Stingray Music highlights XLI

Standout selections played on U-verse this morning:

Cocktail Lounge

• Night Side-Henry Mancini & his orchestra (The cool, sly side of easy listening--for vibes, flute, and orchestra.)

Cool Jazz

• Saudade Vem Correndo-Bebel Gilberto (A fresh breeze of refreshing bossa nova vocals; most listeners who know the tune know Stan Getz's rendition.)

Folk Roots

• We Could Fly-Rhiannon Giddens (A beautifully sung, heartbreaking reminder of how inhumane people have been throughout history.  One of 2017's more bracing songs.)

Greatest Hits

• Cars-Gary Numan (There aren't many tunes about which I'd write this, but the deliberately robotic melody holds up.  I imagine a lot of listeners sing along with at least part of the song without realizing it.)

Jazz Masters

• Message To A Friend-Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny (Subtle, contemplative bass and guitar, from the duo's strong release, "Beyond The Missouri Sky.")

Jazz Now

• Zinnia-Parker Abbott Trio (A dreamy, engaging melody for piano and organ.)

Retro R&B

• Sweet Soul Music-Arthur Conley (Does the title not ring a bell?  How about the opening lyric, "Do you like good music?"  Few artists have name-dropped so many standout musicians in one song, while making it sound this natural and catchy.  Seek out the scene from "Cheers" in which the cast starts singing it.)

Swinging Standards

• September Song-Nat King Cole & George Shearing (Sublime, lush vocals and piano.)
• Stairway To The Stars-Sarah Vaughan (Some of Vaughan's strongest, most elegant vocals, in my opinion; I wish I'd played this on WEW or KCOU's "Jazz Odyssey.")