Approximate then, Exact now

Thanks to weather.com, we can see that there's a 37% chance of showers in a particular hour.  In that light, it seems quaint that we used to settle for rounded percentages over a wide swath of time.  When I read a forecast on the air that called for a 60% chance of showers overnight, I'd sometimes think, "For all those hours, the chance is 60%?  Obviously, that must vary over time, and there might be a much greater chance of rain at 3:30 this morning than 2:30."

Similarly, before digital displays on radios were common, FM stations typically rounded off their frequencies on the air.  Listening to old air checks today, it stands out to hear KWMU identify itself as 91 FM instead of 90.7 FM or KEZK round its 102.5 frequency down to 102 FM.

Although precision is better, I like remembering a time when weather forecasts and radio stations had to just be reasonably--instead of precisely--accurate.

Prelude to a power outage

There was something amusingly ironic about hearing "They Can't Take That Away From Me" just before the electricity went out yesterday.

Not just about the grade

While I appreciated the sixth grade chorus teacher's grade of O (for outstanding) on my first quarter report card, I also liked that she wrote in the comments section, "It was fun getting to know you."

I liked that my positive, quirky personality counted for something--even though it didn't influence my grade.

Improper but in time II

Once again, my cat, Collette, was inspired to scratch a book cover in time to a song's rhythm.  Actually, I suspect the lyrics spurred her on.  While Collette tore up the paperback's cover yesterday, Norah Jones's "Flipside" was playing.  Somehow, it seemed appropriate for Collette to save her most ferocious scratching for the lyric, "If we're all free, then why does it seem we can't just be?"

Lyrics are just so empowering sometimes.

FM dial scan highlights CCXXI

Wednesday and Thursday highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Sweet Stuff-Sylvia Robinson (The middle of the night is the right time for this tune that's fit for a Quiet Storm format.  This did well on the R&B chart in its time and should have been a pop hit, as well.) 
• Seven Nation Army-Never Mind The Pan Pipes (Even as an instrumental, this White Stripes tune still retains all of the necessary tension and drama.) 

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?-Janet Evra & Ptah Williams (Evra's voice shows just the right amount of warmth in this cover of the well-known Shirelles oldie.)
• Groovin' High-Dizzy Gillespie (Strong call-and-response between instruments.  Seek out the excellent, concise version that has Charlie Parker and Gillespie.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Thought I Was In Love-Cecilia Castleman (This June release has admirably forthright lyrics about the pitfalls of changing who you are for someone.)
  

"Mr. B. says you're a bad seed..."

It surprised me when my eighth grade chorus teacher, Mr. B., announced that he expected next semester's eighth grade chorus class would be a difficult one.  

Near the end of the semester, he announced to our class, "All of the troublemakers and difficult kids I didn't have this semester, I'll have next semester."  He then read off the names of everyone in that class.

I still wonder if anyone took that information out of context, as middle school students sometimes do.  I wouldn't have put it past some students to tell individuals in the second semester class, "Mr. B. said you're a juvenile delinquent."

Online radio sampler highlights CCXIII

Seven noteworthy tunes heard today:

KBHR (Big Bear City, CA)

• Celebrate-Ingrid Michaelson (A fun track for recapturing--or at least recalling--one's youth.)
• Riverside-America (The appealing guitar intro and vocals on this overlooked track from America's first album owe a lot to Crosby, Stills & Nash.)

KJEM (Pullman, WA)

• Georgia On My Mind-Frank Morgan (A classy sax-driven rendition with excellent piano shading from George Cables.  Ray Charles recorded the definitive version, but this is a strong instrumental cover.)
• Minor Meeting-John Hicks (What a great choice for a recurring descending piano riff...)

WMNF (Tampa, FL)

• Walk Along John-The Quebe Sisters (Among the tracks I've heard, there's a dependable consistency in this group's throwback fiddling.)

WSLR (Sarasota, FL)

• Round & Round-Paul Weller (Does anyone else hear strong shades of Jamiroquai in this track?)

WZMO (Marion, OH)

• Whatcha Gonna Do?-Pablo Cruise (A lyrically direct yet casual reminder to work on one's marriage or relationship.  I've always liked the beat of this 1977 hit, as it takes the edge off of its bluntness.)
  

Missed easy listening opportunities

I figured out this morning why Kenny Rankin's "Strings" appeals to me.  Lyrically, it has a Michael Franks, "The Lady Wants To Know" sensibility.  Vocally, however, it reminds me of Stephen Bishop.  That's a combination you don't hear every day.  It puzzles me that "Strings" and Rankin's equally accessible track, "After The Roses," weren't hits.  Both songs would have fit in easily on soft rock stations in 1980.

The right instincts

I loved choosing music I played on the radio because now and then, listeners would call in and say, "That's a great song.  You should play it as part of your regular format."

That was exactly the reaction I got while guest hosting "Lights Out, St. Louis" on KNJZ.  The regular computer-generated playlist contained multiple tracks from the "Trust" CD by Boney James.  It puzzled me, however, that the title track never came up.  Its winding saxophone riff was such an obvious fit for a smooth jazz format. "Lights Out..." was the one shift in which the DJ got to choose the music, so I played it--and elicited the reaction in the first paragraph.

There's nothing like vindication.

Only in college CIII

After you've graduated from college, going back to visit is an adjustment.  Your images of friends, students, and teachers you knew are often frozen from when you last saw them.  Sometimes, you get jarring reminders that time has moved on.  

About a year after I'd graduated, I visited college and spent a large part of that time with KCOU DJs.  One DJ friend and I went to see another DJ friend with whom I'd worked the previous year.  After talking to me for a little while, she started talking shop about the station with our other friend.  She talked about her plans since being named Music Director and that "(she) asked for two" DJs to help her review new albums.

I thought, "She's Music Director now?  Wow, good going.  She has a position of authority now, similar to what I had when I was Jazz Director.  Good for her."  However, I also thought, "I'm happy for her, but almost a year ago, she was talking about her first impressions of the station and how happy she was just to be there.  She has become truly immersed in the station since then.  Time has really accelerated since I was on the air there."

The expression, "You can't go home again," isn't always accurate.  Often, you can go home again--but not everyone and everything in it will be exactly as you remember it.

In memory of Tony Bennett

In memory of Tony Bennett, who passed away today, I offer the following tribute: Whenever I needed a Great American Songbook-style segue on KCOU's "Jazz Odyssey" and especially on WEW, Bennett was at the top of my list.  His vocal approach to standards reminded listeners why they were standards in the first place.  Just on this blog alone, my WEW and KCOU playlists show that I chose these Bennett renditions for airplay:

• Can You Find It In Your Heart?
• Chicago (with Count Basie)
• Here's That Rainy Day
• I Got Rhythm
• I Thought About You
• I've Got The World On A String
• Moonlight In Vermont
• Rags To Riches
• Steppin' Out With My Baby
• They Can't Take That Away From Me

I could write one of two reviews for each song--either "just the right amount of emoting" or "just the right amount of swing."  Bennett also, in my view, recorded the best version of "I Wanna Be Around," and enduring versions of "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "I'll Be Seeing You," "It Had To Be You," and "These Foolish Things."

Only so many artists are so consistent for so long.  During his 96 years on Earth, Bennett recorded a wealth of familiar favorites that will continue to hold up to repeated listening.

Persistent earworm alert CCCIV

When I throw myself into a project that interests me, I don't want there to be any mistakes.  Inevitably, when there are imperfections, I sometimes act as though the world has ended.

It's no surprise to me, then, that Billy Joel's "I Go To Extremes" hasn't left my mind for four days--and will likely stay there for some time.  I haven't actually heard the song in years, but my obsessing over things so routinely practically guaranteed that it would become an earworm. 

Unlike the singer, however, I know why I go to extremes.  I hate to be wrong--about anything.

Online radio sampler highlights CCXII

Wednesday standouts:

KDFC (San Francisco, CA)

• Heitor Villa-Lobos: Choros No. 1 (Choro tipico brasileiro) (Eduardo Fernandez, guitar) (An accessible starter piece for listeners wanting to delve into the world of Brazilian guitar works.)

KXCI (Tucson, AZ)

• ASR-Meshell Ndegeocello featuring Jeff Parker (A compelling June release with a strong "Can't get back the time..." hook.  I hear elements of Earth, Wind & Fire and Young Disciples.)

KXZY (Stillwater, OK)

• Afro Metropolis-The New Mastersounds (Cool keyboard and rhythm section playing that would segue smoothly with Kiefer's "Why Not?")
• Summertime-Scary Pockets featuring Olivia Kuper Harris (The Gershwin standard recast as a slick, uptempo jazz track with free-spirited vocals.)

WCBN (Ann Arbor, MI)

• Greensleeves-John Coltrane (Listeners who enjoy Coltrane's saxophone-driven flights of fancy on his expansive version of "My Favorite Things" will likely enjoy his similar approach on this cover, as well.)

WEXT (Amsterdam, NY)

• One Big Love-Patty Griffin (I enjoyed being reminded of this 1998 track, with its lighthearted lyrics and fun vocals.  Also recommended: "Blue Sky.")
  

A function of age XV

At a certain point, I just had to unplug the radio.  First, a radio talk show came back from commercials to the strains of a hugely popular song from 1995.

"Even as bumper music, I can't stand this song," I announced to no one.

Then, the host started referring to a contestant on a hugely popular reality TV show I'd never watched.

"Is it a slow news day?" I mused aloud.  "Is there nothing more interesting or pressing to discuss this morning?"

Of all the nerve--getting back to the show by playing a song I don't like that many others favor and then talking about a long-running show that people enjoy.  You'd think the station had calculated that radio is for the people and showed the audacity to play music and discuss topics that interest its audience.

Honestly...

The allure of shuffle mode XXXIII

Last Thursday, my iTunes shuffle mode was in a struggle vs. perseverance frame of mind.  I like that it segued Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer" with Lyle Lovett's "I Will Rise Up/Ain't No More Cane."  I especially like that the songs fell in that order.  If I'm going to hear a song about feeling chagrined by life's obstacles, I want to hear a song after it that proclaims, "Those obstacles won't stop me!"

The allure of shuffle mode XXXII

Sometimes, in shuffle mode, iTunes pairs two songs from wildly different genres in my library.  This happened recently when Al Jarreau's "Trouble In Paradise" led into Nikki Meets The Hibachi's "Life Is Just Like That."  It never would have occurred to me to segue either song with the other, but there's some lyrical common ground.  You might be going through a rough patch with someone or something, but it's reassuring to remember that rocky situations don't typically last forever; usually, sources of support are there if you need them, as well.

Improper but in time

Sometimes, you have to give credit where it's due.  My cat, Collette, scratched her claws on a book cover repeatedly yesterday.  I was exasperated with her over this but also impressed; while the Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Unsquare Dance" played, Collette sharpened her claws on the beat for several measures.  Considering the tune is in 7/4 time, that's an achievement.  I admonished her for destroying the book cover--but congratulated her for having such a great sense of rhythm.

Context? CCLV

The closed captioning during an interview I watched with Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks said "the soda carrier" was "what kept the group together."

Actually, it was "the solo career," as Banks stated, that kept the group intact.  It would have been amusing if the caption had been correct, though.  After all, who knew that a beverage bearer could play such a pivotal role in a band's longevity? 

FM dial scan highlights CCXX

Tuesday through Thursday highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• I Could Use A Miracle-Dent May (Tuneful power pop, with piano, guitar, and strings underpinning the vocals effectively...)
• Abigail-Frankie Cosmos (...and this was a good choice of segue.  This is a lyrically compelling way of asking, "Who is most important to me?" or "Who would I wish to be most important?")
• Dog Rose-Arlo Parks (Yet another endearing set of lyrics about how wearing one's heart on one's sleeve makes a person vulnerable.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Spain-Al Jarreau (Adding lyrics to an already strong Chick Corea tune worked well for Jarreau and exemplifies how much of a gap his passing left.)
• Tiny Capers-Stanley Turrentine (A strong, uptempo tenor-sax-driven work.  Jazz stations should play this 1960 track more often.)
• For The Cool In You-Cindy Bradley (A new, pleasant smooth jazz groove for trumpet.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• When Everything Was What It Was-The Belle Brigade (So, the past wasn't perfect.  Neither is the present.  The future is undetermined and will be imperfect, as well.  As these lyrics suggest, it's comforting at least knowing the certainty of what happened as opposed to not knowing what's in store.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• William Schuman: American Festival Overture (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin, conductor) (Having played this piece on the bass decades ago, I can attest to the precision required of every player.  There's something frenetic about the melody that still appeals to me and compels me to play this recording on or before July 4 each year.)
  

The arm-biting default option

As a radio talk show host began a live commercial for Altair Travel today, I turned to my cat, Collette, and said, "Altair Travel, partnered with Collette (Tours.)"

Collette bit me on the arm as if to say, "I get the reference, but I'm not amused!"

While I thought that was a bit of an overreaction, I understood it.  Similarly, I suspect pigtailed red-haired girls named Wendy get tired of being asked why they aren't selling hamburgers.

Summer practice satisfaction

On some Summer days, I looked forward to practicing the bass.  While I had some exercises to go over for the next week's bass lesson, the pressure of the school year was absent.  I didn't have to practice any music for school ensembles or outside-of-school ensembles, so it was satisfying to sometimes play pieces I already knew well.  Granted, I didn't expect to learn anything by playing pieces I knew backwards and forwards, but once you reach a certain level, you should be able to play your favorite pieces now and then.

After all, musicians ought to be able to play for enjoyment, not just to fulfill assignments.

The allure of shuffle mode XXXI

This morning, iTunes shuffle mode paired Cheryl Wheeler's "When Fall Comes To New England" with the "Square Check Tune/When Cheer Fills The Hearts Of My Friends" instrumental by Barry Phillips and William Coulter. Wheeler's ode to Autumn struck me as a fitting prelude to a medley of two songs that could have underscored a Puritan dance.  Granted, dancing wasn't high on the list of Puritan priorities, but I suspect even the most ardent foe of it would have enjoyed such melodies.

The allure of shuffle mode XXX

iTunes created another life-related song pairing from my music library recently.  I was pleased to hear a live version of "Life Is Large" by The Kennedys segue into Ruth Moody's "Life Is Long."  Both sets of lyrics emphasize that so much in life is out of our control--yet we can still control our reactions.

If you have to face a maddening realization, it's comforting when a reassuring realization follows it. 

Online radio sampler highlights CCXI

Five noteworthy tracks heard today:

KWNK (Reno, NV)

• Highly Suspect-Superchunk (The hook from this 2022 track stays with me, and it's a lyrically honest way of admitting, "Sometimes, my good-natured persona is a facade.")

WHCP (Cambridge, MD)

• Fried Bananas-Dexter Gordon (Behold the staying power of a cookin' tenor sax-driven instrumental.)

WNCW (Spindale, NC)

• Hills Of Swannanoa-Anya Hinkle (Listening to this story unfold made me realize how similar bluegrass and Celtic lyrics sometimes are.) 
• Hoedown-Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (This strong cover of the famous Aaron Copland melody merges jazz and Americana styles skillfully.)

WVEW (Brattleboro, VT)

• Since I Don't Have You-The Skyliners (Doo-wop groups from this era frequently conveyed sorrow over breakups effectively in their vocals.  This 1959 oldie is a prime example.)

The allure of shuffle mode XXIX

It's disconcerting to realize that I've probably lived more than half of my life.  Still, as a recent iTunes shuffle mode pairing reminded me, it's comforting to remember that overall, it has been--and still is--a positive experience.  Hearing Willie Wright's "It's Only Life, That's All" followed by James Taylor's "Secret O' Life" reminds me that a lot of positive people and pets have been--and continue to be--critical parts of the journey.

It also reminds me that as much as I like those songs individually, I should let their meanings sink in all the more by listening to them back to back.

FM dial scan highlights CCXIX

Thursday morning highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• King Street Breakdown-Joel Paterson (A well-played ragtime-style instrumental.  It's a new track that would have fit in well on the various artists compilation, "Fingerpicking Guitar Delights.")
• What You Wanna Hear-Beth Bombara (Yet another example of appealing vocals and guitar from this artist.  This new track, due out in August, is one of Bombara's most compelling tunes.  There's a general consistency in her music that warrants national attention.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Magic Mirror-Carol Albert (A steady, moderately paced smooth jazz rhythm for piano and saxophone.)
• And The Beat Goes On-The Whispers (I don't hear this 1980 hit on the radio as often as "Shining Star," most likely because its beat is firmly of its time.  Its catchy rhythm would segue well with The S.O.S. Band's "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" or Bluey's "Life Between The Notes.")

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Hangin' On A String-Loose Ends (A well-sustained beat from 1985.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• Hamilton Harty: Piano Concerto in B minor (Ulster Orchestra/Bryden Thomson, conductor; Malcolm Binns, piano) (I don't think I'd heard any of Harty's compositions until today.  I enjoyed hearing such a lyrical piece in which the piano and strings shine.)

Persistent earworm alert CCCIII

With the right lyrics and sincere delivery, gravelly vocals can still move the listener.  While not everyone will find it easy to digest, Tom Waits and Keith Richards recorded an oddly moving rendition of "Shenandoah."  The fact that I've been thinking of it for almost a week speaks to its staying power--and its rough but wholehearted vocals.

Online radio sampler highlights CCX (Independence Day/Americana edition)

These are seven of the better Independence Day and Americana-style selections I've heard today:

KING (Seattle, WA)

• John Philip Sousa: Songs Of Grace And Glory (Tacoma Concert Band/Robert Musser, conductor) (As much as I like "The Stars And Stripes Forever," it's refreshing to hear a graceful, heroic-sounding Sousa piece that isn't a march.)

KQAC (Portland, OR)

• Florence Price: Five Folk Songs In Counterpoint (Catalyst Quartet) (Deftly performed string quartet renditions.  "Oh, My Darling Clementine" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" are most familiar to many listeners.)

KTSU (Houston, TX)

• God Bless America-Bob Baldwin (The melody translates compellingly into a piano-anchored smooth jazz instrumental.)

KUSC (Los Angeles, CA)

• John Williams: Lincoln: The People's House (Chicago Symphony Orchestra/John Williams, conductor) (Movingly sensitive playing from the strings and winds.)

WBCM (Bristol, VA)

• Let Me Down Easy-Blackberry Smoke featuring Amanda Shires (A tactful lyrical reminder that it's wise to be compassionate when rejecting someone.  Shires blends well vocally with this group.)
• Doc's Guitar/Black Mountain Rag-Tommy Emmanuel & Billy Strings (Impressively brisk, synchronized guitar playing.)

WVMO (Monona, WI)

• Georgia On My Mind-Willie Nelson (Ray Charles sings the best version of this, but Nelson's vocals also establish a mood effectively.)

Weary but generally content

When I listen to Paul Simon's unfinished demo of "American Tune," I like that he alternates his final draft lyric, "I'm just weary to my bones," with the rough draft lyric, "Or at least, I can't complain."

Simon's final draft resulted in one of my favorite songs of his, but I also like the honest, plain-spoken nature of people saying, in essence, that things could be better, but they're not terrible.

In either case, "American Tune" moves me whenever I hear it, and I hope that it's used frequently as background music for fireworks displays.

The foot-biting default option XXV

Yesterday, after telling my cat, Collette, that I didn't want her biting my feet, she sang to the tune of Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You."

"If I can't bite you, I'll just write a manifesto...," Collette sang.

Not allowing my cat to bite my feet has more potentially dire ripples than I would have guessed.  Perhaps my thinking is too rigid.

Context? CCLIV

Yesterday, a radio talk show host remembered someone calling in during a yard sale show to sell a "dump truck that didn't run."  His co-host pointed out, "That's kind of a niche audience."

And yet, someone bought the dump truck.  As improbable as a sale might sound, it's worth remembering that you only need one buyer.