Persistent earworm alert V

Driving in a heavy downpour this morning reminded me, ironically, of a Dar Williams CD, "The Beauty Of The Rain."  After enduring what feels like the 400th storm we've had here in just over a week, I kept thinking about my go-to track on that disc, "I Saw A Bird Fly Away."  It's still running through my mind; something about the joyous clavinet opening draws me right into the song and keeps me there.  Williams sings it with genuine curiosity, and her enthusiasm sounds just as contagious as it did in 2003.  Lyrically, the song asks, indirectly, why people make impulsive, ill-conceived decisions.  It's appropriate, I think, that the lyrics don't provide an answer.

A grade school memory: A nod to rural life

In elementary school, our vocal music classes sang a few songs that took place on a farm or mentioned a farmer in their lyrics.  Only one song that I recall, though, extolled the virtues of rural living.  "Life Is Just Fine On The Farm," a tune in the Silver Burdett music book, has stayed in the back of my mind all these years because it was unusual for a bunch of kids raised in the suburbs to sing about a person who "used to love the city" but found that living on a farm is as good or better.  The lyric I remember most is, "Milking the cows in the same old way, roosters to tell me it's another day; life is just fine on the farm."  Considering how vital farms are to the food we all consume, appreciation for rural life is a good subject for a song--and a good one for city slicker kids to acknowledge.

In memory of Wendell Holmes

In honor of Wendell Holmes, lead singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist of The Holmes Brothers, who passed away today, I recommend listening to "We Meet, We Part, We Remember."  I recommended the song in a previous post for its realistic take on nostalgia and second chances.  Holmes sings it with reflection and understanding.  I also recommend the group's rendition of Lyle Lovett's "If I Had A Boat."  It's one of Lovett's best sets of lyrics, and The Holmes Brothers cover it effectively.

Shuffle mode results XXI

The results of my latest iTunes random play:

   1.  Take The Short Way Home-Dionne Warwick
(This doesn't get played on the radio these days; its strong hook and Bee Gees backing should have made it a hit.)
   2.  Takes Two To Tango-Raul Malo and Shelby Lynne
(This version got my attention when I heard it on WXPN several years ago.  This effective pairing conquers a tune I wouldn't have expected to hear remade this way.)
   3.  On The Red Clay-Mark Murphy
(Something about Murphy's approach to the vocals reminds me of Ben Sidran's music.)
   4.  Mar De Paixao-Jazzamor
(Sounds like a Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 throwback with its breezy vocals; the vinyl sound effect is appropriate.)
   5.  Dulaman-Celtic Woman
(I can't imagine anyone topping Altan's version, but this is a well-sung, well-played rendition.)
   6.  Annan Waters-Kate Rusby featuring Bob Fox
(I recommended Rusby's original version in a previous post.  This version, with guitar and backing vocals, is just as strong.)
   7.  Trio-Michael Spriggs
(A pleasant guitar, violin, and mandolin with tremolo instrumental.  Its long fade-out suits the song's thoughtful nature.)
   8.  Kanou-Regina Carter
(Carter's violin sets a jig-like tone in this spirited instrumental.)
   9.  Everybody's Talkin'-Nilsson
(Still a great anthem for those who follow their own path.)
 10.  Take A Chance On Me-Bluey
(These midtempo vocals and piano are ideal for a smooth jazz station.)
 11.  Human-Daughter
(Good indie rock with serious vocals; I would've played this on KCOU if it had been around in the early '90s.)
 12.  Let The Stars Shine-Swing Out Sister
(One of the group's strongest, best-arranged tunes.  The vocals mesh effectively with the '60s-style lounge backing.)
 13.  Down To The River To Pray-Alison Krauss
(Krauss sings with devotion, leading the choir effectively.)
 14.  Finale-The Waking Hours
(A vocal piece without lyrics; listeners who like Fleetwood Mac's "Caught In The Rain" will probably find this appealing.)

Online radio sampler highlights XVIII

Some of the better selections I've heard this morning:

KAMP (Tucson, AZ)

• Port Arthur-Beat Funktion (A leisurely paced trumpet and sax groove with an impressive '70s jazz vibe, despite being recorded last year.)

KZSC (Santa Cruz, CA)

• Ornette Coleman: Birthdays And Funerals (London Symphony Orchestra/David Meaghan, conductor) (A gripping, somber Coleman composition, played in memory of the recently departed saxophonist; at one point, I was reminded of Charles Ives' take on "America (My Country, 'Tis Of Thee.)"

WHWS (Geneva, NY)

• Rescue-The Movement (A good reggae-based track about making decisions sensibly yet quickly.)

WMBR (Cambridge, MA)

• Crumbs Off The Table-Laura Lee (A good track, sung with conviction, from 1972; lyrically, instrumentally, and vocally, this tune segues well with...)
• Going Down A One Way Street (The Wrong Way)-Little Ann (...this tight, infectious R&B song that should have been a hit.)

WTJU (Charlottesville, VA)

• Ntyilo Ntyilo-Abdullah Ibrahim (A beautiful, moving instrumental, anchored by Ibrahim's piano and featuring Carlos Ward's excellent alto saxophone playing.)

Teaching broadcasting: Seven approaches

After graduating from college, I went to broadcasting school for a year.  The instructors, who all had professional broadcasting experience, encompassed a wide range of teaching styles and temperaments.  One or more instructors fell into at least one of the following categories:

• The actor: This instructor was consistently full of energy, always seeming to be on stage.  He once told an announcing class that hosting a radio show is like hosting a party.  The "Got enough ice?" approach you'd use at a party with your guests is similar, in his view, to the way you communicate with radio listeners.  I didn't agree completely with this approach to broadcasting, but his advice to end a sentence on an upward inflection is generally correct; your statements sound more positive that way, and you keep the momentum going.
• The generic advice dispenser: A few instructors fell into this category.  Although they presided over announcing critique sessions, their comments were often brief.  (i.e.  "Could use more energy," "Slow down the pace a little," "Sound more enthusiastic.")
• The hard-to-please instructor: The instructor who was most frequently in this category was the most rigid stickler about announcing and producing in a by-the-book, rigid manner.  Not surprisingly, this instructor was also the toughest grader.  This person once told me that my announcing delivery had a '70s California, soft rock style, and that I wouldn't get hired using it on the air.  When program directors at two radio stations hired me because of that very style, I was pleased to disprove the instructor's assertion.
• The laid-back, like-minded instructor: Two instructors were consistently in this category.  Their low-key announcing styles, similar to mine, meant that we were almost always on the same page during announcing critique sessions.
• The news veteran: One instructor had been a longtime newscaster and commercial voice-over artist.  He was particularly adept at sharpening the phrasing, timing, and inflections of a student's newscast.  Another younger instructor with radio news experience was also adept in these areas.
• The Socratic Method inquisitor: One instructor's approach to announcing critiques differed from everyone else's style.  Before offering his critique, he would play a student's mock radio shift tape and ask the group, "What are we hearing here?"  Sometimes, he would ask this after only playing the first sentence on the tape.  He would then ask question after question of each person in the session, getting us to pinpoint the tape's strengths and weaknesses.  (i.e. "What was most effective about the way (s)he delivered that intro?  How would you have phrased it?  What could (s)he have done differently to make it even more effective?")  As one student put it, "When he's here, we all shred each other."  He was one of two instructors who always asked if everyone had a notebook handy in which to write down his feedback.  Students also had to remember not to back announce any of the music during his sessions.  In his view, announcers should move their broadcasts forward, not pause to reflect on where they've been.  I don't agree with that approach, because a DJ's basic function, even in an age of online playlists, is to tell the listeners what they've heard and provide relevant, interesting facts about the music and/or artists, when appropriate.
• The value-for-the-money, everything-including-the-kitchen-sink evaluator: Two instructors consistently gave long, thorough evaluations of every tape, in a matter-of-fact delivery.  They would tell you, at length, about your tape's good and bad points and always have compliments and suggestions for improvement ready.

Looking back, it was mostly positive to learn from so many instructors with different announcing and teaching styles.  After all, no two radio listeners are exactly alike, so it's good for an aspiring announcer to remember this while listening for common threads among different instructors' critiques. 

FM dial scan highlights XXXIII

Five of the better tunes I've heard over the last five days:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Leave Me Be-The Zombies (Sometimes, one just needs to be left alone.)
• Femme Fatale-Girl In A Coma (This reworking of a Velvet Underground tune gives it more of a kick and grabs the listener more effectively.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)-Cyrus Chestnut featuring Curtis Lundy & Victor Lewis (All hail the rhythm section; any piano, bass, and drum ensemble that can sustain a groove like this for 8 1/2 minutes deserves the listener's respect.)

KWMU 90.7 FM

• Four Brothers-Art Pepper (An ear-catching big band arrangement of a tune best known in its Woody Herman and Manhattan Transfer incarnations; this version stays faithful to the original, and that's a sound choice.  It was a pleasure to hear this on "Jazz Unlimited.")

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Harden My Heart-Quarterflash (I never disliked this song, but I've come to appreciate it more on its own merits instead of just thinking of it as one of many decent early '80s hits.  Quarterflash's follow-up hit, "Find Another Fool," showcases the band's ability to rock out in a faster tempo.)