Thoughts in the clouds

This morning, at a stop light, I looked up and mused about how striking the clouds looked.  Most days, I wouldn't think to notice that.  Less than a minute later, I heard Jim on the Radio Arts Foundation's station, K297BI, saying this would be a great day to see puffer clouds.  Shortly after that, I heard Cat on KDHX talk about the noticeably puffy cumulus clouds.

It was nice to know that I wasn't the only one whose thoughts were in the clouds.  I wonder if anyone had the presence of mind to play "Little Fluffy Clouds" by The Orb on the air.  It combines two seemingly unrelated elements--techno music and an interview with Rickie Lee Jones, in which she recalls fluffy clouds in Arizona--into a hypnotic mix.

Repetition for emphasis

I've written numerous posts about my middle and high school orchestra director, Mr. D.  Like many music instructors, his personality was somewhat eccentric.  One of his most frequent quirks was repeating statements for emphasis.  Three examples:

• After passing out copies of Claude T. Smith's challenging composition, "Our Creed Is Our Shield," to the high school orchestra, he told me, "That piece has a wicked bass line.  A wicked bass line."  He was right.  It was one of the most difficult bass parts I ever played, requiring a lot of fast shifting in a key that doesn't come up often.
• During middle school, the orchestra mused about how difficult college classes must be.  Mr. D. stressed the importance of being prepared for final exams.  "If your homework average is an A, your classwork's a B, and you get a D on that test, your grade in that class is going to be a C.  Think about that!  You've never been graded that tough.  You've never been graded that tough."  He was generally correct about that.  Final exams carry considerable weight in nearly every college class.
• As a senior in high school, I spoke with another senior about how much homework we had to do, in addition to all the music we had to practice for an ensemble outside of school.  Mr. D. appeared suddenly, telling both of us, "Multiply that by 10, and that's what you'll be doing a year from now.  They just expect that in college.  They just expect that."  Fortunately, college didn't necessitate doing 10 times the amount of work I'd done in high school, but Mr. D.'s underlying point about having to prioritize and juggle responsibilities in college was accurate.

Although these incidents happened, as Mr. D. would have said, "a long time ago...a long time ago," the accuracy of his advice and observations has stayed with me, and, I suspect, many other students, for decades.  When you remember not only what someone said but how he said it, that's a sign of an effective communicator.  His repetition only strengthened the impact of his statements.

WEW playlist flashback: 7/29/96

This stands out to me as one of the best shifts I ever did for WEW.  I was especially satisfied with the music I chose and the sets I put together.  It also elicited more positive feedback from listeners on the phone than almost any other shift I did there.  I think that was partially due to the rain that day.  In his memoir, Teacher Man, Frank McCourt writes about how rain softens the mood of a classroom.  I think that's also true of a radio studio with a view of the neighborhood.  Seeing downtown Clayton in the rain made me imagine that most listeners were stuck in their homes or offices and were paying closer attention than usual to the music.  That illusion made me seek out a combination of reflective tunes and uptempo numbers designed to pick up listeners' spirits.

My 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. playlist on this day 21 years ago:

   1.  Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me-Nina Simone
(I'm not sure anyone could top Nat King Cole's interpretation, but you can't go wrong with Simone's version.)
   2.  Too Marvelous For Words-Nat King Cole
(Cole is difficult to top here, as well.)
---
   3.  Bicycle Bounce-Erskine Hawkins
   4.  Too Close For Comfort-Natalie Cole
   5.  The Gypsy In My Soul-Melissa Manchester
(Not every vocalist can pull off showy throwback melodies and pop hits with equal ease, but Manchester has.)
---
   6.  Can You Find It In Your Heart?-Tony Bennett
   7.  Blue Skies-Bing Crosby
(A safe choice, to be sure; a well-covered, easy-to-relate-to melody by the mainstay crooner.  Want to hear it sung at a breakneck pace?  Listen to Al Jarreau's rendition, and be amazed.)
   8.  Teach Me Tonight-The DeCastro Sisters
(Al Jarreau covers this effectively, as well, using an arrangement not far removed from his take on "The Christmas Song.")
---
   9.  Lo Joe-James Williams
(From one brassy big band arrangement...)
 10.  King Porter Stomp-Doc Severinsen & The Tonight Show Band
(...to another.)
 11.  Brazil-Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell
---
 12.  I'm Always Chasing Rainbows-Take 6
(I doubt that any other ensemble sings this with cooler self-assurance than Take 6...)
 13.  Cab Driver-The Mills Brothers
(...and the way it flows into my favorite vocal number in WEW's library is still one of the segues I like best.)
 14.  You Stepped Out Of A Dream-John Pizzarelli
(A dramatic intro sets the scene effectively, right from the first note.)
 15.  I Get A Kick Out Of You-Frank Sinatra
 16.  Easy To Love-Billie Holiday
---
 17.  Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy-Bette Midler
(Although this isn't a track I would listen to on my own time, I respect that it resonates with many listeners and lays the groundwork for a set of uptempo tunes...)
 18.  Muskrat Ramble-The McGuire Sisters
(...and segues well with "Muskrat Ramble.")
 19.  Do You Know The Way To San Jose?-Dionne Warwick
(Along with "Cab Driver," this was another one of my favorite songs to play on WEW.  For a song about aspiring stars who never made it big, this is one bouncy, inviting melody, especially the way Warwick sings it.)
---
 20.  Here We Go Again-Glenn Miller Orchestra
 21.  Jivin' The Jeep-Red Norvo
---
 22.  Fascinating Rhythm-Antonio Carlos Jobim
(I wish I'd thought to segue this with the Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 tune, "Bim Bom."  Those tracks flow together effortlessly.)
---
 23.  I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover-Art Mooney and his orchestra
 24.  Wish You Were Here-Eddie Fisher
---
 25.  Cast Your Fate To The Wind-Vince Guaraldi
(One of the most recognizable contemplative piano instrumentals, and it's ideal for a rainy day.  Also recommended: Allen Toussaint's played-with-jazzy-resolve cover of it.)
 26.  How Little We Know-Joey DeFrancesco
 27.  Them There Eyes-Anita O'Day
---
 28.  The Lion Sleeps Tonight-The Tokens
 29.  Twilight Time-The Platters
(Leo Kottke covers this impressively on the guitar.)
 30.  It's Not For Me To Say-Johnny Mathis
(Another sure-fire crowd pleaser...)
 31.  Love Won't Let Me Wait-Nancy Wilson
(A go-to track when I wanted to follow one thoughtful, elegant vocal number with another.)
 32.  It Could Happen To You-Erroll Garner
---
 33.  I Had The Craziest Dream-Harry James and his orchestra
 34.  The Midnight Sun Will Never Set-Sarah Vaughan
(A classy vocal number ideal for rainy days...)
 35.  Misty-Renee Rosnes Trio with string orchestra
(...and I love the way it segues with possibly the best piano-anchored instrumental cover of "Misty.")
---
 36.  I Had A Dream-Jack Jones
 37.  When I Fall In Love-Linda Ronstadt
---
 38.  You Are My Lucky Star-Louis Armstrong
 39.  Night Train To Memphis-Dean Martin
---
 40.  Sing Joy Spring-The Manhattan Transfer
 41.  Beyond The Sea-Bobby Darin
---
 42.  I Should Care-Lionel Hampton
 43.  Theme From "A Summer Place"-Percy Faith and his orchestra
 44.  Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers
---
 45.  Satin Doll-Duke Ellington
 46.  I've Got A Feeling I'm Fallin'-Teresa Brewer
---
 47.  On The Street Where You Live-Dennis DeYoung
(DeYoung sounds as comfortable covering this as he does singing "Babe" and "Lorelei" with Styx.)
 48.  Moondance-Michael Feinstein
(No one sings this with the ideal combination of earthiness and grit that Van Morrison does, but this is a strong cover version.)
---
 49.  Open The Door, Richard!-Count Basie
 50.  Floatin'-Les Brown
---
 51.  On A Slow Boat To China-Kay Kyser and his orchestra
 52.  Stella By Starlight-Chet Baker
---
 53.  Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby?)-Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five
 54.  Hallelujah, I Love Her So-Ray Charles
---
 55.  Blues In The Night-Artie Shaw
 56.  Street Of Dreams-The Ink Spots
 57.  Why Don't You Do Right?-Peggy Lee
---
 58.  Night Train-Buddy Morrow
(One of the slower, slyer renditions of this jazz standard; Morrow shows that it works well as a trombone showcase.)
 59.  Java-Al Hirt
---
 60.  Harbor Lights-Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye
 61.  Autumn In New York-Bobby Short
---
 62.  Look For A Star-Billy Vaughn and his orchestra    
 63.  (CLOSING THEME) Closing Time-Tom Waits
---

--- indicates a short break for a slogan and time check or a longer break for back announcing the music.

The original-yet-familiar challenge

I remember watching an interview in which Burt Bacharach said writing a song that sounds fresh and original is the hardest thing in the world.  He has pulled off this feat routinely in his songwriting, however.  This challenge that Bacharach acknowledges came to mind yesterday as I listened to Makar's "I Can't Tell You To Stay" on KDHX.  The band's blend of vocals and piano sounded instantly familiar yet original to me.  I heard elements of such disparate tunes as Money Mark's "Pick Up The Pieces," Green Day's "Warning," and "Game Of Love" by Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders.  As I listened, I thought, "I swear, I've heard this before--but not quite like this, and that's intriguing."

Kudos to Makar for pulling off a neat trick.  Not every band can fuse seemingly unrelated genres into a captivating, accessible blend, but Makar nails this on "I Can't Tell You To Stay."

Respecting the music--and the musicians

A friend once told me, "I'm not the biggest jazz or Classical fan, but I know that those are intelligent people making that music."

That honest, open-minded qualifier impressed me.  I think almost everyone feels that way about at least one genre.

SiriusXM highlights LXIX

I've heard a lot of standout tunes, including two amusing ones, over the past two weeks:

'40s Junction

• Jump Jive An' Wail-Louis Prima & Keely Smith (Somehow, I never heard the hippest vocal rendition of this tune on our former lounge music station, WRDA, i.e. "Red at 104.1."  I would be surprised if they didn't play it.)

'60s On 6

• Build Me Up Buttercup-The Foundations (A sing-along hit with a memorable chorus, lead vocals, and backing vocals that have earned the heavy play they still get on oldies stations.)
• Cherry Cherry-Neil Diamond (Possibly the catchiest of all Diamond hits; Diamond's vocals, the backing vocals, guitar, and piano punctuation are all integral to the effect it has on listeners.)

'80s/'90s Pop

• Genius Of Love-Tom Tom Club (Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth and company struck gold with one of the most demanding-to-be-sampled riffs of the early '80s.  I remember hearing this frequently on KMJM then.)

The Beatles Channel

• You Never Give Me Your Money-The Beatles (This is one of three stellar highlights from the album-ending medley on "Abbey Road."  The other two, in my judgment, are "Golden Slumbers" and "The End."  It's one of their best-structured tunes, showing the Lennon-McCartney team at its best, lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally.  The band moves deftly between stylistic transitions multiple times in a relatively short tune.) 

The Bridge

• Alone Again (Naturally)-Gilbert O'Sullivan (O'Sullivan's tune has an unfair reputation as one of the supposedly worst songs of the '70s.  If anything, it's actually a thoughtful, articulate song about the depression that follows the death of a family member.  I've never understood the animosity toward this song; after all, when life knocks you down, who doesn't feel like this?) 

Celebrate!

• Get Ready-The Temptations (I can't believe I haven't cited "Get Ready" on this blog until now.  It sports some of the coolest synergy between lead and backing vocals in a pop hit, and its central theme never wears out its welcome.)

Cinemagic

• "The Pink Panther" Theme-Henry Mancini (Who doesn't like or at least respect this sly, cool, jazzy melody that has stood the test of time?) 

Classic Rewind

• Even Now-Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (If you like the feel of "Hollywood Nights," you'll probably enjoy the similar feel of "Even Now."  Seger sang this with considerable energy and conviction, which appealed to me when the tune was a hit.) 

Covers Channel

• Any Major Dude Will Tell You-Wilco (A faithful rendering of the Steely Dan tune; fine interplay between vocals, guitar, and keyboard.)

Elevations

• All About That Bass-The O'Neill Brothers (If The Boston Pops can cover Meghan Trainor's hit successfully, why can't a guitarist and bassist transform it into an easy listening/smooth jazz tune that could just as easily be called "Welcome To The Desert Southwest," the way they play it?)
• We Will Rock You-Piano Tribute Players (Imagine Queen's hit played as a new age piano instrumental and aspiring to be the "Days Of Our Lives" theme.)

Holiday Traditions

• Christmas In Killarney-Bing Crosby (Although it's out of season, the bouncy, carefree feel of this quirky tune still feels welcoming to me in July.)
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-The Mills Brothers (The ensemble's voices are ideal for conveying this carol's solemnity.)

The Loft

• Smooth Sailin'-Leon Bridges (Bridges pulls off the admirable feat of sounding simultaneously contemporary and old school when he sings.)

Oldies Party

• The Rain, The Park & Other Things-The Cowsills (I'm aware that some readers might think I've lost my mind in citing this as a standout, especially after praising two quirky easy listening covers on the Elevations station.  Nevertheless, there's a comforting idealistic vibe in this hit from 50 years ago.  One quibble: To help listeners find the tune at the record store or online, the band should have drawn from the lyrics and called the tune "I Love The Flower Girl" or "(She Could Make Me) Happy.")

Real Jazz

• Hank's Shout-Lee Morgan & The Hank Mobley Quintet (When people used to praise a jazz club performance by saying "the joint is jumpin'," they could easily have been referring to a trumpet-dominated melody that cooks like this.)

Spa

• Wedding Rain-Liz Story (Story's piano playing conveys the turbulence of rain potentially ruining a wedding convincingly.  This track is from, in my opinion, one of the best, most consistent new age albums, "Solid Colors."  There are no weak selections on the album, and its title track is especially strong.)

SXM Comes Alive

• Follow You Follow Me (Live)-Genesis (Phil Collins and company convey the warmth of the tune's heartfelt studio version in concert.  Find this rendition on the "Three Sides Live" album.) 

Watercolors

• 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 in recent months.  It's one of the more appealing smooth jazz cuts of 2017.)
• In Heaven-Gregory Porter (Porter's deep vocals make the afterlife sound very inviting, when compared to this flawed Earth.  The piano and trumpet parts underscore this appealing picture effectively.  Porter is one of the strongest singers I've heard in recent years.  It's a pleasure to hear his music played online and on WSIE.)
• So Far From Home-Torcuato Mariano (Comforting, contemplative guitar and strings that bring Acoustic Alchemy to mind.)

Persistent earworm alert LXVIII

Hearing a short fragment of a tropical melody made me recall a tune I haven't heard in decades.  In 1983, Donna Summer had a huge hit with "She Works Hard For The Money."  Although there will always be those who need to hear Summer's admonishment, I think another song of hers released that same year holds up better.  In "Unconditional Love," Summer makes a direct request sound joyous and palatable in a way that not every artist could pull off.  The song's tropical arrangement is a large part of its appeal.  I don't think I ever heard "Unconditional Love" on the radio after 1983, most likely because it didn't crack the top 40.  It should have been a hit, though, and it still warrants at least occasional airplay today.

Playing like robots

The conductor of an ensemble in which I played could have just told us to play with more feeling.  Instead, he assumed a deliberate monotone.  He told us that a particular piece, in our hands, conveyed the message, "Here-we-are-on-Mars-made-by-machines, rock-and-roll-age."

It was an offbeat way of telling us that our playing was too robotic.  He didn't mention this again, however, so, presumably, our expressiveness rose to his standard after that.

The evolving nature of a countdown

When I was 11, a friend and I attempted to create a countdown of our favorite songs.  We didn't let the fact that we hadn't heard some of each other's favorite songs stop us.  We trusted each other's judgment and came up with a countdown that included pop hits mainly from the '70s and early '80s.  I've forgotten almost all of the songs on the list and where we ranked them, but it would be interesting to see that list now.  We had so much life ahead of us then, and we've heard so much music since then.  I suspect few, if any, of the songs we chose then would make our countdown today.  George Harrison's "All Those Years Ago" might still make the cut, but aside from that...

If you've been fortunate enough to hear a wealth of music over a lifetime, your metaphorical or actual list has probably changed over the decades, as well.

An overlooked cover tune XXXIV

If you like the bounce and strangely optimistic feel of 10cc's "The Things We Do For Love," listen to Clive Gregson & Christine Collister's cover of it.  It's in keeping with the original version's spirit and is a solid leadoff track on their CD, "Love Is A Strange Hotel."

For that matter, the duo's cover of Jackson Browne's "For A Dancer," which I've only heard once on the radio, deserves its due, as well.

Playing through the heat

Kudos to Erin Bode, her band, and their opening act, Matsiko World Orphan Choir, for persevering through last night's hundred-degree heat to perform an enjoyable evening of well-sung, well-played music from the heart in Kirkwood.  It isn't easy to think, let alone sing or play an instrument, for an extended time outdoors under such conditions, so I commend every musician who put on a smile and sang or played his or her best despite the heat.

"We don't take you for granted," Bode told the audience.

Indeed.

Overlooking the obvious II

One night, at a previous job, the radio was tuned to an adult alternative station.  A co-worker and I kept noticing unusually long gaps between tunes.

"It doesn't sound like the DJ's paying much attention," we took turns saying periodically.  "There are all these long pauses between the songs."

Then, after the last song in the set ended, the DJ announced, "That was (such-and-such CD) in its entirety."

I remarked to my co-worker, "Considering both of us have worked in radio, it's puzzling that neither of us thought of that earlier."

Context? XXVIII

A news teaser heard on KMOX this morning: "One pumpkin patch closes; another one opens..."

"But is it sincere?!" I shouted at the radio.

I don't know where or why one pumpkin patch's closing begat another one's opening, but I think it's reasonable to ask that about the new pumpkin patch.  Linus and other Great Pumpkin followers would likely have approved.

On second thought, describing a pumpkin patch as sincere in a news story would be editorializing.  Still, I hope the station obtained a sound bite from the pumpkin patch owner or a citizen attesting to the new pumpkin patch's sincerity or lack thereof.  Clearly, the story would have been incomplete otherwise.

"Your authoritative time check--after a pause..."

In the mid '80s, I'd adjust the AM radio so I could hear WLS from Chicago.  At the time, I thought the station had an interesting mix of music and personalities.  Morning DJ Larry Lujack and evening DJ John Records Landecker were two of the station's more memorable announcers.  Oddly, one aspect of Lujack's announcing that stood out to me was the way he'd announce the time.  Sometimes, his entire intro would involve waiting five seconds into a song and announcing, "6:11!"  To this day, I haven't heard any other DJ announce the time that way.  I'm still not entirely sure of my own blood type, but Lujack's unusual combination of minimalism and authority has stayed with me for over three decades.  Who knows how the mind works?

Staying upbeat

Thanks to one broadcasting school instructor, I started sounding more positive on the air and on the phone.  He'd heard several of my audition tapes and pointed out that I was ending a lot of my sentences on a downward inflection.  After listening to the tapes again, I heard what he meant.  I had second thoughts about using one air check that I thought was especially smooth for auditions.  I ended the break with the station's slogan, "your station for quality music and news in mid-Missouri."  Listening to it a second time, I realized I'd said, "in mid-Missouri," with a downward inflection, making me sound depressed, even though I wasn't.  From then on, when speaking on the air and on the phone, I did my best to put more of a smile into my voice and end sentences on an upward inflection.  When you're on the air, it makes more of a positive impression on listeners.  When you're on the phone, it wraps up a call on an upbeat note.

Although it sounds contradictory, you can be a jaded cynic but still sound positive.  It just takes a smile in your voice and an upbeat inflection.

An overlooked cover tune XXXIII

It's not surprising that Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" has held up over the decades.  So many parents have experienced the thrill of bringing a new life into the world, and Wonder captures this feeling, vocally and instrumentally, with considerable joy and exuberance.  I can't imagine any other artist singing the tune with more depth of feeling.

That said, Livingston Taylor, whose voice resembles that of his famous brother, James, recorded a subtle, satisfying cover of it.  Because the tune is so familiar, Taylor's decision to whistle the melody at the beginning and end of the song is smart and allows the listener to settle in.  Unobtrusive guitar and percussion underscore Taylor's sincere vocals nicely.

Wonder captured the excitement of bringing a child into the world exceptionally well in his lyrics and original recording.  Taylor brought the volume down and conveyed Wonder's sentiments with nuanced grace.

Call it a hunch.

It amuses me to recall our high school orchestra's trips to Chicago in the '80s.  To pass the time, we would have impromptu sing-alongs.  I imagine those don't happen often these days.  I also imagine that few, if any, high school orchestras sing Neil Diamond's "Hello Again" or "The Joker" by The Steve Miller Band, as we did.  I still remember one girl on the bus starting to sing, "Hello, again, hello," and the rest of us taking the tune and running with it.

I wonder which tunes, if any, a high school orchestra would sing on a bus today.

"Just count!" would have sufficed.

When I was in high school, the director of an ensemble in which I played gave the orchestra some unrealistic advice.  It would have been one thing if he'd told us to count and watch our rhythmic accuracy.  Instead, he got carried away and said, "I need you to police each other on this.  I need you to say, 'Bill, you are late,' and throw each other off of the stage!"

If we'd taken him up on this, I still wonder if he would have looked on alarmingly or nodded approvingly.  Would he have at least offered first aid to the players thrown off the stage?

An overlooked cover tune XXXII

Check out how Richard "Groove" Holmes tackles "Misty," which Johnny Mathis made famous, on the organ.  Holmes makes it sound as though he wrote the tune and that it was meant to be a slick organ vamp.  If that approach appeals to you, you'll also like the cover I heard yesterday on KDHX.  The People's Key takes a similar, reinterpreting-a-well-known-song-as-a-hot-jazz-track approach with "Fixing A Hole" by The Beatles, and it works every bit as well.

Finishing the sentence XV

I ran this unfinished sentence on March 31, along with responses I received during high school.  These are answers it elicited in September 1989, shortly after I started college.  Next to the third response, I wrote in my notebook, "polyphonic, no doubt...half beating in three, i.e. 'Samoas, Samoas...," and the other half beating in two, i.e. 'Thin Mints, Thin Mints...'"  Just wanted to share that...

From off in the distance in a field of seemingly endless desolate Earth, a brave new beat breaks the silence.  Its pulse envelopes the land and enlightens the weary traveler.  The beat is...

...a wave of explosion sounds, coming from a nuclear bomb.  He is strengthened from the power, momentarily.  Soon, he will die. (Ursula M.)

...a painting that could reflect each person's inner feelings and fears as they came up to look at it. (Eric S.)

...a group of Girl Scouts beating time with boxes of Girl Scout cookies. (Angela B.)

FM dial scan highlights LXXXIII

Five of the better tunes heard this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Start The Clock-The Silos (There's a comfortable repetition in the vocals and instrumental backing here.  Despite the difference in tempos, two recurring guitar chords remind me of Fleetwood Mac's "I Don't Want To Know."  If I had been at KCOU in 1985, I'd have played this on the air.  I also recommend the "Hasta La Victoria!" album, which is generally consistent from track to track.)
• Doom Or Destiny-Blondie (It was a pleasure to hear the hook-laden energy of Blondie's earlier work reflected in this track, released in May.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• "Moonlighting" Theme-Al Jarreau (Thirty years later, Jarreau's rich vocals on this theme hold up, and his upward inflection on the tune's last line, "...just met on the wayyyyyyyyyy," is always a pleasure to hear.)
• South Of The Border-Lou Donaldson (Donaldson's shimmering saxophone carries the tune, with strong backing from a rhythm section that mambos and bounces.)

WFUN 95.5 FM

• Who Can I Run To?-The Jones Girls (Strong lead and backing vocals against a mellow instrumental backdrop; this 1979 track fits easily into a Quiet Storm playlist.  WFUN has fared well in the ratings; with its commendable selection of old school R&B tracks, many of which KMJM played in the early '80s, it's easy to hear why.)

Tuning accurately--in orchestra and life

Sometimes, just before playing an A note on the piano, my middle and high school orchestra director would tell the class, "Let's get a good A."

It was a good, concise way of saying, "It's time to tune your instruments, so listen carefully to this note, and tune your instrument accurately to it."

Outside of orchestra class, it's a good way of reminding yourself, "Learn what you need to learn, and apply it as well as you can to work and other situations in front of you."

Persistent earworm alert LXVII

Proof that 1970's pop music scene was considerably different than today's: A song with seemingly optimistic lyrics but melancholy instrumental backing and a "Fiddler On The Roof" vibe was a hit. It has been on my mind for the past hour.  I'd be curious to hear a heavy metal band show off its unexpected range by playing it, in its original arrangement, as an encore.

The tune?  "Early In The Morning" by Vanity Fare.

The temporary nature of radio employment

In eighth grade, my class attended a career fair.  A longtime radio newscaster here summed up the radio business in his inimitable baritone.

"Come back in 10 years, and take my job away from me," he told us.

No one in our class replaced the newscaster.  In fact, he had an unusually long stint at one radio station that lasted decades.  If almost any other radio announcer had told an eighth grader (s)he'd be his successor in 10 years, however, that announcer would likely sound bitter, jaded--and prescient.

Persistent earworm alert LXVI

Lately, a "Schoolhouse Rock" tune from the "Science Rock" series keeps coming to mind.  Zachary Sanders sings the Bob Dorough-penned tune, "Electricity, Electricity."  If you like the melody of the "Grammar Rock" standout, "Conjunction Junction," you'll likely appreciate the similar feel of "Electricity..."  One lyric, in particular, has stayed with me over the years--"Stroking a cat to make it purr, you're building up static electricity, electricity..."  Yesterday, I was petting my cat, Sylvia, in time to the tune but was glad that I didn't cause any static electricity.  It wouldn't be right to shock her or any other cat because I couldn't get a "Schoolhouse Rock" tune from my childhood out of my mind.

Online radio sampler highlights LX

Some of the more interesting music I've heard this morning:

KCSN (Los Angeles, CA)

• Someday, Someway-Marshall Crenshaw (Tight, infectious guitar and vocals; this is how rockabilly music should sound.  This tune's hook never wears out its welcome, as far as I'm concerned.)
• Swallowed By The Cracks-David & David (A cautionary tale about living too much in the moment; if you like the feel of "Welcome To The Boomtown," this will likely appeal to you.  I'd be curious to hear John Mellencamp cover this.)

KEXP (Seattle, WA)

• Santiago-Preservation Hall Jazz Band (A pulsating stew of dominating brass from "So It Is," released in April.)
• Airborne-Cut Copy (A brand new dance/electronic number, seemingly pulled out of the '80s.)

KQAL (Winona, MN)

• Fly Me To The Moon (Live)-Diana Krall (A smart choice for a concert finale; Krall and her band have room to stretch out here.  Everyone has ample space to show off their chops.  Krall's confident, husky take on the vocals serves the song well.)

KVMR (Nevada City, CA)

• Livin' In The Hills-Northern Roots (One of the most gratifying aspects of listening to stations all over the country is discovering local bands I might never have heard otherwise.  That was the case here.  This is some appealing jazz-tinged reggae with a memorable piano hook.)

KXLU (Los Angeles, CA)

• Stargazing-Michelle Blades (Indie rock with just enough dissonance; the spacey, haunting vocals and strummed guitar made me wonder what I'd hear next.)

"You can just find the downbeat yourselves! Bah!"

The director of an orchestra in which I played during high school issued a strange threat once during a rehearsal.

"If this doesn't sound good enough, I don't have to conduct it," he told us.  "I will get my neck wrung upstairs, but I don't have to conduct it."

I shouldn't have been surprised.  This was the same director who told his orchestra during another rehearsal, "Those of you who want to fool around, that's it for me.  Someone else can conduct!"  He then walked offstage, leaving an awkward silence in the room for several minutes.  Eventually, he returned and said, "Let's start again with measure (such-and-such)..."

If he still conducts high school or college students, I hope that he longer resorts to such histrionics.  What does an orchestra director ever achieve by walking off or threatening not to conduct?

The right day for a march or two

July 4, 2008: Fireworks over downtown Kirkwood.  I think Lite-Brite Pizza.would be an appropriate name for this design.

Ironically, for a holiday called Independence Day, the march is an especially popular genre of Independence Day music.  Most listeners who don't have a soldier's or a marching band member's background, however, don't usually seek out marches.  The spirited pomp of a march, however, feels appropriate every July 4.

This morning, I was listening to "The American Album," a compilation CD of patriotic pieces which the St. Louis Symphony, under Leonard Slatkin's direction, performed.  I wanted to hear some live, spontaneous patriotic music, as well, though.  As soon as "The Star Spangled Banner" ended on the CD, I switched to the Radio Arts Foundation's station, K297BI, just as Josef Franz Wagner's march, "Under The Double Eagle," started.  If it hadn't been Independence Day, I might not have stayed tuned.  Today, however, I listened and came to appreciate a march I might not have noticed otherwise--and realized that it segues with our national anthem pretty well.

Here's hoping you're enjoying your favorite holiday-themed music--marches or otherwise--today.

At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly...

Although it's possible to be too concerned with dignity sometimes, can we all please agree that "Yankee Doodle," much like the threat of a no-figgy-pudding-inspired tantrum in "We Wish You A Merry Christmas," sounds silly when sung by anyone over the age of 12?  After age 12, it's best performed as an instrumental.

Thank you.

Finishing the sentence XIV

Here's an unfinished sentence I wrote and its responses from December 1988:

INXS asks, "Are you ready for a new sensation?"  This new sensation should be...

...standing on a stage, strumming along with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. (John H.)

...a new type of Coca-Cola. (Chris A.)

...a flight simulator involving a crash and parachute drop in which you actually fly and fall. (Jen E.)

...tasty food that has no cholesterol, fat, sodium, calories, salt, sugar, artificial colors or flavors, carbohydrates, or any additives or preservatives, and does not cause cancer. (Scott S.)

Persistent earworm alert LXV

I've only heard it on the radio once, several years ago, on KDHX.  Regardless of one's feelings on when war is or isn't justified, "Arms For The Love Of America" by Barry Wood and The Lyn Murray Singers has a melody that's difficult to forget.  It's a tribute from 1941 to those who make and soldiers who use weapons to defend America during wartime.  If it had been included in a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" short, it would have been interesting to hear Joel, Tom Servo, and Crow riff on it.