Mixed Tape Tuesday Goes 70s: Part 2

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted on this blog. Right now I have too many irons in the fire, and unfortunately I haven't done a good job of finishing things. Hopefully, I will catch my breath sometime this next week. But today, I  find myself back at Part 2 of the 1970's for Twisted Mix Tape Tuesday over at Jen's place, My Skewed View.

Last week's choices for Part 1 were for the most part pretty mainstream, and this week there are a few hits thrown in as well. And maybe a few that weren't quite hits, but were memorable... at least to me.

One song from the 70's was a constant background theme for my senior year of high school. Don McLean wrote a song so epic, its lyrics are still being debated today. It was one of those great songs where a car full of  HS girls could sing at the top of their lungs, and laugh and enjoy every minute of it.

"American Pie"

In 1970 James Taylor released his second album, and it was the one which would change his career. To this day, how can you not smile when you hear "Goodnight you moonlight ladies, rockabye Sweet Baby James" Between the title song and "Fire and Rain," JT's music was everywhere. It was for me, one of those records that was played everyday. But besides those two great songs, the one which took me to another place began this way...

"Take to the highway won't you lend me your name

Your way and my way seem to be one and the same"

"Country Road"

Ok, this one I'm gonna cheat on. I only did one part of the 60's, so I'll bend the rules a bit for this entry. The song originally came out in the 60's true enough, but there was this film a documentary in fact which spawned an album. See where I'm going? The band was... The Band. The film was The Last Waltz and the song I need to put in is "The Weight" Why... because it deserves the designation of one of the most important songs of a decade. In this case, it could fit into several decades.

"The Weight"

Another one of those songs where you just had to sing along with was one with the strangest subject matter. But then again, that was how Warren Zevon wrote.

"I saw a werewolf drinkin' a pina colada at Trader Vic's

His hair was perfect"

"Werewolves of London"

In 1970 Eric Burdon and War released a song which was a little provocative for the time. A song that was played at every party where the wine was spilled and joints were passed. 

"Spill the Wine"

I'm going over the five song limit again this week. Sue me, I'm a rebel. I didn't get to Motown songs in the 60's and I will not make that mistake in the 70's. Soul and R&B were as much of the soundtrack to my life in those days as anything else. And choosing one artist as a template for the rest has given me a headache, choosing only one of his songs well... it's kind of making me nuts, but I'm having fun going through them.

As someone who musically has run the gamut, Stevie Wonder has shown his brilliance through his songwriting. In the 70's he had Talking Book, Innervisions, and Songs in the Key of Life, all with charting singles. I could have chosen a dozen, but the one I thought had the most influence for the time was "Living for the City." The equal rights movement had created laws, but it didn't change the hearts and minds of a lot of people. This song addressed inequality, prejudice and the ugliness of all that occurred. Stevie managed to get the point across beautifully.

"A boy is born in hard time Mississippi 

Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty 

His parents give him love and affection 

To keep him strong moving in the right direction 

Living just enough, just enough for the city."

"Living for the City"

I could go on and would love to, but it's time to end the trip through the 70's music scene. Thanks for having me over Jen.

Enjoying "The Beat" with Boney James

I'm not a huge fan of jazz. There, I've said it. I've probably said it before.

Old jazz: Ella, Sarah, Billie, Nina, Dizzy, Coltrane, Brubeck... them I got and like a lot of it. The newer fusion stuff... not so much. I don't get the structure, the math, the feel...hell I don't get the soul of it. But last night I went to see a little jazz concert and... I liked it.

My friend Jim Wood did an interview with Smooth Jazz Saxophonist Boney James a few weeks ago, and his take on Boney's new album The Beat got me interested. I knew he was going to play at the local Performing Arts Center, the Bergen PAC, but the show was last night and I knowing I had a late show to attend in Manhattan tonight, I thought I'd pass. Then fate stepped in. The PAC held an impromptu give-away on Facebook and I won a pair of tickets to the show. Suck it up Kat, time to return to the old days of back-to-back concerts.

From the moment Boney James strode onstage, I liked what I saw. Young, confident with both style and swagger. Yeah, if I didn't know better, I'd say he was Jersey all the way. Black jacket, pants, sneaks, white shirt, red tie and black fedora.

His show consisted of jazz yes, but he brings in some R &B along with Latin influences. Very, very nice. Not being a student of jazz, I won't try to review the show in terms of what works or doesn't from a technical point of view. Let's just talk about how it made me feel. Normally at a show, my feet are moving and my head is keeping beat, from the first note. This took me a while to get into the groove. Not because he was wonderfully talented and very fun to watch onstage, but because I just had to acclimate myself to a totally different type of energy. And the energy is plentiful.

Quite the showman, James knows how to keep the crowd interested. Encouraging audience interaction throughout the show, he was even part of the crowd at one point. Taking his sax, he wandered through the orchestra section, pausing to dance with various audience members (mostly females, as far as I could see.)

Switching between sax and clarinet, James dances, plays off his band and seems like he is having one hell of a good time. His just released album The Beat, was served up quite nicely. The title song, originally done by Sergio Mendes, was given a new life. He takes Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry About A Thing," even a little more Latin than the original. "Sunset Boulevard," another song from the new release, just like the street in LA, is a long smooth ride. In Boney James' hands, Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" doesn't need a vocal.

The night ended with an encore of "Grazing In The Grass," the old Hugh Masekela classic. It was still buzzing in my brain this morning. If you're a fan of jazz, chances are you know Boney James, with his Grammy nominations and all. The audience definitely did and several standing ovations throughout the night showed he gave them what they expected.

But even if you're like me, a casual jazz listener and are looking for a taste of new music, go see him. It was a sweet way to taste something different musically and who knows, maybe I do like jazz after all.

Debating the Debate: You Haven't Done Nothing

So did you watch the debate last night? I listened to it...sort of.

C'mon, it was game 162 of the regular baseball season and it meant something. The outcomes of several games actually determined the playoff schedules. And, at the top of the list..my beloved Yankees. Yes, we did it, we won the AL East. It's a long road til the World Series and I don't have illusions of grandeur, but there is that Kentucky Wildcat thing...hmm. But that's a story for another day.

Back to politics. ugh.

Every four years when you think the candidates can't get any worse...they do. Now due to the fact that I write a couple of blogs, I thought I should at least pay a little attention to last night's pissing contest.

So, I had the Yankee game on TV and the debate streaming on the laptop, listening through my earbuds. During commercials, I switched to the testosterone tiff to get the visual effect. From what I could assimilate...Big Bird won by a huge margin. Everything else was pretty much blah, blah, blah.

I've decided during this political season, for each presidential debate, I should showcase a song to reflect my feelings of the moment. No, I won't be watching or commenting on the vice-presidential debates unless something REAL FUN happens, because quite frankly...who the hell cares. After the vice-presidental debate when Dan Quayle (Mr. Potatoe Head) was handed his hat and told in no uncertain terms by Lloyd Bentsen to "go home little boy," and was still voted in as VP, I realized that no one really gives a shit who the VP is going to be...unless it is Sarah Palin. But I digress.

So one tasty treat today. Mr. Stevie Wonder, who always gets it right.
"You Haven't Done Nothing"

"We are amazed but not amused

By all the things you say that you'll do

Though much concerned but not involved

With decisions that are made by you

But we are sick and tired of hearing your song

Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong

'Cause if you really want to hear our views

"You haven't done nothing"!

It's not too cool to be ridiculed 

But you brought this upon yourself

The world is tired of pacifiers

We want the truth and nothing else

And we are sick and tired of hearing your song

Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong

'Cause if you really want to hear our views

"You haven't done nothing"!

Jackson 5 join along with me say

Doo doo wop - hey hey hey

Doo doo wop - wow wow wow 

Doo doo wop - co co co 

Doo doo wop - naw naw naw

Doo doo wop - bum bum bum 

Doo doo wop

We would not care to wake up to the nightmare

That's becoming real life

But when mislead who knows a person's mind

Can turn as cold as ice un hum

Why do you keep on making us hear your song

Telling us how you are changing right from wrong

'Cause if you really want to hear our views

"You haven't done nothing"!

Yeah

Jackson 5 sing along again say

Doo doo wop

Doo doo wop - oh

Doo doo wop - co co co 

Doo doo wop - sing it baby

Doo doo wop - bum bum bum 

Doo doo wop - um 

Sing it loud for your people say

Doo doo wop - um um um 

Doo doo wop - stand up be counted, say

Doo doo wop - co co co 

Doo doo wop - ow

Doo doo wop - bum bum bum 

Doo doo wop - ah hum"

Politics...what a way to make a living.

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Let's Get Tempted with A Little Motown

Motown.

In the 60's Motown ruled the domestic music scene. We still had the British invasion going on, but the number of talented artists in the Motown stable was phenomenal. Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye...the list goes on and on.

Slowly but surely, we will go through the Motown label. Today we will sample, one of the premier groups of the era...The Temptations. Now, back in the day there was a rivalry between the Temps and The Four Tops. Both featured great songs, lots of choreography and singers with wide vocal ranges. The Temps were always a bit smoother, more polished than the Tops, but I can still listen to all the songs from each group and still not be tired of hearing them.

A few tasty treats from the Temptations, featuring the wonderful David Ruffin.

"I Wish It Would Rain"
"I'm Losing You"
"Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
"Can't Get Next To You" featuring Eddie Kendricks
and the best of all
"My Girl"

That's some tempting treats served up today.

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