Fitting sentiments for Valentine's Day

Recently, I heard a tune that radio stations don't play often today.  Climax Blues Band's "I Love You" was a hit in 1981 and sported a more intimate sound than the group's previous hit, "Couldn't Get It Right."  Aside from the rather off-putting lyric, "Ooh, babe, you got what it takes, so I made you my wife," "I Love You" is well-crafted.  The short, quiet instrumental opening and well-placed, emotive guitar punctuation contribute to the tune's appeal.  The song's greatest strength, however, is the singer expressing how thankful he is to be with his beloved; he thanks her not only for being his wife but also his friend.  That's a smart lyrical distinction you don't hear so often these days.  The group's vocals on the final chorus, "If ever a man had it all, it would have to be me...," are especially effective and made me realize how much I've missed hearing soft rock stations play the song regularly.  Overall, 1981 was one of pop music's stronger years, and "I Love You" was one of that year's better soft rock staples.  In honor of Valentine's Day, I hope that at least some oldies stations do their listeners the favor of resurrecting it.

As I said, conductors are eccentric...

One of my orchestra conductors surprised the ensemble by using slang when no one expected it.  He said he wanted to rehearse a passage one more time; he said he wanted it to sound "bad, meaning good!"  The orchestra burst out laughing.  As he gave the downbeat, and we began playing, he turned to the first violins and declared, "See?  I know what bad means!"

I wonder how we would have reacted if he'd told us he wanted the passage to sound groovy or funky.

In memory of Al Jarreau

You know an artist's music has moved you when you're caught off guard by his obituary and let out a sharp "Nooooooooo!"  I was extremely saddened to learn of Al Jarreau's passing today at age 76.  If you've read this blog for any length of time, you might have gleaned that Jarreau is one of my favorite singers.  I knew that I could buy any of his albums, even without hearing any of the tunes ahead of time, and I would never be disappointed.  These are 15 of his best tunes, in my opinion:

• Across The Midnight Sky (To this day, I've only heard this tune on the radio once.  That's a shame, as its dreamy vibe catches fire early and makes it one of Jarreau's best, most overlooked tracks.  In 1989, I saw a great Al Jarreau concert at The Muny, with stellar opening act Take 6.  My ears perked up when Jarreau said, "Here's a tune that doesn't get played on the radio a lot," before launching into the tune.  My date that night has mentioned how much she enjoyed that concert at each of our class reunions.)
• After All (One of Jarreau's smoothest, most accessible ballads.  I'm still puzzled that it wasn't a hit.)
• Blue Skies (One of the coolest versions of "Blue Skies," sung at a breakneck pace.  Short of pairing this with a frantic piece, such as "Sabre Dance," it seemed best, when playing this on KCOU's "Jazz Odyssey," to return to a more sedate tempo in the next track.)
• The Christmas Song (As much as I enjoy the rich vocals of Nat King Cole's rendition, I like Jarreau's 1982 recording even more.  Vocally and instrumentally, this is a warm blanket of an arrangement that I never tire of hearing each December.)
• Distracted (A somewhat overlooked track from Jarreau's album, "This Time."  I remember hearing it on the radio only sparingly during the '80s and early '90s.  Jarreau maintains a steady midtempo groove that deserves more airplay.)
• Jacaranda Bougainvillea (Live with The Metropole Orkest) (Jarreau sings tenderly about trees and flowers as metaphors for hope; the orchestra enhances the song's optimistic vibe.)
• Just To Be Loved (The second song ever played on our former smooth jazz station, WSSM.  It sports one of Jarreau's most inviting choruses and should be played more often today.)
• Letter Perfect (Live) (A great concert opener showcasing some of Jarreau's best vocal acrobatics and scatting; it's one of several highlights from his "Look To The Rainbow" album.)
• Mornin' (Jarreau's sunniest vocals; to my ears, it's a strong highlight of Jarreau's most appealing album, "Jarreau."  Also recommended: "Save Me," "Love Is Waiting," "Trouble In Paradise," "I Will Be Here For You," and, really, the rest of the album.)
• Roof Garden ("Roof Garden" is equally infectious in its studio incarnation or live, as I discovered at that 1989 concert.  Its steppin'-out-on-the-town-for-the-evening arrangement is instantly welcoming.) 
• Save Your Love For Me (Live) (The song's opening, a descending scale of four bass notes, sets the mood immediately, and Jarreau's vocals soar.)
• Somehow Our Love Survives (Joe Sample with Al Jarreau) (One of many highlights from keyboardist Joe Sample's excellent release, "Spellbound."  Sample lays down an appealing, uptempo keyboard part, and Jarreau's vocals invite the listener to sing along.)
• Step By Step (One of the most appealing uptempo tracks on the "Jarreau" album; this was the cassette I listened to most frequently during college, especially in the laundry room.  The tune never failed to brighten my mood, no matter how often I heard it.)
• Take Five (Live) (A great interpretation of the Dave Brubeck standard; another "Look To The Rainbow" concert highlight, with extended stretches of Jarreau's impressive vocal acrobatics and scatting.)
• We're In This Love Together (Jarreau's biggest hit, with lyrics and an arrangement that hold up.  In a more just world, Jarreau would have had far more hits.  In my view, his "Breakin' Away" album had more potential hits, such as "Roof Garden," on it.)

You also have a DJ's mindset when...

April 2006: A fox I saw in my backyard.

...your initial reaction upon seeing a fox in the backyard, "Foxes are beautiful creatures, and you hardly ever see them around here," is followed quickly by, "That fox would have made a good mascot for WFXB 101.1 FM, 'The Fox,' when that station was around in the '90s."

You have a DJ's mindset when...

...you put the digital thermometer to your forehead, check the result, and announce the temperature in your raspy sick voice as an FM radio station moniker.  I just did this a little while ago and announced, "100.3, The Fever." 

Once a DJ, always a DJ, apparently...

Persistent earworm alert XLIX

Although I haven't heard Valpak's radio commercials in years, I often think of the jingle, "Valpak! It's like money in the mail!" when clipping coupons.  I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Online radio sampler highlights LIII

Six standouts heard this morning:

KAFM (Grand Junction, CO)

• Your Word-Eleanor Friedberger (Effectively sung lyrics about an unhealthy relationship.)

KFJC (Los Altos Hills, CA)

• You're Leaving-Parlet (A 1979 tune that I hadn't heard in years.  I'd forgotten how well these Parliament-Funkadelic singers keep the groove going.  The tune would flow well after Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good.")

WBER (Rochester, NY)

• Praise You-Fatboy Slim (I don't usually listen to Fatboy Slim's music, but his well-placed piano sampling and use of Camille Yarbrough's "Take Yo' Praise" as the tune's springboard deserve their due.) 

WHRB (Cambridge, MA)

• But Not For Me-John Hicks (Hicks leads this excellent trio on piano, making this Gershwin tune swing.)

WIIT (Chicago, IL)

• A Shot In The Arm-Wilco (The Wilco tune I've listened to most; the piano intro and the opening lyric, "The ashtray says you were up all night," draw me in every time.  It's no wonder fans sing along with it so enthusiastically during the band's concerts.)

WNMC (Traverse City, MI)

• Cassidy-Holly Bowling (Bowling's Classical piano training shines in this great instrumental cover a Grateful Dead tune.  It's a poignant, forceful, new age-style rendering of the tune that works extremely well.  If you like the way Rachel Z covers disparate tunes, ranging from Sade's "Kiss Of Life" to Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" on the piano, Bowling's interpretations of jam band tunes will likely appeal to you, as well.  Also recommended: Bowling's cover of "Franklin's Tower.")