Before the Semester Closes.....A Pair of Posts (Pt 1)

"Fanfare For the Common Man" - Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - Daniele Dugre-Martin sent this along for a number of reasons; 1) - she likes the song: 2) - she likes the group: 3) - she attended the concert that followed the recording of the video. Note the snow and just how cold it looks to be.  EL&P were one of the more popular of the "Progressive Rock" bands, not only for its innovative material but also because each member was a great musician.  Aaron Copland composed the famous piece of music in 1942 in response to a speech by then-Vice-President Henry Wallace in which the VP said that the 20th Century was "The Century of the Common Man."  Nothing common about this music!

"Come Along" - Cosmo Sheldrake - Cosmo Sheldrake is a London-based multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and producer. He is the son of parapsychologist Rupert Sheldrakeand voice teacher Jill Purce. He released his first single 'The Moss' in 2014, which was followed by the "Pelicans We" EP in 2015. This song was issued in 2017 and his first full-length album, "The Much Much How How and I" followed in April of 2018 -  Joe Gaffney.

"Eleanor" - Cricket Blue - I actually just got hired by these guys for an upcoming album release, and I had been previously unaware of them despite the fact that they’re right around the corner from me up in VT. I have so much respect for this kind of vocal duet approach - it’s so hard to do this well. And while you’re paying attention to their voices, you forget to notice just how skillful the guitar work is. It’s just gorgeous stuff all around - Dr. Kyle Saulnier.

"Comfortably Numb" - Pink Floyd - My husband is a Pink Floyd fan. He knows the lyrics to all of their songs and as a musician, often plays their songs. "Comfortably Numb" is his favorite. In honor or Michael I would like to suggest this song as my contribution to the blog. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Listen to the lyrics.... and you may find yourself... comfortably numb....  - Betsy Rosenblum.

"High Five" - Sigrid - I found this song recently and like that it focuses on the idea that people seek approval too often and it can actually get in the way of life - Megan Winslow. Sigrid is a
Norwegian singer and songwriter. In 2017, Sigrid rose to fame with the release of her debut EP "Don't Kill My Vibe", and she later won the BBC Music Sound of 2018. Her single "Strangers" reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. On 8 March 2019, Sigrid released her debut studio album, "Sucker Punch",^[1] which debuted at number 1 on Norwegian charts and at number 4 on English, Irish, and Scottish charts (Wikipedia).

"Variations on a Shaker Melody" - Christina & Michelle Naughton - This lovely hymn (known as "Simple Gifts" when the song is sung) is part of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" which he composed in 1944 for ballet choreographer and dancer Maria Graham.  It is one of my favorite melodies and its placement in the full composition is incredibly moving, dramatic, and stunning.  This version features the twin pianists, Christina and Michelle Naughton (twins as well) with the arrangement by Bennett Lerner, himself a performer of 20th Century American classical music - 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)