SiriusXM highlights CXLIII

Saturday afternoon standouts:

Chill

• Azalea-Nora Van Elken (The haunting beat of this house instrumental, released in April, makes me envision someone pedaling a bike rapidly to a grim or uncertain destination.)

The Coffee House

• Rain-mxmtoon (This endearing tune, released earlier this month, is a lyrically honest way of admitting that home isn't where it used to be and that even if you visit a previous home, it will have evolved during your time away.)

Hallmark Radio

• The Silent Nutcracker-Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Unlike this ensemble's more elaborately produced efforts, this is a tasteful, understated acoustic guitar medley.)
• Home For The Holidays-Martina McBride (McBride's vocals blend well with the big band backing.)

Holiday Traditions 

• Do You Hear What I Hear?-Bing Crosby (Crosby's voice is appropriately authoritative here, making this one of the best vocal renditions of this carol.)
  

The Loft

• Ding Dong Merrily On High-The Chieftains (If there's one carol that cries out for a Celtic arrangement, it's this one.  I also recommend the Irish Philharmonic Chorus's rendition.)
  

Luna

• A Volta-Eliane Elias (These pleasant midtempo vocals and piano playing are equally at home in an international or jazz playlist.)

Real Jazz

• Black Jack-Donald Byrd (A cool strut for every instrument, but especially for trumpet and piano.)

Smokey's Holiday Soul Town 

• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Dionne Warwick/Dianne Reeves (Appealing alternating vocals against a jazzy backdrop.)
  

The Village

• The Old Courtyard-The Murphy Beds (The Wailin' Jennys sing my favorite version of this.  However, this vocals-and-guitar take, released in 2012, has a well-executed '60s folk feel.  In both versions, the advice about how to grieve someone who has passed away comes through clearly.)

Watercolors

• Monday Speaks-Everette Harp featuring Norman Brown (Uptempo smooth jazz saxophone and guitar with a steady bounce.)
• The Look Of Love-Diana Krall (Krall's vocals fit these much-covered lyrics appropriately.  Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 also pulled off a strong version.)
  

Context? CCCLV

Someone on the radio today said he only allows lighted candles on his Christmas tree when he's in the room.

While that's certainly his right, I could never feel comfortable with that setup.  Even if you're in close proximity of a fire that breaks out, it's still a fire you need to put out.  As beautiful as an evergreen with live candles looks, it's too much of an unforced error waiting to happen.

Online radio sampler highlights CCLV (Thanksgiving/Thanksgiving marathon edition)

In honor of Thanksgiving, a low-key holiday that doesn't always get its due, here are some of the better Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving marathon selections I've heard today:

KBAQ (Phoenix, AZ)

• Stephen Paulus: Pilgrims' Hymn (The Dale Warland Singers) (Reverential vocals with crescendos that almost command the listener to stand and salute.  I can count on hearing at least one Thanksgiving-appropriate Dale Warland Singers piece on at least one radio station every Thanksgiving.)
• Joseph Curiale: Prairie Hymn (The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) (A tasteful, pastoral showcase for strings and winds.)

KBXR (Columbia, MO)

• Down On The Corner-Johnny Marr & The Healers (One of the best C minor guitar lines you could have to carry your rhythm.  KBXR's annual B to X marathon plays the station's music library in alphabetical order, resulting in tunes that aren't played frequently getting exposure.  This is a prime example of a quality tune that should be better known...)
• Dream All Day-The Posies (...and so is this song.  I'm impressed that KBXR still plays this 1993 power pop track with  committed vocals and heavy guitar.  It was the last hook-laden track I played frequently during my final few weeks at KCOU.)

WEVL (Memphis, TN)

• Houston (I'm Comin' To See You)-Glen Campbell (How did this 1974 track escape my notice until now?  Also, why wasn't it a hit?  If you're going to play songs about going home, "Houston..." has a strong sing-along chorus.)

WPFW (Washington, D.C.)

• Cornbread Crumbled In Gravy-Regina Carter (This bittersweet melody suits the violin well.)

WWFM (Trenton, NJ) 

• Prayer Of Thanksgiving (The Robert Shaw Chorale) (This is "We Gather Together," sung with absolute conviction and underscored appropriately with organ.)

Persistent (Thanksgiving) earworm alert CCCLVI

Since first hearing it on KDHX years ago, I can't get Darrell Scott's song, "The Day Before Thanksgiving," out of my mind every Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  Talk about cornering the market on a specific day.  Christmas Eve factors heavily into a lot of Christmas carols, but offhand, Scott's song is the only one I know of about Thanksgiving Eve.

A petty fixation XXXV

When I worked at a sports data-gathering service, some coaches would occasionally call in only their side of the score.  I'd ask for the score by quarters, halves, or innings, and the coach would say, "Oh, I don't know.  I only have our side."

I was tempted to say during my radio sports report, "And, finally, Team A scored 10.  In a display of poor sportsmanship, Team A's coach claimed not to have Team B's score.  However, Team A won--allegedly."

Obviously, I never did that.  My desire for self-preservation and continued employment topped my desire to say on-air, "Finally, in a brazen example of apathetic score reporting..."

Persistent (Christmas) earworm alert CCCLV

Well, credit for effort, I guess.  On Thursday, I heard Rene Turgeon's version of "Petit Papa Noel" on SiriusXM.  While I expected to hear Christmas carols from more than one genre on the Noel Incontournable channel, I didn't anticipate "Petit Papa Noel" with country vocals.  Four days later, I'm slightly more accustomed to it, but for my own enjoyment, I'll stick with Paul Mauriat's easy listening arrangement instead.

Context? CCCLIV

As I wrote yesterday, a radio personality implied on-air that cats are selfish.  I respectfully disagree, especially when it comes to my dearly departed cat, Sylvia.  Sylvia passed away five years ago, and not a day goes by when I don't recall how she'd meow to get my attention, purr with the strength of 10 cats, and reach out her paw, sometimes with her eyes closed, to prevent me from leaving a room.

I can't speak for all cats, but I know that in Sylvia's case, the word selfish doesn't come to mind.

Context? CCCLIII

This morning, a talk show host said, "If you ask vets if cats are selfish, they'll say yes."  I turned the radio on just as he said that, so I'm not sure what prompted that assertion.

As a proud guardian and fan of cats, I'm sticking with the term self-preoccupied.

A function of age XXXIV

Yesterday, John Carney of KTRS marveled that Stevie Wonder is still in great voice.  According to Carney, Wonder still sings exceptionally well in concert because he sounds the same at 74 as he did at 24.  Carney's guest, Pat Liston of the band Mama's Pride, agreed that it's humbling 

At her concert in Kirkwood earlier this month, Erin Bode made a similar observation.  Before singing "If It's Magic," Bode said it was one of just two Wonder songs she was comfortable tackling.

Talk about an admirable legacy.  How many of us in our later years of work can say we're just as sharp as we were 50 years earlier or that our best efforts are generally challenging for others to replicate?

SiriusXM highlights CXLII

Today's selections were among the most enjoyable ones I've heard on SiriusXM recently.  Among the highlights:

'80s On 8

• Head Over Heels-The Go-Gos ("Head Over Heels" and "Turn To You" are the band's two catchiest hits, in my opinion.  It's no coincidence that both tunes share a similar energy.)

HBCU

• Electric Vibes-Down To The Bone (A fun groove from 2007 with instrumentation and vocals seemingly extracted from the late '70s or early '80s.)

Holiday Pops

• Est ist ein Ros entsprungen-Arturo Delmoni String Quartet (A stately yet tender reading of "Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming.")
• O Tannenbaum-The Louisville Chorus (These warm vocals combine Harry Simeone Chorale and Benedictine monk song stylings.)

Holiday Traditions

• Frosty The Snowman-The Glenn Miller Orchestra (Quite the snazzy big band rendition.)

Noel Incontournable

• Joyeux Noel-Patrick Norman (A tasteful acoustic guitar-and-vocals rendition of "The Christmas Song.")
• Plus Grand Que Nature-Pascale Paradis (I wouldn't have guessed that this Paradis track from last year is a Christmas song, but I like her vocals on it.  The tune's rhythm reminds me of "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." by John Cougar Mellencamp if it had been slowed down to sound like an '80s DeBarge hit.)

Oldies Party

• Bongo Rock-Preston Epps (This impressive 1959 instrumental hit is an energetic surf rock-style romp for guitar and percussion.)

Real Jazz

• Vonski-George Freeman/Von Freeman (An appealing walking melody for saxophone and guitar.)
• Take Five (Live At The Childe Harold, 1976)-Al Jarreau (I was pleased to hear this unearthed Washington, D.C. concert recording on "Jazz Detective" with host Zev Feldman.  Jarreau sustains his scat vocals on his cover of the Dave Brubeck tune for an impressively long time.  The concert will be released as a vinyl album, appropriately titled "Wow," on November 29.  Also recommended: Jarreau's concert renditions of "Rainbow In Your Eyes" and "We Got By," which Feldman also played.)
• How Insensitive (Insensatez) (Live At The 4 Queens, 1984)-Emily Remler (I second Feldman's objective of making Remler's music better known.  This lengthy Las Vegas concert cover of Antonio Carlos Jobim's tune is outstanding, as Remler puts every ounce of feeling possible into the melody.  Also recommended: The live versions of "Cisco" and Remler's take on the Sonny Rollins tune, "Tenor Madness."  It's impressive to hear Remler transfer a tenor sax melody to the guitar so gracefully, and Cocho Arbe sizzles on piano.  It's a testament to SiriusXM that I selected the Real Jazz channel, intending to listen for a song or two, but listened for nearly an hour instead.  That's compelling programming.)

The Verge

• That's The Gods Talking-Slow Spirit (It's interesting to hear a guitar part that's reminiscent of Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" overlaid with such laid-back vocals.)

Watercolors

• Sleepwalk-Larry Carlton (This pleasant guitar cover of the Santo & Johnny tune nails the melody's toddle-off-to-bed vibe.  I enjoyed playing it frequently on KNJZ in the mid '90s, and I'm glad that it's still a mainstay on smooth jazz stations and streams.)

FM dial scan highlights CCLX

Some of the better tunes I've heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Someone Disappeared-The Everywheres (With it's lo-fi guitar and vocals, this 2013 track could pass for a mid to late '60s garage rock tune.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Sunlight Bossa Nova-Lawson Rollins (An aptly titled guitar number.  This is driving-with-the-top-down accompaniment.)
• Wet Bar-Lisa Addeo (A pleasant new piano melody with a bounce.  Freddie Ravel's "Sunny Side Up" would flow smoothly into it.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Water Underground-Real Estate (This band has a way with guitar and vocal hooks.  Exhibit A: "Crime."  Exhibit B: "Darling."  Exhibit C: This tune, released in February.)

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Rock Steady-The Whispers (During the Summer of '87, this hit got constant radio airplay.  Hearing it again decades later, its beat and chorus are firmly of their time but hold up well.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Winter Wonderland-Amy Grant (Grant's vocals consistently capture the wonder and lightheartedness of the season, so it's heartwarming to hear them in KEZK's all Christmas rotation, which started Friday morning.)
• Silent Night-Nat King Cole (Not many vocalists can command this level of gravitas with this carol.)
  

An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune CL

After listening to Andre Gagnon's piano rendition of "I'll Be Home For Christmas," I'm surprised it isn't better known.  The accessibility in Gagnon's playing falls somewhere between Floyd Cramer and Beegie Adair, although the undercurrent of swelling strings tilts his version more in Cramer's direction.

Gagnon recorded "...Home..." in 2011, but his throwback interpretation wouldn't have been out of place on late '60s easy listening stations.

A function of age XXXIII

At her concert earlier this month, Erin Bode promoted a website on which people can ask her to compose and record a song for them.  When she mentioned the site's URL, there was light chuckling in the audience.

I thought, "Most of these audience members appear to be between 60 and 80 years old.  If the crowd had skewed considerably younger, I'm sure they wouldn't have found the notion of promoting one's website amusing."

As my brother joked, "The Internet, that passing fad..."

Context? CCCLII

Yesterday, a radio personality asked if stuffing is really the most popular Thanksgiving side dish, as surveys claim.  He wondered, if stuffing is so popular, why you don't typically see people eating it randomly in April.

I think for most people, it's an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue.  Candy corn isn't usually promoted heavily outside of Halloween, and stuffing isn't usually promoted heavily outside of Thanksgiving.  I've always thought bread stuffing is tasty, but I don't buy it or even think about it unless I see a prominent display of it at Dierbergs.  I imagine most people think similarly.

Context? CCCLI

Sometimes, when you play bumper music on your talk show, it's hard to know when to fade out of it.  One radio talk show host faced this dilemma recently with Bob Seger's "Night Moves."  If he'd jumped in too early, he would have stepped on Seger's heavy emoting, and the audience wouldn't have heard that Seger had "started hummin' a song from 1962!!"

The host admitted, "I wasn't sure when to break in."  He made the right choice, though, to start speaking  after Seger sang, "...with Autumn closin' in..."

Ultimately, it's a good idea to let the bumper music enhance the show without stepping on it.

Context? CCCL

Last night, while listening to Classical station K297BI, I did a double take upon hearing an announcer introduce a piece for cello and flower pots.  At first, I thought, "I must not have heard that correctly."

The announcer repeated it, though, and there was no mistake.  The piece is "Boris Kerner" by Caroline Shaw.  I know Classical pieces aren't meant to be segued, at least on the radio, but the haunting vibe of "Boris Kerner" would flow well into the "Mr. Coffee" movement of the David P. Jones piece, "Legal Highs."

There's a weirdly gratifying aspect of writing this type of blog; you never know when you'll be able to write about how a piece you've only heard thanks to a 1990s CD Review magazine sampler disc will dovetail with another piece you heard by chance on the radio.

Online radio sampler highlights CCLIV

Thursday highlights:

KOSI (Denver, CO)

• It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year-Andy Williams (When you're flipping your station's format over to all Christmas music for the 23rd year in a row, it's smart to begin with an upbeat tune that encapsulates the joy of the holiday season.  Bravo to the high school theater choir who prefaced the Christmas music kickoff with a precise, spirited rendition of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" during a live remote.)
• Sleigh Ride-The A-Strings (This 1988 violin-propelled rendition stays faithful to the original melody with just enough modern-for-their-time touches.)

KRML (Carmel, CA)

• Gild The Lily-Billy Strings (Lyrically, this September release is an effective, unassuming way of saying, "Don't be too picky.")

WHGE (Wilmington, DE)

• Blue Montreux-Art Farmer & Joe Henderson (This expansive jazz track has an appealing brassy energy similar to Freddie Hubbard's "Super Blue.")

WXOJ (Northampton, MA)

• Blisters-Riley Cotton (Cotton's expressive voice, guitar playing, and deft handling of downcast lyrics make her an artist to watch.)
  

SiriusXM highlights CXLI

Standout tunes heard today:

'40s Junction 

• Down Argentina Way-Leo Reisman with Sara Horn (If the title doesn't ring a bell, you still might have heard this melody played in commercials promoting tropical getaways.)

Deep Tracks

• Whenever You're Ready-Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (This is one of the stronger blends of jazz, rock, and funk that I've heard.  The organ goes a long way in underpinning the mood.)
  

The Groove

• Running Away-Roy Ayers (Rhythmically, this has a McFadden & Whitehead feel.)

Holiday Pops

• Sleigh Ride-Duo Campion-Vachon (This piano rendition has a Ferrante & Teicher feel.)
  

Holiday Traditions

• Christmastime Is Here-Mel Torme (There's no topping the original version from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," but Torme's vocals capture the warmth of the season.)
• I Saw Three Ships-Gary Schmidt (A slightly unusual chord progression for this carol's hook.  The tempo shift choices in this piano arrangement are offbeat, as well.)
  

Luna

• Made In New York-Tania Maria (Catchy vocals and rhythm playing.  The synthesized backing roots this track firmly in 1985.)

Noel Incontournable 

• Le setier de neige-Safia Nolin (Endearingly plaintive vocals and guitar.)
  

Smokey's Soul Town

• I'll Be Around-The Spinners (An honest way of saying, "I know I'm not your beloved, but if you ever need my friendship, I'm here for you."  This group recorded a lot of excellent hits in the '70s and early '80s, and this is one of their best.)
  

Spa

• The 2nd Law-Michael Hedges (A guitar melody with a pensive vibe.)
• Cottage-Tangerine Dream (Fit for underscoring an arduous trek or plotting one's escape from a haunted house.)

The Verge

• Driver-Soccer Mommy (A lyrical reminder of who's steering a relationship and why it's likely to stay that way.)

An atypical standout XV

When most listeners think of Anne Murray's music, hits such as "Snowbird," "You Needed Me," or "Broken Hearted Me" probably come to mind.  Fewer listeners, however, will likely recall "That's Not The Way (It's S'posed To Be)," released in 1983.  Despite not hearing it in decades, it came to mind earlier tonight.  Even when singing about heartbreak in her '70s hits, Murray's music has a comforting soft rock sheen.  Hearing her lyrics against a darker backdrop that falls somewhere between The Alan Parsons Project's "Prime Time" and Styx's "Mr. Roboto," however, is a shock to the system.  It sounds like backing for a film scene in which someone's ire while driving boils over into road rage.  I can't say the song isn't well crafted--but it's not what listeners would generally seek from Murray's music.

Context? CCCXLIX

Before singing a two-song Beatles medley at Saturday's concert, Erin Bode asked the audience, "Is there anyone here who likes The Beatles?  That should include everyone."  Bode said she agrees with a bumper sticker she saw in Nashville that read, "Don't trust anyone who doesn't like The Beatles."

She'll get no argument on that from me.

A function of age XXXII

During last night's concert at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, singer Erin Bode said that when she taught a college class on lyric writing, she devoted considerable time to Paul Simon's lyrics, in part because "(the students) don't know who he is."

I felt not a day younger than 54 hearing that.  I guess it shouldn't surprise me, but college students not knowing who Paul Simon is?  Paul Simon of Simon & Garfunkel fame and enormously successful solo singer-songwriter acclaim?  They haven't heard his music on a stream or on the radio?  

I'm glad Bode set them straight.  Thanks to her tutelage, maybe one of her students will compose the next "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Persistent earworm alert CCCLIV

Unlike yesterday, I haven't had the distraction of Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede" in mind.  Instead, I've gone back to a gloomier earworm, "Summer Rain" by Johnny Rivers.

Staying positive is proving to be a challenge.  So is striking the right balance between staying informed and not dwelling on negative events I can't control.

Persistent earworm alert CCCLIII

Since last night, at odd intervals, the chorus of Rebbie Jackson's goofy but fun 1984 hit, "Centipede," has drowned out all my other thoughts.  I'll be reading a serious opinion piece about why a majority of voters cast their ballots in favor of certain progressive issues but didn't vote for Democratic candidates, and then, suddenly, my brain will shout, "Centipede!"

Apparently, my mind is craving a respite from the depressing consequences of Tuesday's presidential election.

Still on edge

Yesterday, I put my 45 of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" on the turntable.  I thought it was appropriate, considering Tuesday's election results.  I'd forgotten, however, that the record had the wrong labels on each side, so "Rock 'N' Roll Woman" started playing instead.

I erupted at this minor setback, shouting, "What the #$&*?!  Why are the labels wrong?  Can't anyone do anything right?!"

I flipped the record over, and order was restored.  To be fair, "Rock 'N' Roll Woman" is a compelling tune in its own right.  "For What It's Worth" is appropriate, however, for the inevitably fractured and fractious political climate to come.

Persistent earworm alert CCCLII

So...A majority of American voters chose the shameful option of contempt and recklessness over optimism and inclusivity in yesterday's presidential election.

Initially, I was going to write about the first earworm that came to my mind, the outro to ELO's "It's Over."  Then, I thought, "'Darkness' by The Police is looming large in my mind, as well, and it also fits the occasion."

This morning, however, I've thought repeatedly about a more obscure tune played on WMRY during its eclectic rock days in the late '80s.  "Raise Yourself" by Jasmine is about the Equal Rights Amendment and how to react when people don't support your agenda.  It reminds listeners that even when you're on the losing side, one's compassionate, inclusive ideals are still the correct ones and that they shouldn't stop fighting the good fight.

If nothing else, on a depressing day like today, it's at least somewhat comforting to remember that even though my preferred candidate lost last night's election, my ideals are still the correct ones--and that a great many Americans agree with me.

Persistent earworm alert CCCLI

I hope that the blue tsunami Michael Moore is predicting comes to pass in today's election.  I don't know if it will, though, so to calm my nerves, I'm thinking of Steve Hackett's soothing guitar melody, "Adriatic Blue," repeatedly.

All I can do now is vote--and hope that enough fellow Americans vote on the side of compassion and sympathy.

In memory of Quincy Jones

In memory of composer/producer Quincy Jones, I recommend these six tracks as some of his most compelling work:

• Just Once (featuring James Ingram) (Since 1981, this hit has been a mainstay of soft rock dedication programs.  Its vocals and sentiments hold up in any era.)
• Quintessence (Longtime St. Louis jazz authority/DJ Leo Chears used to close his radio shows with this track.  It's easy to hear why, as it brings to mind images of a ballroom closing for the evening.)
• Something's Cookin' (With an organ vibe this sly and cool, the bar for any movie or TV drama to use it should be pretty high.)
• Tell Me A Bedtime Story (This excellent version of the Herbie Hancock-penned tune starts on a fanciful note and builds to one of the most appealing crescendos I've ever heard.  It pulls off the impressive trick of making an orchestra sound epic and intimate simultaneously, and thus, it's my favorite Quincy Jones track.  I still remember what a great choice I thought it was for a respected jazz show's leadoff track in 1990.)
  
• Theme From "The Anderson Tapes" (This is one of the most impressive examples of genre-blending I've heard.  Funk, jazz, electronica, easy listening, and international influences coalesce perfectly in this instrumental.)
• What's Going On (An expansive, well-sustained cover of the Marvin Gaye hit.  Hubert Laws carries the melody effectively on the flute.) 

As these six tracks and a long discography illustrate, Jones had a vital ear for assembling top flight musicians and getting the best results from them.

Persistent earworm alert CCCL

This morning, Pat Metheny's instrumental, "Chris," is on my mind.  As a KNJZ DJ, I played it frequently.  While I still like its energy, the tune has a tense vibe that's appropriate to feel when you're waiting for a judge to issue a consequential decision--or when it's two days before a presidential election, and the outcome is extremely uncertain.

Context? CCCXLVIII

A radio personality opined recently that it's a shame "Thanksgiving has fallen even more by the wayside."

While it has never been an especially commercial holiday, I think that's Thanksgiving's appeal. It doesn't come with gift-giving promotions and music that's played frequently on radio stations and in stores, but that's its low-key charm.  It's what you make of it, and I've always thought it's one of the best days of the year.

Teaching my cat respect for music

My cat, Collette, has a signal when I'm asleep on the couch for letting me know she's hungry.  At least 20 times in recent months, she has knocked Willie Wright's "Telling The Truth" CD off the top of a stack.  I've asked her multiple times why she always chooses that CD, but she doesn't answer.  I don't want her to knock any CDs off of their stacks, but she never knocks over other top-of-stack CDs by Ramsey Lewis, The Isley Brothers, Sarah Jarosz, Carrie Newcomer, or The Kennedys.

I've explained to Collette that Wright's "Telling The Truth" release deserves respect for its strong vocals and guitar playing.  The catchy hook of "I'm So Happy Now," which I first heard on KDHX years ago, drew me into the album.  Once I heard it, I also enjoyed the breezy feel of "Nantucket Island" and Wright's musings about the passage of time on "It's Only Life, That's All."

My explanation, unfortunately, hasn't gotten through to Collette, so I've moved Wright's CD to another room.  It's probably naive of me to hope she'll just meow when she's hungry instead of knocking over another CD.