Wednesday standouts:
KFOK (Georgetown, CA)
- The Crossanova-Tommy Castro (This uptempo instrumental fuses jazz, rock, and blues compellingly, with effective interplay between the flute and the guitar. This was released in 2005 but sounds straight out of the '70s.)
KYGT (Idaho Springs, CO)
- My World Is Empty Without You-Mary McCaslin (Hearing this vocals-and-guitar folk take on the 1966 Supremes hit made me see the tune in a new light. This bare bones version of it makes the lyrics sound all the more sorrowful. Sidebar: I'm glad to finally include KYGT, "The Goat," in a blog post. How could I not root for a low power station whose mascot is a goat wearing headphones?)
WBGO (Newark, NJ)
- God Bless The Child-Sonny Rollins (It doesn't surprise me that there are so many versions of this tune. Its strong, thoughtful melody works equally well when sung or played on the guitar, piano, or, in this case, tenor sax. This expansive rendition gives the listener ample time to hear Rollins's smooth, ringing tone.)
- Kiss Of Life-Rachel Z (I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever hear Rachel Z on the radio. Her "Everlasting" CD contains many strong piano covers of pop hits, so I'm surprised it isn't a staple of smooth jazz stations. Her approach to "Kiss Of Life" made me appreciate the melody of Sade's original version in a way I hadn't, despite playing it frequently on KNJZ. Also recommended: Rachel Z's cover of Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" and her take on Sting's "Fields Of Gold.")
WDIA (Memphis, TN)
- I Just Wanna Hang Around You-George Benson (This is one of Benson's sunniest radio-friendly vocal tracks, so it still puzzles me that it barely charted in 1985.)
WOUB (Athens, OH)
- Heartbroken Tomorrow-Stacy Antonel (I'd expect most songs with a title like this to sound mournful, i.e. somewhere in the ballpark of Nilsson's "Without You." That's not the case here, however. Antonel's powerful vocals blend well with the propulsive guitar, giving this tune momentum that songs about loss don't often have. I also recommend Antonel's cover of "Wichita Lineman," in which she elongates the word line in the "...still on the liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine" chorus impressively.)
- Simple Twist Of Fate-Sarah Jarosz (As with "Ring Them Bells," Jarosz sings another Bob Dylan tune effectively. Her approach to the lyrics captures the chagrin that accompanies a missed opportunity.)
