An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune LXXI

Years ago, thanks to the power of suggestion, I discovered an instrumentalist I might never have heard otherwise.  During a Webster Records Christmas sale, Dave McKenna's "Christmas Ivory" CD was playing over the speakers, prompting me to buy it.  Here's one reason why...

...When you think of "O Holy Night," you probably don't think of it in a stride piano style, suitable for a friendly meeting at a neighborhood saloon.  It's time to start thinking of it that way.  McKenna's interpretation gives the carol a ragtime vibe that works better than I would ever have imagined.  It's an unusual style and tempo for "Cantique De Noel," but neither of McKenna's unconventional choices detract from its reverence.

Also, if you like that rendition, there's a strong chance you'll enjoy McKenna's take on "I'll Be Home For Christmas."

Can't make pathos retroactive

I had an odd thought in the middle of a recent deep sleep.  I thought--and might have even said to no one, "My high school jazz ensemble's performance in 1987 of the Kim Carnes/Kenny Rogers/James Ingram hit, 'What About Me?' could have used more pizzazz.  Looking back, we all played it competently, but we didn't emote all that much.  At least in concert, we shouldn't have sounded so detached."

Then, I went back to sleep.  After all, I couldn't change the past.

Vinyl's infinite reign

From the back cover of the LP, "The Best Of The Roger Wagner Chorale Christmas Carols:" "This monophonic microgroove recording is playable on monophonic and stereo phonographs.  It cannot become obsolete..."

I like the certainty of that proclamation.  Decades later, record players still exist, and vinyl has come back around to being cool again, so just maybe...

"Have yourself a tempered 20-20..."

I'm listening to Kenny Burrell's version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," and it strikes me as fitting for 2020; through his guitar, especially in the intro, Burrell conveys a tempered view of the holiday. There's a turbulent, wistful undercurrent in the tune with glimmers of hope.  If that's not fitting for this year, I'm not sure what carol would be.  I think the next time I play it, I'll segue it with Stevie Wonder's version of "The Christmas Song."  I prefer my optimism in ascending order--and, after a year like this, I imagine a lot of other listeners do, as well.

Thanks for selfless listening

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, thank you to all family members and friends who attended any concert in which I played the bass, especially when it involved having to sit through an avant-garde, discordantly-composed piece that wasn't especially hummable.  Not every piece of music is easy on the ears, so thank you for supporting my years in the arts despite this.

Carols for those in a hurry

While listening to a Christmas LP by harpist Sylvia Woods last night, I was surprised to see that an upcoming medley of "The 12 Days Of Christmas" and "Deck The Halls" clocked in at only two minutes and 15 seconds. 

I thought, "Although neither of these carols are top-tier ones to me, I'm curious to hear how she's able to play both of them in just over two minutes." 

Smartly, Woods alternates between the two carols and plays only select verses from "The 12 Days..."

After hearing them that way, I wish more artists would take a cue from her on those two carols.  "...12 Days..." sounds less tedious, and listeners can still hear the essence of both carols.

Freezing time in the best way

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thank everyone who has ever recorded any pleasant memories or nostalgic mementos for me and allowed me to record them.  Among other highlights, I appreciate having access to audio of family members and friends, family cats meowing, and my radio shows. 

So many memories in life are here and gone.  I thank my parents, brother, and friends for blunting time's impact.  Thank you to everyone who has preserved time on tape so thoughtfully for me over the years.

Here she comes a-kneading me... II

How long does it take, after your cat has kneaded you and sat down on your lap, for your feet to fall asleep?  Per my cat, Collette, the answer is eight Christmas carols.  At least, that's what her demo conveyed yesterday.

Here she comes a-kneading me...

What's the general duration of a cat kneading you with her paws before she sits down?  According to my cat, Collette, it's four Christmas carols.  At least, that's what her demo conveyed Friday.

Persistent earworm alert CCXI

I was trying to sleep, but Thin Lizzy's song, "Jailbreak," kept invading my thoughts.  I haven't heard the song in years, and lyrically, it has no relevance to my life.  And yet, there it was, running through my mind continuously.

Such is the power of a memorably rockin' guitar lick.

A telepathic song request

While playing the bass in a Summer production of "Snoopy" 30 years ago, I told the music director during a break how much I've always enjoyed Vince Guaraldi's "Peanuts" music.  She immediately broke into Guaraldi's "Thanksgiving Theme," one of my favorites, on the piano.  The song wasn't in the production, which made me all the more thankful to hear it.  It still brightened my mood--even in July.

Online radio sampler highlights CXVIII

An eclectic selection of tunes I've heard today:

KEXP (Seattle, WA)

• Long Way Home-Durand Jones & The Indications (Lyrically, this is a relatively sunny way of accepting one's fate, even when it isn't what you would have chosen.)
• The Last Exit-Still Corners (The ethereal, fuzzy-sounding vocals on this new release drew me in.)

KYXY (San Diego, CA)

• It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas-Perry Como (Now through the end of November is the most appropriate time to listen to a voice of authority observing the recent signs of seasonal decor.  I wish I'd thought to play this when I was driving around looking at decorated houses Tuesday night.)

WOMM (Burlington, VT) 

• In Between-Thea Wren (Wren's confident vocals mesh well with a confident-sounding combo that falls somewhere between jazz and blues.  I like the old soul sound of this release from late last year.)

WRTI-HD2 (Philadelphia, PA)

• Once I Walked In The Sun-Jane Monheit (It's interesting to hear Monheit's powerful voice with Brazilian-style guitar underscoring.  Also recommend, if you're feeling up for some epic grandeur: "Comecar De Novo.")
• It Could Happen To You-Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (Great interplay between tenor sax, piano, and bass.)

WXYC (Chapel Hill, NC)

• Back Home Again-John Denver (Few singers could match Denver when it comes to sincere vocal delivery.  Lyrically and melodically, this 1974 hit sounds like a precursor to me of a hit he had the following year, "I'm Sorry.")

An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune LXX

After hearing it last night, the AgesandAges indie rock version of "We Need A Little Christmas" has grown on me.  Given the song's general preciousness, singers often sound overly cutesy when tackling it.  AgesandAges avoid this by sounding like The Cocteau Twins but with less production gauze on their vocals.  The unconventional pauses in the rhythm are slightly jarring at first, but I came to like them fairly easily.

For some listeners, the combo of indie rock and "We Need A Little Christmas" might be reflexively off-putting.  Give AgesandAges a chance, though, and you might like how they've made the tune more bearable.

No substitute for on-air experience

I remember one co-worker, upon hearing that another co-worker had been a DJ, asked him if he had studied broadcasting in school.

"I have an associates degree in broadcasting," the DJ replied.

That's the only time I've ever seen anyone ask a DJ about his college degree.  Radio is one of those fields in which a degree doesn't really matter, regardless of how hard you worked for it.  For a DJ, what counts is your ability to perform on-air and convince program directors to hire and keep you.  I was surprised that the questioner didn't follow up with questions about the DJ's experiences in radio instead.

To be played by next week

KEZK has already started playing all Christmas music.  I love Christmas music and play more of it than the average listener, but I don't feel like glossing over Thanksgiving.  In that spirit...

...There's nothing like a contemplative harmonica piece to convey the feel of Autumn, November, and Thanksgiving all at once.  The harmonica is especially prominent in John Sebastian's instrumental rendition of "Wagoner's Lad."  Whenever I hear it, I picture a prairie in Autumn around sunset.  It's a standout track on the Windham Hill various artists compilation, "Thanksgiving."

Takashi Yoshimatsu's perfectly titled piece, "Autumn: Dream Song In November," could serve, in my view, as a quiet coda to "Wagoner's Lad."  Yasuo Watani's subtler harmonica playing complements Shin-ichi Fukuda's reflective guitar style.

Listen to these pieces back to back and savor that perfect-for-the-season feel.

FM dial scan highlights CXLI

Five standout tunes heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• The King's Fool-Siobhan O'Brien (A slow folk-rock number, rockier than what I usually hear on "Folks Of The World."  The tremolo in O'Brien's vocals serves the tune well; it's a bit of a stretch, but this could segue with Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep Me Hangin' On.")
• Cornish March-Saor Patrol (The rhythm of the percussion intro made me think I was about to hear an international cover of Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'."  Then, the bagpipes came in.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Picture This-Billy Taylor (An easy-on-the-ears, Cuban-melody-influenced, percolating piano number.)

KSHE 94.7 FM 

• You Wreck Me-Tom Petty ("A Higher Place" is still my favorite track from the "Wildflowers" album, but the screaming guitar and driving beat of "You Wreck Me" are appealing and would segue well after Petty's "Runnin' Down A Dream.")
• I Am The Mercury-Jimmie Spheeris (Idealistic prog rock lyrics, sung with sincerity; listen for the yelp of exultation about the rain late in the tune.)
  

An overlooked cover tune LXIX

In the midst of standards such as "All Of Me," "As Time Goes By," and "Misty," The Real Group's closing track on the "Debut" CD stands out.  It's an a cappella cover of Barry Mann's 1961 hit, "Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp.)"  The five singers pull off a spirited rendition, staying true to the original version's sense of fun.  Covering a well-worn oldie and emulating its full-of-life feel takes confidence, and all five vocalists rise to the occasion here.

Broken string etiquette?

I don't remember a conductor addressing this situation because it doesn't happen often: What should you do if a string on your instrument breaks while you're playing in concert?  I remember this happening to a cellist once.  To my surprise, she sat down on the piano bench next to the conductor in the middle of a piece and whispered to him what had just happened.

I was playing the bass and had to turn my attention back to the music, so I'm not sure what happened next.  Short of walking off stage with the cello, however, what else could she have done? 

A fictitious frights moratorium

I thought I'd get in the spirit of Halloween this year by listening to some spooky radio dramas.  Although I enjoyed some of them, I bailed on a few.  I could only tolerate so many unprompted or barely prompted exposition clumps; too often in such dramas, protagonists and antagonists feel the urge to tell bartenders, cab drivers, or other strangers their life stories.  

Also, for a time, "Tiger" was overused as a term of endearment in such dramas.

I listened to fewer radio dramas this Halloween than planned.  In the year of a global pandemic, I'm up for escapist fare.  I don't, however, want much of it to be eerie.

Online radio sampler highlights CXVII

Six ear-catching tunes heard today:

KDUR (Durango, CO) 

• Circles-Les Fleur de Lys (One of the early compelling examples of psychedelic garage rock from 1966...)
• My Way, Soon-Greta Van Fleet (...and its influences, along with those of '70s arena rock, are evident in this rock-out October release.)

KUCI (Irvine, CA)

• Let Our Love Grow Higher-Eula Cooper (Exuberant vocals, right-on-the-surface lyrics; it's some infectious 1970 R&B...)
• Let Me Make You Happy-Billy Woods (...Ditto for this track.)

WWFM-HD2 (Trenton, NJ)

• Good Gravy-Teddy Edwards Quartet (Edwards' smooth tenor sax intro reminded me immediately of Dizzy Gillespie's "Birks' Works."  In each case, an appealingly sly melody sustains the tune.)
• Sunshine Follows The Rain-Yoko Miwa Trio (Perfect contemplating-life-while-staring-out-the-window jazz; an expansive, reflective piano-anchored piece.)
  

An overlooked cover tune LXVIII

I've written previously about Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody," "The intro draws me right in every time.  This is one of Khan's most powerful hits that doesn't leave your mind easily after you've heard it.  'What Cha' Gonna Do For Me' has a similar effect."

Thanks to WSIE, I've been reminded of how well the tune's melody retains its funk as a piano/saxophone instrumental.  If you haven't heard Tom Grant's version, check it out.

Split decision

While writing my last Music Choice highlights recommendations, I came close to including "Master Charge" by Albert Collins.  Instrumentally, it's strong, with blistering guitar licks and a great hook.  The lyrics, however, about a wife who keeps charging expensive clothes are too stereotypical for my taste.

Collins is a renowned blues artist.  An early album of his, "Truckin' With Albert Collins," is one of the best collections of blues instrumentals I've ever heard.

Instrumentally, "Master Charge" lives up to that standard.  Lyrically, however, it leaves something to be desired.

Savoring the win

What song matches the mood of a Fall day with perfect weather and your relief about a return to normalcy when your preferred presidential candidate takes office?

My answer: "A Lovely Day" by Gil Scott-Heron.

Persistent earworm alert CCX

Whew!  With the news of Joe Biden's victory, my welcome earworm today has been Enigma's "Return To Innocence."  I've been singing it, however, as "Return To Sanity."

The tune's yawp of exultation is certainly warranted today.

Only in college LXXXII

Another reason I miss KCOU: One DJ could say to the other, "That song reminds me of Mungo Jerry's 'In The Summertime,'" and without planning it, another DJ standing nearby could jump in and lead the two of them in an impromptu verse of it.

There aren't many other work situations where you can show you love the gig on-air like that.

Persistent earworm alert CCIX

I've gotten impatient while waiting for all the presidential election votes to be counted.  For at least the past hour, "Tired Of Waiting For You" by The Kinks has been my earworm of choice.  I want Joe Biden to win, and I want all the votes to be tabulated, though, so I'm going to take my own advice and stop being impatient.

Persistent earworm alert CCVIII

Ordinarily, I wouldn't seek out the song, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."  For my taste, it's too precious and is a true earworm once you hear it.  However, after looking at the electoral college map on the CNN site, I started saying, "Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin," in rhythm and realized that those words have 14 combined syllables and fit rhythmically with "Supercali...," etc.  Those four states are Joe Biden's path to victory via the electoral college at this time, so I'll overlook my dislike of the song and keep reciting those words to that rhythm. 

I won't sing it, though.  I have my limits.

Seriously, though, for the sake of sanity, decency, and democracy, I hope Biden pulls off the win.

Persistent earworm alert CCVII

The chorus of The Manhattan Transfer's "Nothin' You Can Do About It" is running through my mind on this extremely consequential, course-directing--hopefully, course-correcting--election night.  If that doesn't signal at least a hint of anxiety, I'm not sure what would.  I'm still cautiously optimistic that, unlike in 2016, things will turn out the way I want.

Alas, there's nothing I can do to influence the end result except vote, and I did that earlier today.

What would it say, I wonder, if the song running through my mind tonight was "Cast Your Fate To The Wind?"

Persistent earworm alert CCVI

Tonight, on the eve of the presidential election, I'm cautiously optimistic that things will turn out as I want.  Still, there's a chance things might turn out badly. I keep thinking of the chorus of "19th Nervous Breakdown" by The Rolling Stones.

Although that's an understandable outlook, it's not particularly healthy.

Persistent earworm alert CCV

My subconscious mind craves a break from the heaviness of the pandemic and political mudslinging.  That's why David Byrne's "Make Believe Mambo" has been my mental soundtrack for the past hour.  The lyrics are beside the point to me.  To escape 2020's negativity, I keep hearing Byrne's band raising the roof and kicking up dust, growing increasingly louder and brassier...

...Try it.  If the horns don't make you forget your earthly cares for at least one romp through the tune, I don't know what other escapist fare to recommend.