"South Astoria Toodle-OO" : THE WEEKEND MIX

Yesterday's post about Jaco put me in an unusual Burning Wood position. I always assume that everyone is thinking what I'm thinking. And what I'm usually thinking is that the majority of Burning Wood readers care little about jazz. This is based on nothing, mind you. Before I continue, check out this tidbit I grabbed from sportscaster Len Berman's daily e-mail blast:

Quick, what percentage of New York City residents follow Major League
Baseball? While you ponder, I've long believed that the great myth is
that everyone is a sports fan. I maintain the majority of people don't
follow sports. That's one reason my Top 5 has been so successful.
Non-sports fans are intimidated into thinking they're in the minority
what with ESPN, talk radio and the tabloids.
Now the answer: New York City fancies itself as the "baseball capital
of the world," but according to a new Marist poll, a whopping 61%
don't follow Major League baseball. Ah, that explains the empty luxury
seats, or not.

(I highly recommend Len Berman's Top 5 e-mail, which you can sign up for at
www.lenbermansports.com. But, I digress.)

Maybe Burning Wood readers have been pining for a little jazz.


This "WEEKEND MIX" is by no means my statement on jazz. It is not meant to be definitive, or a lesson, or songs from albums I think you need to own. This mix was put together with the sole purpose of creating a listening experience. Miles, Duke, Monk, blah blah blah. I know and you know and I know that you know. They are here in spirit...but not on the mix.

Here are some tunes that I find myself going back to often. Very often. Every one of these performances smacks me hard. From Greg Osby's unique arrangement of the Ellington classic, to Lewis Nash's mind-boggling drum solo on Joe Lovano's Vanguard tribute, every song here will hopefully kickstart something you didn't know you had in you. Listen, enjoy, and buy these records, if ya dig it.


TRACKLIST

East St. Louis Toodle-OO - Greg Osby (from St. Louis Shoes)

Maria - Eric Reed (from Pure Imagination)

Merci Bon Dieu- Charlie Rouse (from Bossa Nova Bacchanal)

Bemsha Swing - Leon Parker (from Above & Below)

It Don't Mean A Thing -Lynne Arriale Trio (from Inspiration)

Greasy -Jackie McLean (from New Soil)

Within You, Without You - Ken Peplowski (from Little Dogs, yet to be released)

Kinda Dukish- Jason Moran (from Black Stars)

I Found A New Baby- Lester Young/Harry Edison (from Pres & Sweets)

Spring Can Really Hang You Up - David Torkanowsky (from Steppin' Out)

At The Vanguard- Joe Lovano Nonet (from On This Day At The Vanguard)

HERE IS YOUR ZIP FILE

And while you're listening, check out my reviews of Allen Toussaint & Marcus Roberts over at the fine ALTERCATION site.

ENJOY

His Brush With Fame

During the early 80s, I was in a working band. Regular gigs at most of the NYC clubs that were popular at the time, S.N.A.F.U., Trax, The Bitter End, Kenny's Castaways, and Great Gildersleeves, were commonplace. And for reasons I still can't understand, the late, great jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius, ended up at more than one of our gigs. He wasn't searching us out. We didn't play jazz and if we did, he wouldn't be searching US out. But yet, on more than one occasion, we found ourselves in the same place at the same time. One place was Dr. B's, a short-lived club on Greene Street in Soho, where he and the great percussionist Don Alias had a semi-regular residency, and so did we. If not at Dr. B's, then we'd see him hanging out at Kenny's Castaways, where we played just as often.

What made these implausible meetings even more curious and a bit exciting for me, was that at the start of my band's rehearsal every week, my bass player and I would warm up playing Jaco's tune "Teen Town," from Weather Report's "Heavy Weather" album.

It was a Jaco original that he played both bass and drums on, and man, did it kick ass in both departments.

Here comes the sad but true part of the story. In between our two sets at Kenny's Castaways one evening, Jaco got up onstage, picked up Richie's bass, and just started playing. I don't remember what, but it was Jaco, so it wasn't just anything. We were all in shock. Richie, my bass player, tells me to "Get up there. Here's your chance to play with Jaco. Go play 'Teen Town.'"

I just couldn't. It didn't seem right. But after repeated choruses of "Pussy," and the fact that it WAS our gig and our equipment, I relented. I ran up, grabbed my sticks and started playing the very distinct opening hi-hat riff to "Teen Town." I sounded good. Really. Jaco turned around, made a "What's that horrible smell?" face. You know, that same face you make driving through Secaucus. He put down the bass, and hopped off the stage and out onto Bleecker Street.

I played with Jaco for 10 seconds.

Here is a live version of "Teen Town" from 1977 featuring the classic Weather Report line-up of Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Alex Acuna, Manolo Badrena, and of course, the late master, Jaco Pastorius.

ZIP FILE

Faith, Junk, P&G, and a Bonehead

"Part of the fun of rock and roll is getting to slag what you don't like."


A friend of Burning Wood made that comment in response to my recent post on music, and why we apologize for our musical tastes. Good point...I guess, except that a few years ago at the P&G bar on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, someone referred to John Hiatt's "Have A Little Faith In Me" as "junk." I shouldn't have taken this bonehead too seriously. He also started screaming about how "Ted Nugent is a underrated poet."

Wango Tango
Wango Tango
It's a Wango Tango
Ooooh yeah! (oooooh..)
Baby!


(I feel like Steve Allen)

Fun? Maybe. But some things are just off limits and his "slagging" of Hiatt's "Have A Little Faith" was not fun.

And in some barely related news, this week, I was turned on to a song from Duncan Sheik's acclaimed musical "Spring Awakening" called "My Junk." Pretty amazing tune; about 2:30 of pop perfection. And, by the way...not the same junk. It would be pointless to go into the background or book of "Spring Awakening." It has already made its mark on the theater world and I'm really not the guy to write about it properly, or at all really. I guess I was just pleasantly surprised that, like "Wicked," which I also talked about in the aforementioned post, I missed out on some genuinely moving material. "My Junk" knocked me out, as I am sure, the rest of "Spring Awakening" would have...if I saw it.

I doubt that this Nugent-loving bonehead who made the comment about John Hiatt's brilliant tune ever saw "Spring Awakening," so I'm pretty sure his "junk" comment had no clever alternate meaning. And for the record, I love about 15 Ted Nugent songs. I just love "Have A Little Faith In Me" more.


Enjoy the video and please forgive my overuse of the words "bonehead" and "junk."

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date - 05/26/09

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend. Here's what happened while you were gone.






DAVE ALVIN & THE GUILTY WOMEN- DAVE ALVIN & THE GUILTY WOMEN

A dream band of sorts for Dave Alvin, or so he claims on the CD jacket, "Guilty Women" features some of the finest names in country, folk and bluegrass--Christy McWilson, Cindy Cashdollar, Nina Gerber, Laurie Lewis, Amy Farris, Sarah Brown, and Lisa Pankratz--revisiting some of Alvin's best known tunes, as well as some originals from the stellar line-up. The long-legged Texan, Miss Marcia Ball also guests. Some great music here, folks.






VARIOUS ARTISTS- MAN OF SOMEBODY'S DREAMS: A TRIBUTE TO CHRIS GAFFNEY

The great singer-songwriter Chris Gaffney lost his battle with cancer last year, and some of his dear friends under the auspices of Dave Alvin, came together to pay tribute to his legacy. Joe Ely, Boz Scaggs, Los Lobos, Peter Case, James McMurtry, John Doe, Dan Penn, and The Iguanas are just some of the artists singing the best of Gaffney's beloved material.





ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO- EXPANDED REISSUES

The first two of Escovedo's solo albums, "GRAVITY" and 'THIRTEEN YEARS" get a much needed upgrade. Both now feature new remastering and a bonus CD which includes live & rare material.

(So far, I'm feeling no snark. These releases are genuinely fantastic. Sorry. Where are you, Meanstreets?)





GRIZZLY BEAR- VECKATIMEST

The next big indie thing according to all those damn hipster asspains, "Veckatimest," named after a tiny, uninhabited island off of Cape Cod, features a guest spot from another hipster asspain, neoclassical composer Nico Muhly. My attitude may be unnecessary, but I find the whole indie, hipster, Brooklyn scene really irritating. "My Brooklyn" is all about Lundy's, Randazzo's, Henry Street pizza, the Oceana movie theatre, stickball, Titus Oaks Records, and Ralph Kramden. Not THIS guy:



Why this is Grizzly Bear's fault, I'm not sure. But I need to blame someone.







(ok, i'm back)











MARILYN MANSON- THE HIGH END OF LOW

Just in time. Features the first single, "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin'-geddon," a Manson original and not the Ian & Sylvia cover.





MANDY MOORE- AMANDA LEIGH

Produced by power-pop icon Mike Viola, Moore's new album was "inspired by her love of Paul McCartney's Ram album, Joni Mitchell, Todd Rundgren, and CSNY." I know you're waiting for it. But it's not gonna happen, readers. There is some fantastic music on this record. Mandy Moore does not try outdo anyone here. Her voice is sweet and confident, and the material truly draws from the influences mentioned. Nice going! Props to Mike Viola.





PHOENIX- WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX

This is the 4th release from the French Electro-Rockers. Nothing has ever come close to "Everything Is Everything" or "Love For Granted," two songs off of their second album, "Alphabetical," the former, a perfect dance pop hit, and the latter, one of the most beautifully written ballads of the last 20 years. But, after one listen, this new album shows some promise and also boasts my favorite album title of the year....so far.


NOW YOU HAS JAZZ






MILES DAVIS- SKETCHES OF SPAIN 50th ANNIVERSARY

Sony Legacy does it again, with a 2CD expanded version of one of the greatest records of all time, not just of jazz, but of any genre. To celebrate this brilliant collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans, Sony gives us an additional disc of alternates, rehearsal takes and live material.







CHARLES MINGUS- AH UM 50H ANNIVERSARY

What I just said, but this time it's Mingus and Macero, and even more unreleased material.




DAVE BRUBECK- TIME OUT 50TH ANNIVERSARY

What I just said, but this time with a full live disc AND a DVD that features a whole lot of other stuff.


ALSO RELEASED TODAY

THE DEL-LORDS- REISSUES
They are on American Beat, a cool, but no frills label, so there is probably no remastering, but it's still great to see "BASED ON A TRUE STORY," " FRONTIER DAYS," and "JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME" back in circulation.


STEVE LAWRENCE & EYDIE GORME
Like, 400 reissues. "A Room Without Windows" and "What Did I Have That I Don't Have Now" are all you need. Trust me. Two killer songs. Here you go. ZIP FILE


GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS- COMPLETE LIBERTY SINGLES (2 CDS)
Every A & B side. "Green Grass!" "Everybody Loves A Clown !" "B-sides!"







LUCIANA SOUZA- TIDE
Ms.Souza has yet to release a bad record. Currently, my favorite Brazilian artist. Check out "Brazilian Duos."


NAOMI SHELTON & THE GOSPEL QUEENS- WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, MY BROTHER
Gospel and soul, courtesy of Neal Sugarman and the genius that is Daptone Records.

Couldn't I Just Tell You

I did some spring cleaning last week. I decided to part with a few hundred t-shirts that I have had for years. Shirts that either made me look like Comic Book Guy, had dirty dryer spots on them, or whose band logo no longer fit into my current state of (un)cool. They were all laundered and folded, so I filled 3 or 4 shopping bags and placed them out in front of my house, a comfortable distance from (right next to) the real garbage, hoping someone would take them and use them.

I live in Astoria, Queens, a wonderful neighborhood that mixes the (not so) young with the (frightfully) old. Elderly Europeans, mostly Greeks and Italians (Greeks), mingle politely with the "not hip enough for Williamsburg, Brooklyn" 30 and 40-somethings. (Although, the guy with one eyebrow wearing the stained undershirt, shorts, socks, and sandals, sitting in front of the salon barking, "PED-A-CURE! PED-A-CURE!" isn't really what I'd consider mingling politely.) A day or two after leaving the t-shirts, which were eventually picked up, I was doing some chores in the hood. As I walked home with my laundry, I noticed this woman, probably in her 70s. She was walking toward me, wearing black woolen knee socks, a black skirt, bulky black shoes, hair in a bun protected by a hairnet, and a Wondermints tour t-shirt.

Perfect.

I thought of this today, because as I made my way to the subway this morning, I saw who I thought was the same woman. Today she was wearing a shirt that said, "My Boyfriend Is Out Of Town."






Today's post was originally going to highlight some Todd Rundgren cover versions, but it has taken a bit of turn. I wanted to tell you this story instead.

So here is a ZIP FILE combining both ideas. Here are three version of Todd Rundgren's pop brilliance, "Couldn't I Just Tell You."











The Wondermints version is from a CD called "Mintsmania," an unofficial collection of covers and demos. The Joe Jackson track is from the Japanese edition of his killer rock and roll comeback, "Volume 4," and of course, the classic, original version from Todd Rundgren's pop masterpiece "Something/Anything?"

"Pitta Pattin' With Huey "Piano" Smith" : THE WEEKEND MIX

FIRST, a little about Huey "Piano" Smith from All Music:


Huey "Piano" Smith was an important part of the great New Orleans piano tradition, following in the footsteps of Professor Longhair and Fats Domino to take his place among the Crescent City's R&B elite. He was also one of R&B's great comedians, his best singles matching the Coasters for genial, good-time humor, although his taste often ran more towards nonsense lyrics. Smith's sound was too earthy to match the pop crossover appeal of Domino or the Coasters, which limited his exposure, and he couldn't match the latter's amazing consistency, lacking their reliable supply of material. But at the peak of his game, Smith epitomized New Orleans R&B at its most infectious and rollicking, as showcased on his classic signature tune "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu."


This "WEEKEND MIX" is basically the "Pitta Pattin" CD, which was released in 1987 on the once prestigious UK label, Charly. "Pitta Pattin'" is a collection of late 60s and early 70s Huey "Piano" Smith material, when he was dabbling in everything from blues and doo wop to funk, all in an attempt to recreate his 60s heyday. Ironically, this hastily slapped together collection is more cohesive than any of Smith's legitimate releases. It took months and some money to locate this bad boy, but I HAD to have it strictly for "You Got It Pts 1&2," a song whose groove is so bad-ass funky, it sounds wrong. The re-record of the novelty hit, "Don't You Just Know It," is also a winner.

TRACK LIST:

Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu Pt 1
Through Fooling Around
It Do Me Good Pt. 1
Don't You Just Know It
I'll Never Forget
Smile For Me
You Got To Pts 1&2
Bury Me Dead Deep In My Grave
I've Got Everything
Baby You Hurt Me
High Blood Pressure


The ZIP FILE, courtesy of BURNING WOOD.

"NOW...you can go."

When Harry Met Sally

I spent part of yesterday afternoon with my friend Harry Greenberger. It was spent doing the usual music freak chin-wagging over everything from Jack White and Bob Dylan to Sinead O'Connor. We also both wondered as musicians, why more of us aren't in jail for killing fellow bandmates. Then the conversation shifted to Bruce Springsteen and his current tour. Here's Harry on that.

In this new economy we have here in 2009, where even more than usual, no character ever depicted in a Bruce Springsteen song could possibly afford to see him perform, I managed to see three shows from the current run. On this particular tour Bruce, at a predetermined time in each show, pulls signs colorfully made by fans out of the "Pit" and chooses from among them interesting requests for the band. Recently, that has morphed from obscure E-Street band favorites to covers the band hadn't ever tried, such as London Calling, I Wanna Be Sedated, and Expressway To Your Heart.





In the last of the three shows I attended, this one at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, I sat behind the stage, and during this "request" section of the show, I saw Bruce pull a sign from the crowd; a sign that he showed to the crew in back of the stage, making it so that those of us in the cheap seats ($100 plus service fees) could read it. It said "Like A Rolling Stone," and as a Dylan-worshipping Springsteen fan this seemed like a dream come true. But just as I freed my imagination to consider what Bruce covering Dylan was going to sound like I saw him turn the sign around to reveal that the other side said "Mony Mony," the Tommy James great, but less-exciting cover choice. (among other interesting choices that night, U2's "One" and The Ronettes "Be My Baby.)





Of course, Bruce proceeded to kick the band into "Mony Mony," and I started to realize that if it ever happened, "Rolling Stone" would happen somewhere later on the tour.
A few days later, sure enough, in my old hometown of Pittsburgh, there it was on the setlist.

HOW DOES IT FEEL, PITTSBURGH?


Well, here it is, Burning Wood.

LIKE A ROLLING STONE

"Once I Built A Railroad..."

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date - 05/19/09

LADIES & GENTS, HERE ARE TODAY'S NEW RELEASES























TORI AMOS- ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN

The return of the slightly twisted, swine-nursing singer-songwriter should have some people excited. Rolling Stone called her last release, "American Doll Posse," her "best record in years." Let's see if she can keep it up with this, her tenth release.






CHRIS BARRON- PANCHO & THE KID

Barron's voice is well-known as the singer of two of the catchiest singles of the 90s, "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" & "Two Princes," by one of the more melodic jam bands to hit the scene, the Spin Doctors. After a brief Doctors reunion a few years back, Barron is back on his own with his second solo release. His voice is sounding better than ever on a collection of songs that to me, sound a bit like the first two Wallflowers record. Nice stuff...if you like The Wallflowers. (I don't so much, but I do like this Chris Barron record.)





NICK CAVE REISSUES

Newly remastered and expanded, 4 Cave titles "FIRST BORN IS DEAD," "FROM HER TO ETERNITY," "KICKING AGAINST THE PRICKS," AND "YOUR FUNERAL & MY TRIAL" now all feature a 5.1 surround mix, as well as appropriate B-sides and rarities. Good job!




ERIC CLAPTON & STEVE WINWOOD- LIVE FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

The unofficial Blind Faith reunion of 2008 gets documented in its entirety on a 2 CD set. (also available as a DVD) Great sound and playing here. The mix of the CD is superb, with all the instruments mixed warmly up front. Highly recommended for the versions of "Voodoo Chile" and "Can't Find My Way Home" alone! (Not "Can't find My Way Home Alone," but....ah whatever)






GREEN DAY- 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN

Follow up to 2004's Best Rock Album of The Year, "21st Century Breakdown" follows the "rock opera" format of "American Idiot" by offering up three acts- "Heroes & Cons," "Charlatans & Saints," and "Horseshoes & Hand Grenades." And speaking of rock operas, check out the iTunes bonus tracks, which include an absolutely BRILLIANT version of The Who's "A Quick One, While He's Away."





LENNY KRAVITZ- LET LOVE RULE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Music journalists' favorite punching bag, Lenny Kravitz, gets his groundbreaking (that's right, groundbreaking) debut remastered and expanded to included 6 bonus b-sides and demos, as well as a bonus disc featuring a live concert from 1989. Maybe it's a tad dated, but still worth owning.





ALEX MCMURRAY- HOW TO BE A CANNONBALL

20 years ago, more than half of this record would have been all over the radio. Singer-songwriter McMurray knows how to break a heart and tickle a funny bone, most of the time in the same song. Part Tin Pan Alley, part Ray Davies, a little bit of Tom Waits, and a whole lotta hard New Orleans living, makes for one of my favorite records of the year. Get it HERE! You won't be sorry. Don't believe me? Check out some tracks in this ZIP FILE.





TRUE BLOOD SOUNDTRACK

Perfect musical companion to the just released First Season of HBO's True Blood on DVD, the 14 tracks that make up this collection include some New Orleans classics from Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, and Lee Dorsey, as well as a brand new track from one of my fave Louisiana artists C.C. Adcock. Also includes great tracks from Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Watson Twins and more. And let's not forget the title track that is NOT by Chris Isaak, but one Jace Everett.

ALSO OUT TODAY:

SCOTT H. BIRAM- SOMETHING'S WRONG/LOST FOREVER
"Dirty old, one man band" Austin blues. Sounds ok to me.

JARVIS COCKER- FURTHER COMPLICATIONS
I love this. From All Music:
"Most bands hit the big time immediately and fade away, or they build a dedicated following and slowly climb their way to the top. Pulp didn't follow either route." Second solo release from Pulp leader.

IRON & WINE- AROUND THE WELL
2 CDs of unreleased material.

KIM WILDE- KIM WILDE
New remaster. First time on CD since 1988. Boy did I love this record in 1981. "Chequered Love" kicked ass and "Kids In America"...well...that was pretty legit, too.

AS WELL AS...

BUSTA RHYMES- BACK ON MY B.S

and

ENIMEM- RELAPSE

And speaking of Kim Wilde--

Music And People, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Soundtrack Of "Wicked"

My high school years were not spent dissecting frogs, or making out with Debbie Fongiulagazzo in the bleachers, or agonizing over calculus homework. They were spent fighting. Not fist-fighting, but loud and brutal arguments with a bunch of girlfriend-less guys over who was the better drummer, John Bonham or Neil Peart. "Your mother wears combat boots" was not a reason for a beatdown. "Ritchie Blackmore sucks," on the other hand, could get your ass-kicked by certain guys on Nostrand Avenue with one eyebrow and a less than stellar vocabulary.

Thinking back to a few years earlier, I could remember sitting in my friend's bedroom, barely 13, listening to "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John, and for a reason I really didn't understand then, Olivia Newton-John's "Let Me Be There" album. I loved Elton, but my friend loved Elton AND Olivia. I didn't want to punch him. I just wanted an answer to the question, "Why?" Back then, it made little sense to me musically. When I tried bringing records like Queen's "Sheer Heart Attack," "The Slider" by T-Rex, or "Mott" by Mott The Hoople into the mix, the most positive reaction I got from my neighborhood friends was, "Homo!" Tough crowd, we were.

More than 30 years later, I still find myself questioning why someone would like A but not B, or A, B and C, but not D. I stopped getting violent over it, but I still tend to overthink and overtalk it. Yes, there have been reviews on these pages and on the pages of The Huffington Post, where I was less than kind to an artist. (See my Shelby Lynne review HERE) Or Radiohead, for example. I have been over Radiohead for 10 years or so, now. Not because I think they stink. They most certainly do not. I just feel like they've abandoned a very accessible songwriting formula for a more experimental, and to my ears, difficult listening experience. (Difficult, not demanding.) 30 years ago, these comments would have found me on the opposite end of a spit-filled tirade from one of my dearest friends. Now, I just get the occasional nasty remark on my comments page.

Something else I've been thinking about happened a few months back, when it was announced that Bon Jovi was booked for the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The bile that was spewed in the official Jazz Fest Chat Room was nothing less than obnoxious. Responsible adults screaming "FOUL!" Really angry words about the injustice of the booking. I still don't get it. Just like I don't get why people often use "Living On A Prayer" as a punchline. A multi-million seller, with a perfect chorus and a great riff is nothing to shake a stick at, and certainly not something to get angry about. Don't like Bon Jovi? Don't go see him perform and don't buy his records. (You know you like "Livin' On A Prayer.")

Here are just a few of the comments pulled off the Jazz Fest forum regarding Bon Jovi:

"Laughable. Maybe a reunited Poison will be available next year. And people were thinking Bruce or Neil, LOL."
(I'm pretty sure Bon Jovi has sold more records in the last 20 years than Neil Young. Although Neil has probably released about a million records. But that's not my point.)

"Nothing says New Orleans Jazz and Heritage like Bon Jovi."
(And Spoon, Wilco, Drive By Truckers, Emmylou Harris, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, and Jimmy Buffett all scream Lower Ninth? Where are the snide comments about JT rocking the Crescent City with "Her Town, Too?")

"Who cares about this 80s has been/never was. They need to get better talent than this if they think that people will spend their hard earned $$$ during an economic depression."
(Has been? Anybody listen to the last 32 Joe Cocker albums? He's covering himself. And did anyone specifically NOT go the Fest because of Bon Jovi's late addition? Just dumb.)

"What an absolute disappointment this announcement is particularly after the rumors of Springsteen, Neil Young, Fleetwood, Clapton, etc..."
(Amazing to think Fleetwood Mac circa 2009 and no Christine McVie is somehow "cooler" than Bon Jovi. And has anyone heard the last 32 Eric Clapton albums?)

All of this brings me to Burning Wood and some loyal readers who have been offended by some recent posts about Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The White Stripes. I am apparently "abandoning my roots." Really? What are my roots? It's music, isn't it? It may not be your music, but it's someone's. Even a good ol' boy like Steve Earle has The Beatles, Johnny Cash AND Nirvana on his iPod. (I'm guessing) You can certainly hear the influence of all three in his music.

I still know too many people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s who wouldn't be caught dead listening to Abba, even though Benny & Bjorn have created some of the best pop music this century. And if they do like "Fernando," it is usually expressed in the form of an apology, something like, "I am really sorry, but I like "Fernando." Why are you apologizing? What is it that still keeps confident adults insecure about their music likes and dislikes?

One more thing, apropos of something, I am not a Deadhead. I find Bob Weir's singing voice to be no better than Mike Huckabee's. But with a lifetime of goading from some really persistent friends, I now respect the Dead more than ever, and listen to certain Dead records more often than not. I found an amazingly soulful voice in Jerry Garcia, not to mention a fantastic guitar player. All it took was some patience, and the respect for my friends' taste in music.

I can say the same for hundreds of artists that many wouldn't be caught dead listening to. Sure, these people will mock the artists without ever hearing a note, but that's the American way, isn't it? I have recently found some appreciation for things that seemed completely out of reach some years ago; the original cast recording of Wicked, for example. Some really beautiful stuff there. And I am NOT sorry.

Man cannot live on bread, or Steve Earle alone.

In closing:

Ritchie Blackmore does not stink.
John Bonham is better than Neil Peart.
I still don't really care for Olivia Newton-John, but I really love "You're The One That I Want."
Bon Jovi is ok by me.
I love Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen, and Queen.

The White Stripes...not so much.

"Redd Blood Cells" : THE WEEKEND MIX

You ever hear the one about Steven McDonald from the L.A. punk-pop band Redd Kross, and how he couldn't get tickets to a sold out White Stripes concert, so he went home and spent the afternoon laying down bass tracks to every song on the otherwise bassless 3rd album by The White Stripes, "White Blood Cells," sent it to Jack & Meg, and then, BOOM, Bob's your uncle? Jack & Meg love it, get him into the show and allow McDonald to post the album on his website for no more than 60,000 downloads? NO? Well, let me tell ya...

Steven McDonald couldn't get tickets to a sold out....oh nevermind.

Not sure if that story has any holes, but I like it the way I heard it.


Here is "REDD BLOOD CELLS" for those of you who weren't one of the 60,000.

ZIP FILE

Another One Bites The Dust

Paul Rodgers and Queen have split. I can't say that I am all broken up over this. As a long time Queen die hard, and a fan of both Free and Bad Company, the band's decision to carry on with Rodgers under the Queen moniker made little sense to me. Quite frankly, I thought the music made was sophomoric. I know many feel that way about the classic line-up with the late, one of a kind showman, Freddie Mercury, but that's not what this is about. (and you're all wrong)


Here is what Gary Graff has to say about the split on Billboard.com.


Queen will no longer rock you -- at least not with Paul Rodgers.

With a summer reunion tour with Bad Company looming, the singer tells Billboard.com that the Queen + Paul Rodgers collaboration is, in effect, over, and without animosity. "At this point we're gonna sit back from this," Rodgers says. "My arrangement with (Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor) was similar to my arrangement with Jimmy (Page) in The Firm in that it was never meant to be a permanent arrangement.




"I think we made a huge success of it, actually. We did two world tours and a couple of live recordings, and...made a studio album (2008's commercially disappointing 'The Cosmos Rocks') which was pretty historical for (Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor) because they hadn't really gone in the studio with anybody and recorded something like that for a very long time. So it was quite an achievement, I think."


Rodgers says he leaves the collaboration with nothing but good memories and the feeling of a job well done.



I wish I could say the same. The one studio record, "The Cosmos Rocks," is just about unlistenable, with Spinal Tap inspired lyrics, and cheesy guitar riffs right out of...well...ok, Spinal Tap. The one live performance I did manage to see in 2004 (I think) felt like nothing but an opportunity gone awry. Talented veterans of rock and roll, with an endless supply of classic back catalogue, missed the mark thanks to a poor song selection, and stage theatrics right out of....uh...Spinal Tap.

Some might say that Freddie Mercury's theatrics on AND off stage were no less Spinal Tap-ish, with his prancing and preening, boas, eye-makeup and gym shorts. The difference I see is that Freddie couldn't help it. Paul Rodgers, Brian May and Roger Taylor, circa 2007, made a conscious effort.

Kudos to original Queen bassist John Deacon who wanted no part of any of this. Now thankfully, there will no more of that jazz.

"This Will Be Our Year"

The high-tech cable channel, HD NET, has been running the 40th anniversary concert celebration of The Zombies' "Odessey & Oracle," one of the greatest records of all time that almost never got released. The concert took place in March of 2008 at Shepherd's Bush Empire in England, where 4 of the original 5 members--guitarist Paul Atkinson died in 2004---performed this legendary work in its entirety...for the first time EVAH!

Here is what Bruce Eder had to say about "Odessey..."

Odessey and Oracle was one of the flukiest (and best) albums of the 1960s, and one of the most enduring long-players to come out of the entire British psychedelic boom, mixing trippy melodies, ornate choruses, and lush Mellotron sounds with a solid hard rock base. But it was overlooked completely in England and barely got out in America (with a big push by Al Kooper, who was then a Columbia Records producer); and it was neglected in the U.S. until the single "Time of the Season," culled from the album, topped the charts nearly two years after it was recorded, by which time the group was long disbanded. Ironically, at the time of its recording in the summer of 1967, permanency was not much on the minds of the bandmembers. Odessey and Oracle was intended as a final statement, a bold last hurrah, having worked hard for three years only to see the quality of their gigs decline as the hits stopped coming. The results are consistently pleasing, surprising, and challenging: "Hung Up on a Dream" and "Changes" are some of the most powerful psychedelic pop/rock ever heard out of England, with a solid rhythm section, a hot Mellotron sound, and chiming, hard guitar, as well as highly melodic piano. "Changes" also benefits from radiant singing. "This Will Be Our Year" makes use of trumpets (one of the very few instances of real overdubbing) in a manner reminiscent of "Penny Lane"; and then there's "Time of the Season," the most well-known song in their output and a white soul classic. Not all of the album is that inspired, but it's all consistently interesting and very good listening, and superior to most other psychedelic albums this side of the Beatles' best and Pink Floyd's early work. Indeed, the only complaint one might have about the original LP is its relatively short running time, barely over 30 minutes, but even that's refreshing.


The performance was sublime and can be seen in its entirety on the DVD below. Lead singer Colin Blunstone's voice has taken on some years, but it is no less moving than it was in 1968, making such gorgeous material as "A Rose For Emily" as beautiful as ever. Rod Argent hasn't lost a step on the keyboards, and the rhythm section of Chris White and Hugh Grundy, more than held their own. One of the highlights of this excellent performance was Chris White's "Butcher's Tale," which brought the Empire to its feet.



I had been thinking about "This Will Be Our Year," one of my two favorite songs on "Odessey & Oracle," (the other being the flawless opener "Care Of Cell 44,") for weeks now. It would have been easy enough to just take the CD off the shelf and put it on, but "Odessey..." is one of those pieces of work that needs to be savored. It is not to be played while working out, or vacuuming, or balancing a check book.

I finally got around to it. Once the CD reached "This Will Be Our Year," I had to stop and take it all in. This song is 2 minutes of pop perfection and one of those songs that can change my mood the second I hear the opening piano progression. I played it 17 times in a row, and never made it to the end of the CD.

There is no proper video for this song, so if you don't own "Odessey & Oracle," (WHY DON'T YOU?) you can listen up top.

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date - 05/12/09

NEW RELEASES FOR TUESDAY, 5/12/09




JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON- DINOSAURS RUN IN CIRCLES



Memphis legend and madman producer returns with his third effort in as many year. This time Dickinson is backed by a simple trio of bass and drums and revisits his earlier non rock and roll roots. But does this make you wanna buy it?






DR. JOHN- WHO WAS MAC REBENNACK?

Before the gris-gris took over and Mac Rebennack became Dr. John, The Night Tripper, he was a session guitarist and vocalist who recorded with hundreds of bands, some that included a very young Allen Toussaint and James Booker. This collection of singles and lost tracks is stellar. Over 60 minutes of joy, showcasing Mac’s diversity. Ya got your surf music, your doo-wop, your jump blues, your Cajun swamp pop and your blue-eyed soul, by such artists as Bat Carroll, The Ends, Gene & Al’s Spacemen, Roland Stone and Mac Rebennack himself. Highly recommended.







STEVE EARLE- TOWNES

Highly anticipated follow-up to the brilliant, Grammy winning “Washington Square Serenade,” Earle pays tribute to his friend and mentor, the late great singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, with 15 tracks penned by Van Zandt. Deluxe edition includes a bonus CD with stripped down versions of the tunes.






KATHIE LEE GIFFORD & FRIENDS- EVERYONE HAS A STORY

She has friends AND a record deal! How many of us can say that?






GUESS WHO –WHEATFIELD SOUL

Remastered version of the Canadian group’s excellent debut, now includes 3 rare singles as bonus tracks, not to mention the hit “These Eyes.”

“THESEEYESHAVESEENALOTTALOVE
BUTTHEREYADAYADAYADAYADAYADA
LIKEINHADWITHYOOOOOOOOOOO”








V/A- THE COMPLETE GOLDWAX SINGLES VOLUME 1

The first of three 2CD sets that will, between them, reissue both the A & B sides of every single released by the revered Memphis label Goldwax Records and its subsidiary labels between 1963 and 1971.

To soul fans, Goldwax remains one of the pivotal labels of the era, introducing the world to artists such as OV Wright, James Carr and the Ovations. But Goldwax also recorded and issued first-rate country, blues and garage rock, as will be heard during the course of this series.

Many of the tracks featured across this and future volumes will be receiving their first-ever CD issue. The whole project has been endorsed by Goldwax founder Quinton Claunch, who has also provided reminiscences of several of the more obscure artists that are featured.


ALSO OUT THIS WEEK:


BETTER THAN EZRA- PAPER EMPIRE
6th release from the New Orleans rockers.

BOOK OF LOVE REISSUES
Better than average, 80s synth-pop, now reissued and expanded. First single, "Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)" is a classic.

HILL COUNTRY REVUE- MAKE A MOVE
North Mississippi All-Stars spin-off.

MEAT PUPPETS- SEWN TOGETHER
Long-awaited?

LARRY WILLIAMS & JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON- TWO FOR THE PRICE OF YOU
Reissue of recently reissued (kind of) classic.



DEL MCCOURY- BY REQUEST
(You're welcome, Rick.)