Gotta go!

You might have noticed a scarcity of new posts over the last few months. Well, I've been busy over at my main (community) blog site for my cartoon company, and all the activity has kept me away. I'm hoping with this move it'll get better.

So, new site, same quality songs. And good news, we'll still have an RSS feed. xxoo

Randy Newman >Louisiana 1927

As a music fan, here's an easy way to contribute to Gulf Coast relief. Nonesuch Records has recorded an exciting, brand new compilation of New Orleans related artists. And here's the original version of Randy Newman's Louisiana 1927, which was newly recorded with an orchestra for this CD.

From Amazon.com: Nonesuch Records is releasing a benefit album of newly recorded songs featuring artists from the New Orleans music community – across a wide variety of styles – to document the depth, richness and profound musicality of that unique city. Funds from the sale of the record, titled Our New Orleans, will be donated to Habitat For Humanity to aid those affected by the recent Hurricane Katrina disaster. A number of New Orleans’ best known musicians have been asked to record songs that are integral to their lives and that express their feelings about the city and the recent events there. Sessions began in New York on September 20, with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Wild Magnolias recording at Clinton Studios. Later the same day and on September 21, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band recorded at New York’s Avatar Studios. Further sessions in October included Dr. John, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Randy Newman, among others. Nonesuch’s parent company – Warner Bros. Records – is donating all of the production costs for this record, as part of the Warner Music Group’s larger efforts on behalf of the hurricane victims. Many others involved in the project are also generously donating their time and services.

Randy Newman >Louisiana 1927

Jackson 5 (Z-Trip remix) >I Want You Back
As susceptible as I am to the recycling of my youth (Alan and I did create Nick-at-Nite, after all), it seems completely out of hand, especially in the music biz. That being said, I love this track.

My friend Michael is someone I've mentioned here a few times. We met in high school on one of our first recording sessions (in his basement); Mike played guitar, me piano. I don't think I've mentioned he's been one of my inspirations ever since. Smart, stylish, talented. And his sense of music and musicians has always been one of my beacons, especially about guitars. He illuminated the fact that Eric Clapton was an original, not just a star. And that Steve Cropper's sound was the thing, not only the notes.

So when I heard the guitars at the beginning of Z-Trip's deconstruction of I Want You Back, I thought of Mike immediately. People finally seem to be over thinking these early Jackson 5 tracks are bubblegum or formula Motown, but the sophisticated production kind of drowns out just how funky the original was. What this mix has done is taken a track that is completely played out (at least to me, since it's been one of my faves for 35 years) and just perked it right up. And unlike too many of these attempts to revive baby boomer jazz and soul which completely destroy the rhythm of the originals, Z-Trip's kept the beat's integrity, and, in it's own way, this new version rocks just as hard.

I want to shout-out my friend Dario too, a DJ-turned-media-executive, who's continuing interest in dance music prompted me to actually post this thing, which I've been trying to do for two months.

Jackson 5 (Z-Trip remix) >I Want You Back

Miles Davis >In A Silent Way/It's About That Time (A large file.)
Joe Zawinul >In A Silent Way

The other day you were talking (and writing) about Joe Zawinul's Rise and Fall of the Third Stream. I don't think I've ever heard it, or don't remember it. My bad attitude wrongly avoided anything to do with "the third stream," and honestly, generally I avoid Zawinul. Which is funny, because some of my favorite melodies are his --Mercy Mercy Mercy, Birdland, In A Silent Way-- among others. But I never particularly loved his execution, his bands, his arrangements. They always struck me as forced, obvious, kind of corny. (Aside from my too common refrain that his personality in many interviews over the years made me wanna smack him in the face.)

And when you brought him up I instantly thought of In A Silent Way.

For years most everyone thought the 1969 Miles' version was the way Zawinul intended. Probably because anything Miles did was usually thought of as 'definitive.' Joe's take on Zawinul from 1970 has often been in my collection, but I think it was because I liked the photograph and album cover (when it was an LP and 12x12"). My memory was that I didn't care for Zawinul's own version. Well, today I listened again in anticipation of posting it.

I was wrong. Yes, it's a wonderful melody, but, it's also just a wonderful track. Every interpretation I have in my library (Joe's, Mark Isham's, and five mixes or takes by Miles) is wonderful in it's own way. Enjoy these. (A large file.)

Miles Davis >In A Silent Way/It's About That Time (A large file.)
Joe Zawinul >In A Silent Way

Keith Jarrett (& Jan Garbarek) >The Windup
Keith Jarrett > Blame It On My Youth/Meditation

My first midnight radio show on WKCR-FM was named after a Keith Jarrett LP (Life Between the Exit Signs) more because it was a hip name; I didn't really know too much about the music. I enjoyed seeing him with Miles Davis (and Steve Grossman, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, and Airto Moreira) in 1970 in Central Park, but that was really because of Miles. And I loved seeing him at the Mercer Arts Center in New York (before it collapsed) in 1973 during the tour to promote his innovative, stream of conciousness solo debut on ECM.

But as his success as a solo improviser flowered, he became such a fucking arrogant, pretentious fool I almost completely dismissed him. It wasn't the music, it was his attitude that was so completely off-putting.

So, on reflection the other day, I was surprised to see how often I put my feelings aside; there were at least a dozen CD's in my collection.

Here's two tracks that show why. He rocks, he cajoles, he caresses. He's really good.

Keith Jarrett (& Jan Garbarek) >The Windup
Keith Jarrett > Blame It On My Youth/Meditation

Petra Haden >I Can See For Miles
The Who >I Can See For Miles

When she was in the record business, my wife loved working with Petra Haden in That Dog. She also loves The Who. I've known Petra's dad Charlie for years, and his work during the 90s has been even greater than his work for the 30 years before (I posted some with Hank Jones and Pat Metheny earlier). And I love hit records, so I Can See For Miles is probably my favorite song by far on The Who Sell Out.

Petra Haden >I Can See For Miles
The Who >I Can See For Miles

Ray Charles >Oh, What a Beautiful Morning
Gordon McCrae >Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Before I heard Ray Charles do this song in 1981, Oh, What A Beautiful Morning was just another corny song from a musical. His version made it one of my favorite songs, showed me how Rodgers and Hammerstein could perfected match some words with a melody.

Last week was my 10 year old's end of the year school performance. His grade sang Oh, What a Beautiful Morning and it reminded me of Ray, so I played it for him afterward. Being the kind of kid he is, he wanted to hear the original. Even if I don't, he likes it better.

Ray Charles >Oh, What a Beautiful Morning
Gordon McCrae >Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Jimmy Webb >Worst That Could Happen
Glen Campbell >By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Philip Glass >Music with Changing Parts (this is a huge file: 56.5MB)

My musical friends are generally the hippest of the hipsters. Out jazz, Middle Eastern pop, the trippiest hop. One of the reasons they like me is that I can be pretty sharp with my taste too --after all, I did start my career producing Cecil Taylor records-- but they look very sad for me when I try to convince them to enjoy a genuine hit song.

So it's probably fitting that the two times I've gone to see live music in the last couple (!) of years (both in the last two weeks, by the way), the perfomances have spanned my complete horizon.

Our friend Jon Kane took a couple of years off from his day job as an amazing director to become one of the editors in the famous avant-garde Qatsi film triology by Godfrey Reggio (Koyaanisqatsi, Powwaqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi) with equally famous music by Philip Glass. Jon wanted some more art in his life, and his sheer talent caused Godfrey to promote him to lead editor and -- unprecedented in his pictures-- creative director. Jon was nice enough to invite Robin and I to the world premiere of Powwaqatsi with a live, synchronized performance by the Philip Glass Ensemble, and we were excited because neither of us had seen Philip live in decades. It reminded me how much interest I had lost in his music starting with Einstein on the Beach, but also how thrilled I was with his early pieces like Music in Similar Motion and Music with Changing Parts. Love the minimalism, but also using those rock'n'roll organs in such formal works.

From the sublime to the ridiculous, only my friend Roy would call to see if we wanted to see a cabaret performance of Jimmy Webb, featuring Glen Campbell. Having never given Jimmy Webb a second serious thought until about five years ago (when I discovered his solo piano and voice album Ten Easy Pieces; I'm a sucker for a composer singing his/her own songs, even if he/she can barely sing), we were intrigued, especially because Robin has always loved Glen Campbell (I suppose she needed a break from her work with Motley Crue). I had a great awakening to Glen's talent when I shot a playing/singing commercial with him about 25 years ago (he might be a jerk, but he is intensely gifted), so I was completely up for the show. It was underrehearsed and pretty ragged, but listening in a living room style set up at Feinstein's at the Regency made it a wonderful, unusal musical experience in a city where you sometimes get the feeling there's nothing fresh under the sun.

This track from the aforementioned Ten Easy Pieces was my great Webb revelation. Originally done in a overwrought Top 10 hit by the Brooklyn Bridge (with Johnny Maestro from the Crests) I must admit I absolutely adore the song in any version I've ever heard. (this is a huge file: 56.5MB)

OK, so I'm not such a hipster.

Philip Glass >Music with Changing Parts (this is a huge file: 56.5MB)
Glen Campbell >
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Jimmy Webb >Worst That Could Happen

Until now, this space has always been for posting an MP3 or three. But, as an antidote to the (admittedly fantantic) jazzer obsession with Reid Miles and the (admittedly fantastic) classic BlueNote album covers, I wanted to point out the also fantastic classic covers of one James Flora.

As is often the case with things visual, I knew Flora's work because it was in my molecules, in the air, rather than in my head. Then, my colleague Tim Biskup* came to work on my show Oh Yeah! Cartoons as a creator, background designer and (fantastic) painter, and started bringing in truckloads of his LP collection for reference and inspiration. He politely exported his passion and excitement for Jim's work, and, me being me, I became a huge fan. (Somehow, it's fitting to me that on my Amazon.com page, Tim's books come up when I search Flora.)

*Check out the fantastic postcard Tim painted for us at Oh Yeah! And, his own cartoon, too.

Cream >Sunshine of Your Love
Cream >Strange Brew

Three of my friends went to London last weekend for the Cream reunion. If I liked to travel maybe I would have gone too, because Cream was the only great band I feel like I missed seeing in person. The reviews were mixed, but everyone was so glad they were there. My favorite comment was about Ginger Baker ("He looked ancient then, so he didn't look a day older.") One of my friends said she was reminded of just how much it was Jack Bruce's band. And the other realized for the first time just what a democracy there were. Everyone loved Eric Clapton, as usual.

In 1967 & 68, my high school band was really good and pretty popular, playing soul covers, with the only black lead singer --my best friend Rodney-- in our very white suburb. Typically for the time, we had a guitar, bass, drums, Farfisa organ (me). We won almost every battle of the bands we entered.

Our last gig was in June 1968; Phil and Ray (our guitarist/singer and drummer/singer) were going off to Colgate in the fall. Once again, it was a battle with four or five local bands, one of them brand new. Over the past six months we'd attempted to go psychedelic, except we didn't do drugs, and we still loved soul music more than ... whoever.

And we got killed.

The new band wasn't playing the Young Rascals, they were doing Cream covers. Like Elvis, Little Richard, and the Beatles or Bob Dylan before, like Nirvana after... the day had changed.

Cream >Sunshine of Your Love
Cream >Strange Brew

B.J. Thomas >I Just Can't Help Believin'

Most of my friends can't really help believin' how much I love B.J. Thomas. Hell, Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head was a huge hit when I was a senior in high school, so, at first, I couldn't believe it either. And even though he's become a country, born-again superstar, not just the melodies, but the sound, the resonance of his hits keep ringing in my head. Some of the greatest pop producers of the 20th century (Huey Meaux [aka The Crazy Cajun], Burt Bacharach, Chips Moman) agree, B.J. Thomas is one of our greatest singers.

B.J. Thomas >I Just Can't Help Believin'

Miles Davis >Milestones
Miles Davis >Stuff (watch it, a large file)

Not any easy claim I think, but these are two perfect tracks.

In the first blush love of jazz, I used to say that left on the proverbial desert island, just give me my Ray Charles records, and my Miles records. Today, I'd be happy only with Ray's (he's got jazz records and blues records and pop records), but, much as I've found myself to be bored with a lot of Miles stuff (of all his eras, not just the later years, as a lot of his critics would have it), there are enough really perfect tracks (I do not use the word 'perfect' lightly either) to burn at least 3 or 4 perfect CDs (and probably enough just great tracks for another 5).

My two favorite perfects bookend Miles' greatness, they're sort of at the center of the wonder of his greatest periods.

Milestones is straight jazz at it's straightest. Rockin', swingin', singable, and memorable. Fun. Simple and/or complex, depending on how you look at it. This one came out of the 'hard bop' moment and swung us right into the modal one.

Stuff: Sharp observers in 1968 took Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter playing electric instruments as clear evidence that Miles had gone 'rock' (and lots of formerly sharp folk proved themselves to be hopeless square); they understood that Miles was on the first step of the journey that led to the amazing-ness of In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, and Jack Johnson. Me, on the other hand, I was completely clueless. Stuff sounded completely jazzy and soft, even a little cocktail-ish. My hippest friend Michael told me Miles Davis was the thing, Miles in the Sky cost me one penny from the Columbia Record Club (the only way I thought I could afford LPs), so I gave it a play a day for at least six months before I could hear it. And now that I know that the music is perfect, it makes me wonder just how thick my pop music obsession had made my shell.

(By the way, the covers I picked were of the great original albums that introduced these tracks, Milestones and Miles in the Sky. For the big fan, I'd probably also suggest the box sets that include everything from the periods: The Complete Columbia Recordings: Miles Davis & John Coltrane and Miles Davis Quintet: The Complete Columbia Studio Sessions, 1965-68.)

Miles Davis >Milestones
Miles Davis >Stuff (watch it, a large file)

Geez, I love this band.

They're smart, fun, rockin', goofy, sophisticated, modern, retro, pop-y, weird, somehow all at once. When I've been attracted to an artist for eclecticism, eventually I get bored because there's often no center, no core. These guys belie that lack; NRBQ know who they are, and we do to. Somehow. I don't know how they've done it.

Sending you Johnny Cash's Get Rhythm made me think of NRBQ all over again. They're the first ones I heard play it (on my favorite At Yankee Stadium, their 6th of over 20+ albums), before we knew what 'roots' music was. Originally, with their first LP in '69, I thought it was cute they'd cover Sun Ra's Rocket No. 9 and put lyrics to Carla Bley's Ida Lupino, but other than that never paid them nevermind. And I thought it was curious they backed up Carl Perkins on Boppin' the Blues, and hilarious that on the same LP they wrote and recorded a homage to the Three Stooges, Dr.Howard, Dr.Fine, Dr.Howard. I thought Scraps had a neat album cover and I loved the opening track, Howard Johnson's Got His Hojo Working, a reworking of the old Muddy blues riff. By this point I guess they were a funny, groovy curiosity. Then I saw them at New York's Bottom Line, and I got the dose that clubgoers up and down the East have been talking about for 35 years. Sure they've got one of the best, funniest, liveliest club acts you could imagine, but I've never seen a band go from rock to rockabilly to 40s pop to avant garde jazz to who knows and then back again. These guys could play the piss out of anything --anything!-- play it well, and have a great time doing it.

None of them sing all that well, but their voices are perfect for the songs they write, and for the way they play. Joey Spampinato's bass holds the band down, and he writes light, nice songs that always make me feel good (and he was the bass player on the Chuck Berry tribute movie, Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll, and he was married to country legend Skeeter Davis). Al Anderson's guitar has a chunky rollicking sound, he's got a slightly ripped voice (he finally quit the band after decades, relocated to Nashville, and I hear he's a successful songwriter and producer).

And then there's Terry. Terry Adams plays piano and clavinet. You can't tell if he plays like Professor Longhair, Cecil Taylor, Little Richard, or Thelonious Monk. He mainly plays like himself. His voice is reedy, a little thin, but he can sing his power pop, or any of the other wildly broad selection of songs he brings to the band. He's a complete madman, as anyone who's seen him play can tell you, and I always felt he was entirely bent, stoned, looney, and somehow, vulnerable and hurt.

(I was the road manager and soundman for Carla Bley when she first took her big band on the road in 1977. Imagine my surprise when I found out Terry Adams was the pianist [Carla played organ]. He was a great guy, soft spoken, but he brought incredible musicianship to the band, an exhuberant and carefree showmanship to the stage.)

I wanted to play you a song, in two tracks, that shows a lot of what Terry (and NRBQ) was about. I always liked Yes, Yes, Yes, from 1978. It was a pop-y type, ballad, but I always wondered how he could use such a Monk-ish, broken melody line, sing to it, harmonize to it. Then in 1995 comes Terry's only solo album, Terrible, an instrumental, jazz album on the avant label New World, featuring trombonist Roswell Rudd (another alumni of Carla's first touring band), and, lo and behold, a track called Yes, Yes, Yes. Yes, it's the same song, done like Monk would have done it. Yikes.

So, there it is. Think I like these guys? Look, they didn't make it for a reason. Their albums are often a mess, with a lot of ill considered, ill conceived tracks. They really can't sing, even though I love their voices. And I've heard excruciating stories of the the things they've done to undermine any possible success. But, hey, that's their business. The Rhino collection sort of starts to capture it, the live records give you a taste, these tracks here are kind of cool. But who knows? Will you like them? Don't know.

NRBQ >Get Rhythm
NRBQ >Green Lights
NRBQ >I Love Her, She Loves Me
NRBQ >It Comes to Me Naturally
NRBQ >Rocket No. 9
NRBQ >Dr Howard, Dr Fine, Dr Howard

NRBQ >Yes, Yes Yes
Terry Adams >Yes, Yes, Yes

Happy New Year!

It probably seems funny to see these two covers together, and maybe it'll be funny to you to hear them together too, but, not to me. They're both spare, gorgeous, and authentic. That might not surprise you about the Hooker, but it's just as true about the Hepburn.

The Hooker is cool because he's not really singing. Just playing and moaning. That moaning makes these my favorite John Lee I 've ever heard. And the wacky juxtaposition of having Miles Davis on the track (and Taj Mahal) just complete it. Dennis Hopper put this trio together with his friend arranger Jack Nietze for his not-so-great movie The Hot Spot (itself from a much cooler book, Hell Hath No Fury , renamed The Hot Spot for the movie tie-in--whew!). Dennis told me once (this conversation is another story completely) that Miles and John Lee and Jack Nietze were his dream group and the movie gave him the excuse to get them all together. Well, for me, it works like crazy. All the tracks together are one of my favorite CDs.

There's not too much I can tell you about the Audrey Hepburn. To me, it's just beautiful. (A friend of mine started this now failed record company to put out music from movies - full scores, songs, whatever. This Audrey one contains various cuts by Henry Mancini [obviously], Nelson Riddle, John Williams, and a lot of other great movie composers.)

By the way, my favorite melody of the month is the commercials running from Campbell's Soup called "Possibilities." (I know you don't watch TV and I can't find it on the web, so you'll just have to imagine a neat tune.)

John Lee Hooker >Coming to Town

Audrey Hepburn >Moon River

I can't say that I ever loved Johnny Cash, even after I briefly worked with him on a commercial in the late 70s. He had everything I loved --a great story, a real voice, good songs, he independently went his own American way-- so maybe it's just my northeastern prejudice against "country" music. And I've been finding more and more tracks I really like over the years, spurred on by the Rick Rubin American series.

But I have to say I love this track. (Strangely enough I discovered it on an NRBQ's Yankee Stadium, a wonderful LP with a great cover of "Get Rhythm" sung by Al Anderson.) It rocks, it rolls, it swings. Who needs more?

Johnny Cash >Get Rhythm

While i was on a conference call i searched my library and came up with some Paris tracks (though a couple have that Parisian heartbreak theme, I left out the really dreary ones).

Reuben Wilson >The Last Tango in Paris

Teddy Wilson >April in Paris

The Four Freshman >Lonely Night in Paris

And also, here's a fitting Isley's track for your trip.

The Isley Bros >Live It Up Pts 1 & 2

So here's some great music:

Hank Jones is one of the considerable jazz pianists. (His brother was Elvin Jones, the drummer in John Coltrane's great band. His other brother was Thad Jones, a respected trumpter, composer & bandleader). Hank was one of the most dependable pianists of the 40s, he spent 25 years in the CBS studios, and I produced his comeback record in 1977, Bop Redux, which got us my only Grammy nomination.

Bloomdido is one of my favorite tracks from that LP.

Anyhow, he made this amazing duet CD about ten years ago with bassist Charlie Haden. It's called Steal Away: Spirituals, Hymns, and Folk Songs. It is truly sublime. I was raised as a
Presbytarian so I recognize a bunch of the hymns (don't know if the Catholics share them), but whether you know them or not, you can't miss with these tracks.

Charlie Haden & Hank Jones >It's Me, O Lord (Standin' In The Need Of Prayer)

Charlie Haden & Hank Jones >Hymn Medley

Charlie Haden Hank's duet partner, got famous in the 60s as an avant-garde bassist with Ornette Coleman, and then his Liberation Music Orchestra that played Spanish and Cuban revolutionary songs (arranged by Carla Bley, by the way). After he quit heroin, he's become one of the most reliable, interesting guys around. Each of his records has a brand new look at how to play music (fitting, I think, since he started as a country musician and singer as a five year old with his family's country act before becoming a jazzman). He's done a series of duet records over the last 30 years, with the Hank one being my favorite. But close behind...

I generally am completely bored by Pat Metheny (jazz guitars are not my faves). But this duet record with Charlie is totally wonderful. The track I picked is from 'Two for the Road' the great romantic movie by Stanley Donen and the beautifully melodic title song was written by Henry Mancini (who, weirdly enough, has become one of my raves of the last 6 or 7 years, but more on that another time).

Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny >Two for the Road

Taj Mahal >She Caught the Katy

I need to regain my credibility.

In 1969, my new best friend's dad was an executive at Columbia Records. In an unbelievable turn of events for music freaks, every weekend he would give us two tickets to the Fillmore East in New York. The Fillmore was nearing it's peak; at least two A level acts every show, top ticket prices were $5.50 (still too much for a high school senior), and not every seat was sold in the 3000 seat auditorium. And the Joshua Light Show. My friend knew a lot more about the acts than I did (he was a great musician himself, and his father's access gave him a lot of information), but I'd go every week even if I hadn't heard of anyone on the bill; the Fillmore's credibility was such that I just knew I'd learn something. (It was a bonding experience with my friend that has served us well for 35 years.)

The last weekend in April was a case in point. I thought 'Taj Mahal' was a building, James Cotton had to be cool (he was older, black, and in a blues band), and I thought I couldn't stand Joni Mitchell. (It's for another post, but when Joni came out in a long, red velour, dress and sang her first song accapella, I had to throw out all my bad attitudes towards 'chick' singer-songwriters.)

My friend had just met Taj at his father's office and said his record was cool. The band opened the night and Taj and Jesse Ed Davis, his guitarist, blew me away. They still do. This track is my favorite from that period, and I'm sure if I Googled it, I would know the blues history of what the hell "she caught the katy" means.

Taj Mahal >She Caught the Katy

(By the way, it's funny what comes up when you search Amazon for Taj Mahal.)

The Byrds >Kathleen's Song [alternative mix]
Josh Ritter >Kathleen

My life is so pathetic, and my music addiction so great, that here's a posting with two tracks I've never heard and don't have enough time so I can listen. And I do these posts at night with everyone in my family asleep, so there no way right now to know what they sound like.

But they were in my library, my wife loves the Byrds, and you're the namesake for the site.

The Byrds >Kathleen's Song [alternative mix]
Josh Ritter >Kathleen