cxxi. NEW HEAVENLY BLUE: New Heavenly Blue

cxxi. NEW HEAVENLY BLUE

New Heavenly Blue (1970)
Chris Brubeck, keyboards, trombone, guitar
Peter Ruth, harmonica, fife, spoons, guitar, mandolin
Peter Bonisteel, drums, percussion
David Mason, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, viola, banjo
Chris Brown, bass, piano, guitar
(9:54)

from Educated Homegrown.

Chris Brubeck graduated from IAA the year before me, but his brother and sister were in my class. After graduation, the band gave a open-air concert on the shore of Lake Michigan, and I was hooked.

Just about everybody who knew the Brubeck family was familiar with all the talent. Chris & Company put together another album after this one, but this one has strong nostalgic memories for those of us who wore out the grooves in 1970, playing it continuously.

There's not a bad track on the record, and thank goodness it's available on YouTube in its entirety.

New Heavenly Blue.

cxx. BEATLES, THE: Penny Lane

cxx. BEATLES, THE

Penny Lane (1966-67)
Paul McCartney, vocals, bass, keyboards
John Lennon, rhythm guitar, backing vocal, harmonium, piano, hand claps, congas
George Harrison: backing vocal, percussion
Ringo Starr, drums, tambourine, tubular bell, percussion
George Martin, piano, hand claps
David Mason, piccolo trumpet
P. Goody, flutes, piccolo
Ray Swinfield, flutes, piccolo
Dennis Walton, flutes, piccolo
Manny Winters, flutes, piccolo
Leon Calvert, trumpets, flugelhorns
Duncan Campbell, trumpets, flugelhorns
Freddy Clayton, trumpets, flugelhorns
Bert Courtley, trumpets, flugelhorns
Dick Morgan, oboes, English Horn
Mike Winfield, oboes, English Horn
Frank Clarke: double bass
(3:06)

It took nine takes over six sessions in December 1966 to January 1967, but Paul got it in the can. Paul and John had the super-friendly kind of competive relationship where, when one of them wrote a masterpiece, the other would try to follow it up.

In this case, Paul is matching childhood memories with John (Strawberry Fields Forever, composed around the same time period).

Martin's arrangement was already written when Paul heard David Mason performing Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2 on the telly.

He sang the part he heard in his head to Martin, who transcribed it, and brought in Mason to record it.

Of course, Mason nailed it on the first take -- but Paul kept insisting on a second one. Mason, of course, flatly refused -- knowing he had nailed it and there was no need. He did record the additional stuff you hear at the end of the song ...

**

The music and lyrics are brilliant, of course. It starts in the nice, bright key of B Major, but modulates to A Major for the chorus.

Also, notice how Paul's use of triplets (often tied from the third note) makes the flow of the song so magical. Here's the main part:

cxix. METHENY, Pat: Follow Me (from Upojenie)

cxix. METHENY, Pat (1954-       )

Tam, gdzie nie siega wzrok
[Follow Me] (2008)
PM, acoustic guitars
Anna Maria Jopek, voice, backing vocals
Leszek Mozdzer, piano
Pawel Bzim Zarecki, keyboards
Marcin Pospieszalski, bass, loops
Cezary Konrad, drums
Wojciech Kowalewski, shaker
Piotr Nazaruk, additional male voices, flutes
(3:49)

from Upojenie.

Words by Magda Czapinska.

Follow Me (see blog entry lv.) -- one of Pat's loveliest melodies -- is recorded anew here with Polish lyrics, sung by the magnificent Polish singer, Anna Maria Jopek.

The translation:

If you want to go further than the eye can see,

Take a deep breath and make a first step.

Your heart is scared, but you must'nt look back.

That's the only life worth living.

Your goal is somewhere in the clouds.

Be brave! Go!

The world loves and rewards those,

Who go against the wind into the unknown.

cxviii. HENDRIX, Jimi: Angel

cxviii. HENDRIX, Jimi (1942-1970)

Angel (1970)
JH, lead vocal, guitar
Billy Cox, bass
Mitch Mitchell, drums
(4:14)

from Cry Of Love.

One of my main motivations for publishing this blog was to bring forth a collection of all the Non-Classical music that I've grown to love since my youth.

I didn't listen to any music other than Classical until I was 12 or 13 when the Beatles hit the airwaves. I remember being astonished at their songs, at the beautiful voices of Paul and John, at the production (although I didn't really know what that was back then!) ... and most of all -- the feeling of the music.

It was a few years later when I discovered Frank Zappa, but it wasn't until I went to IAA as a high school senior that I discovered cool bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.

It was even later when I got into Steely Dan. And finally, 1971, living in Paris, with friends who played stuff like this album!

Many years later, I went back and listened to Hendrix's earlier stuff -- which I like and appreciate -- but it this particular, posthumous album that I enjoyed the most.

Particularly, this (hard-to-find-on-YouTube) ballad, written by Jimi after a dream he had:

"My mother was bein' carried away on this camel. And there was a big caravan, she's sayin', 'Well, I'm gonna see you now,' and she's goin' under these trees, you could see the shade, you know. The leaf patterns across her face when was goin' under ... She's sayin' 'Well, I won't be seein' you too much anymore, you know. I'll see you.' And then about two years after that she dies, you know. And I said, 'Yeah, but where are you goin'?' and all that, you know. I remember that. I will always remember that. I never did forget ... there are some dreams you never forget."

The tune amps up at the end with Hendrix playing this lick:

cxvii. FAGEN, Donald: Miss Marlene

cxvii. FAGEN, Donald (1948-       )

Miss Marlene (2012)
DF, lead vocal, piano, synths, background vocals
Michael Leonhart, trumpet, flugelhorn, mellophone, Fender Rhodes, synths, accordion, vibraphone, drums, percussion, background vocals
Jon Herington, guitars, bass
Walt Weiskopf, alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet
Charlie Pillow, tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, bass flute
Roger Rosenberg, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Jim Pugh, trombone
Carolyn Leonhart, background vocals
Jamie Leonhart, background vocals
Catherine Russell, background vocals
Cindy Mizelle, background vocals
Aaron Heicke, bass flute
(4:43)

from Sunken Condos.

Rolling Stone:

"The music is deceitfully lush, a snazzy cascade of rock, R&B and swing, with production as costly as a Santa Monica beach house."

I could devote an entire blog to Fagen's output (four albums), not to mention Steely Dan's (nine albums) ...

**

From a recent interview:

What are you doing with your unexpected time at home?

I'm hangin' tight in the Apple, baby, gargling Clorox under a sunlamp.

What music do you turn to in times of crisis for solace and comfort and why?

Bird and Diz, son, because the rebop is so mega-sweet and I don't want to be no L-7.

Anything else you want to say to your fans right now?

Yow! It's the Nightfly here with a shoutout to all the finger-poppin' cats and kittys! What can I say? The [ex-] Prez has a loose wig and it's tragic. So dig the docs and hunker down in your hidey-holes until they say it's cool to hit the downbeat. Check out some sounds! Stretch out your frame, and like that. Late, gate, 'cause I gotta go!

**

The thing about Fagen is that he really does dig the simple groove (how many songs can you think of that are not in 4/4?) ... his harmonic vocabulary is astonishing, yet he keeps things ultra-simple behind his spooky lyrics.

Miss Marlene is a perfect example. Most of the song is just Gm9/Cm9. But check out the intro to the tune, before he begins the lyrics:

Db/Eb // D/G - BMaj9 // GbMaj7 // A/D

He repeats the first part and then dives into the Gm tonic after that BMaj9 chord! Exotic doesn't begin to describe it.

For me, the most exciting part of the tune is this:

Can't you hear the balls (Eb/F) rumble (BbMaj9/F)
Can't you hear the balls (F/Eb) (!) rumble (G/F)
Miss Marlene (Cm7) // we're still (Bb/Eb) bowling every Saturday night ...

(Gm9)

The vocal on the second rumble sounds so completely far away from the tonic, which comes back quickly enough!

**

What happens in this strange tale of bowling night? It seems to me that the narrator is ogling a 17-year-old girl who is an unusually great bowler. Then she gets hit by a cab, and the narrator now misses her on League Night ("I catch her scent again.")

Like many songs on this most recent Fagen release (check out "Security Joan" about hooking up with the TSA lady who searches you!), the music and the profoundly obscure lyrics keep your ears an high alert.

**

Back in double-oh seven
Miss M was queen

She could roll like a pro rolls

When she was seventeen

Whether straight or hammered

She was the best in town

When she release the red ball

All the pins fall down

Can't you hear the balls rumble

Can't you hear the balls rumble
Miss Marlene -- we're still bowling
Every Saturday night
Saturday night

You move to the lane child

Played on my heartstrings

With your long skinny legs child

And your hoopy rings

When the stakes were high

That's when you'd always shine

The ball would ride a moonbeam

Down the inside line

Can't you hear the balls rumble

Can't you hear the balls rumble
Miss Marlene -- we're still bowling
Every Saturday night
Saturday night

And then one night
Something came apart
You were thrown back hurricanes

And we knew someone

Had played with your heart

You ran into the dark street

At University Place

Cab came up so fast then

We saw your laughing face

Can't you hear the balls rumble

Can't you hear the balls rumble
Miss Marlene -- we're still bowling
Every Saturday night
Saturday night

Sometimes on a league night

I catch her scent again

Her hand guiding my hand
We drop the seven-ten

Can't you hear the balls rumble

Can't you hear the balls rumble
Miss Marlene -- we're still bowling
Every Saturday night
Saturday night

cxvi. POWELL, Bud: Un Poco Loco

cxvi. POWELL, Bud (1924-1966)

Un Poco Loco (1951)
BP, piano
Curley Russell, bass
Max Roach, drums
(4:46)

from The Amazing Bud Powell.

Sounds like an Italian tempo direction ...

Along with Bird, Dizzy and Monk, Powell was one of the founders of the subgenre of jazz often called be-bop.

Monk was his hero and mentor, but he spent the first half of 40's with Cootie Williams' swing band.

One night in January 1945, he got drunk, was beaten up by the police and hospitalized in a psychiatric ward, where he was subjected to electroconvulsive therapy.

Unfortunately, the racism of the day haunted Powell for most of the rest of his life -- that, and his alcoholism, sent him back to the hospital for much of the late 40's.

This recording from the early 50's shows him in top form. Un Poco Loco is a sublime composition.

The head, filled with block chords, morphs into an ever-expanding solo with his left hand doing a stride thing, and his right hand continually inventing new phrases.

Roach's drumming is an essential part of what this tune so special. He takes a short, but fascinating solo.

Powell's powerful hands, the air jingling with Roach's syncopated cymbal playing and Bud's beautiful Monk-like strangeness. A classic. A few comments from his peers:

• Hampton Hawes: "Bud Powell was the greatest be-bop piano player in the world. Nobody could phrase like him."
• Erroll Garner: "Bud was the second greatest thing to Art Tatum ... Bud was a genius on the piano."
• Freddie Hubbard: "To me, Bud and Dizzy were true geniuses to create something that spontaneous."
• Elvin Jones: "I always had the impression that Bud had been hurt so much. He was like a very delicate piece of china. I think he was an extremely sensitive person, a very beautiful person. He was really nice, and I loved him. I thought he was a genius in what he was doing. His ideas about modern music were revolutionary. There are very few pianists even now who have approached the level of proficiency which Bud Powell attained and consistently maintained. He's one of the masters."
• Carmen McRae: "He was a phenomenal pianist, a cat whose potential never really got where it could have gotten to. I think our way of American life has a lot to do with it."
• Tony Williams: "I wish I had been born earlier because of that whole period with Bud and Bird."

cxv. WONDER, Stevie: It Ain't No Use

cxv. WONDER, Stevie (1950-       )

It Ain't No Use (1974)
SW, lead vocal, background vocal, Fender Rhodes, drums, Moog bass
Lani Groves, background vocal
Minnie Riperton, background vocal
Deniece Williams, background vocal
(4:01)

from Fulfillingness' First Finale.

Usually, Stevie is upbeat and happy or delivering a sermon ... here, he seems to be breaking up with a lover.

The music is so mellow and smooth, but the message is insistent:

There ain't no reason for us sittin' down
To try to talk our problems out
'Cause we know the truth
It ain't no use. Each other we must do without

There ain't no reason tryin' to force a smile
When pain is really in its place
'Cause we know the truth
It ain't no use
Let's part before we lose love's trace

Wow oh oh ooh
(Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Wo, oh, oh, oh (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

As I look back I'm really tryin' to see
Just what it was that made us spark
'Cause the fire's out
It leaves no doubt
The flame's not burning in our hearts

We still are young and both of us have time
To find our winter love in spring
Yes we know the truth
It ain't no use
We're not each other's ev'rything

Wow oh oh ooh
(Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Wo, oh, oh, oh (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Wow oh oh ooh
(Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Wo, oh, oh, oh (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Why we say goodbye (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
The thrill is gone babe, yeah, yeah, yeah (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
I tried my best to make it work
But it seems that we can't get it together, together, yeah

We've got to run in the world
(Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Wow oh, oh, oh, bye
(Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Seems that we just don't want to do it
I guess we ran out of fluid

Ah yeah, yeah, yeah, wonderful baby, baby, baby (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)

Don't go, take me baby, don't go baby (bye, bye, bye, bye, bye)
Ain't no use
'Cause we've run out of juice
So long baby
Bye-bye baby

cxiv. ERSKINE, Peter: Distant Blue

cxiv. ERSKINE, Peter (1954-       )

Distant Blue (2016)
PE, drums
Vardan Ovsepian, piano
Damian Erskine, bass
(6:45)

from In Praise Of Shadows.

Inspired by the eponymous essay by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, this delightful Ovsepian-penned tune in 6/4 is as calm as a Zen garden.

With only an occasional change of time sigs, the piece grooves along in SIX and towards the end, Peter hits rim shots on FIVE.

Beautiful ensemble playing by three incredible musicians. Damian is Peter's nephew.

cxiii. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Oleo

cxiii. VARIOUS ARTISTS

Oleo (Sonny Rollins)

Six versions

1. DAVIS, Miles (1926-1991)
MD, trumpet
Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone
Horace Silver, piano
Percy Heath, bass
Kenny Clarke, drums
(5:23)

2. ROLLINS, Sonny (1930-       )
SR, tenor saxophone
Milt Jackson, vibraphone
Kenny Drew, piano
Percy Heath, bass
Art Blakey, drums
(6:29)

3. JARRETT, Keith (1945-       )
KJ, piano
Gary Peacock, bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums
(9:01)

4. HANCOCK, Herbie (1940-       )
HH, piano
Buster Williams, bass
Al Foster, drums
(13:47)

5. DOLPHY, Eric (1928-1964)
ED, bass clarinet
Bent Axen, piano
Erik Moseholm, bass
Jørn Elniff, drums
(7:18)

6. REDMAN, Joshua (1969-       )
JR, tenor saxophone
Brad Mehldau, piano
(14:09)

Same changes as Gershwin's I Got Rhythm.

Note the constant syncopation. And the simplicity of the rising melody from the B-Flat Major scale:

1. The first recording of the tune is from Miles' Bag's Groove (1954, released 1957):

First, notice the relaxed tempo -- compared to later versions where the quarter-note pulse is nearly doubled!

Miles takes the first solo on muted trumpet, followed by Rollins which builds steam slowly. Silver mixes it up, Miles takes another chorus and then ... out!

2. Live from Berlin (1965).

Note the increase in tempo! Rollins rolls away with the first solo, taking his time. It's his tune -- he knows these changes! Jackson follows with a soulful turn with some amazing licks. Kenny Drew is unfortunately badly mixed, but he goes to town. Heath keeps walking during his turn, and then the band trades fours. Head and out!

3. Live from Tokyo (1993).

The head is played by Jarrett and Peacock in unison. Jarrett playfully sits out the first chorus and lets his rhythm section set up his solo. As usual, Keith is so hyped up he can't even stay seated ... he also can't help but sing along (annoying, but he's Keith, so ...)

Meanwhile, Peacock and DeJohnette are having a relaxing soak in all the vibrating air molecules. This trio knew each other so well that it is not surprising to hear simultaneous bursts of genius from all three.

Peacock begins his turn, continuing to walk, but then finds a low note to grab onto and turns it into an interesting lick.

They trade fours. DeJohnette's drumming is so innovative -- he loses himself in the rhythm of four bars, but always everyone comes down solidly on one. Head and out, but Peacock plays a low E to end things (the tritone) ...

4. Live from Newport Jazz Festival (1988).

Things can get "out" when Herbie takes up a standard like this one! His solo begins with long pauses while he composes what he's about to do. A thoughtful pianist -- a genius.

Buster's solo is filled with cool double-stops, his trademark wide vibrato, and a few bars with harmonics.

As they trade fours, Foster is having a great time. Hancock plays the head in the highest octave ...

5. Live from Copenhagen (1961).

Dolphy flies. He burns it up. His Danish rhythm section is completely supportive and in the pocket. Axen follows with a really intelligent solo, his left hand comping beautifully. Moseholm's turn is short, walking but quickly gives way to a solo by Elniff. Eric returns with a torrent of eighth-notes and his trademark squawks and the head and out ...

The video of scenes of Copenhagen is lovely.

6. Live in Marciac (2011).

A superb duet! Redman begins alone, deconstructing all the musical elements of the melody, harmony and rhythm.

Mehldau (a great composer) comes in with some single notes like some counterpoint from another planet. He then plays alone for awhile, playing fully-sketched out thoughts until Redman jumps back in -- Redman's relaxed eighth-note runs cascade around Mehldau's comping, going far afield harmonically.

The last three of four minutes are musical magic; the two seem to be organizing the sound into one.

Joshua's father was Dewey, one of the great jazz legends. What a teacher he grew up with!

cxii. TANGERINE DREAM: Midnight In Tula

cxii. TANGERINE DREAM

Midnight in Tula (1982)
Edgar Froese, synths
Christopher Franke, synths
Johannes Schmoelling, synths
(4:00)

from White Eagle.

The pioneers of electronica.

Having released over 80 albums, their music style changed from year to year. A lot of their stuff is quite mellow -- but this track just jumps out at you.

Three German guys making powerful musical soundscapes.

cxi. CORYELL, Larry: Rene's Theme

cxi. CORYELL, Larry (1943-2017)

Rene's Theme (1970)
LC, guitar
John McLaughlin, guitar
(4:07)

from Spaces.

A duet between two of the finest guitarists ever! Two acoustic guitars in a Django-type duel!

I think it's McLaughlin soloing first and then Coryell, but I'm not certain.

Exceptional fun music.

cx: WEATHER REPORT: Mr. Gone (Side One)

cx. WEATHER REPORT

Mr. Gone (Side One)
The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat
River People
Young And Fine
The Elders (1978)
Joe Zawinul, keyboards
Wayne Shorter, soprano and tenor saxophones
Manolo Badrena, solo voice
Jaco Pastorius, drums, bass, voice, timpani
Peter Erskine, drums
Steve Gadd, drums
Jon Lucien, voice
(21:25)

The energy, the sustained great writing, the never-ending imaginative little pieces of ear candy -- this is the band that never stopped giving.

This was Erskine's first album with the band where he held down the drum chair for four years.

cix. GANGER, Ted: Security

cix. GANGER, Ted

Security (2019)
TG, voice, piano

from Inside and Out.

The lyrics to this one really resonate with me. 

Reiteration is my salvation.

The video is extremely cute. Another keeper, Ted ...

cviii. MINGUS, Charles: Epitaph

cviii. MINGUS, Charles (1922-1979)

Epitaph (1989)
1. Main Score, Pt. 1
2. Percussion Discussion
3. Main Score, Pt. 2
4. Started Melody
5. Better Get It In Your Soul
6. The Soul
7. Moods In Mambo
8. Self Portrait / Chill Of Death
9. O.P. (Oscar Pettiford)
10. Please Don't Come Back From The Moon
11. Monk, Bunk & Vice Versa (Osmotin')
12. Peggy's Blue Skylight
13. Wolverine Blues
14. The Children's Hour Of Dream
15. Ballad (In Other Words, I Am Three)
16. Freedom
17. Interlude (The Underdog Rising)
18. Noon Night
19. Main Score, Reprise
George Adams, tenor saxophone
Phil Bodner, oboe, English horn, clarinet, tenor saxophone
John Handy, clarinet, alto saxophone
Dale Kleps, flute, contrabass clarinet
Michael Rabinowitz, bassoon, bass clarinet
Jerome Richardson, clarinet, also saxophone, speech
Robert Rosenberg, piccolo, flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone
Gary Smulyan, clarinet, baritone saxophone
Bobby Watson, clarinet, flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
Randy Brecker, trumpet
Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Lew Soloff, trumpet
Jack Walrath, trumpet
Joe Wilder, trumpet
Snooky Young, trumpet
Eddie Bert, trombone
Sam Burtis, trombone
Urbie Green, trombone
David Taylor, trombone
Britt Woodman, trombone
Paul Faulise, bass trombone
Don Butterfield, tuba
Karl Berger, vibraphone, cowbell
John Abercrombie, guitar
Roland Hanna, piano
John Hicks, piano
Reggie Johnson, bass
Ed Schuller, bass, guiro
Victor Lewis, drums
Daniel Druckman, percussion, tumba
Gunther Schuller, cond.
(2:07:00)

Before his death in 1979, Mingus declared:

"Epitaph was written for my tombstone."

He must have said that before he decided to have his ashes scattered in the Ganges. (see Joni Mitchell's Mingus [1979] for this conversation and also some insight into the title of Part 15 [above] in the song A Chair in the Sky.)

Epitaph -- 4,235 measures long -- was basically discovered by the musicologist Andrew Homzy, during the cataloging process after Mingus died. Ten years later, Schuller was able to conduct a competent ensemble to record the entire thing.

cvii. HIROMI: I've Got Rhythm

cvii. HIROMI (1979-       )

I've Got Rhythm (2010)
Hiromi, piano
(8:56)

Who could ask for anything more?

Hiromi rips apart this great Gershwin tune, deconstructs it, plays stride like no one has since Art Tatum, and seems to be having joyous fun, like it's all a walk in the park.

She even riffs on Rhapsody in Blue at 7:23.

Technique is one thing, but musicality is always top priority. Hiromi has both in spades, and is one of those jaw-dropping, I-can't-believe-what-I-just-heard experiences.

cvi. POINTER SISTERS, THE: I'm So Excited

cvi. POINTER SISTERS, THE

I'm So Excited (1982)
Anita Pointer, lead vocal
Ruth Pointer, vocals
June Pointer, vocals
John Barnes, keyboards
Greg Phillinganes, keyboards
William D. "Smitty" Smith, keyboards
Michael Boddicker, synth
Paulinho Da Costa, percussion
George Doering, guitar
Lee Ritenour, guitar
Nathan Watts, bass
Nathan East, bass
Chuck Findley, trumpet
Gary Grant, trumpet
Gary Herbig, saxophone
Jim Horn, saxophone
Richard Hyde, trombone
John "J.R. Robinson, drums
(3:47)

From So Excited!



This was one of those 80's videos that had the perfect combination of soulful music and -- what the hell -- exciting and sexy images.

Speaking of sexy -- the song appears in the semi-erotic film, Summer Lovers (1982), starring Daryl Hannah, Peter Gallagher and Valérie Quennessen.

cv. CARAVAN PALACE: Dramophone / Jolie Coquine / Supersonics / Moonshine / Plume

cv. CARAVAN PALACE

Dramophone (2012)
Jolie Coquine (2008)
Supersonics (2019)
Moonshine (2019)
Plume (2019)
Lone Digger (2015)

Four-on-the-floor refers to a consistent four-beat rhythm

that originated in the Disco Era. Perhaps one of the very first examples of this occurred in The Love I Lost by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1973).

With all due respect to Harold, Donna Summer, et al., this type of music could get real boring, real quick -- mainly because the musical content above the beat lacked interest and originality. There were exceptions, of course.

But in this new century, three French musicians -- violinist Hugo Payen; guitarist Arnaud Vial and bassist Charles Delaporte found themselves putting together a soundtrack for a silent porn film.

They soon began playing "swing band" gigs, and with the addition of more musicians -- especially the charming and talented lead singer, Zoé Colotis -- and with the release of Jolie Coquine (above) and their first album, eponymously titled Caravan Palace, they were suddenly a world-wide success.

**

Today's entry includes six separate videos -- because as talented as they are musically, their video collaborators are equally so!

I dare you not to get up and dance.

civ. SINATRA, Frank / JARRETT, Keith: The Song Is You

civ. SINATRA, Frank (1915-1998) / JARRETT, Keith (1945-       )

The Song Is You (1958/1986)
Frank Sinatra, vocal
Shorty Sherock, trumpet
Conrad Gozzo, trumpet
Mannie Klein, trumpet
Frank Beach, trumpet
Milt Bernhart, trombone
Si Zentner, trombone
Tommy Pederson, trombone
Murray McEachem, trombone
Skeets Herfurt, woodwinds
Buddy Collette, woodwinds
Babe Russin, woodwinds
Fred Falensby, woodwinds
Justin Gordon, woodwinds
Bill Miller, piano
Al Hendrickson, guitar
Joe Comfort, bass
Shelly Manne, drums
Billy May, arranger
(2:41)

Keith Jarrett, piano
Gary Peacock, bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums
(6:29)

(Sinatra): From Come Dance With Me!
(Jarrett): Trio Les Pins Jazz Festival 1986

Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, for the musical Music in the Air (1932).

The first two bars set up the sweetness of this tune: CMaj7 to Eb°7. The rest of the song revolves around a typical iii-vi-ii-V-I progression, but that diminished chord!

Sinatra and Jarrett. Doesn't get any better.

ciii. METHENY, Pat: Every Summer Night

ciii. METHENY, Pat (1954-       )

Every Summer Night (1989)
PM, guitars, synths
Lyle Mays, keyboards
Steve Rodby, bass
Paul Wertico, drums, percussion
Pedro Aznar, voice, guitar, marimba, vibraphone, sax, percussion
Armando Marçal, percussion
(7:13)

from Letter From Home.

A steady beat and changes filled with color precede Lyle's haunting "harmonica-synth" melody. A descending (or ascending) four-note chromatic insert is a typical Metheny trick to add richness to the harmonies.

Pat takes the first solo, then Mays on piano.

The tune ends on a soft magical transition from FMaj9 to F#m9.

cii. COLLIER, Jacob: Down the Line

cii. COLLIER, Jacob (1994-       )

Two versions

Down the Line (2016)
JC, everything
(6:47)

Live in Seoul
(9:01)

from In My Room.

Percussion. Bits of vocals. Nice intro.

Since he plays every instrument, he knows in his brain just what is right for each moment. Nothing ever gets in the way of anything else.

The live version is so astonishing that it makes my head want to explode.

Again, there is no one like Jacob Collier.

ci. GRATEFUL DEAD: West L.A. Fadeaway

ci. GRATEFUL DEAD

West L.A. Fadeaway (1987)
Jerry Garcia, guitar, vocals
Bob Weir, guitar, vocals
Brent Mydland, keyboards, vocals
Phil Lesh, bass
Bill Kreutzmann, drums
Mickey Hart, drums, percussion
(6:38)

From In the Dark.

Garcia/Hunter tune.

Referring obviously to the infamous Chateau Marmont where John Belushi died and many rock and rollers had crazy adventures.

Most of the basic tracks were recorded at Marin Veterans Memorial Stadium in San Rafael in the dark.

They later cleaned it up in the studio.

The lyrics include the word copacetic, which is pretty copacetic.

c. ZAPPA, Frank: Civilization Phaze III

c. ZAPPA, Frank (1940-1993)

CIVILIZATION PHASE III (1993)
FZ, Synclavier, 1967 voice
Ensemble Modern, orchestra
Spider Brabour, 1967 voice
All-Night John, 1967 voice
Euclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood, 1967 voice
Ray Estrada, 1967 voice
Louis "The Turkey" Cuneo, 1967 voice
Monica, 1967 voice
Gilly Townley, 1967 voice
Unknown Girl #1, 1967 voice
Unknown Girl #2, 1967 voice
Moon Unit Zappa, 1991 voice
Michael Rapaport, 1991 voice
Ali N. Askin, 1991 voice
Catherine Milliken, 1991 voice
Walt Fowler, 1991 voice
Todd Yvega, 1991 voice
Michael Svoboda, 1991 voice
Michael Gross, 1991 voice
William Forman, 1991 voice
Uwe Dierksen, 1991 voice
Stefan Dohr, 1991 voice
Daryl Smith, 1991 voice
Franck Ollu, 1991 voice
Hermann Kretzschmar, 1991 voice
Dweezil Zappa, 1991 voice
(1:53:40)

This is FZ's magnum opus. The thing about living inside a piano comes from his third album, Lumpy Gravy (1967) -- the first time he specifically composed orchestral music for an album. (It was the first album credited to "Frank Zappa" rather than “The Mothers of Invention.")

The relationship between the dialogue from 1967 and 1991 forms a cohesion that may not be evident at first. In fact, even most die-hard Zappa fans think it's all a bit silly. But it relates to Zappa's outside-the-box thought processes, which in turn relates to the carefully composed music.

I was lucky enough to have been invited to Frank's house and studio in 1989, and I was more than mildly astonished to see tray after tray of 3-1/2 inch floppy discs, containing samples of every conceivable instrument or noise, next to the Synclavier.

The album won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

Yeah, the "package" -- that's what Frank wanted an award for ...

But it is a gorgeous package. Some of the pages seem to be made of very thin rice paper. Zappa called the work an "opera pantomime," and includes very specific stage directions, like:

GILLY does a bad imitation of Martha Graham wrist-to-forehead choreography, hanging from the piano strings and punching back at the hammers as they oppress her.

or after the magnificent multi-part track N-LITE:

JESUS pops up in the middle of all this like a baffled jack-in-the-box. The dancers attempt to worship him, but he casts them away. After examining the mess they have made of his parables, he disposes of them with a holy hand grenade, and leaps into the piano.

So this fantastic music probably didn't sell too well in the Bible Belt, but Frank never did particularly well in that neighborhood, in any case.

xcix. WONDER, Stevie: Evil

xcix. WONDER, Stevie (1950-       )

Evil (1972)
SW, all instruments
(3:33)

From Music of my Mind.

Stevie was just getting started. He had discovered synthesizers and used them discreetly -- but you can hear his songs begin to develop tighter structures, more complex chord changes and meaningful lyrics.

Evil, why have you engulfed so many hearts? Evil
Evil, why have you destroyed so many minds?
Leavin' room for darkness, where lost dreams can hide

Evil, why do you infest our purest thoughts with hatred?
Evil, why have you stolen so much love?
Leavin' everyone's emotions lost and wandering free

Evil, why have you taken over God's children's eyes? Evil
Evil, before they could really grow to see
That your way is not the way to make life what it should be

Evil, why have you destroyed
You've destroyed so much of this doggone world?
Evil, hey, evil, oh, why have you broken so many homes?
Leavin' sweet love all alone, an outcast of the world

xcviii. LANG, David: I Lie (from Soundtrack to The Great Beauty)

xcviii. LANG, David (1957-       )

I Lie (2014)
UCLA Early Music Ensemble
(5:15)

from Soundtrack to La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty)

Leyg ikh mir in bet arayn

Unlesh mir oys dos fayer
Kumen vet er haynt tsu mir
Der vos iz mire tayer
Banen loyfn tsvey a tog
Eyne kumt in ovnt
Khõher dos klingen Đ glin glin glon
Yo, er iz shoyn noent
Shtundn hot di nakht gor fil
Eyns der tsveyter triber
Eyne iz a fraye nor
Ven es kumt mayn liber
Ikh her men geyt, men klapt in tir,
Men ruft mikh on baym nomen
Ikh loyf arop a borvese
Yo! er iz gekumen!

I lie in bed and turn out the light

My beloved will come today

The trains come twice a day
One comes at night
Hear them clanging -- glin, glin, glon
Yes, he is near
The night has many hours
Each one sadder than the next
Only one is happy when my beloved comes
Someone comes, someone knocks someone calls my name
I turn out barefoot
Yes, he has come.

**

When I first heard this, watching the film, I had no idea it was in Yiddish; I thought it was Latin.

One of my favorite contemporary Italian films, The Great Beauty is just that. The beauty of nature, of friends, of growing old and still enjoying life ...

Watching a performance artist bloody her head on a Roman aqueduct (fake) ...

But most of all watching Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo) -- a man in his 60s -- dancing the nights away, sparring with pseudo-intellectuals, and living La Vita Romana.

Love Sorrentino; the whole soundtrack is fantastic.

xcvii. MANN, Aimee: Save Me (from Soundtrack to Magnolia)

xcvii. MANN, Aimee (1960-       )

Save Me (1999)
AM, acoustic guitar, bass
Michael Lockwood, electric guitar, melodica, background vocals
Patrick Warren, accordion, keyboards
John Sands, drums, percussion
Buddy Judge, background vocals
Jon Brion, background vocals
(4:34)

from Soundtrack to Magnolia.

Paul Thomas Anderson was inspired by the music before he wrote the screenplay and directed Magnolia.

And the film actually feels that way. A magnificent piece of cinema, Mann's songs permeate nearly every scene. This one seems particularly associated with the character of Claudia (Melora Walters). I love when Lockwood's melodica plays this upwards chromatic lick.

A great, memorable song.

xcvi. TOWNER, Ralph / MITCHELL, Joni: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

xcvi. TOWNER, Ralph (1940-      )
MITCHELL, Joni (1943-       )

Two versions

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (2013)
RT, guitar
(5:33)

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (1979)
JM, guitar, vocals
Jaco Pastorius, bass
Wayne Shorter, soprano saxophone
Herbie Hancock, electric piano
Peter Erskine, drums
Don Alias, congas
Emil Richards, percussion
(5:36)

Towner: South Korea 2013
Mitchell: From Mingus.

One of Charles Mingus's greatest tunes, these two very different versions both feature the same rich chord structure, leaning heavily on #9 chords ... Towner plays a 12-string, grabbing each chord with the fluency which he is known for.

Joni's version starts with Jaco and Wayne playing footsie with each other, then Joni comes in with the vocal (her lyrics fit Mingus's music perfectly). The fills are delicious, and listen to Peter with brushes!

xcv. COLLIER, Jacob: Lua

xcv. COLLIER, Jacob (1994-       )

Lua (2019)
JC, vocals, instruments
MARO, voice, guitar
Helena Rathbone, violin
Suzie Collier, violin
Martin Alexander, viola
Henry Justo, viola
Eliza Sdraulig, cello
Alexandra Partridge, cello
Robin Mullarkey, bass
Christian Euman, drums
(9:22)

From Djesse Vol. 2.

The first 2:09 is just the string sextet (including JC's mom!) ... gorgeous, celestial part-writing!

When Jacob finally touches the piano it's like with feather fingers.

MARO -- exquisite, singing in Portuguese -- begins this Brazilian adventure in the softest, coolest feel you can ever imagine. The music melts.

You will wake and you will see ... Jacob makes it up to a high B!

It just keeps getting better and better. Djesse!

xciv. WONDER, Stevie: Summer Soft

xciv. WONDER, Stevie (1950-       )

Summer Soft (1976)
SW, lead vocals, all instruments but
Ben Bridges, rhythm guitar
Ronnie Foster, organ
Nastee Latimer, percussion
(4:14)

From Songs in the Key of Life.

Softly summer comes. And with lots power ...

And she's gone ...

Stevie modulates up a half-step five or six times until you can't believe he can sing that high!

Ronnie Foster's organ is a nice touch.

xciii. COREA, Chick: Waltse for Dave

xciii. COREA, Chick (1941-2021)

Waltse for Dave (1978)
CC, keyboards
Joe Farrell, soprano and tenor saxophones, flute
Eddie Gómez, bass
Steve Gadd, drums
(9:13)

From Friends.

as in Brubeck.

This band is waterproof, it's so tight ...

xcii. ALABAMA 3: Woke Up This Morning

xcii. ALABAMA 3

Woke Up This Morning (1997)
Larry Love, vocals
The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love (First Minister of the First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine [UK]), vocals
The Mountain of Love, analogue terrorism, harmonica, jaws harp, vocals
Sir Real "Congaman" Love L.S.D. O.P.T., percussion, acoustic guitar
Mississippi Guitar Love, guitar
L.B. Dope, drums
The Spirit, keyboards
(5:16)

From Exile on Coldharbour Lane.

The first minute I watched The Sopranos, I knew I had to have this track.

The intro isn't on the version used on the show, and when I heard him refer to Charles Mingus's Epitaph, and Eric Dolphy and all the other name-checks, I knew I was in for something good.

The song is mysteriously threatening. It pumps up a cool, low-key energy that just never stops.

I wish HBO would release a version from the show. But, meanwhile, these guys did a pretty good job of copying it:

SoundZone69.

xci. GANGER, Ted: Only a Dream

xci. GANGER, Ted

Only a Dream (2011)
TG, piano, vocal
(5:20)

or

(5:51)

From Late Early Songs.

A favorite TG song -- and both videos are great. The first features clouds turning into a woman and the second is Ted playing and singing this gorgeous, sublime song.