In honor of today's super blue blood moon...

...I've just played three fitting songs for the occasion:

• Here Comes The Moon-George Harrison (A comforting chorus and appropriately celestial-sounding guitar.  Chances are, you've heard its counterpart predecessor a few thousand times.)
• Once In A Very Blue Moon-Nanci Griffith (A perceptive metaphor for missing someone; it's even more moving when Griffith sings it live.)
• Strawberry Moon-Grover Washington, Jr. (Fine uptempo saxophone accompaniment for the late night/early morning sky.  I'm puzzled that I've never heard any smooth or traditional jazz station play this.)

Here's hoping everyone gets the view of today's rare celestial occurrence that they want.

Stingray Music highlights LI

Monday and Tuesday highlights:

Caribbean Vintage Vibes

• Nassau Night-Delbon Johnson (Any instrumental that blends the best elements of Benny Goodman, Django Reinhardt, and the tropics this way deserves an appreciative audience.)

Folk Roots

• Etta's Tune-Rosanne Cash (It's reassuring to know there's always at least one person on whom you can depend.  Cash's warm voice sings Etta's story compellingly.)
• Is It Like Today?-Eliza Gilkyson (A heartfelt version of the World Party song, with thought-provoking lyrics about the positive and negative contributions humans make to this planet.)

New Age

• Ballad For Kay-Acoustic Alchemy (With its airy production values, this instrumental would segue well with Nickel Creek's "First And Last Waltz.")

Revival--'60s & '70s

• Because The Night-Patti Smith Group (Natalie Merchant's excellent version usually gets more airplay, but Smith's original version deserves its due; these are compelling lyrics about how one person's charisma affects someone else, and how they click, as result.) 

Soul Storm

• The Man-Aloe Blacc (Strongly sung lyrics about facing the world with confidence, even when life hasn't dealt you the best hand.)

The Spa

• And On This Day-Patrick Canavan (What one might sing or hum while floating in space...)

Reconsidered merit

Although it will never be one of my favorite songs, I've been having second thoughts lately about John Mellencamp's--or, in 1982, John Cougar's--"Jack & Diane."  From the first time I heard it, it irked me that, in the verses, the number of syllables in the lyrics doesn't match up with the number of beats on the guitar.  To me, a basic requirement of writing a song is that the vocals should align with the instrumental accompaniment.

Having said that, I've come to appreciate that Jack and Diane want to hold "onto 16 as long as (they) can."  Knowing that, before too long, you'll have college, work, and/or marriage to which you'll have to adjust, can be overwhelming for almost anyone.  Also, when you graduate from high school, there are friends you'll see sparingly or never from that point on.  Why, then, wouldn't you want to appreciate the best parts of your life at 16 as much as you can?

SiriusXM highlights LXXXIII

Standout tunes heard yesterday:

'80s On 8

• Breakout-Swing Out Sister (The band's big American hit, and rightfully so; vocally and instrumentally, its bounce and confident outlook are just as captivating as they were years ago.  Other recommended gems: "Butterfly," "Forever Blue," and the Cal Tjader instrumental remix of "Now You're Not Here.")

Chill

• Without You-Lane 8 (Forthright recurring vocals set to a hypnotic keyboard groove.)

The Coffee House

• What Is Love?-Duncan Sheik (Sheik's acoustic rendition is as strong as the original by Howard Jones.)

Real Jazz

• Armando's Rhumba-Helen Sung/Paquito D'Rivera (A simmering number for piano and clarinet.  Also recommended: Sung's "Going Express" CD.)

SXM Spotlight

• Insanity-Gregory Porter/Lalah Hathaway (Porter and Hathaway blend well here.  Porter is equally at home singing traditional jazz, contemporary R&B, or singer-songwriter material.)

Watercolors

• Rosemary's Tune-Jay Rowe (To me, this sounds like a Steely Dan backing track, especially in the keyboard and drums.)

Y2Kountry

• Landslide-Dixie Chicks (This contemplative, Stevie Nicks-penned Fleetwood Mac take on aging suits these three voices well.)

Persistent earworm alert LXXXIII

Does anyone else remember the Praise dog food commercial jingle from the '80s?  Over the last two days, I haven't been able to get, "Good dog!  Here's your Praise.  Dogs love the taste of Praise.  Dogs love Praise," out of my mind.

It's funny what reading the Pets Of The Week column in the paper after hearing Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" triggers.

Stingray Music highlights L

Noteworthy selections heard yesterday:

Canadian Indie

• Silver Velvet-The Courtneys (A driving beat, spirited vocals, and a memorable hook draw the listener in.)

Chamber Music

• J.M. Kraus: Sonata In E major, VB 196 (Jacques Despres, piano) (I heard a definite resemblance to Beethoven in all three movements.)

Jazz Masters

• Brownie Eyes-Clifford Brown (An ideal trumpet piece for late nights that would segue with Sean Jones Quartet's "We'll Meet Under The Stars.")

Jazz Now

• Lenteur Tzigane-Christine Tassan et les Imposteures (A thoughtful, elegant midtempo piece for guitar and violin.)

Nature

• Forest Dawn-Ron Korb (Forest animals playing flutes--well, not really, but that's how it comes across.  Balancing animal sounds and musical accompaniment is somewhat tricky, but both elements come together here.)

Pop Classics

• J.S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 (Mstislav Rostropovich, cello) (A perfect match of source material and performer; if you know someone who doesn't usually care for Classical music, this might melt the ice.)

Retro R&B

• Too Busy Thinking About My Baby-Marvin Gaye (The chorus has stood the test of time; I don't hear it played on oldies stations as much as I once did, but I'm glad it still gets played.)

Not one to frequent bars, but...

...I wonder if any group at a bar near closing time has ever sung Sarah McLachlan's "Adia," sincerely or ironically.  While hearing it recently, it occurred to me that lyrics such as, "We all falter.  Does it matter?" might be appropriate in that setting.