Summer Times

Spring semester came and went. It did not seem so fast in the middle of it but, now that it's over, the time flew right by.  This blog has been fun and will return sporadically throughout the summer. Here are a few more cuts ti brighten your days and nights!

"School Is Out" - Gary U.S. Bonds - Before Alice Cooper came along with his song of pretty much the same name (1972's "School's Out"), this 1960 ditty served the purpose of a Summer song.  It's a bit "lo-fi" and sounds like it was recorded at a party but most of U.S. Bonds's songs sounded like this.  Who needs stereo when you can turn this song really loud and just let it wail!

Mr. Bonds made a bit of a comeback in the 1980s thanks to Bruce Springsteen and his hirsute sidekick  Little Steven Van Zandt.  He had a couple of regional hits before "disappearing" for another two decades. He continues to work and record with Van Zandt. (RB Kamins)

"Slappin' The Cakes on Me" - John Pizzarelli - John Paul Pizzarelli Jr. (born April 6, 1960) is an American jazz guitarist and vocalist. He has recorded over twenty solo albums and has appeared on more than forty albums by other recording artists. The son of swing guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He started on guitar when he was six and played trumpet through his college years.  He attended Don Bosco Preparatory School, an all-boys Catholic school. In his teens, he performed with Benny Goodman, Les Paul, Zoot Sims and Clark Terry.
He may be recognized from his iconic pop ‘jingle’ from the television commercial for Foxwoods Casino in CT; however, Pizzarelli is an accomplished jazz guitarist. I have attended many of his performances in various venues ranging from cabaret venue, to live radio show recording, to Tanglewood in the Berkshires. I have always come away fully satisfied by an evening of memorable melodies. 

"Slappin’ the Cakes on Me" is one song from Pizzarelli’s 1993 CD entitled Naturally: This song, composed by Dave Frishberg, is a simply great collaboration with his father, Bucky; his brother Martin; Clark Terry and Ray Kennedy. When listening to it, one tends to close his eyes and float with the soft tones that create an ephemeral state of relaxation.  Enjoy it here. (Joseph Gaffney)

"Don't Take the Money" - Bleachers -  It is really fun, upbeat song that has themes of life experiences. To me, this song sounds like summer car rides which makes it very appropriate for this week as we enter the summer break. (Megan Winslow)

This group - well, actually this solo act - is the brainchild of songwriter and guitarist Jack Antonoff. He's composed mega-hits for the likes of Taylor Swift, Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, Sia, and Sara Bareilles ("Brave", a favorite around the Kamins household).  He's got that knack of writing "earworms", songs that get into your head and won't leave, no matter what you do.  

"Grandma's Hands" - Bill Withers - Withers was a working man making wash room and air stairs for aircraft companies in the late 1960s when a demo recording of his songs made the rounds of many record labels. Rejected by many different ones big and small (although several of songs were recorded by a number of people, including Diana Ross), the tape eventually landed in the hands of Clarence Avant, founder of Sussex Records.  He signed Withers, hired Booker T. Jones (famous for his work with Otis Redding, Carla Thomas), and the singer-songwriter went into the studios to record his debut Lp.  The album cover (on the left) was supposedly taken at the machine shop where Withers was employed. Happily, the first song Sussex released was "Ain't No Sunshine" which became a huge hit.  For the next few years, Withers had a string of big hits ("Lean on Me", "Use Me", "Kissing My Love") but Sussex Records went bankrupt. He then signed with CBS Records but had a real hard time dealing with producers and did not have a hit again until he connected with saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. to make "Just the Two of Us", a tune that went to number 1 in 1981.  He retired in 1985 and, thanks to the great popularity of his songs used in movies, television shows, and elsewhere, he's been able to live off the royalties.  He writes a few songs now and then but does not perform due to a medical issue.

The song I chose is from that debut album, a group of songs that continue to resonate 46 years after I first heard the album. This particular song is simple, spare arrangements (Stephen Stills on guitar), and quite a heartfelt vocal.  (RBK)

Finals Week (Pt 1)

I'm pleased to write that I have enough material for two posts. Let's get right to it.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon and Garfunkel - I suppose the medical events of the week reminded me of this haunting toon. (Thomas Williams).

Not much to add other this is one of those songs that, to me, sounds timeless. It could the gospel-influenced piano lines, the "large" orchestral arrangement, and, of course, Art Garfunkel's angelic voice. In the midst of the Vietnam conflict and all the craziness in the world at the time, this song was balm.
(RBK)

"God's Plan" - Drake - “God’s Plan” is about Drake’s life-the story so far in the music industry-which he acclaims to be the god’s plan. He says he has a lot of haters and people who would love to see him go down. But thanks to the Almighty, he has been able to withstand all the negative influences. Feedback has come from various types of people including religious leaders. (Joe Gaffney)

Here is a critique from Eddie Stern, Director of the Brooklyn Ganesh Temple, Brooklyn, NY:

"As for God’s actual plan, who knows what that plan may be? Giving away money to people in need and to programs that will help kids is certainly a good use of money, whether you have a lot of it, or a little of it. On the one hand, people might say that it is a bit self-serving of Drake to film and flaunt his charitable acts. However, one would hope that other people watching his video will be inspired to do the same. It’s good to be inspired by people we admire to think beyond ourselves, and to reach out to those in need. Most religious and spiritual traditions hold that true happiness is found in connecting with the people and world around us, because it is a shared happiness, a shared joy, and not just the pursuit of our own, individual happiness. Shared joy is much more fulfilling. Fulfillment in life is not just having enough money, or having a lot of stuff, it’s about actually fulfilling our souls with shared joy, and shared goodness.”

"Drugs" - Adam Jensen - My song submission this week is Drugs my Adam Jensen. I find it to be a fun (and somewhat comical) song that also touches on the important issue of drug abuse. I think what I like about it most is how distinctive the instrumental melody of the song is.

"Fanfare for the Common Man" - Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - One of the "super groups" of the 1970s and 80s, this trio made a lot of sound for three men, each one a superlative musician.  Here, they tackle a classic work from American compose Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990) that was originally "was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year; in that speech, the vice president of the United States of America, Henry A. Wallace, proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man". Here, the band rocks out in an empty stadium surrounded by snow and, as you can see, quite cold. Daniele Dugre-Martin suggested this song and was there at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, CA later that evening after the roof was closed and the snow removed. (RBK)

"People Take Pictures of Each Other" - The Kinks - As I played this song (from the brilliant 1968 Lp "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society", I remembered our trip to England and all the people taking pictures standing in front of the famous places one could visit: pictures would be snapped and then people would walk away. I wondered "did they ever go in"? I'm a strong believer that Ray Davies, the head of The Kinks, was one of the great songwriters of the 1960s once he got over his "teen" music phase ("You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of The Night") and started composing pithy portraits of English society. (RBK)

Pre-Finals Sounds

I was hoping to do, at least, two more posts with the ultimate one at the end of Finals Week. So, here's the penultimate post!

"Maybe" - Alina Baraz & Galimatias - Since I have been listening to a lot of very relaxing/slower music to study, I have been listening to "Maybe"  by Alina Baraz a lot. I like how the song is somewhat sparse instument/sound-wise. It has a very chill vibe, but the song changes enough throughout to keep your interest. It comes from her album Urban Flora which is a fantastic album to listen to while studying (at least for me it is and I have recommended it to other students that are studying). (Megan Winslow)

"Money For Nothing" - Dire Straits - At the time this song came out, I was working at Sears and I was, in fact, moving refrigerators and color tvs. The song was an anthem to us in the warehouse and we sung it loud and laced with profanity. (Chris Hakala)

Editor's note: - Somewhere in our house is a picture of our younger daughter Rachel peering intently at the lyric sheet that came with Dire Straits's "Brothers in Arms" Lp. We swear it's how she learned how to read (from that album and Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man"). (RBK)

"Two of Us" - The Beatles - I played this at a friend’s “funeral” on the Orkney Island of Rousay last summer. It illustrates our long friendship very well as it did Lennon and McCartney’s collaboration of many years. (Daniele Dugre-Martin)

From "The Beatles Bible": The opening song on The Beatles' final album, "Two Of Us" was written by Paul McCartney about his fondness for getting deliberately lost in the country with his future wife Linda. 

Lennon and McCartney shared the same microphone to sing the song, as captured in the Let It Be film. Indeed, the middle sections contain likely references to their relationship, with both acutely aware that their time as members of The Beatles was drawing to a close. (Editor's note: C'mon Paul, we know this is all about you and John!

"World We You Live" - Crowded House - I loved this group back in the 80s and 90s but only owned two of their albums.
Of course everyone knows “Don’t Dream it’s Over” but they had many other hits over the years. Such as “World where you live.”  Great road trip music. (Thomas Williams)

Editor's note - I have always considered this "adult pop" music, fun to sing along with plus lyrics that are not shallow.  If you missed this group first time around, check out their songs.!

"Down San Diego Way" - Arthur Blythe - To end this post on a boisterous note, my 301 students ask me about my favorite songs. Of course, since I have been listening to music for over six decades,  my list is way too long to publish anywhere. However, most of my favorites are connected to memories.  In the mid-70s, I was a reviewer for the New Haven Advocate specializing in jazz, especially "out" jazz. I had the opportunity to meet saxophonist Arthur Blythe and hear him play live. No matter what musical situation he put himself in, his alto sax always sounded like joy personified.  No more so than on "Down San Diego Way" from his first Lp on CBS Records.  Guitar, percussion, bass, drums, tuba (Bob Stewart is the true "bottom"), flute, and Mr. Blythe's sweet tone. Yes, this is noisy but it' a reflection of a person who lived to play, loved to play, and appreciated when people would come up and say "thank you."  This song is a real "summer - open the windows and play it loud, really loud - song". (RBK)