sounds of Chicago
A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield (“We’re A Winner,” “Little Child Runnin’ Wild,” “Beautiful Brother of Mine,” “We the People,” “Keep On Keeping On,” “Superfly,” “Freddie’s Dead,” “Now You’re Gone,” “The Other Side of Town,” “The Makings Of You,” “So In Love,” “Move On Up” [all C. Mayfield]): WDR Big Band and WDR Funkhausorchester (Vince Mendoza, arranger/conductor) with Ledisi (vocals), Bilal (vocals), et al., live, Germany (Cologne), 9/30/23
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.

never enough
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor; Hidemi Suzuki (cello), live, Netherlands (Amsterdam), 2017
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lagniappe
radio
Speaking of “never enough,” the annual Bach Festival on WKCR-FM (Columbia University)—one of my favorite musical events of the year—runs through midnight New Year’s Eve.
sounds of Christmas
Bessie Smith (1894-1937) with Joe Smith (cornet), Charlie Green (trombone), Fletcher Henderson (piano), “At the Christmas Ball,” 1925
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Blind Lemon Jefferson (1893-1929), “Christmas Eve Blues,” 1928
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Victoria Spivey (1906-1976) with Lonnie Johnson (guitar), “Christmas Morning Blues,” 1928
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Leroy Carr (1905-1935), “Christmas in Jail—Ain’t That a Pain,” 1929
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Sonny Boy Williamson I (1914-1948), “Christmas Morning Blues,” 1938
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Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers with Charles Brown (1922-1999, vocals, keyboards), “Merry Christmas, Baby,” 1947
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(1921-1999), “Lonesome Christmas (I & II),” 1950
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Sonny Boy Williamson II (AKA Alex or Aleck Miller, 1912-1965), “Sonny Boy’s Christmas Blues,” 1951
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John Lee Hooker (1917-2001), “Blues for Christmas,” 1959
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
