"And now, today's news from the mountaintop..."

In 1993, a broadcasting school instructor had just listened to one of my mock radio newscasts.  He said, "It sounds good, but try it with a delivery that's slightly less pedantic.  You don't want to deliver the news with the implied attitude, 'Here's what going on today, dummies.'"

Admittedly, that's good advice for delivering a newscast--and almost everything else.

Stingray Music highlights XV

Standout selections heard yesterday:

Adult Alternative 

• Talk To You-Tracy Chapman (A protagonist's convincing wish that words won't fail her when she needs them.)

Alt Country-Americana 

• Dimming Of The Day-Alison Krauss & Union Station (A thoughtful, movingly sung rendition.  The Geyer Street Sheiks recorded a strong version, as well.)

Cocktail Lounge

• Soulful Strut-Horst Jankowski (Young-Holt Unlimited's piano-based version is the best-known one.  The tune works just as well in its piano and trumpet arrangement here.  Also recommended: Swing Out Sister's version of the tune with vocals, "Am I The Same Girl?") 

Cool Jazz

• Lazy Afternoon-Hank Jones (The melody appears, appropriately enough, in its own good time.  A sublime piano version.)

Folk Roots

• Goodbye-The Waifs (It's comforting to think that there might be "no such thing as goodbye," as it's envisioned here.  I'd be curious to hear how Lucinda Williams would cover this.)
• Same Old-The Honey Dewdrops (Vocally and lyrically compelling, with effective guitar and banjo underscoring.  I wonder if the couple in the tune will ever go on a seemingly needed adventure.) 

Jazz Latino

• St. Thomas-Michel Camilo (A spirited piano rendition of a memorable Caribbean-flavored melody.  Sonny Rollins recorded the definitive version, for many listeners, on saxophone, and Ron Carter's bass rendition is also recommended.)

Jazz Now

• The Right Way-Paolo Fresu 5et (A sly walking bass line sets the mood; based on the tone it sets, this tune deserves the moniker of cool jazz.  If an updated version of "Get Smart" aired, this could be its theme.)

SiriusXM highlights XXXV

Some of the better selections heard yesterday afternoon:

The Coffee House 

• It's Good To Have You-Josh Rouse (A sentiment suitable for a Valentine that plays it cool, "It's good to have you in my life," is set to a jazzy, laid-back accompaniment.  The vocals on the chorus, "All the fishes in the sea...," bring Seals & Crofts to mind.  Also recommended: "Under Cold Blue Stars.")

Deep Tracks 

• The Daily Planet-Love (In a rut?  This is a fun way to acknowledge it and start to smile again.  Also recommended: "Alone Again Or.")
• Deep Blue-George Harrison (Segues well with "For You Blue," a Harrison-penned Beatles track.)

Escape

• Apples And Bananas-Lawrence Welk (Easy listening with a kick; an organist could play this at the ballpark.)

The Loft 

• Sunny-Squeeze (A look at how life comes full circle.  The song's orchestral arrangement sounds like "Eleanor Rigby" transposed into a major key.) 

Real Jazz

• Impromptu-Rodriguez Brothers (An impressive uptempo, piano-and-trumpet tune that sustains its melody for 8 1/2 minutes.)

The Spectrum

• Back On The Chain Gang-The Pretenders (A well-written and well-sung '80s hit about carrying on after a loss.  Decades later, it hasn't worn out its welcome, and it shouldn't.)

Watercolors

• Avenida Del Sol-Marilyn Scott (Smooth, self-assured vocals; I could imagine Basia covering the tune similarly.)

The healing power of music?

Sometimes, you think you know which way a conversation is going.  Then, you hear something that surprises you.  A former co-worker, talking to his girlfriend on the phone, said, "I'm sorry that you're sick.  I'll sing something to comfort you."  I thought, "He's probably going to sing something soft and soothing to her."  Instead, I heard him sing, "Do, do, do, do, do, do, do; do-do-do, do, do," and then tell her, "I'm not sure why I chose 'Low Rider' by War."

"Whatever works," I thought. "Hopefully, hearing an unexpected version of 'Low Rider,' because it was so unlikely, made her feel at least a little better.  It's incongruous, but maybe it was so unexpected, it moved her--or amused her, at least."

"Want more info? Please don't call."

In pre-Internet times, it was common for radio announcers to talk about events around town and say, "If you'd like more information, call us at..."  I almost always hoped no one would call to follow up.  Typically, we'd announced everything we knew about the event on the air, and the only other info we had was a phone number that people could call.  Most listeners accepted this.  Occasionally, however, a listener would persist, even when given the number.  (i.e. "So, how many hot air balloons will there be at that event?  Will they have pomegranate-boysenberry soda?  If so, how much will it cost?  What if I have an existential crisis of the soul and have to leave the fairgrounds temporarily?  Will I be able to get back in without paying the admission fee again?")  Granted, those inquiries are slightly exaggerated.  I didn't mind being asked to repeat any of the info about an event that I'd read on the air.  It was irritating, however, when people wouldn't accept, "I'm sorry, I don't have that info.  Here's the number to call," as an honest answer.

Online radio sampler highlights XXXIV

I feel lucky to have heard such a wide range of compelling music, including a fair helping of new tunes, this morning.  Some of the stronger selections:

KUTX (Austin, TX)

• No More Blues-Cassandra Wilson (Wilson sings about the pros and cons of plotting a new path.  Also recommended from her "Another Country" album: "Almost Twelve" and "Deep Blue.")
• Easier Said-Sunflower Bean (How Blondie might have sounded as an indie power pop band; subtle soprano vocals drift over a whirling instrumental backdrop.  As in "No More Blues," the protagonist weighs the positive and negative consequences of choosing a new direction.  It's one of 2016's more appealing tracks, at this point.)
• Every Songbird Says-Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop (This is also one of this year's strong new tracks, for sunnier reasons.  This duo's alternating vocals suggest that a couple's future is likely to be a bright one.  The melody skips and hops appealingly, making me curious about the other songs on the "Love Letter For Fire" album, due out April 15.)

WFMT (Chicago, IL)

• Samuel Barber: Adagio For Strings (New York Philharmonic/Thomas Schippers, conductor) (The orchestra's performance brings out the piece's somber, heart-wrenching emotions.)

WHRB (Boston, MA)

• Tone Clone-Oliver Lake & Jump Up (A quirky jazz/funk stew from '82 with sax lines running scales up and down and vocals that bring to mind some of the more interesting tracks on The Urge's "Puttin' The Backbone Back" album.)

WMBR (Cambridge, MA)

• Beton Brut-Bent Shapes (A memorable guitar hook that brings to mind Big Wheel's "Lied" dominates this new indie rock track.)

WRUW (Cleveland, OH)

• Turn My Head Off-Takenobu (If you listen to only one new alt-rock cello instrumental this year--of the many thousands of such tracks out there, of course--you'd be wise to pick this one.) 

WTJU (Charlottesville, VA)

• Ramblin'-Ornette Coleman (Coleman steers this driving melody on alto sax.  Although the announcer's segue with Freddie Hubbard was perfectly fine, this tune also flows well with Cannonball Adderley's version of "Fiddler On The Roof.")

WXXI (Rochester, NY)

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26, "Les Adieux," in E-flat major, Op. 81 (Jonathan Bliss, piano) (A nimble performance of a technically demanding work.)
• Guillaume Dufay: Nuper Rosarum Flores (Pomerium Musices/Alexander Blachly, conductor) (A striking choral work; it's easy to hear why it was composed for a cathedral's consecration.)

Pledge now! Keep those ocarina melodies playing!

A successful radio station pledge drive requires a peculiar level of conviction from its announcers.  Even when a radio station's programming is close to one's heart, one doesn't usually sit around, touting its benefits on the air with other station announcers.  As much as listeners might enjoy certain noncommercial radio playlists and programs, they don't typically say, "Why, that was a great set of music from those four obscure dobro players.  Certainly, I never hear this kind of music on any other station.  I should call the station and chip in some cash to keep the dobro music going."  I wish everyone thought that way, but it's unreasonable to expect everyone to share this priority.

Listeners might also be skeptical of the station's rationale behind asking for exorbitant sums of money.  I can just imagine a listener thinking, "Hmmmm...Because the station's frequency is 91.7 FM, they're asking everyone to contribute a minimum of $91.70.  Nice try, but that makes as little sense as saying, 'Because our new facility will consist of 40,000 bricks, we're asking each listener to contribute at least $40,000.  With each listener pitching in at this level, our books should be balanced by 2038, at the latest.'"

As much as I've enjoyed noncommercial radio for decades, I was never entirely comfortable asking for money on the air.  During pledge drives, however, I sounded as polite and low-key as I could, while getting the required bullet points across.  The pledge drive break which satisfied me most, however, was one I ad-libbed.  After a producer at one station explained how listeners' contributions keep certain programs on the air, he tossed it over to me.  "And if you enjoy those programs so much, you wouldn't want to turn on the radio one day and just hear nothing where they once aired," I improvised.  "You wouldn't want to tune in only to hear what Simon and Garfunkel might refer to as 'the sound of silence.'"

At my next air check meeting, the station's program director complimented my instincts during the pledge drive.  I appreciated the praise, but I also thought, "It's easy to sound idealistic on the air when it isn't your own money you're asking listeners to contribute."