lx. GRATEFUL DEAD: Alabama Getaway

lx. GRATEFUL DEAD

Alabama Getaway (1980)
Jerry Garcia, guitar, vocals
Mickey Hart, drums
Bill Kreutzman, drums
Phil Lesh, bass
Brent Mydland, keyboards, vocals
Bob Weir, guitar, vocals
(3:32)

From Go To Heaven.

Garcia/Robert Hunter tune.

It really moves.

Thirty two teeth in a jawbone
Alabama tryin' for none
Before I have to hit him
I hope he's got the sense to run

Reason the poor girls love him
Promise them everything
Why they all believe him
He wears a big diamond ring

Alabama getaway getaway
Alabama getaway getaway
Only way to please me
Jus' sit down with me
And walk away

[guitar solo]

Majordomo Billy Bojangles
Sat down and had a drink with me
Say what about Alabama
It keeps comin' back to me?

I heard your plea in the courthouse
Witness box began to rock and rise
Forty-nine sister states had
Alabama in their eyes

Alabama getaway getaway
Alabama getaway getaway
Only way to please me
Jus' sit down with me
And walk away

[guitar solo]

Lady said why don't we give him
Rope enough to hang himself?
No need to worry the jury
They'll probably take care of themselves

Twenty-third Psalm Majordomo
Reserve me a table for three
Down in the Valley of the Shadow
It's you, Alabama and me

Alabama getaway getaway
Alabama getaway getaway
Only way to please me
Jus' sit down with me
And walk away

lix. GETZ/GILBERTO: Vivo Sonhando

lix. GETZ, Stan (1927-1991) and GILBERTO, João (1931-2019)

Vivo Sonhando (1963)
SG, tenor saxophone
JG, guitar, vocals
Antonio Carlos Jobim, piano
Sebastião Neto, bass
Milton Banana, drums
(3:10)

From Getz/Gilberto.

The story of this recording is historic.

Bossa Nova

became huge in the U.S. during a decline in jazz sales due to the popularity of rock and roll.

Tony Bennett and his bassist went down to Brazil to check it out and started a craze. Everybody was dancing to the bossa nova by 1963.

Because of label issues, Neto was not credited on the album, and Getz's usual bass player -- who didn't play a note on this session -- got the credit.

Jobim wrote this tune. Getz and Gilberto often quarrelled about which take to use. Gilberto -- who spoke no English -- said to Jobim, "tell this gringo he is an idiot."

Jobim translated it: "Stan, João is saying that his dream always was to record with you."

Regardless, the record is a classic.

lviii. WEATHER REPORT: Procession

lviii. WEATHER REPORT

Procession (1983)
JZ, keyboards
Wayne Shorter, tenor and soprano saxophones
Victor Bailey, bass
Omar Hakim, drums
Jose Rossy, percussion
(8:41)

from Procession.

Love the way this tune begins -- out of a quiet nothingness ... Shorter's lines creep to life and the boogie begins.

Heard them in the round in '83 and couldn't believe how they reproduced this live.

lvii. COLLIER, Jacob: Sleeping On My Dreams

lvii. COLLIER, Jacob (1994-       )

Sleeping On My Dreams (2020)
JC, everything
(4:18)

from Djesse Vol. 3.

Nothing unusual about the verse/chorus structure; but this being Jacob Collier the whole darn thing is -- of course! -- unusual -- charming, energetic, profound ...

The video is one of the best combinations of audio and visual I've ever seen.

I can't remember what I mean to you ...

The only word where I can hear his English accent!

lvi. MOODY, James: Disappointed

lvi. MOODY, James (1925-2010)

Disappointed (1961)
JM, woodwinds
Howard McGhee, trumpet
Bernard McKinney, trombone
Musa Kaleem, baritone saxophone
Sonny Donaldson, piano
Steve Davis, bass
Arnold Enlow, drums
Eddie Jefferson, vocals
(2:10)

From Cookin' the Blues.

Jefferson's vocalese is taken from a Charlie Parker solo on Lady Be Good. (from Jazz at the Philharmonic).

lv. PAT METHENY: Follow Me

lv. METHENY, Pat (1954-       )

Follow Me (1997)
PM, guitars
Lyle Mays, keyboards
Steve Rodby, bass, cello
Paul Wertico, drums
Mark Ledford, vocals, trumpet, megaphone
David Blamires, vocals, mellophone, violin, megaphone
Don Alias, conga
Glen Velez, polish boxes
Dave Samuels, percussion
(5:56)

From Imaginary Day.

Great music as usual from Pat & Co. Paul Wertico's final album with the group.

The fun part is decoding the symbols from he covers and liner notes. The key is under the CD holder. I remember spending many hours decoding it my 9-year-old daughter at the time!

Pat plays the head melody entirely with harmonics.

liv. YES: Owner of a Lonely Heart

liv. YES

Owner of a Lonely Heart (1983)
Jon Anderson, vocals
Chris Squire, bass, vocals
Trevor Rabin, guitars, keyboards, vocals
Alan White, drums, percussion, vocals
Tony Kaye, keyboards
(6:41)

from 90125.

The album is named after the catalogue number given by Atco Records.

I loved the YES of the 70s -- but this smash hit from 1983 was justifiably celebrated. And not just for the incredible music ...

Maybe there's another way to do this ...

This Kafkaesque video has some unforgettable visuals -- I especially like the images which accompany the gritty guitar solo.

liii. THE BEATLES / THE SWINGLE SINGERS: Ticket to Ride

liii. THE BEATLES / THE SWINGLE SINGERS

THE BEATLES: Ticket to Ride (1965)
(3:02)

THE SWINGLE SINGERS (1999)
(3:35)

THE BEATLES: from Help!

THE SWINGLE SINGERS: from Ticket to Ride -- a Beatles Tribute

Two very different versions of a John song.

lii. BECKER, Walter: Darkling Down

lii. BECKER, Walter (1950-2017)

Darkling Down (2008)
WB, vocals, bass, guitar solo
Keith Carlock, drums
Jon Herington, guitar
Ted Baker, keyboards
Larry Goldings, Hammond organ
Gordon Gottlieb, percussion
Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery, background vocals
(5:05)

From Circus Money.

Walter's final album is full of reggae rhythm and songs with clever lyrics (Gettin' down on the cellular level / Just in case I got to call someone) ... co-written with Larry Klein.

Well, along in the twenty first hour
When the whole damn grid goes down
This is how a party gets started
In for a penny, in for a pound

All at once the whole joint goes quiet
And all the wavy lines go straight
One fool among fools is wondering
What happens if I die too late?

Get back with your dime store nihilism
Big daddy's on a glory run
Gettin' down on the cellular level
Just in case I got to call someone

Darkling down on a darkling plain
In the dim dank night of the pissin'-down rain
Darkling down on the balls of his ass
While he prays and waits for the storm to pass

Lemme show you where the good thing happens
It's a barbershop in Inglewood
Too bad we won't get past the bouncer
Sadly I've been banned for good

Well, there's a coffee shop right round the corner
The proprietor knows my name
Cup of Joe and a Vicks inhaler
Now you're ready for the big boy game

Steady son come seven come eleven
If either one of us can count that high
Muscatel if the deal gets dicey
Milk and honey in the by and by

Darkling down, it's a damn disgrace
Going round and round in a very small place
Darkling down with a hole in his soul
That he can't explain and he can't control

[guitar solo]

For the fun or for the money
For the fuck of it or just because
Listen friend, this is no damn picnic
But let's imagine for a minute that it was

Who will feast on this buzzard's banquet?
Who will render my heroic bust?
Who will choke on my lachrymose musings?
Who will eat my zero dust?

Who will wear this puke-streaked tunic?
Who shall gorge on this cup of spleen?
Who will sing about the good, bad and ugly?
And all and everything in between?

Darkling down, this is God's good man
On his hands and knees livin' God's good plan
Darkling down and we don't know still

When he'll come around if he ever will

Darkling down on a zero-G dive
And we just can't say will the fool survive
Darkling down in a seven-G turn
Glowing like a coal in the after burn.

li. MITCHELL, Joni: Free Man in Paris

li. MITCHELL, Joni (1943-       )

Free Man in Paris (1974)
JM, vocals, piano
John Guerin, drums, percussion
Wilton Felder, bass
Milt Holland, chimes
Tom Scott, woodwinds
Joe Sample, electric piano
David Crosby, background vocals
Graham Nash, background vocals
Jose Feliciano, electric guitar
Larry Carlton, electric guitar
(3:03)

From Court and Spark.

I remember it like it was yesterday, workin' for Wherehouse Records in Pasadena.

It was a Thursday -- January 17, 1974, and this album and Bob Dylan's Planet Waves were both issued on this same date, on Asylum Records.

My job was to get boxes and boxes of these products to all 45 Wherehouse stores  in SoCal. No wonder I have a bad back.

We played this record in the store endlessly -- and ya know what? I never get tired of listening to it!

l. DUKE, George: Love

l. DUKE, George (1946-2013)

Love (1974)
GD, keyboards
Ndugu, drums
John Heard, bass
Airto, percussion
Flora Purim, vocals
Obdewl'l X (Frank Zappa), guitar
(6:06)

From Feel.

In SIX (divided 4+2) ...

Everybody listen though you may not agree
But all y'all should try it one time
And maybe you'll see
Whoa, I know it ain't easy
And it won't happen overnight
But Lord if you just touch one person you're doin' allright

Blistering Zappa (credited as "Obdewl'l-x" so Warner Bros. wouldn't sue him) solo inserted at various spots in the tune ...

xlix. JONES, Quincy: Walking in Space

xlix. JONES, Quincy (1933-       )

Walking in Space (1969)
QJ, arranger, cond.
John Frosk, trumpet
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet
Marvin Stamm, trumpet
Snooky Young, trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland, trombone
Tony Studd, trombone
Kai Winding, trombone
George Jeffers, bass trombone
Joel Kaye, woodwinds
Roland Kirk, woodwinds
Hubert Laws, woodwinds
Jerome Richardson, woodwinds
Toots Thielemans, harmonica, guitar
Bob James, electric piano
Eric Gale, guitar
Ray Brown, electric bass
Grady Tate, drums
Hilda Harris, vocals
Marilyn Jackson, vocals
Valerie Simpson, vocals
Maeretha Stewart, vocals
(12:06)

From Walking in Space.

Q cuts up the melody with different instruments until the second verse when Valerie Simpson sings the lyrics.

[Amazing] single-chorus solos by flutist Hubert Laws at the slow tempo, then double-time (listen to Bob James comp!); Jimmy Cleveland, then James in one of the finest Rhodes solos of all time! Freddie Hubbard (muted trumpet), Roland Kirk on a few saxes simultaneously (followed by a long circular-breathing phrase!); Eric Gale, guitar / The Head / Laws again / Ray Brown on bass followed by Tate on drums / and then

Ensemble out! Fantastic music.

xlviii. MINTZER, Bob: Lester Jumps Out

xlviii. MINTZER, Bob (1953-       )

Lester Jumps Out (2000)
BM, tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute
Lawrence Feldman, alto saxophone, clarinet, flute
Pete Yellin, alto saxophone, clarinet, flute
Scott Robinson, tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute
Roger Rosenberg, baritone saxophone
Bob Millikan, trumpet, flugelhorn
Byron Stripling, trumpet, flugelhorn
Scott Wendholt, trumpet, flugelhorn
Michael Phillip Mossman, trumpet, flugelhorn
Michael Davis, trombone
Keith O'Quinn, trombone
Larry Farrell, trombone
Dave Taylor, bass trombone
Phil Markowitz, piano
Dennis Irwin, bass
James Chirillo, guitar
John Riley, drums
(9:16)

From Homage to Count Basie.

Bob hires the best cats in the business and they get to work. Here, he honors Basie with an original composition beautifully arranged, with fresh interesting soloing and nice punches written into the background.

Without Mintzer, we'd just have old recordings to listen to from the old masters ... luckily, Bob carefully took hold of their pens, taught himself how to compose and arrange, and continues the tradition of The Big Band.

There is no one better.

xlvii. DAVIS, Miles: Milestones

xlvii. DAVIS, Miles (1926-1991)

Milestones (1958)
MD, trumpet
Julian "Cannonball" Adderly, alto saxophone
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Red Garland, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums
(5:42)

From Milestones.

This tune has always killed me with the way Jones hits that rim shot on FOUR! The tight playing in the head is followed by magnificent solos by Adderly, Miles and Trane.

Adderly quotes Fascinating Rhythm at 1:27.

xlvi. MINGUS, Charles: Meditations on Integration

xlvi. MINGUS, Charles (1922-1979)

Meditations on Integration (1964)
CM, bass
Eric Dolphy, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone
Jaki Byard, piano
Dannie Richmond, drums
(22:34)

From The Great Concert of Charles Mingus.

Dolphy would be dead in two months, this being one of his last great recordings.

One of Mingus's greatest compositions, it features many different cells of different tempi, different combinations of instruments with lots of blowing space for everyone.

xlv. HANCOCK, Herbie: I Have a Dream

xlv. HANCOCK, Herbie (1940-       )

I Have a Dream (1969)
HH, piano
Johnny Coles, flugelhorn
Garnett Brown, trombone
Tony Studd, bass trombone
Joe Henderson, tenor saxophone, alto flute
Hubert Laws, flute
Jerome Richardson, bass clarinet
Buster Williams, bass
Tootie Heath, drums
(10:58)

From The Prisoner.

Hancock dedicated the album to the then recently martyred Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is a full richness to Herbie's writing here. The long head is beautifully scored for a large ensemble which features the colors of flugelhorn, alto flute, bass clarinet and bass trombone, amongst its many tone-colors.

Herbie takes the first solo, followed by Coles and Henderson.

The last two minutes are scored for the ensemble.

xliv. JARRETT, Keith: Osaka, November 8, 1976, Part 1

xliv. JARRETT, Keith (1945-       )

Osaka, November 8, 1976, Part 1 (1976)
KJ, piano
(38:58)

from Sun Bear Concerts.

Keith Jarrett's piano improvisations are in a category of their own.

This is one of many examples of what he might do in a 40-minute period of time -- with nothing in front of him but 88 keys and a large listening audience.

This YouTuber was smart to set this music to a completely blank, black screen -- the more so one can concentrate on this astonishing improvised music.

Jarrett suffered a debilitating stroke in 2018 and can no longer play. Thank God for recordings like this one.

xliii. URBANIAK, Michal: Roksana

xliii. URBANIAK, Michal (1943-       )

Roksana (1975)
MU, electric violin
Urszula Dudziak, voice
Gerald Brown, drums
Joe Caro, guitar
Anthony Jackson, bass
Wlodek Gulgowski, keyboards
(5:45)

From Fusion III.

Starts off in a calm 3/4 meter; rich changes -- then it starts to get faster and faster. This extremely fast lick is used as a link between solos, by:

Jackson / Dudziak / MU / Gulgowski

xlii. FAGEN, Donald: The Goodbye Look

xlii. FAGEN, Donald (1948-       )

The Goodbye Look (1982)
DF, vocals
Greg Phillinganes, keyboards
Larry Carlton, lead guitar
Dean Parks, guitar
Steve Khan, acoustic guitar
Starz Vanderlocket, percussion
Jeff Porcaro, drums
Marcus Miller, bass
Valerie Simpson, backup vocals
(4:50)

From The Nightfly.

The marimba introduces us to a "tale of military upheaval on a Caribbean island."

Won't you pour me a Cuban breeze, Gretchen?

Very special music.

xli. LENNON, John: Remember

xli. LENNON, John (1940-1980)

Remember (1970)
JL, vocals, piano
Ringo Starr, drums
Klaus Voormann, bass
(4:32)

From John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

The insistent piano, the double-tracked vocals; the surprise blow-up ending. Everything about this song imprints on the brain. You feel like you're in John's skull.

xl. KENEALLY, Mike: Beautiful

xl. KENEALLY, Mike (1961-       )

Beautiful (1997)
MK, vocals, guitars, Rhodes, shelf
Toss Panos, drums
Bryan Beller, bass
(4:20)

From Sluggo!

One day, Mike picked up the phone and called Frank Zappa. He said that he was "extremely familiar with all of his material and that he would be ready to play any of it for him given a short amount of preparation time," as he had already "been listening to Zappa's music for 16 years." On the phone the day before the audition, Frank told him to have "What's New in Baltimore?" and "Sinister Footwear" ready for the next day's audition. On the way to the audition, Mike practiced the aforementioned songs, as well as "Little House I Used To Live In," and every single Zappa melody he could think of, kind of as an exercise for his memory.

Mike -- who is fluent on both guitar and piano -- played on the infamous shortened 1988 tour, worked with Dweezil for awhile, and then began recording under his own name.

Beautiful is a song about all sorts of people:

I was driving down Lankershim today and I had a comforting thought
For years I believed that 90% of the people in the world were useless and should die
This thought accompanied me and sometimes kept me warm

But today I thought about how many wonderful
People I've met in the last couple of years
In fact the vast majority of people I've had contact with recently have been wonderful

And if I am to take them as a representative sampling then most people in the world are wonderful

This made me kinda happy
And I took the newspapers to recycle them
And I got some Kleenex for my poor wife who's sick today
And then I brought them to her

(This beautiful world is a fantasy, not unlike the fairy tales of old
If you're smart you'll do what you're told. If this beautiful world is depressing you
Simply call this number if you're bold. We'll gladly lead you back to the fold.)

And I worked on the Hungarian part of the
Instrumental with Dweezil at Joe's Garage
And it was a lot of fun

And I met Linda and Lisa from Rock City News at the Cat & Fiddle
They were great and it was a good interview, I had fun

Then I went to Aron's and got the "Generic Flipper" CD for $1.98
So apart from Viv being sick it was a great day
And while I was driving west on Wilshire to see Chad Wackerman
Someone driving east threw a heavy object at my car
And cracked the windshield

A big crack
Screwed up the antenna too
It could have killed me and they never would have known

So I want to thank that person for reminding me
That in this world there are people who should just die

(This beautiful world is a fantasy, not unlike the fairy tales of old
If you're smart you'll do what you're told. If this beautiful world is depressing you
Simply call this number if you're bold. We'll gladly lead you back to the fold.)

Video

xxxix. COLLIER, Jacob: Djesse

xxxix. COLLIER, Jacob (1994-      )

Djesse (2018)
JC, everything
Metropole Orkest
Jules Buckley, cond.
(4:36)

From Djesse Vol. 1.

Tremolo strings ... then the Collier beat pumps out soft heat.

Djesse (J-C) seems autobiographical:

Djesse has a sky like a merry-go-round
Making circles in a mind made of tapestry
And the world outside never seems to make a sound
So he lives inside his world full of majesty

Djesse close his eyes and sees the rain rise up
From the deep blue waters of infinity
He says, "I wish I knew the reason for the fire in my heart
But I can't seem to tell you why it burns for me."

The orchestrations are perfection, always complimentary to JC's voice. His choices are so inspired.

xxxviii. REDBONE, Leon: My Walking Stick

xxxviii. REDBONE, Leon (Dickran Gobalian) (1949-2019)

My Walking Stick (1975)
LR, vocals
Joe Venuti, violin
Don McLean, banjo
Milt Hinton, bass
Charles Macey, Hawaiian guitar
Patty Bown, piano
Ralph MacDonald, castanets
Steve Gadd, drums
Billy Slapin, clarinet
Garnett Brown, trombone
Joe Wilder, trumpet, cornet
Seldon Powell, saxophone
Philip Bodner, saxophone
Jonathan Dorn, tuba
(3:40)

From On the Track.

Irving Berlin song. Redbone showed folks what music sounded like long ago. He made it magical, too.

xxxvii. TRUFFAZ, Erik: Magrouni

xxxvii. TRUFFAZ, Erik (1960-       )

Magrouni (2001)
ET, trumpet
Manu Codjia, guitar
Michel Benita, bass
Mounir Troudi, vocals
(3:50)

From Mantis.

Beautiful Arabic chanting. The rhythm kicks into a fast SEVEN; Erik combines his trumpet sound with an electric guitar.

Great, unusual music.

xxxvi. BECKER, Walter: Surf And/Or Die

xxxvi. BECKER, Walter (1950-2017)

Surf And/Or Die (1994)
WB, vocals, solo guitars, ukelele, bass
Dean Parks, acoustic and electric guitars
John Beasley, keyboards
Donald Fagen, keyboards
Bob Sheppard, woodwind solos
Ben Perowsky, drums
Fima Ephron, bass
Adam Rogers, electric guitar
Katherine Russell, background vocals
Brenda White-King, background vocals
Bruce Paulson, saxophone
Jon Papenbrook, trombone
Paulinho Da Costa, percussion
(6:15)

From 11 Tracks of Whack.

Don't know why Walter never sang lead on a Steely Dan song. He's got a beautiful, unusual voice.

And who else would write a song about a doomed hang-glider (true story), with Tibetan lamas?

Earthbound to Johnny boy just picked up your message
'Bout those Balinese ikats you thought I might buy
Now your voice on my machine is more alive than what you are
Since your daredevil hang glider fell out of the sky

Now Armand's looked all over but he can't find your car keys
Were they under the tire? Were they under the seat?
Because as it stands now your beloved white Aires
Is fair game for the vandals up on Makapuu Street

And your grandmother's number, well we know it's here somewhere
But Suze can't seem to find it, now she's losing control

And so what about her, and little Eldon and Layla
And that hypothetical spectre, your gilt-edged soul

Which defied many perils, in the face of all reason
And in so many settings and for all your young years
Insisting on pure freedom for its too-short season

Riding high on its ration of enchantment and fear
Over the hill and on into the next meadow and on and on and on and on

Well, in a near random universe there are still certain combinations
Picked out from all the other possible ones
Which, when given some time and the just-right circumstances
Not too far from the earth or too close to the sun

They will dance and they'll spin in the embrace of the trade winds
Playing havoc with the hearts and the upturned faces down below
Until the laws of curved spacetime, susponed without warning
Kick back in with a vengeance for the last act of the show

Going too far too fast in that final wing over
As your glider comes tumbling out of the clouds
And you clutch at your chest but the chute never opens
And they find you there tangled in that white nylon shroud

When we get Grandma's number I think I'll just tell her
Your boy's home for Christmas, it was a hell of a ride
And I know that someday you'll be showing me those blankets
All covered in glory on the hereafter side, saying
There was never any question, it was always all or nothing

Surf and/or die

xxxv. PURIM, Flora: Angels

xxxv. PURIM, Flora (1942-       )

Angels (1977)
Flora, wordless vocals
Ndugu, drums
Al McKay, guitar
Patrice Rushen, keyboards
(3:37)

From Nothing Will Be As It Was ... Tomorrow.

This song (written by McKay and Phillip Bailey) just takes my breath away.

It's funky, it's totally in-the-pocket.

And Flora is one of the greatest singers ever. Here she sings wordless.

xxxiv. OPPERMAN, Chris: Waking Up

xxxiv. OPPERMAN, Chris (1978-       )

Waking Up (2020)
(3:38)

from Chamber Music From Hell.

Chris is a serious composer who's worked with Steve Vai and Mike Keneally.

Chamber Music is sort of a concept album, with a sci-fi read-along booklet that provides a weird landscape to accompany the very weird -- but very beautifully introspective --music. Like Vai and Keneally, a true heir to Frank Zappa.

xxxiii. URBANIAK, Michal: Butterfly

xxxiii. URBANIAK, Michal (1943-       )

Butterfly (1974)
Urbaniak, electric violin
Urszula Dudziak, voice
Pawel Jarzebski, bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski, drums
Wojciech Karolak, keyboards
(7:16)

From Atma.

Urbaniak took fusion in a unique direction. This tune is structured with a beautiful harmonic design, cool changes, thoughtful soloing and unexpected moments.

That's his ex-wife singing incredibly impossible vocal lines.

Great memories of working with Danny Seidenberg, transcribing this thing back then.

Here's Urbaniak's inventive violin solo:

xxxii. GOODMAN, Jerry & HAMMER, Jan: Steppings Tones

xxxii. GOODMAN, Jerry (1949-       ) & HAMMER, Jan (1948-       )

Steppings Tones (1974)
Goodman, violin
Hammer, keyboards, drums
(3:30)

From Like Children.

I love the basic simplicity of this tune and its internal complexity.

Tones ring out and you count in in FOUR.

Then Hammer adds a simple piano lick in 5/8.

Next, Hammer adds a drum part in 5/4, so that the 5/8 becomes 10/8.

Then Goodman enters. The thing just repeats from there, but this is gorgeous music in its complex simplicity.

xxxi. EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER: Tarkus

xxxi. EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER

Tarkus (1971)
Keith Emerson, keyboards
Greg Lake, vocals, bass guitar
Carl Palmer, drums and percussion
(20:39)

From Tarkus.

This music by three dudes is as incredible as the album cover.

A long sustained chord leads into a rousing FIVE. This the best of the best of the progressive rock scene from the early 70's. Fifty years ago!

xxx. STEELY DAN: Almost Gothic

xxx. STEELY DAN

Almost Gothic (2000)
Donald Fagen, lead vocals, Wurlitzer
Walter Becker, guitar
Ted Baker, Fender Rhodes
Leroy Clouden, drums
Lawrence Feldman, tenor saxophone
Lou Marini, alto saxophone
Chris Potter, alto saxophone
Michael Leonhart, trumpet
Carolyn Leonhart, background vocals
(4:09)

from Two Against Nature.

The intro's in A Major; on the 7th bar, they end on a B7 chord -- you expect it to resolve to E Major, but instead they land on E-Flat Major! A real ear-jerker.

I'm working on gospel time these days
(The summer this could be the cool part of the summer)

The sloe-eyed creature in the reckless room
She's so severe
A wise child walks right out of here

I'm so excited I can barely cope
I'm sizzling like an isotope
I'm on fire so cut me some slack
First she's way gone then she comes back

She's all business then she's ready to play
She's almost gothic in a natural way

This house of desire is built foursquare
(The city the cleanest kitten in the city)

When she speaks it's like the slickest song I've ever heard
I'm hanging on her every word

As if I'm not already blazed enough

She hits me with the cryptic stuff
That's her style, to jerk me around
First she's all feel then she cools down

She's pure science with a splash of black cat
She's almost gothic and I like it like that

This dark place so thrilling and new
It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view
Unless I'm totally wrong
I hear her rap and brother it's strong

I'm pretty sure that what she's telling me is mostly lies
But I just stand there hypnotized

I'll just have to make it work somehow
I'm in the amen corner now
It's called love, I spell L - you - V
First she's all buzz then she's noise-free

She's bubbling over then there's nothing to say
She's almost gothic in a natural way

She's old school then she's like young
Little Eva meets the Bleecker Street brat
She's almost gothic but it's better than that