Jan & Dean ! The Beach Boys ! James Brown! Chuck Berry! Marvin Gaye! Lesly Gore ! Gerry and the Pacemakers! The Barbarians ! (?) As the hype read back in 1964, when the Teen Age Music International concert was staged in Santa Monica, "It's The Greatest,Grooviest,Wildest, Most Exciting Beat Blast Ever To Pound The Screen!!!!" Looking at the show the other night with my longtime musical amigo "Shade" Melton, I was amazed at how well the performances were captured relative to technology c. 1964. Apparently, various disputes over - you know - money held up release of the DVD until last month.
I've seen Chuck Berry three times and James Brown twice, so I'm familiar with the energy they exude in every show. Both of these musical legends were in rare form. I've already documented what made JB bigger than life - his spins, his shrieks, his grunts, growls, groans and his soul-drenched ballads of thwarted love balanced by the uptempo funk dedicated to sex - "Hot Pants", "Cold Sweat"- or the occasional political commentary - "Say It Loud- I'm Black and I'm Proud", "Funky President". All the moves are captured here for future generations, including my favorite "cape" routine - the Godfather of Soul is so overcome with misery, begging his woman to take him back, that he sinks to his knees, collapsing, exhausted, every last drop of angst squeezed out of his soul, only to suddenly stumble to his feet, throwing off the fur fringed cape that his handler has placed reverently on his shoulders, ready to beg for his love just one more time - a routine that would be repeated at least twice at the end of JB's extravaganza, the first farewell occurring when Soul Brother Number One finally allows himself to be guided offstage before the audience screams for more. Chuck Berry opened the show , already a legend in 1964, grinning slyly as he waltzes through "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybelline" and - ironically - "Sweet Little Sixteen." As if to illustrate the music industry practice of constantly stealing other performers' material, The Beach Boys open up their segment a few minutes later with "Surfin' USA" , set to the melody of - guess what? - "Sweet Little Sixteen." The movie "Cadillac Records" chronicles Berry's discovery that he has been ripped off, the implication being that black artists can never be popular without a white artist "covering" their tunes.
The Wilson Brothers, Mike Love and Al Jardine are pure California, striped shirts, white jeans and floppy hair advertising sun, fun and surfing. They run through"I Get Around" as well as one of the best slow dancing tunes from that era - "Surfer Girl" ("In My Room" is even better). Brian Wilson is front and center, grinning and strumming, and - according to Shade - about six weeks away from freaking out and retreating to his bedroom sandbox, his fifteen minutes effectively over.
The Barbarians were included in the line-up much to my surprise, although not performing their biggest hit "Are You A Boy or Are You A Girl?" , but featuring their star one-armed drummer Moulty, the best known member of the Cape Cod based band. Motown is ably represented by a young Marvin Gaye as well as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, both performers at the beginning of their long and successful careers, the most remarkable part of their appearances being the fact that black and white artists are together in the same show, breaking the racial barriers that were still firmly in place in the mid 1960s. Lesley Gore's New Jersey teenaged angst is amply represented with an appearance that seems to go on interminably until she finally sings "It's My Party". The TAMI show also included the Rolling Stones, a last minute addition, along with Gerry and the Pacemakers.
TAMI was hosted by those bleached blonde California endless summer surfing dudes Jan & Dean. It was worth watching TAMI just to hear "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" again, but I would have preferred "Deadman's Curve". The show predates music videos, sampling and the other trends in today's music, showcasing live, unedited talent, which to me is the best test of a performers' ability. You can do anything in the studio, but once you're live and onstage, there's no turning back. These performers demonstrated that they never lost sight of one of those important components in the music business that is frequently neglected these days - the audience.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Joe Auger Unplugged
Joe Auger doesn't have much time to spare from his duties as Media Services Manager at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. When he isn't handling and troubleshooting equipment, Joe devotes his spare hours to his second love: music. He is an unabashed Monkees and Beatles fan. BSRR managed to get Joe to slow down long enough recently to explain:
JOE AUGER:
My first musical memory is of Mickey Dolenz singing "I'm A Believer" and I would have been almost 2 years old when it first came out. As my sister was a big Monkees and Beatles fan, I was exposed to both groups both musically and visually.
BSRR:
What was it about the Beatles/Monkees sound that attracted you as a kid?
JOE AUGER:
The things that caught my ears for both bands were the vocals and harmonies especially and also the drums which were my first instrumental obsession! Vocally, between all of the members , there are very distinct sounds and styles of singing that when harmonizing together create this whole other unearthly sound that is like food from the Gods! I could subsist eternally on the harmonies of "Nowhere Man" or "Pleasant Valley Sunday"!
BSRR:
What instruments do you play beside the drums?
JOE AUGER:
Primarily guitars and other stringed instruments but also bass,drums, keyboards,saxes, flute,clarinet, and cello.
BSRR:
I guess when it comes to studio time, you are sort of a one man band.
JOE AUGER:
I know the rudiments of how to play most instruments so though I am not proficient on any one thing I can create a part and then learn to play it for the recordings.
BSRR:
How would you describe the local music scene in Rhode Island?
JOE AUGER:
The local scene is fairly scattered as there are not the venues to play that there used to be. There is a bit of an open mike culture.
BSRR:
How often do you practice?
JOE AUGER:
I don't practice a lot to be frank. I rehearse with the band Anne's Cordial that I play percussion for but my own stuff tends to get worked out at the open mike that I host on Wednesdays at the Everyman in Providence
Speaking of recordings, Joe has four available on his my space page - "Love (And Such)", "The Invisible Years", "Taken Monaurally" and "Taken Aurally". Before you categorize Joe's musical tastes as "totally pop", you might want to check his "desert island" list of top 20 albums ranging from The Moody Blues to Black Sabbath. He also pays homage to Tim Buckley's "Happy Sad" , Syd Barrett's "Madcap Laughs", and "We're Only In It For The Money" by the Mothers of Invention. All three artists have subcultural status, Buckley drowning in - of all places - the Mississippi River outside Memphis just as his career was starting to take off, Barrett teetering between insanity and genius as co-creator of Pink Floyd, and Zappa's relentless pursuit of stitching together musicians and modes to come up with something original.
Check out Joe Auger's extensive collection of music,musings ,videos and a lot more at www.myspace.com/joeauger. With the music industry fragmenting and the availability of social media, talented independent artists like Joe Auger are creating a very viable alternative to the Billboard "charts".
Just remember that, when it comes to Joe's "day" job, - as Bo Diddley puts it:" Don't judge a book by looking at the cover" !!!
JOE AUGER:
My first musical memory is of Mickey Dolenz singing "I'm A Believer" and I would have been almost 2 years old when it first came out. As my sister was a big Monkees and Beatles fan, I was exposed to both groups both musically and visually.
BSRR:
What was it about the Beatles/Monkees sound that attracted you as a kid?
JOE AUGER:
The things that caught my ears for both bands were the vocals and harmonies especially and also the drums which were my first instrumental obsession! Vocally, between all of the members , there are very distinct sounds and styles of singing that when harmonizing together create this whole other unearthly sound that is like food from the Gods! I could subsist eternally on the harmonies of "Nowhere Man" or "Pleasant Valley Sunday"!
BSRR:
What instruments do you play beside the drums?
JOE AUGER:
Primarily guitars and other stringed instruments but also bass,drums, keyboards,saxes, flute,clarinet, and cello.
BSRR:
I guess when it comes to studio time, you are sort of a one man band.
JOE AUGER:
I know the rudiments of how to play most instruments so though I am not proficient on any one thing I can create a part and then learn to play it for the recordings.
BSRR:
How would you describe the local music scene in Rhode Island?
JOE AUGER:
The local scene is fairly scattered as there are not the venues to play that there used to be. There is a bit of an open mike culture.
BSRR:
How often do you practice?
JOE AUGER:
I don't practice a lot to be frank. I rehearse with the band Anne's Cordial that I play percussion for but my own stuff tends to get worked out at the open mike that I host on Wednesdays at the Everyman in Providence
Speaking of recordings, Joe has four available on his my space page - "Love (And Such)", "The Invisible Years", "Taken Monaurally" and "Taken Aurally". Before you categorize Joe's musical tastes as "totally pop", you might want to check his "desert island" list of top 20 albums ranging from The Moody Blues to Black Sabbath. He also pays homage to Tim Buckley's "Happy Sad" , Syd Barrett's "Madcap Laughs", and "We're Only In It For The Money" by the Mothers of Invention. All three artists have subcultural status, Buckley drowning in - of all places - the Mississippi River outside Memphis just as his career was starting to take off, Barrett teetering between insanity and genius as co-creator of Pink Floyd, and Zappa's relentless pursuit of stitching together musicians and modes to come up with something original.
Check out Joe Auger's extensive collection of music,musings ,videos and a lot more at www.myspace.com/joeauger. With the music industry fragmenting and the availability of social media, talented independent artists like Joe Auger are creating a very viable alternative to the Billboard "charts".
Just remember that, when it comes to Joe's "day" job, - as Bo Diddley puts it:" Don't judge a book by looking at the cover" !!!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February Blues
There are a lot of different topics that come to mind that I wanted to write about this month but I just couldn't settle on one subject. I started writing about love songs, but it was really just an excuse to repeat the lyrics to "Love Stinks". I actually just got two new CDS by Guitar Shorty and the Holmes Brothers - courtesy of Alligator - that I'm going to review. But it is hard to go through February without reconsidering the Station nightclub fire.
Seven years after the fact, I still can't believe it happened. It still seems surreal, unbelievable, unfathomable that so much carnage could happen so fast and so stupidly. A settlement has been reached for $176 million to be divided among the various parties - according to the Providence Journal - which is society's way of saying: "It's not important whose fault it is - take the money and run." Funny how nobody's responsible for anything any more - no one has to apologize or admit or acknowledge guilt. Every time there is a needless tragedy these days, the cause and effect become swallowed up by a tidal wave of empathy. We seem to spend more time absolving ourselves than being accountable.
To me, someone needs to be accountable for the 100 lives that were snuffed out, one of them being Mike Gonsalves, better known as "Gonzo" , renowned for his sense of humor, his zest for life , his willingness to help others, and - of course - his addiction to "metal" music. If you've read previous posts, you know that I hired Gonzo as an intern from Rhode Island College at WHJY. I guess the only way to rationalize his too short existence is to say that he died doing what he loved best. That doesn't excuse the laid-back mentality that allowed Great White's "crew" to think that they somehow had permission to fire off explosives directly into flammable material in a closed space, the slipshod chain of communication supposedly conveying permission from club management.
As with most Great American Tragedies, the media initially milks it for all it's worth, wringing out every graphic ounce of flesh, squeezing blood from every pore until the next horrific nightmare commands its attention, the newest calamity hopefully topping the last one. Seven years later, all that's left for the Station victims/survivors is a lot of sleepless nights, pain, suffering and eventually, once the lawyers skim off the fees, a little cash. The attention has been diverted from the fact that devastating fires, shootings and riots still occur routinely in cramped, windowless , crowded clubs around the world, making me wonder how many other Station - type disasters are simply waiting to happen.
Seven years after the fact, I still can't believe it happened. It still seems surreal, unbelievable, unfathomable that so much carnage could happen so fast and so stupidly. A settlement has been reached for $176 million to be divided among the various parties - according to the Providence Journal - which is society's way of saying: "It's not important whose fault it is - take the money and run." Funny how nobody's responsible for anything any more - no one has to apologize or admit or acknowledge guilt. Every time there is a needless tragedy these days, the cause and effect become swallowed up by a tidal wave of empathy. We seem to spend more time absolving ourselves than being accountable.
To me, someone needs to be accountable for the 100 lives that were snuffed out, one of them being Mike Gonsalves, better known as "Gonzo" , renowned for his sense of humor, his zest for life , his willingness to help others, and - of course - his addiction to "metal" music. If you've read previous posts, you know that I hired Gonzo as an intern from Rhode Island College at WHJY. I guess the only way to rationalize his too short existence is to say that he died doing what he loved best. That doesn't excuse the laid-back mentality that allowed Great White's "crew" to think that they somehow had permission to fire off explosives directly into flammable material in a closed space, the slipshod chain of communication supposedly conveying permission from club management.
As with most Great American Tragedies, the media initially milks it for all it's worth, wringing out every graphic ounce of flesh, squeezing blood from every pore until the next horrific nightmare commands its attention, the newest calamity hopefully topping the last one. Seven years later, all that's left for the Station victims/survivors is a lot of sleepless nights, pain, suffering and eventually, once the lawyers skim off the fees, a little cash. The attention has been diverted from the fact that devastating fires, shootings and riots still occur routinely in cramped, windowless , crowded clubs around the world, making me wonder how many other Station - type disasters are simply waiting to happen.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Elvis: The Low Point?
After unsuccessfully resisting the urge to begin this post with a really bad Elvis Presley joke ( "What was Elvis' last hit?" - "The floor" (I don't have to explain that, do I?) ) I decided I should be charitable and try to address Elvis' impact on culture. Ironically, the textbook I use for my mass media classes identifies Elvis' appearence on Ed Sullivan as the high point of "low" culture. You've probably heard the "high" and "low" labels before but the labels are pretty transparent - "high" means museums, dance recitals, symphonies , Shakespearean plays - culture with a capital "C" - while "low" means professional wrestling, pop music, reality TV - culture for the so-called masses. This model held up pretty well when there was a vast socio-economic gap between the "high" and "low" classes, but it doesn't carry as much weight with the advent of the dominant middle class. Most of us are trapped in the morass of "middle" America, the suburban stew of credit cards, college loans and adjustable rate mortgages.
I certainly would never label Elvis Presley as "low" culture, mainly because I've always felt that any successful artist needs recognition in the marketplace to be respected; from my point of view, that makes Elvis' transition from a Mississippi shack to a Memphis mansion more significant than Michelangelo fawning for the Pope so he could finish the Sistine Chapel. Presley's stage persona appealed to wholesome white kids in the 50s because he was the personification of "race" music - a white man with a black voice.
The mushrooming middle class ( its growth fueled by the plethora of consumer products and the American postwar economy) adapted Elvis. They watched him grow from the skinny kid who just happened to cut "That's Alright" on the flip side of a record he was making for his Mama at Sun Records to a relentless performer enthroned in that mecca of middle class dreams - Las Vegas. Presley's life mirrored their experiences - he got drafted, he got married, he settled down with children, he got divorced, he dabbled with alcohol and drugs - reinforcing their shared identity.
When the crowd gathered at Graceland earlier this month to celebrate Elvis Presley's 75th birthday, they weren't concerned with "high" or "low" culture. Instead, they were mourning the death of a true middle class icon, the first man to bring the sound of the ghetto to Levittown.
I certainly would never label Elvis Presley as "low" culture, mainly because I've always felt that any successful artist needs recognition in the marketplace to be respected; from my point of view, that makes Elvis' transition from a Mississippi shack to a Memphis mansion more significant than Michelangelo fawning for the Pope so he could finish the Sistine Chapel. Presley's stage persona appealed to wholesome white kids in the 50s because he was the personification of "race" music - a white man with a black voice.
The mushrooming middle class ( its growth fueled by the plethora of consumer products and the American postwar economy) adapted Elvis. They watched him grow from the skinny kid who just happened to cut "That's Alright" on the flip side of a record he was making for his Mama at Sun Records to a relentless performer enthroned in that mecca of middle class dreams - Las Vegas. Presley's life mirrored their experiences - he got drafted, he got married, he settled down with children, he got divorced, he dabbled with alcohol and drugs - reinforcing their shared identity.
When the crowd gathered at Graceland earlier this month to celebrate Elvis Presley's 75th birthday, they weren't concerned with "high" or "low" culture. Instead, they were mourning the death of a true middle class icon, the first man to bring the sound of the ghetto to Levittown.
Friday, January 1, 2010
L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble 12/31/09
With all the confusion in the music industry as the record labels continue to grapple with the impact of i-Pods, ringtones, downloads and the demise of radio, it's refreshing to hear a local live performance like that of the L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble, who played on New Year's Eve as part of Bright Night Providence at the Mathewson Street Church. This is pure entertainment, music without the incessant hype, people who play together on their own time strictly for enjoyment. The concert was an electic mix of genres and styles adapted for strings, presided over by Josh Bell , Concertmaster of the Providence Mandolin Orchestra and Director of the L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble. BSRR spoke with Josh after the show.
BSRR:
Can you tell me how the orchestra started and when you got involved in it?
JOSH BELL:
Hibbard Perry was a mandolin and guitar teacher back in the late "Teens" and early 1920s. Starting in 1923, he began to conduct the first version of the Providence Mandolin Orchestra which he conducted until the popularity of the mandolin faded in 1939-1940. It was his dream from 1940 on to re-form this kind of music and we started playing together in 1971-72.
BSRR:
I've been told that Providence has a long standing association with the mandolin.
JOSH:
Giuseppe Pettini came to this country in the late 1880s as one of the first Italians to emigrate to America. He was already an accomplished mandolinist in Italy and when he arrived here (in Providence), he was probably in his late teens. He lied about his age and continued to lie about it until he was in his late 90s or early 100s. He died in 1966. In fact, his grandnephew is a member of our ensemble.
BSRR:
What are the different components of the mandolin orchestra?
JOSH:
Very much like a string orchestra. We have the second mandolins (which) play the same parts as first and second violins. We have a section of mandola players and a mandocello which is tuned the same as a cello in a string orchestra. A mandobass is tuned the same as a bass in string orchestra. We also have a guitar section.
BSRR:
How much classical material do you perform?
JOSH:
We do a lot of classical stuff. This program was designed more for a New Year's Eve celebration. The biggest market for classical music today is in TV and movie scores and commercials so it's not a stretch for us to be playing music that becomes popular in that way.
BSRR:
Just like John Williams.
JOSH:
I first played a John Williams number when I was in the seventh grade. He had written a piece for high school band that we played back in the 60s. He's just kept going.
BSRR:
One of the selections you did tonight was the "James Bond theme". What was the lawsuit you referred to during the introduction?
JOSH:
That piece was originally written for an Indian picture "A House For Mr. Biswa". The song from that movie featured that "dum de dum - dum" riff. When it was brought over to the James Bond theme, it was never actually given a name.
BSRR:
How about the theme from "The Magnificent 7"?
JOSH:
I think Duane - one of our mandolin players - found it first and said - 'Hey, why don't we play that one'?
(Other selections included "Ghostbusters", "Lady Madonna", and "Nutcracker Suite" - Editor's Note)
BSRR:
What message do you have for mandolin afcionadoes in relation to the future of the instrument and the popularity of the music?
JOSH:
The number one thing about the mandolin is it's an instrument that's accessible for people who want to play music. It's mostly about the joy of playing with other people. It's a very welcoming community of players. Within a year or two, almost anybody can find a group that they can play with and have a lot of fun making music.
Come to think of it, especially as we embark on a new decade, isn't that really what music is about?
BSRR:
Can you tell me how the orchestra started and when you got involved in it?
JOSH BELL:
Hibbard Perry was a mandolin and guitar teacher back in the late "Teens" and early 1920s. Starting in 1923, he began to conduct the first version of the Providence Mandolin Orchestra which he conducted until the popularity of the mandolin faded in 1939-1940. It was his dream from 1940 on to re-form this kind of music and we started playing together in 1971-72.
BSRR:
I've been told that Providence has a long standing association with the mandolin.
JOSH:
Giuseppe Pettini came to this country in the late 1880s as one of the first Italians to emigrate to America. He was already an accomplished mandolinist in Italy and when he arrived here (in Providence), he was probably in his late teens. He lied about his age and continued to lie about it until he was in his late 90s or early 100s. He died in 1966. In fact, his grandnephew is a member of our ensemble.
BSRR:
What are the different components of the mandolin orchestra?
JOSH:
Very much like a string orchestra. We have the second mandolins (which) play the same parts as first and second violins. We have a section of mandola players and a mandocello which is tuned the same as a cello in a string orchestra. A mandobass is tuned the same as a bass in string orchestra. We also have a guitar section.
BSRR:
How much classical material do you perform?
JOSH:
We do a lot of classical stuff. This program was designed more for a New Year's Eve celebration. The biggest market for classical music today is in TV and movie scores and commercials so it's not a stretch for us to be playing music that becomes popular in that way.
BSRR:
Just like John Williams.
JOSH:
I first played a John Williams number when I was in the seventh grade. He had written a piece for high school band that we played back in the 60s. He's just kept going.
BSRR:
One of the selections you did tonight was the "James Bond theme". What was the lawsuit you referred to during the introduction?
JOSH:
That piece was originally written for an Indian picture "A House For Mr. Biswa". The song from that movie featured that "dum de dum - dum" riff. When it was brought over to the James Bond theme, it was never actually given a name.
BSRR:
How about the theme from "The Magnificent 7"?
JOSH:
I think Duane - one of our mandolin players - found it first and said - 'Hey, why don't we play that one'?
(Other selections included "Ghostbusters", "Lady Madonna", and "Nutcracker Suite" - Editor's Note)
BSRR:
What message do you have for mandolin afcionadoes in relation to the future of the instrument and the popularity of the music?
JOSH:
The number one thing about the mandolin is it's an instrument that's accessible for people who want to play music. It's mostly about the joy of playing with other people. It's a very welcoming community of players. Within a year or two, almost anybody can find a group that they can play with and have a lot of fun making music.
Come to think of it, especially as we embark on a new decade, isn't that really what music is about?
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Blue(s) From Santa
What - still confused over what to get your favorite blues fan for Christmas ? Here's some suggested stocking stuffers that might be a better choice than that tie with the really irritating color scheme or another reindeer sweater:
1. Hard Believer - Tommy Castro - Alligator
I first heard Tommy Castro's music back in the 90s courtesy of an exhibitor in the trade shows I used to run and liked his music from the start - uptempo, bluesy and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. His latest ranges from the energetic mix of horns and guitar solos a la Jimi Hendrix on "Monkey's Paradise" to the straight ahead, flat out road runner flavor of "Make It Back To Memphis" with solid blues ballads like "Backup Plan" and "It Is What It Is", not to mention my favorite new theme song of the economic meltdown - "Trimmin' Fat". or Castro's soul drenched version of "Ninety Nine and a Half".
2. The Blues Rolls On - Elvin Bishop - Delta Groove
Elvin Bishop probably deserves an "I'm Still Here" lifetime award , or at least a few pats on the back for outliving most of the members of the original Paul Butterfield band, not to mention his stint on the Billboard charts with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love". Bishop knows how to put a song together as evidenced by the presence of - surprise - Tommy Castro, James Cotton, George Thorogood,B.B. King and others on his latest. My personal favorite is "Who's The Fool?" featuring John Nemeth and Kid Anderson. BB King and "Lucille" help Elvin pay homage to Roy Milton and a bit of BB's past in "Keep A Dollar in Your Pocket". Bishop's rendition of Ray Charles' "Night Time Is The Right Time" , "Yonders Wall" , and the title cut are all worth a listen.
3. Acquired Taste - Delbert McClinton - New West Records
Delbert McClinton is another blues survivor, although my favorite Delbert tune - "Shakey Ground" - is more funk than blues. The tune that first caught my ear from"Acquired" is one called "Can't Nobody Say I Didn't Try", featuring a tear-drenched vocal accompanied by a Nashville sounding slide guitar that punctuates the late night lyrics about love lost. "I Need To Know" , "Mama's Little Baby" , and "Starting A Rumor" are just a few examples of Delbert's ability to borrow from country,blues , soul and even a little jazz, a testament to his extensive talent.
More next week - I have to go shopping.
1. Hard Believer - Tommy Castro - Alligator
I first heard Tommy Castro's music back in the 90s courtesy of an exhibitor in the trade shows I used to run and liked his music from the start - uptempo, bluesy and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. His latest ranges from the energetic mix of horns and guitar solos a la Jimi Hendrix on "Monkey's Paradise" to the straight ahead, flat out road runner flavor of "Make It Back To Memphis" with solid blues ballads like "Backup Plan" and "It Is What It Is", not to mention my favorite new theme song of the economic meltdown - "Trimmin' Fat". or Castro's soul drenched version of "Ninety Nine and a Half".
2. The Blues Rolls On - Elvin Bishop - Delta Groove
Elvin Bishop probably deserves an "I'm Still Here" lifetime award , or at least a few pats on the back for outliving most of the members of the original Paul Butterfield band, not to mention his stint on the Billboard charts with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love". Bishop knows how to put a song together as evidenced by the presence of - surprise - Tommy Castro, James Cotton, George Thorogood,B.B. King and others on his latest. My personal favorite is "Who's The Fool?" featuring John Nemeth and Kid Anderson. BB King and "Lucille" help Elvin pay homage to Roy Milton and a bit of BB's past in "Keep A Dollar in Your Pocket". Bishop's rendition of Ray Charles' "Night Time Is The Right Time" , "Yonders Wall" , and the title cut are all worth a listen.
3. Acquired Taste - Delbert McClinton - New West Records
Delbert McClinton is another blues survivor, although my favorite Delbert tune - "Shakey Ground" - is more funk than blues. The tune that first caught my ear from"Acquired" is one called "Can't Nobody Say I Didn't Try", featuring a tear-drenched vocal accompanied by a Nashville sounding slide guitar that punctuates the late night lyrics about love lost. "I Need To Know" , "Mama's Little Baby" , and "Starting A Rumor" are just a few examples of Delbert's ability to borrow from country,blues , soul and even a little jazz, a testament to his extensive talent.
More next week - I have to go shopping.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
MJ RIP ?
I haven't written a single thing about Michael Jackson's death, but I probably should have (out of guilt? neglect?). Unfortunately, the sequence of events just seemed a bit too orchestrated, as if the death was a promo for the BIG public celebration which was a promotion for the movie release which cross -promoted all of MJ's music, all of which promoted the funeral. Germaine and Tito had their 15 minutes all over again - even LaToya got another sixty seconds. The only one still bitching is Joe Jackson, who always seems venomous even when he's pretending to be human. The family drama always seemed to nearly eclipse and submerge MJ's considerable talent, the tabloid tsunami revelations sweeping away his ability to emote, move and most of all entertain.
I would venture to say that our collective memories began with a beaming kid who looked just old enough to be singing about "A-B-C - easy as 1-2-3", and ended with an emaciated semi-white nose less freak. What happened in between has been the source of perpetual debate - the fame, the kids, the trials, the lifestyle - so adding anything would just be redundant. Michael Jackson was unlucky enough to grow up in a fishbowl under a microscope surrounded by constant volleys of flashbulbs and chattering stalkerazzi. He never seemed evil - confused, maybe, but not malicious - but low key, shy and - thanks to the autopsy report - possibly stoned out of his gourd. Could be he just drifted through life - comfortably numb -and let everybody else make decisions for him, which would explain the trail of bad business deals, broken promises and lost assets.
The final irony for Michael Jackson is the fact that this really was a good career move. Not only are his CDs suddenly hot commodities after all these years, but also "This is It" shows that he still has - HAD - all the right moves. Once the court battles are resolved, and the tabloids no longer have any Jackson family exposes, MJ's legacy will finally stand alone, reaffirming his impact on popular culture as a mega-talent.
I would venture to say that our collective memories began with a beaming kid who looked just old enough to be singing about "A-B-C - easy as 1-2-3", and ended with an emaciated semi-white nose less freak. What happened in between has been the source of perpetual debate - the fame, the kids, the trials, the lifestyle - so adding anything would just be redundant. Michael Jackson was unlucky enough to grow up in a fishbowl under a microscope surrounded by constant volleys of flashbulbs and chattering stalkerazzi. He never seemed evil - confused, maybe, but not malicious - but low key, shy and - thanks to the autopsy report - possibly stoned out of his gourd. Could be he just drifted through life - comfortably numb -and let everybody else make decisions for him, which would explain the trail of bad business deals, broken promises and lost assets.
The final irony for Michael Jackson is the fact that this really was a good career move. Not only are his CDs suddenly hot commodities after all these years, but also "This is It" shows that he still has - HAD - all the right moves. Once the court battles are resolved, and the tabloids no longer have any Jackson family exposes, MJ's legacy will finally stand alone, reaffirming his impact on popular culture as a mega-talent.
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