music clip of the day

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Category: bass

Saturday, 4/7/12

The tree of country music has lots of eccentric branches.

The Handsome Family, “My Friend” (2009)

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lagniappe

reading table

The Everyday Enchantment of Music
by Mark Strand
(Almost Invisible [2012])

A rough sound was polished until it became a smoother sound, which was polished until it became music. Then the music was polished until it became the memory of a night in Venice when tears of the sea fell from the Bridge of Sighs, which in turn was polished until it ceased to be and in its place stood the empty home of a heart in trouble. Then suddenly there was sun and the music came back and traffic was moving and off in the distance, at the edge of the city, a long line of clouds appeared, and there was thunder, which, however menacing, would become music, and the memory of what happened after Venice would begin, and what happened after the home of the troubled heart broke in two would also begin.

*****

Happy Birthday, Billie!

All Billie, all day—WKCR-FM.

Friday, 4/6/12

Happy (75th) Birthday, Merle!

Merle Haggard, live

“Lonesome Fugitive,” Buck Owens Ranch Show, 1966

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“Working Man Blues,” Austin City Limits, 1978

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“Today I Started Loving You Again,” with Tammy Wynette, England (Wemberly), 1988

Wednesday, 4/4/12

Welcome to the maelstrom.

Miles Davis Group,* live, Berlin, 1973

Part 1: Turnaroundphrase

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Part 2: Turnaroundphrase, cont.; Tune in 5

*MD, trumpet; David Liebman, saxophone; Pete Cosey, guitar, percussion; Reggie Lucas, guitar; Michael Henderson, bass; Al Foster, drums; Mtume, percussion.

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lagniappe

reading table

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.

Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.

Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.

—Antonio Mochado (1875-1939), “Last Night As I Was Sleeping” (translated from Spanish by Robert Bly)

Tuesday, 4/3/12

One singer’s garbage is another’s gold.

Nina Simone, “Ain’t Got No/I Got Life” (adapted from Hair)
Live, New York (Harlem Cultural Festival), 1969

More? Here. And here.

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lagniappe

yesterday

Listening to the radio, where they were talking about post-war modernist architecture, I learned a new term for people my age: “mid-century.”

Monday, 4/2/12

When we last saw Miles, playing in Germany in 1967, he was wearing a suit and tie. Here, two years later, his wardrobe is headed in a new direction. So is his music.

Miles Davis Quintet,* live, France (Antibes), 1969
“Milestones,” “Footprints,” “’Round Midnight”

*MD, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor and soprano saxophones; Chick Corea, electric piano; Dave Holland, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums.

Sunday, 4/1/12

Willie Neal Johnson & The Gospel Keynotes
“Just For Me,” live

“Well, all right?” Gospel singers often follow a song, immediately, with a question. This opens a performance up, welcoming anyone who wants to come in, believer or not.

Friday, 3/30/12

only rock ’n’ roll

The Cramps, live
California State Mental Hospital (Napa), 1978

Wednesday, 3/21/12

career plans for the next life

If none of the other things I’ve mentioned pan out (tap dancer, rubboard player, reggae bassist), I might take a stab at playing guitar in a Malian band.

Salif Keita & Band, live, Germany (Leverkusener), 2010

Part 1

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Part 2

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Part 3

More? Here. And here.

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lagniappe

reading table

a glimpse of moon
over my home village . . .
then clouds

—Kobayashi Issa, 1807 (translated from Japanese by David G. Lanoue)

*****

taking a break

I’m going to take a little break—back soon.

Saturday, 3/17/12

Listening to this is like surfing: the trick is to catch a wave and ride it.

Charles Gayle Trio,* live, New York (Knitting Factory), 1996

Part 1

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Part 2

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Part 3

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Part 4

More? Here.

*Charles Gayle (piano, tenor saxophone), Gerald Benson (bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums).

Friday, 3/16/12

only rock ’n’ roll

What’s old is new again.

Alabama Shakes, live
Pegasus Records, Florence, Alabama, 8/21/11

“I Found You”

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“Hold On”

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lagniappe

Just Like Being There (2012)