rewind--'80s & '90s

• Your Woman-White Town (Offbeat vocals, covered with electronic gauze; for a brief time in 1997, you couldn't get away from this song on the radio.  I remember WVRV, in particular, playing it frequently.  If I'd been writing this blog then, this could have qualified easily as a persistent earworm.)

An overlooked cover tune XL

I never would have thought to weave a Bob Dylan and a Blue Oyster cult tune into a mash-up, but it makes perfect sense when you hear Kerri Anderson's "All Along The Watchtower (Don't Fear The Reaper.)"  Her rendition of "...Watchtower" begins quietly, building to furiously strummed guitar at the 1:26 mark, with belted vocals to match 15 seconds later.  Anderson detours seamlessly into "...Reaper" with a deft blend of delicacy and directness, then returns to "...Watchtower."  It's a clever idea, executed impressively.

"No stitches after taking it on the chin..."

Writing yesterday about varying my baseball doubleheader scores phrasing triggered a memory.  I once heard an AM radio talk show host do his "free association" list of the day's baseball scores.  Instead of just saying that the Rockies defeated the Marlins, he said, "The Marlins found the Rockies impassable."

I'm still conflicted about whether the host was being clever or trying too hard.

Overhyped twosomes

When I used to write and broadcast radio sports reports, days with lots of baseball and softball doubleheaders challenged me.  I didn't want the scores to become monotonous, so I'd vary my word choices as much as possible.

What I would typically say during a scores report:

• Team A notched two large victories over Team B by scores of 23-5 and 15-4.
• Team C won twice, as well, downing Team D, 9-7 and 14-3.
• Team E eked out a couple of close wins over Team F, 2-1 and 3-2.
• It was a mixed day for Team G in its doubleheader.  It was Team G 9, Team H 6 and Team H over Team G, 13-2.
• It was also a split decision for Teams I and J.  In game one, Team I topped Team J, 10-3.  In game two, Team J outscored Team I, 9-2.

Further into a report, however, I felt I was starting to sound like this:

• Ye Gods, it was a two-pronged barn burner for Team K in its 9-8 and 10-9 wins over Team L!
• Nothing could deter Team M in its maniacal 12-3 and 14-4 manhandlings of Team N.
• Heavily caffeinated Team O shut out seemingly somnambulant Team P, 8-nothing and 9-zero.
• The scales of justice balanced for Teams Q and R.  In game one, Team Q got past Team R, 5-3.  Team R, however, summoned its collective inner Libra in game two to best Team Q by that same score. 
• Here's what you call a lopsided, leaping-off-the-teeter-totter-with-abrupt-alacrity-when-a-swarm-of-bees-seeks-its-revenge-upon-you-for-denigrating-its-species-as-good-for-almost-nothing-but-honey pair of outcomes.  In the first contest, Team S stuck out its metaphorical feet, tripping up Team T, 15-5.  Team T didn't mope about its battle scars between games, however, as a quick jaunt to an urgent care center and unanimous resolve not to ride a 50-year-old, splinter-laden bench resulted in its 16-1 conquering of Team S in their second out-for-blood-but-not-in-a-life-threatening-way-because-there-are-laws confrontation.

Although that's obviously exaggerated, you can just imagine how my sports reports sounded on a day packed with doubleheader makeups after two straight weeks of rain.