A moment of your attention please for the most famous unknown jazz pianist of the 1950s, the wonderful, forgotten but unforgettable Mr Herbie Nichols.
Continue reading...Song Of the week
069: Catherine Russell, ‘New Speedway Boogie’
In which the daughter of Louis Armstrong’s musical director, Julliard graduate and studio singer par excellence, sparkles up an old Grateful Dead tune backed by a mandoline, string bass and tambourine.
Jerry would have loved it. So would Satchmo.
113: J.S. Bach, ‘Prelude to Suite #2 for Unaccompanied Cello’ (Casals)
Yom Kippur is when we Jews face up to the way we lead our lives. The cantor uses the liturgy to break open our hearts and try to pry open God’s. But if there were going to be a secular soundtrack, it would have to be Bach’s Cello Suites.
Continue reading...271: Laura Nyro, ‘Walk on By’ (Bootleg Collection)
A Rosh HaShana gift – 15 bootleg covers that never appeared on Laura’s official albums.
Continue reading...147: Frank Sinatra, ‘It Was a Very Good Year’
It’s early September, the leaves and the pages of the calendar are turning, a time for some sober and somber thoughts about whither we are headed. Here’s a great song about September and life and reflection.
Continue reading...277: Joni Mitchell, ‘Electricity’
Why Joni Mitchell isn’t relevant in a world of Millenial zombies.
Continue reading...092: Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain, ‘Babar’ (“The Melody of Rhythm”)
Alchemy 101:
Take a jazz banjoist, a classical double-bassist, and a percussionist of traditional Indian music, toss in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, mix vigorously. Waddaya get? A ménage a trois of a centaur, a mermaid, and a Toyota Prius? Nope! “The Melody of Rhythm” is as natural as the petal of a daisy — unforced, convincing and absolutely lovely.