Standout selections heard today:
'40s Junction
- On The Sunny Side Of The Street-Tommy Dorsey & The Sentimentalists (A classy midtempo big band-with-vocals rendition.)
'60s Gold
- Go Where You Wanna Go-The 5th Dimension (As solid as the vocals are on the version by The Mamas & The Papas, the tune works slightly better at this faster tempo.)
Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals
- Words At Dusk-Realizer/Open Palm (This pleasant melody could be a prelude to "A Love Song" by Loggins & Messina.)
- Up Of Stairs-James Elkington/Nathan Salsburg ("Up Of Stairs" contains one of the stronger uptempo guitar hooks I've heard in a while.)
Bluegrass Junction
- Bitter Green-Tony Rice (Even with bluegrass instrumentation, it's immediately apparent when Rice starts singing that this is a Gordon Lightfoot song. That's a definite plus.)
Coffee House Classics
- Over My Head-Martin Sexton (The person who called my attention to the "Black Sheep" CD years ago was on the mark here. This is one of Sexton's best tracks; it's a well-structured voice-and-guitar tune with effective crescendos in the chorus. Also recommended: "Diner.")
B.B. King's Bluesville
- I'm Walkin'-Robert Cray (Clearly, the breakup about which Cray sings here was warranted.)
Luna
- Cuando Despiertes-Celia Cruz (The vocals suggest a festival while the brassy instrumentation is fit for a stakeout.)
Real Jazz
- I Want To Talk About You-John Coltrane (A smooth, elegant ballad for sax, piano, bass, and drums.)
Siriusly Sinatra
- Love Is Here To Stay-Ella Fitzgerald (There's an elegance to the sentimentality here that's harder to find in today's music. I also recommend Ray Charles's version.)
Soothe
- Purple Rose Minuet-Susumu Yokota (A compelling blend of new age, Classical, and electronica styles. A small piece of the melody reminds me of one of Andreas Vollenweider's best tracks, "Hirzel.")
Symphony Hall
- Franz Joseph Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 38 in F major, Hob. 16, No. 23 (John O'Conor, piano) (The first and third movements remind me of various nimbly performed Chopin piano melodies. The second movement has a Beethoven-like, contemplative feel.)
