The cat's way, or no way II

Kudos to the KTRS host who told her audience this morning not to mistreat black cats, because of the misguided superstition that they bring bad luck.  She also mentioned that a lot of shelters won't let people adopt black cats on or around Halloween, out of concern that they'll be mistreated.  

It shouldn't need to be said, but cruelty to animals has no place on Halloween or any other day.

The cat's way, or no way

After a peaceful evening, my cat, Collette, is making up for lost time this morning.  So far, she has bitten my feet, tried to pull food out of the refrigerator, and gotten a claw caught in my sock.  After several minutes of her out-of-control antics, I sang to her, jokingly, to the tune of the commercial jingle, "A mountain man lives by his own set of rules."  (What product is that for, incidentally?  I haven't found it yet, and I've been searching.)  However, I changed it to "A kitty cat lives by her own set of rules."

I'm sure that wasn't news to Collette.

FM dial scan highlights CXL

Nine early morning highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Ghost Town (Live)-The Specials (Vocally and instrumentally, this live version from a 2016 compilation maintains the same eerie vibe as effectively as the original studio version did.  This is one of three Halloween-appropriate tunes I recommend from this morning's edition of "Ska's The Limit."  I played tunes from all three of these artists on KCOU and know that all three of these songs are suitable for year-round play.) 
• Dracula-Desmond Dekker (A cautionary tale about people not always being who they seem.)
• Skeleton-Bim Skala Bim (An appealing uptempo blend of vocals, trombone, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums.)  

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Beat 70-Pat Metheny Group (With its samba beat and inviting harmonica, this is a Metheny tune I should listen to more often.)
• The "In" Crowd-Gregory Porter (Ramsey Lewis shows how cool this melody is, instrumentally.  Gregory Porter shows how cool it is, vocally.  Also recommended: Marshall Crenshaw's interesting midtempo cover.)
• It's Your Thing-Grant Green (This Isley Brothers hit lends itself well to an expansive, sustained groove session between guitar and saxophone.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• I Do-Lisa Loeb (I always thought this was an endearing way of saying that some relationships just aren't meant to be.)
• Breakable-Ingrid Michaelson (I always thought this was an endearing way of saying that some relationships are more fragile than they ought to be.)
• Silver Springs-Fleetwood Mac (I always thought this was an honest way of saying that even after a relationship ends, the memories don't fade easily.  These are some of the strongest, most gripping lyrics Stevie Nicks has written; it's a shame there wasn't enough space to include "Silver Springs" on the "Rumours" album originally.) 
  

Music Choice highlights II

Wednesday night standouts, heard via Spectrum:

'70s

• (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher-Rita Coolidge (Jackie Wilson had a big hit with this in 1967.  Ten years later, Coolidge had an even bigger hit with it.  Coolidge's vocals, and a slower yet still energetic tempo, made this an especially strong remake.)
  

Adult Alternative

• Hard On Everyone-Kathleen Edwards (A direct reminder that no one is right 100% of the time.) 
  

Gospel

• My Soul Says Yes-Chicago Mass Choir (Energy and fervency to burn.) 

Jazz

• Blues On The Corner-McCoy Tyner (Left unchecked, the saxophone might fly off into parts unknown.  Tyner's piano keeps the proceedings grounded yet free.)

R&B Soul

• Betray My Heart-D'Angelo And The Vanguard (An appealing blend of contemporary-for-its-time and throwback jazz and R&B influences, instrumentally and vocally; the brief pauses in the rhythm are especially effective.)
  

Soft Rock

• Fool (If You Think It's Over)-Chris Rea (I miss the soft rock ethos of 1978; a midtempo tune with quality lyrics applicable to any era, sung by a distinctive voice, with a laid-back instrumental vibe could take its time to build and become a big hit.) 
  

Sounds Of The Seasons

• Apparition-Ken Elkinson (Instrumentally, this piece conjures up the sensation of rushing wind, suitable for a ghost's appearance.)
• Love Potion Number Nine-The Clovers (The original and best hit version of this tune; it could segue with "Need All The Help I Can Get," in any of three incarnations by Suzi Jane Hokom, The Primitives, or The Cleopatras.)

Not that 2020 needs any more frights, but...

...if you're looking to be haunted by an eerie tale of vengeance, listen to Nickel Creek's version of "House Carpenter."  When I saw Nickel Creek in concert here, violinist/vocalist Sara Watkins told the audience, "Be prepared to be freaked out."

Listen to the lyrics, and you'll understand why her warning was necessary.

Sussing out an impostor

How do you call out a listener who thinks he's fooling you with a phony English accent?  You take the approach an AM talk show host did here years ago.  I remember this happening twice, when callers claimed to be from London.  Both times, the host asked, "Say, I've forgotten.  Who's the prime minister over there?"

Both callers, caught off guard, responded with some variation of, "Um...It used to be Margaret Thatcher." "Yes, it did," the host responded.  "Who is it now?"

As I recall, both callers hung up quickly.

Best to know the words

While driving one recent night, I heard Michael Franks sing "Antonio's Song" on WSIE.  I have the CD, "Sleeping Gypsy," from which it comes, and I know the general feel of the song.  As I attempted to sing along, however, I realized that I don't actually know the lyrics.  Granted, no one else was around to hear me sing, "La, la, la, la, la-la-la, Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah-blah."  After a verse of this, I decided, "It's best if I just listen to Franks sing about the positive effect Antonio Carlos Jobim's music has had on his life.  These are his lyrics, and I don't know them well enough to even fake my way through them."

Context? XC

Heard out of context on a California radio station: "Our solution is solid, fact-checked information."  

In an ideal world, this wouldn't need to be spelled out.  Listeners should be able to take this for granted from any news source.  I've hardly listened to the station, so I don't know the extent to which it's true.  Given that it's a stated priority, however, I hope it's always the case.

Only in college LXXXI

In all the time I programmed my own music on different radio stations, I'm proud to say this only happened once:

One day, at KCOU, I overestimated my ability to run to the record stacks and find a good segue with the song I was playing.  I ran into the studio just as the record ended.  With no other song cued up, I flipped the record over and started playing an alternate mix of the song I'd just played.

At that moment, I remembered the words of former program director Jon, who had said the previous year that he wished DJs would loosen up and be more adventurous on the air.

"No one's going to start screaming at you because you missed your segue," he said...

...and, the following year, those words held true for me.  And, why shouldn't that have been the case?  Lives didn't hang in the balance.  

"This is college radio," I reasoned.  "Who says I can't do this just this once?"

Steering into the skid III

Listening to records has been challenging this week.  My cat, Collette, insists on sitting on top of the record player.  If I attempt to move her, she'll likely bite me.  Two nights ago, a song skipped one verse ahead when Collette jumped on the phonograph.  When she jumped down, however, the needle jumped back, letting me hear the verse I'd missed.

I'm glad to know that the record player and Collette have that equilibrium.  If you're going to disrupt someone's song, that's only fair.

Only in college LXXX

I've described myself before on this blog as a music snob.  It's always my hope, however, that I never become so elitist that the Ray Stevens--or Henhouse Five Plus Two, if you prefer--version of "In The Mood" stops making me smile.

I remember first hearing it in Dr. C.'s Jazz, Pop & Rock class.  The tune elicited a big laugh from the class when the ensemble let loose with a loud, "BUCK, BUCK!"  Listen for it at the 2:04 mark.

I don't ordinarily pray on this blog, but I will today.  Lord, please never let me become so refined that I can't see the humor in chickens singing a big band standard.  Amen.

An odd time for grins

I'd never seen a stage full of people suddenly beam from ear to ear on command, until...

...Mr. Z., my high school drama director, barked, "Smile!" at the actors during a rehearsal of The Music Man.  Everyone's face brightened instantly. I started smiling, even though I was in the pit orchestra below the stage.

I still wonder why Mr. Z. chose that moment to decree smiles all around.  After all, the cast was singing "Iowa Stubborn."

Only in college LXXIX

When you take a philosophy class, be prepared to explain how any object exists.  In 1990, I remember my philosophy teacher asking the class, "How do you know that anything exists--this desk, that pencil, this (upon spotting a student's Walkman) Screaming Trees tape?"

The teacher made several more references to the Screaming Trees tape.  I don't recall how we proved that it existed.  I know the band must have been real, however, because I played their music the following year on KCOU.  (In fact, I just listened to "Bed Of Roses."  I'd forgotten how it was one of the better indie rock songs of its time.) 

I wonder what the equivalent of a Screaming Trees tape is for today's philosophy instructors--and how students prove that it exists.

Steering into the skid II

You're a middle school musician.  Your orchestra has just finished rehearsing a rather slapdash rendition of a piece.  You could stare sullenly at the music after such a reckless performance, or you could do what I once saw a cellist do.

At the end of the piece, she turned to the other players in her section and announced, "Thank you!  I did it all!"

It won't salvage the piece, but at least, everyone will have a good laugh.

Persistent earworm alert CCIV

I can't be the only person who, upon seeing a display of Twizzlers licorice in a store, starts thinking of the song and dance, "The Twizzle," from a 1962 episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show."  I imagine an assembly line of older confectioners murmuring, "Twist a little, then you twist a lot...," while making Twizzlers.  After a while, they probably don't even realize how involuntary that reflex is. 

On second thought, I wonder if any of the candy makers use, "Twizzle left, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8..." as their go-to lyric at work.

Or, do they sing, "Twizzler left, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...?"

All about the motivation

During my first quarter in high school, I heard a few students asking teachers for their quarter grade estimates up to that point.  I asked my high school orchestra director, Mr. D., for an estimated grade, thinking he'd say something like, "Don't worry about it.  The way you play, you've got an A."  Instead, he replied,"A minus...A minus to B plus.  What's with this vibrato you've got?"  Mr. D. was referring to my unorthodox left hand position when doing vibrato and tendency to use it only sparingly.

Despite my unorthodox approach to vibrato, I got an A in orchestra that quarter and every other quarter. I got the message, though; even if you play well, don't coast and take your A grade for granted.

Context? LXXXIX

Heard Tuesday during a California radio station's pledge drive: "I will consider you a loser, too, if you haven't donated yet.  There.  That got you motivated, right?"

I wonder if anyone warned the DJ about the pitfalls of such a blunt approach.  The hard sell doesn't always work.

FM dial scan highlights CXXXIX

Happy 33rd birthday, KDHX!  I've heard such an eclectic array of artists from so many diverse genres on that station over the years.  I don't know if I'll be around 33 years from now, but if I am, I hope I'm congratulating KDHX then on 66 years of invaluable service to St. Louis and beyond.  Here are nine noteworthy tunes I've heard on KDHX and two other stations this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Little Lamb-Tim Heidecker (How do you tell people that their image of you is outdated or incomplete?  This August release's lyrics are one polite way of doing that.)
• Release & Let Go-Acceptance (This well-produced, well-sung August release is energetic rock suited for a huge venue.  It could segue with A Sunny Day In Glasgow's "In Love With Useless.")
• Saskatchewan To Chicago-Dolly Varden (This husband and wife duo sing compellingly, suggesting to me how Tracy Chapman or The Kennedys might sound as indie country-rock artists.) 
• Through My Sails-Neil Young & Crazy Horse (Young provides lyrical reassurance that a fresh start will likely turn out well.  This is one of Young's warmer tunes, so I should get to know it better.) 
• Dying To Believe-The Beths (This infectious, guitar-laden April release from vocalist Elizabeth Stokes and company segues well with the band's own "Happy Unhappy."  Also recommended: the tune's video in which the band helpfully shows how to write a song.)
  

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You-Erin Bode (I'm impressed that WSIE plays Bode's excellent cover of this Bob Dylan tune.  I saw Bode perform this live in 2007 and '08, and the synergy between the keyboard and Bode's vocals was perfect.)
• African Breeze-Jonathan Butler (A sunny, fast--and yes, breezy--melody for guitar and flute.)
• Godchild-Miles Davis (This is my favorite and most-played tune from the renowned "Birth Of The Cool" album.  This recording from 1949 finds Davis playing trumpet in more of a big band style than he would adopt in later phases of his distinguished career.) 

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Lovefool-The Cardigans (If you listened to WVRV when this was a hit, you probably heard it a lot.  Nina Persson's quirky vocals and the tune's memorable chorus plant themselves firmly in the listener's mind and don't leave easily.  This was the group's big American hit starting in late 1996 and lasting through the majority of 1997.  If you like the tune's hook, seek out "Carnival" and "Fine," which should have been American hits, as well.)
  

Online radio sampler highlights CXVI

Seven tunes, covering a 55-year span of music, heard today:

KPTZ (Port Townsend, WA)  

• Farewell Babylon-Kate Wallace (Wallace's strong alto vocals on this 2010 release remind me of how Carrie Newcomer might sound with bluegrass instrumentation.)
• Nice Time-Johnny Nash (Nash's voice is perfect for this pleasant 1974 rendition of a Bob Marley-penned tune.)
• Skulk-Steve Gadd Band (A cool, drum-propelled instrumental that could pass for a Steely Dan backing track.  I'm not sure how I missed this in 2018.)

KZSC (Santa Cruz, CA)

• Roxy Funk-The Sure Fire Jazz Ensemble (A brassy jazz-funk rendering of a Roy Ayers tune.  If I didn't know otherwise, I would have thought this ensemble released this in the '70s.  It's actually a 2019 cover, though.  Also recommended: "Backyard Boogie," which features wah-wah guitar, elements of The Meters and Tower Of Power, and segue potential with Rusty Bryant's "Ga Gang Gang Goong.")

WCBN (Ann Arbor, MI)

• My Conversation-The Uniques (R&B through the reggae filter of 1968; a nice blend of welcoming vocals with comforting, recurring piano punctuation.)

WRTI (Philadelphia, PA)

• The Green Leaves Of Summer-Hampton Hawes (This title track from a 1964 LP starts off as an evocative, reflective piano piece, not unlike that of Bill Evans.  Then, the bass and drums come in and add some energy to the proceedings.  Hawes also plays a strong version of "St. Thomas" on this album.)

WXYC (Chapel Hill, NC)

• Feel The Sunshine (Vocal Mix)-Alex Reece (To borrow from my review of "The Green Leaves Of Summer," this 1995 piece of electronica starts off with a mood in Deborah Anderson's mysterious vocals and the instrumentation that suggests a desolate street at night.  Then, the bass and drums come in, adding energy to the proceedings.)
  

Only in college LXXVIII

After hearing me answer the phone in KCOU's business office, the general manager, who liked my polite phone voice, asked, "If I give you a cookie, will you answer the phone all the time?"  I thanked her for the compliment but declined to answer the phone constantly.

Maybe I was too rigid in my refusal.  After all, if the reward is good enough for Cookie Monster...

Live and learn

In the '80s, while recording radio shows on tape for a radio station that wasn't actually on the dial, I started a short-lived pick hit feature.  I chose a song that wasn't a hit that I thought had the potential to make the charts.  One pick hit I chose was the Daryl Hall/John Oates tune, "The Reason Why."  Looking back, there were at least three reasons why it was naive of me to think it would ever be a hit:

• It wasn't from a current album.  It was a re-release of some of the duo's early work.
• As well written and smoothly crooned as it was, it didn't sound like Hall & Oates.  Listeners expecting another "You Make My Dreams," "Private Eyes," or "I Can't Go For That" might have respected this reflective ballad about a breakup, but most of them wouldn't have sought it out.
• It was out of step with pop hit sensibilities of the time.  On occasion, such songs become hits.  Roger Whittaker had a hit in 1975 with his fervently sung rendering of Ron A. Webster's poem, "The Last Farewell."  Taco had a smash hit in 1983 with his cover of Irving Berlin's "Puttin' On The Ritz." Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers brought "In The Mood," best known in its Glenn Miller incarnation, back to the public's attention through the medley, "Swing The Mood," in 1989.  Such instances, however, are usually few and far between.

After realizing the error of my ways, I stopped trying to pick hits on my radio shows.  Granted, no one could hear these shows, but I still think I made the right decision.

An overlooked cover tune LXVII

Perhaps it's jumping the gun to call a cover tune released eight days ago overlooked.  Nevertheless, I recommend Bill Baird's new rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time."  A faster tempo, a calliope feel in the instrumentation, and modest, somewhat buried vocals make up this fun, infectious take on Lauper's 1984 hit.  If "Time After Time"'s lyrics move you, but you wish to take the edge off of them, this is your cover.

Music Choice highlights

Thursday night standouts, heard through Spectrum's cable service:

Easy Listening

• A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square-John Wilson Orchestra (A lush, tasteful rendition.  If you prefer it sung, check out The Manhattan Transfer's version.)
  

Jazz

• 'S Wonderful-Steve Turre (This Gershwin standard adapts more naturally to the trombone than I would have thought.) 
• Bebo-Chucho Valdes (A great celebration-of-life showcase for piano, trumpet, saxophone, and percussion.) 
  

Light Classical

• Frederic Chopin: Prelude in C minor, Op. 28, No. 20 (Marian Pivka, piano) (One of the most famous melancholy Classical melodies; some listeners might not know it by name, but they've almost certainly heard it.) 
• Alexander Scriabin: Nocturne For The Left Hand, Op. 9, No. 2 (Danielle Loriano, piano) (This piece segues well with the Chopin prelude reviewed above.  When you play them back to back, the stark bleakness of Chopin's renowned melody gives way to Scriabin's serious melody, which offers glimmers of hope.)

R&B Soul

• BRB-Mahalia (For radio stations with Quiet Storm shows or formats that focus on more recent music, this should fit your playlist--lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally.) 

Solid Gold Oldies

• Kind Of A Drag-The Buckinghams (In just two minutes and change, The Buckinghams convey how much an inevitable breakup hurts--without sounding overwrought.  Keeping the vocals matter-of-fact with whirling organ accompaniment made this a 1967 chart-topper.) 
  

Sounds Of The Seasons

• Halloween Theme-John Carpenter (Gripping underscoring for an escape; a "Twilight Show"-style theme for the modern era.) 
  

Online radio sampler highlights CXV

Wednesday and Thursday highlights:

KUTX (Austin, TX)

• Hollow World-Elephant Stone (For times when you want to reinforce your belief that there's no hope...)
• I Can See For Miles-Petra Haden (Haden's a cappella rendition captures the spacey vibe of The Who's original version impressively.)

KVSF (Santa Fe, NM)

• Minor Vamp-Blue Mitchell (A sly, energetic trumpet piece fit for a film's chase scene or underscoring someone attempting to meet a tight deadline, such as getting to a store before it closes.)

WFMT (Chicago, IL)

• Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54: Finale, Allegro vivace (Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy, conductor; Rudolf Serkin, piano) (Need motivation for getting out of bed and achieving great things?  Let this be your inspiration...)
• Leos Janacek: Lachian Dances, No. 4, Starodavny (Old-Time Dance) (Czech State Philharmonic/Jose Serebrier, conductor) (...Or, perhaps you'd prefer far more tempered optimism instead.)

WNMC (Traverse City, MI)

• Kentucky Mandolin-Bill Monroe (Monroe is known as the father of bluegrass for a reason; this is one of many examples of his dexterity on the mandolin.)
• Shine The Light-The Persuasions (Regardless of one's religious or lack of religious beliefs, respect for the uplifting songwriting and vocals is due here.)

WRUV (Burlington, VT)

• Hazey Jane I-Nick Drake (In a more just world, Drake would have gotten far more acclaim for his introspective singing and songwriting when he was alive.  This is one of many standout tracks from his "Bryter Layter" album.)

WTUL (New Orleans, LA)

• I've Got To Be Strong-Doris Troy (Troy's vocals sound convincingly determined; the instrumental backing from top-notch rhythm players adds to the feeling of resolution.  Troy and company give the tune an infectious bounce.)

Commendable camaraderie

It was refreshing to hear a DJ extend professional courtesy this afternoon to the host of the next show.  Before starting his final music sweep, the DJ said, "Just one more set (from me), and then, there'll be a nice jazz show." 

That shows impressive team player spirit--and a commendable lack of an ego.

Comedy with footnotes

When I worked at WEW 770 AM, someone had made prints of a Newsweek cover from December 7, 1992.  Under the headline, "The New Middle Age," an animated man is saying, "Oh, God...I'm really turning 50!"  Someone at the station added a second word balloon reading, "...and I love 77 WEW!"

I have a copy of that print on my refrigerator.  Those who know that radio station know that the added punchline doesn't work as well today because the station has an international format instead of the big band/music-of-your-life format it used to have.

That's appropriate, however; the radio business is ever-changing, and so are the times.  One part of that punchline still rings true, though; the AM radio audience skews older...

...and, as I turn 50 today, I'm one of those older listeners.

Context? LXXXVIII

Last night, between calls at work, I checked the weather app our company uses.  I started reading about the overnight frost advisory, getting as far as, "Frost could kill s," before having to take a call.  While I was on the phone, I thought, "Surely, the advisory doesn't read, 'Frost could kill someone,' does it?  Frost doesn't do that, and that would be an awfully blunt advisory.  After I hung up, I read the advisory in full.  It said, "Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered."

Whew.  Although I don't wish for the ruination of anyone's carrot crop, it's good to know that, despite what Michael Murphey's song, "Wildfire," would have you believe, there is no such thing as a killing frost.

Only in college LXXVII

I was always curious to see which Mr. D. would show up on the first day of college orchestra class.  Would his optimistic side win out, leading him to tell the orchestra, "Look at this sea of cellos.  Look at this sea of basses?"  Would it be the informational Mr. D., reminding us that he has office hours and that we're all welcome to stop by?  Or, would he set the tone for the school year more sternly?

When a conductor has multiple personality facets, it's interesting to see which one shows up.

Context? LXXXVII

Heard on an AM radio garden show today: "I always say, 'Don't prune broadleaf evergreens heading into Wintertime.'"

I know nothing about gardening, but I still trust that it's sound advice.  When you can make a statement like that matter-of-factly, you're most likely an expert in your field.

Missed chances to take command

The day after a high school jazz band concert, one of my teachers complimented my playing--with one caveat. 

"You could have used more solos," he said.

"Thank you," I replied, "but the bass isn't usually a solo instrument.  I don't mind solos when I'm allowed to play them, but I'm not asked to play them all that often."

Then again, improvisation is a hallmark of jazz.  Besides, this was the ensemble that, during a rehearsal of "C Jam Blues," gave a trumpet player a chance to meander through the tune as if playing the instrument for the first time, a saxophone player space to start scatting stream-of-consciousness lyrics, such as "She was walkin' down the hall...Baby, you look so good...You looked so fine...walkin' down the hall," and the director time to stop conducting in order to ponder the score. 

Maybe it wouldn't have been out of line for me to ask for a few more bass solos.

Music for chewed feet II

How do you calm down a perpetually hungry cat who insists on biting your feet, even when you've given her cat food multiple times in a day?  I tried singing some alternate lyrics I'd made up for the first verse of "California" by The Lagoons: "Tried to reason with a cat who bites my feet...She just wants to eat.  She'll just have to wait for her food."

Somehow, I thought the mellowness of the song or the reality of those lyrics would sink in with my cat, Collette.  Alas, they didn't.  Back to the drawing board...