FM dial scan highlights CCXXVIII

Thursday morning standouts:

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Oscar Peterson (My favorite Peterson Christmas track is his sublime take on "Away In A Manger," but this is a cool strut for piano, vibraphone, and guitar.)
• Christmas Time Is Here-Greg Adams And East Bay Soul (This familiar opening tune from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" works well as a trumpet-led jazz ballad.  Waiting until late in the song to bring in vocals is a good choice, as well.)

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Walking In Rhythm-Blackbyrds (Some of the sunniest vocals of the '70s, fit for days when everything is going right.) 
  

WARH 106.5 FM

• Eye Of The Tiger-Survivor (I don't seek this song out ordinarily, but I'll let it play out when I hear it. Decades later, it's still a lyrically effective way to prep for a tall task.  And, if I may so, Survivor's version is almost as good as that of Mrs. B.'s 1982 first quarter sixth grade chorus class. :-))

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2

• Claude Arrieu: Dectet For Winds (Atlanta Chamber Winds/Robert J. Ambrose, conductor) (As announcer Kathy Lawton Brown explained, Claude Arrieu is the pen name of French composer Louise-Marie Simon.  I enjoyed hearing 10 wind players handle whimsical and sorrowful passages with equal ease.)
• Clara Schumann: Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17 (Sylvan Trio) (I was sold on this beautiful, lyrical piece for violin, cello, and piano right from the first movement's opening notes.)

Why climb the mountain?

The conventional answer is, "Because it was there."  My gut reaction to that answer, though, has always been, "That justifies nothing."

In that light, I enjoyed hearing Al Jarreau's "Closer To Your Love" come up in iTunes shuffle mode today.  In addition to its appealing vocals and energy, the tune's lyrics turn the cliches of saying you'll climb the highest mountain or swim the deepest ocean for someone inside out; in essence, the pursuer's point of view is, "Why can't I just say I'm interested in you?  Why is it necessary for me to exhaust myself to prove how I feel to you?"

That's some of the most refreshing candor I've heard in any song.

The allure of shuffle mode XLI

Want to enjoy the warmth of the Christmas season at an unhurried pace?  iTunes paired two Christmas tunes from my library smartly this morning: The Lettermen's version of "The Christmas Waltz" segued smoothly into Chanticleer's rendition of "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear."

If you're seeking soft, subtle, seasonal vocals, there's a duo for you.

Not an easy A for everyone

I hadn't asked another student to tell me this, but supposedly, at least one musician in our high school orchestra received a D+ semester grade.

I don't know if that was true, but if so, perhaps the player(s) would have been better off just listening to music instead. 

Context? CCLXXXIX

It amused me years ago when a top 40 radio station debuted its format by proclaiming it was "a station for all people."

"Not everyone will choose to listen," I thought, "but technically, that's true.  Anyone who wants to listen  can tune in.  That applies to all stations, though."

An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune CXXXII

I never imagined I'd recommend a cover of "The Chipmunk Song," but Lisa Addeo's rendering of it on the piano deserves a listen.  By slowing down the tempo and playing it seriously, Addeo turns it into a credible jazz instrumental.  I wouldn't have expected that from a novelty song about wanting a hula hoop and wishing Christmas would hurry up and get here, but Addeo's reworking of the tune makes me appreciate its melody more than I ever have.

Gratitude for a favorite cat II

One night last July, I heard a radio announcer say, "That's the thing about pets.  They're just here with us for about 15 or 16 years, and then..."

And then, after a pause, the station went to a commercial break.  I still wonder if the host left that sentence dangling on purpose or if she needed to regain her composure.  I wouldn't fault her either way.  I certainly wouldn't fault her today, as I recall my wonderful cat, Sylvia, whose life ended four years ago.