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.