Homage to an album title

One of my favorite album titles is "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" by The Doobie Brothers.  In light of my cat's habit of biting my feet, I'd want one of our album titles to be "What Were Once Toesies Are Now Cat Toys."

In any other context, "Toesies" would qualify for me as a linguistic irritant.  Out of respect for a good album title, however, I want the number of syllables to match.

SiriusXM highlights CXVII

Ear-catching selections heard today:

The Bridge

• Can We Still Be Friends?-Todd Rundgren (Aside from Carole King, not many pop artists convey plaintive sentiments with just a voice and a piano as effectively as Rundgren.)

Deep Tracks

• Still I'm Sad-The Yardbirds (Good lyrics for wallowing in self-pity.  The dirge-like background chanting reminds me somewhat of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," best known in its incarnation by The Tokens.)

The Groove

• Games People Play-The Spinners (One of my favorite hits of the '70s; universally relatable lyrics, sung by three markedly different lead vocalists.)

Lithium

• Everlong (Acoustic)-Foo Fighters (When played and sung with the right depth of feeling, a good acoustic version of a tune makes its emotional content all the more captivating.  I never disliked this tune, but I appreciated it all the more after hearing this take.) 

Real Jazz

• Equinox-Bobby Hutcherson (This is how you pay respect to John Coltrane.  Hutcherson takes command of the vibraphone in this gripping melody.) 

Siriusly Sinatra

• I'll Be Seeing You-Jo Stafford (An elegantly sung sendoff; I should have played Stafford's rendition more often on WEW.) 

SiriusXMU

• Kyoto-Phoebe Bridgers (Bridgers emotes convincingly; this track got my attention in much the same way "Motion Sickness" did.) 

Soul Town

• (I Know) I'm Losing You-The Temptations (If you've listened to album rock radio for any significant length of time, you've probably heard The Faces sing this.  If you like that version, give this earlier rendition a listen.  Lyrically, this conveys the end-in-sight portion of a relationship well.) 

The Spectrum

• Heavy Balloon-Fiona Apple (How do you keep up appearances when you're depressed?  This intriguing new track, from Apple's "Fetch The Bolt Cutters" release, shows what a heavy burden depression inflicts on a person.) 

Symphony Hall

• J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in D major (Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz, conductor) (It's interesting to hear how compellingly a piece composed for one instrument--the organ, in this case--translates to a full orchestral arrangement.) 

Tom Petty Radio

• Down To Zero-Joan Armatrading (An effective way of conveying what being rejected feels like.) 

Underground Garage

• Paper Sun-Traffic (The band's 1967 single straddles the line effectively between the "Rubber Soul" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" eras of Beatles influences.) 

Watercolors

• Ocean Blue-Earl Klugh (Klugh bridges the divide between easy listening and smooth jazz successfully with his guitar and light orchestral underscoring.)
• Aguas de Marco (Waters Of March)-Eliane Elias & Take 6 (A best-of-two-worlds vocal pairing.)

Giving the W its due

A reminder to any radio broadcaster who has to announce station call letters with one or more Ws:  "Double u" is the correct pronunciation  WEW is not, as one announcer said it decades ago, "Doubleya-E-Doubleya."

Thank you.

Once a DJ, always a DJ? II

Yesterday, I listened to Earl Klugh's "Nightsongs" album on cassette.  (Yes, people still do that.)   I'd set up the tape deck so that when it got to the end of a side, it would automatically reverse course and play the other side.  After I'd listened to every track, I heard the initial level-setting sound burst on the tape start playing.  I immediately sprinted across the room and shut the tape deck off as if it were a hot potato.

Then, I wondered, "Why did I do that?  Just because I'd listened to the whole tape and wasn't going to play it straight through a second time, why did I react that way?  I'm not on the air.  It doesn't affect anything if the opening notes of 'Ain't Misbehavin' start playing again; in fact, it would be welcome, as Klugh plays it with just the right touch on the guitar."

After all these years, I'm still in radio mode.  In my mind, songs are supposed to start and end precisely when they should, even when I'm the only one around to hear them.

Now, I'm going to check the front door three times--no more, no less--to make sure it's locked.

FM dial scan highlights CXXVII

Standout tracks heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Stolen Moments-Oliver Nelson (A sly, expansive melody that, to me, conjures up images of a desolate street and reminds me of a Miles Davis ballad.)
• Koko-Charlie Parker (An example of why Parker is so renowned: Not just any saxophonist can play with such precision and joy at such a rapid-fire tempo.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• I'm All Ears-Cindy Bradley (A fresh breeze of an uptempo trumpet groove, reminiscent of Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela's late '70s trumpet stylings.)
• Tom Sawyer-The Bad Plus (This classic Rush tune works well as a piano instrumental when played with this amount of force.)

KSHE 94.7 FM

• Tight Rope-Leon Russell (A fitting metaphor, lyrically, for some relationships.)

Missing the charts

In pre-Internet times, local music charts were extremely important to me.  When I went to record stores, I always picked up KMJM surveys of the top R&B songs, top new jazz album lists from KWMU and WSIE, and top hits of the week charts from KHTK.  Looking back on them now, these thoughts come to mind:

• The oldest KMJM chart I have is from December 1981.  That was a strong month for pop and R&B, considering that Al Jarreau's "Breaking Away," "Just Once" by Quincy Jones & James Ingram, Prince's "Controversy," George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around," "Very Special" by Debra Laws, and "I Can't Go For That" by Hall & Oates made the station's top 20.
• June 1990 wasn't a great month for pop music, to judge from KHTK's top 30 charts.  I still listen to "Do You Remember?" by Phil Collins occasionally, I respect Mariah Carey's vocal acrobatics on "Vision Of Love," and I don't mind hearing Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" once in a while.  Otherwise, however...
• I'm still impressed by the degree of good taste in the KWMU and WSIE new album picks.  I'm glad to see Jimmy Smith, Cassandra Wilson, Art Blakey, Marian McPartland, and Marcus Roberts, among others, given their due.  
• It's a shame to see some songs and albums fade into obscurity.  A certain amount of that is inevitable with the passage of time.  Does anyone remember, for instance, the "Cracked Sidewalks" album by tenor saxophonist Rich Halley?  It was on KWMU's March/April 1988 chart, but if I've heard tracks from it, I don't remember them.
• In July 1986, KWMU welcomed Will Ackerman, Michael Hedges, and Shadowfax to the Fox Theatre.  Listeners could detach and mail a form from the bottom of June's best new jazz albums chart for a chance to win a CD player, a set of Windham Hill CDs, and two front row concert tickets.  Not a bad prize for just filling out and mailing in a form...

The most frequent recurring thought I'm having, though, in paging back through the charts is this: More power to any artist who was recording 30-plus years ago and is still going strong today.  For most musicians, artistic and commercial success isn't easy to achieve or sustain.  How, then, could I not applaud those who deserve and attain it?

My second most frequent thought: While I have much easier access to music charts online today, I appreciate the charts I have from the '80s and early '90s all the more.  Knowledge of music that sold and what aficionados appreciated was available then, but it wasn't as immediately accessible.  That makes me appreciate my tangible reminders of that music all the more.

"Sing a song of sinus?"

About 20 years ago, I mentioned to a co-worker that my allergies were acting up and that I was severely congested.  He responded by singing to the tune of Duncan Sheik's "Barely Breathing," "Drew is barely breathing.  He can't find the air..."

"True enough," I thought.  "That doesn't help me breathe any easier, but what reaction did I expect?"

The spelling hasn't changed, but...

I wonder how many times I've ever looked up the spelling of Felix Mendelssohn's last name.  I've played some of the composer's music and have known how to spell his name for decades.  Why do I feel the neurotic need to look it up?

This same quirk applies to the word vacuum, as well.

Mild hyperbole

I suspect that most Classical music listeners could select 10 Classical LPs or CDs randomly from their collection, and the Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields, under the direction of Sir Neville Marriner, will have performed on at least four of them.

Admittedly, that's exaggerated--but not by much...

...judging from my own Classical collection, at least.

Let the hockey game begin...

...and let the musical accompaniment be "Orion's Pyramids" by The People's Key.  I heard this on WSIE tonight, and its uptempo, energetic kick from the saxophone, organ, and guitar glides along at a tempo perfect for players taking the ice.

Persistent earworm alert CLXXXIV

Inexplicably, a song I learned in grade school vocal music class, "I Caught A Rabbit," has been on my mind today.  I always thought "Who told you so?" was a puzzling response to the observation, "Rabbit run on the frozen ground."  I also hope, as I did decades ago, that whoever caught the rabbit was kind enough to either let it go or keep it as a pet.

Honestly...

Whenever I'm asked if I can sing, my answer is always, "Yes, but not well." 

It would be great to just say, "Yes," but I think that qualifier is needed.

A non-pledge drive fund-raiser

To acknowledge the precarious financial state many people are currently in, one radio station here isn't doing its usual Spring pledge drive.  They're still asking people to contribute, however, and stressing the words, "if you can," in their appeals for money.

During a pandemic, it's wise of them to emphasize those words repeatedly.

Best to go with Plan B

Today, I considered playing the "Wild Bird Songs" compilation album for my cat, Collette.  Then, I remembered what a young, energetic cat she is and that playing recordings of birds might result in speakers tipped over, CDs knocked over, and albums strewn about the living room.

I decided to wait for a warmer day and open the window for her to hear birds instead.

"Show the timpani player some humanity, please."

I always felt sorry for any percussionist whom an orchestra director corrected during rehearsals.  When you're the only member of your section, and pages of music go by before you get to play, every passage you play carries so much weight.

I was impressed, during one such critique, when the conductor said to the orchestra, "People think it's easy to play this instrument.  It's actually very difficult."

That was an impressive--and unexpected--display of compassion from the conductor, I thought.

An overlooked cover tune LX

If you recognize the song title, "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore," you probably think of Dusty Springfield's version or that Randy Newman wrote it.  Most listeners probably don't think of Shelby Lynne's cover, but they should.  Lynne's low-pitched vocals, in conjunction with the piano underscoring, sell the narrative about an unhealthy relationship and seemingly hopeless living situation convincingly.

If I didn't know otherwise, I would have thought Lynne wrote these lyrics.

Online radio sampler highlights CVII

Standout tunes heard today:

KLO (Ogden, UT)

• Sunshine On My Shoulders-John Denver (The '70s were the best decade for soft rock. There was sincerity and heart in so many lyrics and vocals.)
• Turn Around, Look At Me-The Vogues (A 1968 hit with vocal harmonies proudly rooted in doo-wop.  I keep expecting to hear The Vogues take a cue from The Flamingos and augment their lyrics with a few "Sha bop, sha bop"s.)

KPOV (Bend, OR)

• Sydney (I'll Come Running)-Brett Dennen (An admirable way to have someone's back.)
• I Go Humble-Bjork (Uninhibited vocals over a hypnotic trance beat.)

KXLL (Juneau, AK)

• My Mistakes Were Made For You-The Last Shadow Puppets (Hearing even five seconds of these haunting vocals with appropriately downcast guitar and orchestral scoring in a movie would likely make any listener think, "This scenario won't end well.")

KXZI (Kalispell, MT)

• The Good Life-Railroad Earth (An Americana testament to enjoying the hard-earned fruits of one's labor.)

WPPZ (Pennsauken, NJ)

• Haven't You Heard?-Patrice Rushen (An appealing dance vibe, vocally and instrumentally; I imagine a lot of people used this as workout music in 1979 and 1980.)

WZUM (Pittsburgh, PA)

• Besame Mucho-Arthur Blythe (Blythe pulls off a sultry alto sax tone on this famous winding melody.)
• Lover, Come Back To Me-Billy Taylor Trio (Taylor flies through this energetic melody on the piano.)

Persistent earworm alert CLXXXIII

I've always liked the optimistic yet realistic outlook of the Genesis song, "It's Gonna Get Better."  I've been thinking of its chorus often today, as it mirrors the ominous pandemic with which we're all grappling.  When I've sung the chorus to myself today, however,  I've changed it to "If it's gonna get better, it starts with a vaccine..."

Here's hoping that a coronavirus vaccine becomes available--and accessible--at the earliest possible opportunity.

If your church can afford to splurge...

...consider hiring an orchestra, at least for your Easter services.  A dramatic, sweeping orchestral introduction prefaces a choir's singing in "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today" majestically.

Even if you have no congregation and are live streaming your services, it's still worth the expense.

An overlooked cover tune LIX

Although I'd rather hear Dionne Warwick's version over any other, I've found myself liking how The Johnny Mann Singers covered "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" more than I expected.  Lyrically, it sounds more sincere for just one voice to sing about aspiring actors working at a gas station.  Nevertheless, Mann's ensemble captures the breezy feel of the tune fairly well.  Thus, I recommend it with the qualifier that easy listening remakes seldom surpass the original renditions.

Persistent earworm alert CLXXXII

This is one of the best sung recurring songs I've ever had in my mind for an entire day.  During this pandemic, the sentiments about which Take 6 sings are especially timely.  The title says it all: "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now.)"

An overlooked cover tune LVIII

Do you admire the peaceful message of "If I Had A Hammer" but feel self-conscious playing or singing it?  Let Billy Preston's organ instrumental be your version. Let Preston and company funk up the melody for you.  Preston's cover was released in 1976, but I don't think I'd ever heard it until today.  If I didn't know otherwise, I would have thought Booker T. & The MGs were playing.

Now, let's discuss Preston's rendition of "King Of The Road..."

Online radio sampler highlights CVI

Six noteworthy selections heard today:

KBAQ (Phoenix, AZ)

• Antonin Dvorak: Mazurek in E minor, Op. 49, B. 90 (Berlin Philharmonic/Manfred Honeck, conductor; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin) (Those with two left feet should probably avoid dancing to this intense mazurka.  That way, they'll--I should say we'll because I'm in that group--be able to sit still and appreciate Mutter's singing, resonant tone all the more.)

WJZP (Portland, ME)

• Everybody's Talkin'-Bill Withers (As much as I enjoy Nilsson's take on these free-spirited lyrics, I was happy to be reminded that Withers covered this, also.  His vocals take some liberties with the melody but don't detract from it.  The rhythm section's chugging-right-along quality serves the tune well, also.)
• Goin' Home-Average White Band (A sound marriage between melody-carrying saxophones and rhythm section that brings the funk.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Domino-Nicole Atkins (Blondie-like vocals but breathier over a haunting, sinister groove.  "Domino" is from the "Italian Ice" release, due out May 29.)
• Sinner-Neil Finn (Sad to say, a pandemic is a good time to ruminate over an underappreciated tune such as this.  These are some of Finn's strongest downcast lyrics.)
• Often Is A Word I Seldom Use-John Prine (Rest in peace, John Prine.  The protagonist deserves some credit for honesty; he knows he's not around as much as he should be, but he doesn't make a promise he can't keep.  A memorable chorus, an energetic vibe, and horns, to boot; this is one of Prine's best tracks, in my view.)

An overlooked cover tune LVII

If The Association's version of "Windy" isn't heavy and sludgy enough for you, check out POPDeFECT's 1991 rendition.  As pleasant as the original 1967 hit is, you might never expect that anyone could rock out to it.  POPDeFECT, however, turns it into a guitar/bass/drums instrumental shred-a-thon, and it works.

I played POPDeFECT's version on KCOU 28 years ago today.  I still wonder how the band would cover "Along Comes Mary," which would work more overtly as a heavy instrumental.

Thirst-quenching advice

My high school orchestra director, Mr. D., was talking with a fellow conductor.  Both of them, upon seeing I was drinking soda, weighed in.

"You know, the best type of carbonated water you can drink is seltzer," Mr. D.'s conducting friend said. 

"That's right," Mr. D. replied.  "All that other stuff just makes you thirsty."

I'd like to say that I listened politely and then went back to having my regular soda, as usual.  As an impressionable teenager, however, I ended up alternating seltzer with soda for a while after that. 

"Neither of them know the range of my taste in beverages," I thought.  "Still, they've been around longer than I have, and they're so firm in their conviction, they must know what they're talking about."

They were right.  Seltzer makes me feel less thirsty than soda does.  Picking a flavor that tastes as satisfying as soda, juice, or non-carbonated flavored water is more of a challenge, however. 

I wonder, though.  If I had walked in after splitting my head open with an ax, would Mr. D.'s conductor friend have said, "You know, the best remedy for a headache is maximum strength Ibuprofen?"  Would Mr. D. have then responded, "That's right.  All those other types of aspirin just relieve pain temporarily?"

Given the offbeat personalities of most music directors, I think that's a plausible exchange.

A linguistic irritant XX

I don't often refer to am album track as a cut.  To me, a cut is something that requires a bandage.  Generally, I refer to a song as a song, tune, or track.  If it's a Classical selection, I refer to it as a piece or a movement.

In each case, the music doesn't slice me open, so it's not a cut, in my view.

Well-intentioned entertainment

It's considerate of musicians to play and sing for their neighbors during this pandemic.  Performing instrumental solos works best, however, when you play a melodic instrument.  When your instrument typically provides a supporting role, it's tougher to hold an audience's attention.  I can just imagine getting out my upright bass and prefacing each piece I'd play with these intros:

"Here's the bass part from Chicago's 'Color My World.'  You won't recognize it as 'Color My World,' most likely, because it's the bass part.  Just superimpose the vocals, flute, and piano parts in your mind."

"Next, here's a riff you might recognize.  It's the bass part from 'Peter Gunn.'  It's just the same riff over and over, but it's a catchy riff, so bear with me."

"Finally, here's the last movement of Ottorino Respighi's 'Pines Of Rome.'  It's a great showcase for brass instruments, as it sounds like they're marching to victory.  Anyway, here's the upright bass part."

It's the thought that counts, right?

In memory of Bill Withers

The news of Bill Withers passing away caught me off guard today.  I've always liked the sincerity with which he sings; he uses that quality convincingly on these seven tracks, which, to me, are among his best:

• Ain't No Sunshine (One person's absence leaves a huge hole.  Withers drives the point home effectively.)
• In The Name Of Love (Ralph MacDonald featuring Bill Withers) (I remember hearing this on the radio fairly often for a time in 1984; I was surprised to learn it didn't crack the top 40.  With its honest, contemplative vocals and keyboard backdrop that mimics falling snow, the song deserves its due.)
• Kissing My Love (I don't think a listener could ask for better synchronicity between a vocalist and a rhythm section.  The tune has one of the best builds from an uptempo instrumental intro to its vocals I've ever heard.  Find the 1972 live version with the extended intro on YouTube, and revel in the musicianship.) 
• Lean On Me (The lyrics about needing to rely on others ring especially true during this unnerving Covid-19 pandemic.)
• Lovely Day (My favorite Withers song.  It's surprising that it wasn't a bigger American hit.  The lyrics are universal, and the groove is comfortably sunny.)
• Soul Shadows (The Crusaders featuring Bill Withers) (An overlooked track that pays tribute to several jazz greats, with Withers giving appropriate gravity to the vocals. The lyrics pay tribute to the way well-performed music changes a person; it's a fine tribute to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Fats Waller, especially.)
• Use Me (I remember hearing this great uptempo track for the first time in 1988.  At that time, WMRY had an eclectic rock format, a 24-hour no-repeat policy, and allowed the announcers to choose the music.  The opening hook drew me right in, and for someone who's being used, the protagonist is clearly at peace with it.)

In memory of Ellis Marsalis

I was sorry to learn of Ellis Marsalis's passing due to coronavirus complications yesterday.  He was the elder statesman of the musical Marsalis family, and in his honor, I reflect on five of my favorite tracks of his:

• Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (Some listeners might argue that any version of this is incomplete without vocals, but I disagree.  This elegant piano rendition honors the melody as well or better than any sung rendition I've heard.  This is one of many highlights from Marsalis's "Heart Of Gold" CD, which, in my opinion, is his best recording.)
• El-Ray Blues (One of the slickest numbers by any Marsalis; piano and bass are in fine form here.  The pairs of chords Marsalis plays in the melody give the tune a sly propulsion.)
• Friendships (This contemplative piano instrumental segues well with Marsalis's version of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most.")
• Pebble Beach (Marsalis stays true to the breezy feel of Vince Guaraldi's original.) 
• Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (This is a thoughtful, contemplative piano instrumental take on a frequently covered tune, and it's the Ellis Marsalis track to which I've listened most.  It's one of the few tunes that scored the radio hat trick for me; I was able to bring it in from home and play it on KCOU (during the "Jazz Odyssey" show I hosted), KNJZ (during "Lights Out, St. Louis"), and WEW, where it fit in with the general format's nostalgic vibe.)

Persistent earworm alert CLXXXI

For the last three days, I've been humming or singing the chorus of Lucy Kaplansky's "Every Single Day" frequently.  Lyrically and vocally, the song is impeccable, which is typical for Kaplansky.  Out of respect for it, I was about to play it today.  As it was about to start, however, I switched CDs and played Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round In Circles" instead.  With the dark cloud of Covid-19 hanging over the world, sentiments about each day taking "a piece of you away" aren't ones I'm comfortable hearing right now.