I’d like to introduce you to someone this morning—I say “introduce,” because I imagine many of you won’t be familiar with this person, despite the fact that she was one of the top jazz composers & pianists from the 1930s thru the 1970s. She played blues & swing & bebop & more—including her own wonderful jazz liturgical music after a conversion to Catholicism later in life. She was an arranger for the Duke Ellington band & the Benny Goodman band; she also hung out with the Minton’s crowd: Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Charlie Christian, Kenny Clarke et al.; she composed an extended song cycle called Zodiac Suite that is among the most ambitious of jazz works—she also composed a jazz mass. Yet, her name isn’t well known—her name is Mary Lou Williams. This is what Duke Ellington said of her:
Mary Lou Williams is perpetually contemporary. Her writing and performing are and have always been just a little ahead throughout her career. . . . her music retains—and maintains—a standard of quality that is timeless. She is like soul on soul.
Mary Lou Williams was born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs in Atlanta, Georgia in 1910, but she greup in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was a child prodigy, gifted with a remarkable ear, & began public performance at age seven, & went on to play with Duke Ellington’s Washingtonians while in her teens. In 1927, she married saxophone player John Williams, & she eventually moved with Williams to Kansas City, where they both joined Andy Kirk’s Clouds of Joy, Williams serving as both pianist & arranger.
Following a divorce from in her husband, Williams moved back east in the early 1940s, first putting together a band in Pittsburgh (with Art Blakely on drums!), then eventually moving to New York. During this time she was composing the magnificent Zodiac Suite & also playing a large role in the development of be-bop. She said:
During this period Monk and the kids would come to my apartment every morning around four or pick me up at the Café after I'd finished my last show, and we'd play and swap ideas until noon or later.
Mary Lou Williams became a convert to Catholicism in the early 1950s, & much of her later music dealt with her new found faith. She said, “I am praying through my fingers when I play. I get that good ‘soul sound,’ and I try to touch people's spirits.” Her Mass for Peace was choreographed by the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, & performed as “Mary Lou's Mass.” She performed through the 1970s, with her final recording being made at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival—in fact, this is available on dvd (as Norman Granz Jazz In Montreux Presents Mary Lou Williams '78), & I recommend it highly; it’s a good introduction to her work. Mary Lou Williams passed away in 1981.
If you’re interested in her work (which I hope!) you have quite a selection from which to choose. My own recommendations (in addition to the Montreux dvd) would include My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me (Pablo); Zoning (Folkways); Zodiac Suite (Folkways); & Black Christ of the Andes (Folkways). There’s also an excellent biography by Linda Dahl titled Morning Glory (University of California Press); I’d also mention that the classic Nat Shapiro/Nat Hentoff compilation Hear Me Talkin’ To Ya (Dover) contains a number of Ms Williams’ reminiscences & anecdotes—this book is a must read for jazz fans.
Think back to the days of rock instrumentals: the late 50s to the mid 60s—the sounds of Link Wray, Dick Dale, the Ventures, Booker T & the MGs, the Surfaris. Now imagine that music brought forward some 50 years thru the filter of metal & punk & electronica (not to mention bebop & baroque). If a sound begins in your ear, you may begin to have an inkling of the music of Matt Stevens.
A music of sonic landscapes—like landscapes, comprised of layers & textures—like landscapes, a place where you can lose yourself or a place where you can discover the unexpected—landscapes that seem both unique & strangely familiar—like the music you hear in a dream, & wake trying to recall— music as the soundtrack for a movie that hasn’t been filmed, & yet you know the story.
The story of how I’ve come to write about Matt Stevens’ music is in itself unexpected; Mr Stevens, who lives in the UK, contacted me not so very long ago with a link to the music on his soon-to-be-released cd Ghost (release date is June 1st) & asked if I’d consider reviewing it here on Robert Frost’s Banjo. After giving the music a listen, I was delighted to oblige.
The music itself—beyond my somewhat lyrical descriptions in the first couple of paragraphs—is genre defying: one hears rock (in several of its incarnations) & jazz & funk & classical & Latin. Yet Stevens, whose guitar artistry is matched by his compositional skills, welds these disparate elements into a coherent whole. He lists diverse influences: John McLaughlin of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Robert Fripp (one commentator described his music as sounding like a jam session involving Fripp & Tom Verlaine—a very apt characterization!), & in Stevens’ own words “"Loads of stuff from metal to soundtracks to jazz and 60's pysche stuff. Carcass to Todd Rundgren to John Coltrane.”
How does Stevens make this music? He plays mostly acoustic guitar, but makes liberal (& astute) use of looping technology & effects. In this way, he creates what has been called a “wall of sound”—& in the typical musical use of that term it’s appropriate. However, a “wall” is a flat surface that defines space in squares & rectangles; to my ear, Stevens’ music opens out, & thus I’d find “layered” a more apt description. Using this technology & his acoustic guitar, Stevens is credited with being able to reproduce the multi-layered sound of his studio work onstage. You can check out his website for future gigs here. According to the site, he’s scheduled to play at the Strongroom in London at 8:00 p.m. on July 14th 2010.
Ghost will be released on cd in an edition of 100; you can pre-order the cd here on Stevens site. The tracks are also available as electronic downloads on a “pay what you want” basis. Mr Stevens has a formidable web presence: in addition to his website, he has a YouTube channel, blog & Facebook page; you may also purchase his music at the latter site.
To give you some idea of Stevens’ music, I’ve embedded his video for his song “Big Sky” from Ghost. I would note, however, that while the album is most certainly “of a piece,” no one track is going to tell the whole story—there’s also the Latin jazz of “Into the Sea,” the “deformed” classical riffs of “Glide,” & the very soundtrack-like “Lake Man” & “Ghost.” This is an album that rewards listening to as a whole.
If you’re interested in an original, intriguing album of guitar work by a musician whose playing & composition (which he figures to be 50% arranged & 50% improvisation) display a high degree of musicality, then Ghost will be for you. Please check it out!
Happy Friday! I thought I’d spin a little tune for you by a band I really like—Oranj Symphonette. The core of Oranj Symphonette was Matt Brubeck (cello-bass—yes, that Brubeck family), Joe Gore (guitar), Ralph Carney (lots of horns & winds) & Scott Amendola (drums); the band formed when Brubeck, Gore & Carney met to work on Tom Waits’ soundtrack for Night on Earth, & they recorded two excellent albums: The Oranj Album & The Oranj Symphonette Plays Mancini. Both are still available, tho out of regular distribution. My recommendation: get them while you can! The Oranj Symphonette created some amazing takes on Mancini & other 60s tunes.
& for now, enjoy this gorgeous take on Mancini’s tune “Lujon.” “Lujon” was composed for the 1950s TV series Mr Lucky, tho it later appeared in Hatari! &, more recently, in The Big Lebowski. Have a great Friday, all!
All Hallows is just around the corner, so this is the final installment of Graveyard Tunes; thanks everybody for being so supportive of the series—there will be another song list series coming up in December.
Eberle says I should tell you all that among my many “jack-of-all-trades” jobs, I worked for two summers at Mt Calvary Cemetery in Burlington, VT as a grave-digger/groundskeeper. While we spent the majority of our working hours mowing lawns & weed-whacking fence lines, there was actual digging involved, & we did it the old-fashioned way, with spades & shovels. It wasn’t a bad job all in all—out in the sun, & tho there was some hard work, I was a young fellow & up to the task. Did this experience give me any particular insight into the Graveyard Tunes? Probably not!
Enjoy—five videos as a grand finale!
Scarey Day Blues: Here’s another tale of the mojo, in this case something that Blind Willie McTell’s woman has that puts “the jinx” on him in the boudoir (as it were). At the same time, his woman seems to have certain characteristics of a freight train (shaking & wobbling, like the “Central” & the “L&N”). Although Blind Willie expresses optimism about being able to find the mojo, she “keeps it hid.” I think you get the picture. Blind Willie McTell’s playing is always amazing, as on this up-tempo number—check him out in the video below. Blind Willie McTell:The Best of Blind Willie McTell (Yazoo)
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean: This great Blind Lemon Jefferson song is one I wrote up in a feature on Just a Song—this is a much condensed version. It's no under-statement to use the word eerie when describing this song, especially in Blind Lemon Jefferson’s version. When he sings “my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold,” it is a spine-tingling moment, as is his singing about the “church bell tone” & the “coffin sound.” Blind Lemon Jefferson had an immediately recognizable guitar style, & his flowing runs & intricate rhythms always make for good listening, even in such a chilling song. Blind Lemon Jefferson:Anthology of American Folk Music, vol. 3, Songs (Smithsonian/Folkways); also The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson (Yazoo)
Seven Skeletons Found in the Yard: Here we move from the blues of the southern U.S. to the calypso sounds of Jamaica. The old, pre-Belafonte (& Andrews Sisters) calypso was an extremely interesting form—a mixture of lovely melodies & rhythms over which the calypsonian singer would often extemporize in verse, often describing local events or singing about political issues. In a way, calypso is “the news,” & the news Lord Executor delivers in this calypso song from the 1930s is, as the title suggests rather grisly. It may interest you to know that Lord Executor goes on to list real tragedies which, he asserts are “worse than the seven skeletons the workmen found in the yard.” Lord Executor:Calypso Breakaway 1927-1941 (Rounder)—sadly, this fine collection of vintage calypso has been discontinued.
She Moved Through the Fair: This traditional Irish song about a ghostly love has one of the most beautiful—& haunting—melodies I’ve ever heard. When that melody is sung by Jean Redpath, who is simply one of the best singers I’ve ever heard, the results are stunning. Ms Redpath performs “She Moved Through the Fair” a capella, but her voice combines a remarkable purity & clarity of tone combined with true insight in delivering the lyric. Jean Redpath:First Flight (Rounder)
Skeleton Jangle: Moving from the sublime to the…less sublime, we have a fun early jazz number from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The recordings made by this combo in 1917 & 1918 were among the first recorded jazz numbers, tho the music had been in existence for some years at that point. “Skeleton Jangle” was recorded in March of 1918, along with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s version of “Tiger Rag.” The song itself is a fun romp, as the combo’s music generally was. The “skeleton” is supplied by the drummer as he taps out time on woodblock. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band:The 75th Anniversary (Bluebird)
St James Infirmary: This song not only features a “cooling board” scene, as we experienced with Son House’s “Death Letter Blues” & Blind Willie McTell’s “On the Cooling Board,” but it also features an extravagant funeral procession—not up to the standard of McTell’s “Dying Crapshooter Blues,” but still including singing chorus girls, six crapshooters & a jazz band on the “hearse wagon.” It’s a good song—fun to perform. New Orleans great Danny Barker took it to a whole other level, however, both musically & in terms of pure lyrical surrealism. Why Barker isn’t better known baffles me—as far as I know (& I know there are a few NoLa readers, so please correct me if I’m wrong), his recordings are all out of distribution, as are those of his wife Blue Lu Barker. Barker was an exceptionally talented musician—a fantastic guitar player & banjo player, an excellent singer & a fun songwriter—how many folks realize he wrote “Save the Bones for Henry Jones”? Ah well, if you can only listen to one of today’s videos, make it the Barker version of “St James Infirmary.” There’s nothing quite like it. Danny Barker: Save the Bones (Orleans); as I said, discontinued & hard to come by.
Sweet William & Lady Margaret: I included two very different versions of this old ballad—another ghostly love song. Jean Ritchie’s full-length treatment goes from disturbingly surreal dreams filled with swine to true love knot tied between a rose & briar; Buffy Sainte-Marie’s short version is a dark tale of mad love & suicide. Both versions have great power, so do give them a listen; & speaking of excellent singers, both Ritchie & Sainte-Marie are fantastic. Jean Ritchie:Ballads from Her Appalachian Family Tradition (Smithsonian Folkways); Buffy Sainte-Marie:Little Wheel Spin & Spin (Vanguard)
Trouble Gonna Take Me To My Grave: What a way to end! Big Joe Williams of 9-string guitar fame. Yes, a 9-string guitar is that odd—I’ve never heard of anyone else playing one. In the blues, we know what the ultimate destination is, & we know trouble just hastens one on the way! Big Joe Williams is a delight, & not well known to general listeners. Tho this tune isn’t on YouTube, several are, so look him up some day when you’re in the mood. Big Joe Williams:Big Joe Williams at Folk City (OBC); this now is only available as mp3 downloads, but what the hey!
It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for Graveyard Tunes again—hope you enjoy reading about & listening to this week’s October octet of old-time ghastliness! But first, a bit of blog news:
1. This is (according to Blogger, which keeps track of such things) the 500th post on Robert Frost’s Banjo!
2. I’ll have limited computer access at best thru the weekend, so if I don’t respond to comments as usual it’s simply that I have no way to do so. However, there are posts scheduled thru the week: tomorrow, Women’s Art is Women’s Work with Audrey; Friday, another Halloweenesque film; Saturday, the Weekly Poem; & Dad’s Photos on Sunday.
Dying Crapshooter’s Blues: Tales of elaborate funeral processions abound in old-time music, whether it’s the fife & drum march of “Streets of Laredo” or the jazz band on the hearse wagon in St. James Infirmary.” None of these processions can match the one the great Blind Willie McTell came up with in “Dying Crapshooter’s Blues,” however. While the song certainly owes a lot to “St. James Infirmary,” it’s a completely changed vision both musically & lyrically in McTell’s hands. Check him out in the first video below. Blind Willie McTell:Atlanta Twelve String (Atlantic)
Fixin’ To Die: Not the Country Joe MacDonald Vietnam War protest song—this is a song associated with Delta bluesman Bukka White, one of the tradition's great slide guitar practitioners. White first recorded this song in the 1930s, then recorded a re-make in the 1960s after he’d been re-discovered by the folk movement. “Fixin’ to Die” picks up on a few common blues themes—the inevitability of death (“Just as sure as we livin', just as sure we born to die”), a description of death’s physical “symptoms” (“I'm lookin' funny in my eyes and I believe I'm fixin' to die”) & concern for what will happen to orphaned children (“I know I was born to die but I hate to leave my children cryin'”). It’s an interesting tune—White plays it with a hard-driving boogie strum & subtle slide work. You can hear this is the second vidclip below. Bukka White:Fixin’ To Die (Snapper UK – an import, but reasonably priced)
Gallis Pole: What does a traditional Finnish folk tune, a British Child Ballad, bluesman Leadbelly & hard rock innovators Led Zeppelin have in common? A song variously entitled “Lunastettava neito,” “The Maid Freed from the Gallows,” “Prickly Bush,” “Gallis Pole” & “Gallows Pole”—not to mention other Swedish, German & British variations—Wikipedia lists a dozen other variant English language titles. Leadbelly was one of the first old-time blues artists I listened to, & he’s always amazing—an elemental force with his singing & his booming 12-string guitar playing. You can read the lyrics for the Leadbelly version of this song online at WikiSourcehere. In Leadbelly’s version, it's a man who’s saved from the gallows—as I understand it, the British & Continental versions usually involved a woman being saved, but in U.S. versions the condemned was usually a man. Leadbelly: Bourgeois Blues: Lead Belly Legacy, Vol. 2 (Smithsonian Folkways)
Grandpa’s Spells: Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe was born in New Orleans sometime in the 1880s—seems there’s some disagreement about the date. LaMothe later became known as Jelly Roll Morton, & by age 14 was playing piano in a Storyville brothel. Morton claimed later in life to have invented jazz—a grandiose claim, but if anyone could even begin to make it stick, Morton could. He was a virtuosic player & a prolific composer, & “Grandpa’s Spells” is a great ragtime piece, pure & simple. Morton’s connection to Voodoo itself is a bit more complicated; it’s assumed by many that Morton’s grandfather was a Voodoo practitioner—hence the title. Morton’s Uncle Henry downplayed any family connection to Voodoo when he was interviewed by Alan Lomax (see Lomax’s excellent Mister Jelly Roll (University of California Press), but Lomax noted that Uncle Henry seemed “overemphatic” in these denials. It’s also reported that Morton himself believed the illness that brought on his death in 1941 was the result of a Voodoo spell. However that may be, do check out the music in the vidclip below. Jelly Roll Morton: 1923-1924 (Milestone)
Haunted House: What more can you ask for in a Halloween song list than a tune with this title? I’ve never heard this song done by anyone but Leon Redbone, who included it on his fantastic debut album On the Track. According to the liner notes, it’s traditional (public domain); at any rate it’s a slow bluesy lament about being haunted by a dead lover. Redbone’s vocal is a sort of slurred & mumbled perfection, & as always, the arrangement of his backing musicians is first-rate. On the Track is pretty much an essential album in my book, tho I might lean toward Branch to Branch as my absolute favorite Redbone disc. Leon Redbone:On the Track (Warner Bros. Records)
Heebie Jeebies: Louis Armstrong recorded this song on several occasions, but it’s hard to beat the 1926 version with the Hot Five: Armstrong on cornet, Kid Ory on trombone, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Lil Hardin Armstrong on piano & Johnny St. Cyr on banjo. What a line-up! This hot jazz number is really a dance tune, but I’ve always been partial to the term “heebie jeebies” to describe a sort of anxiety, & I’ve always loved this tune. Speaking of essential listening: the 4-volume Hot 5s & 7s is right up there. Louis Armstrong:Hot Fives & Sevens (this number is on vol. 1) (JSP)
Hell Hound on My Trail: I think most blues fans would agree this is one of the finest songs from the Delta blues tradition. Built around just two chords & a typical Robert Johnson “turnaround” (a musical figure that tends to lead from one chord back to the root tone), this song is beautifully conceived both in terms of melody & lyrics. Certainly “Hell Hound on My Trail” has been used as justification for the legend about Johnson selling his soul to the devil to achieve mastery of the guitar. I found the discussion of this legend on Wikipedia quite interesting (yes, I know Wikipedia is a questionable source, but this article appears pretty well documented); according to the article, a number of features from that legend were also ascribed to an earlier bluesman, Tommy “the Snake” Johnson—less well-known than Robert Johnson, but a great blues composer & performer in his own right. But for our purposes, this song has not only a “hell hound,” but also the Voodoo “Hot foot powder” that the singer’s “rider” (or “good gal”) has sprinkled all around his door. My own favorite lines are “I can tell the wind is rising/Leaves trembling on the trees." Check this one out below! Robert Johnson:King of the Delta Blues, vol. 1 (Sony), Rory Block:Gone Woman Blues (Rounder)
Henry Lee: This is the first song on Harry Smith’s great Anthology of American Folk Music, & it certainly sets the tone for what Greil Marcus would term “the Weird Old America.” A singer named Dick Justice intones “Henry Lee,” backing himself with an elementary guitar arrangement, but the effect—due in part to the quality of Justice’s tenor voice—is more than the sum of its parts. The story itself is a variation of the British ballad “Young Hunting.” In this case, the spurned lady murders her lover & then is haunted & taunted by a little bird—when she threatens to kill the little bird with her bow & arrow, the bird threatens to reveal her as a murderer. Great stuff! Dick Justice:Anthology of American Folk Music, vol. 1, Ballads (Smithsonian Folkways)
Amazing as this may be, August is drawing to a close, & with it our Down on the Farm song list series. I’ve really appreciated the great support folks have shown to this series, & there will be another song list feature in October. In the meantime, hope you enjoy these fine songs!
Peach Picking Time in Georgia: This tune is a typically rollicking number by “the Singing Brakeman,” Jimmie Rodgers—a musician who had a profound effect on the development of what we now call “country music.” Of course, in Rodgers’s days, such genre lines were nowhere near as pronounced as they are these days, which enabled him record “country records” with jazz stars like Louis Armstrong & Lil Hardin, & also to employ Hawaiian steel guitars. On the great Tone Poems III, resophonic guitar masters Mike Auldridge & Bob Brozman cover this as an instrumental duet, with Auldridge playing a 1929 Martin 0-28KH—a koa wood version of the standard Martin 0-28 (thus, the “k” for Koa), that was also set up for lap style playing (hence the “H” for “Hawaiian”)—& Brozman playing a 1926 Weissenborn Style 4 Hawaiian guitar. It’s one of my favorite tunes on a great album. Check out Rodgers’ version of the tune below. Mike Auldridge, Bob Brozman, David Grisman:Tone Poems III: The Sounds of the Great Slide & Resophonic Instruments (Acoustic Disc)
Rabbit in the Pea Patch: Anyone who’s ever maintained a garden has had to put up with visits from our animal brethren. Most gardeners I know say they’d be happy to devote one section to everything ranging from deer to grasshoppers, but it just doesn’t work like that. The mule deer around here have an annoying habit of taking one bite out of each tomato! Anyway, this is a rollicking song with excellent fiddle & the incomparable Uncle Dave Macon playing banjo & singing—as always, full bore—about a rabbit in the pea patch, & exhorting his hound to “get that rabbit out of town.” When it comes to old-time banjo, there’s no one better than the great Uncle Dave! Uncle Dave Macon:Go Long Mule (County)
Red Rooster: I always think of this song as “Little Red Rooster,” but at least on my Howlin’ Wolf vinyl, it’s titled “Red Rooster.” Some singers (e.g., Mick Jagger) sing this one "as" the rooster—I’ve always leaned toward the farmer’s perspective, as he’s somehow trying to control this lazy but amorous bird. The song has been covered by lots of folks (even yours truly on banjo, as regular readers know), with good reason—it’s a fantastic song, & it tends to be a crowd pleaser, with plenty of spots to throw in your favorite riffs. Despite all the fine versions, Howlin’ Wolf’s is still my favorite; the song was composed by Willie Dixon, who plays bass behind the great Howlin’ Wolf; give it a listen below. Howlin’ Wolf:His Greatest Sides, vol. 1 (Chess—this is vinyl, but it’s currently available on Geffen’s Howlin’ Wolf:The Definitive Collection, & no doubt on other compilations as well)*
The Rooster’s Crowing Blues: The great trio of Gus Cannon, Noah Lewis & Hosea Wood give a musical exposition about the practical side of rooster’s crowing—at least to the lover who needs to know when “the working man is coming home.” Woods’ vocal on this is exceptional, as is Cannon’s jug work—Woods’ comes up with a vocalization that’s sort of halfway between crowing & a yodel. Do check this one out in the vidclip below. Cannon’s Jug Stompers:The Best of Cannon’s Jug Stompers (Yazoo)
Tennessee Stud: Jimmy Driftwood wrote this song in the 1950s, & its one of those tunes that could be a lot older. Of course it was a hit for Eddy Arnold, but it’s been covered by lots of folks. Two versions I have on recordings are both excellent: Johnny Cash’s version on his great American Recordings album (the first in the series)—speaking of folks who can write a song or sing a song & make it seem really timeless, Cash was among the best at that. I also like Ramblin’ Jack Elliott’s version on Vanguard’s The Essential Ramblin’ Jack Elliott; Ramblin’ Jack is one of the best when it comes to story songs. Some might object to this song’s inclusion as a “farm song”—it is, after all, a tale of wandering & adventure. But let’s face it: a stud horse is a farm animal. Johnny Cash:American Recordings (American); Ramblin’ Jack Elliott:The Essential Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (Vanguard)
Tired Chicken Blues: Another great tune from Gus Cannon’s group, this time featuring Mr Cannon on the banjo & a lot of Noah Lewis’ harp playing—Lewis was an extremely accomplished harp man, & was an influence on later, better known blues harmonica players such as Sonny Boy Williamson. I haven’t sat down with this song & a guitar, but it sounds like there’s at least one unusual chord change here; to my ear, it’s really quite a compelling musical setting. Check it out below—have mercy! Cannon’s Jug Stompers:The Best of Cannon’s Jug Stompers (Yazoo)
Turkey in the Straw: This is pretty much an “ur-song” when it comes to old-time American music, tho my understanding is that it derives from even earlier ancestor songs such as “Coney in the Creek” & “Possum Up a Gum Stump.” Obviously, there are tons of versions of “Turkey in the Straw”—from Looney Tunes cartoons to your favorite local bluegrass band. Here are two that are very good, tho: Diller’s clawhammer banjo version & the mandolin/guitar version from bluegrass giants Bill Monroe & Doc Watson. Dwight Diller:Just Banjo 99 (Yew Pine); Bill Monroe & Doc Watson:Off The Record, Vol. 2: Live Duet Recordings, 1963-1980 (Smithsonian Folkways)
Wannabe Chicken: I really should have included some other songs from best pal Sister Exister’s album Scratch in the Down on the Farm series—for those of you who don’t know, Sister Exister is the nom de chanteuse of the Bay Area’s finest restaurant reviewer/nanny/ex-chicken farmer/soccer star/fiction writer/steel drum player/singer Dani Leone. But let’s at least consider Sister Exister’s song professing her desire to be a chicken. Rationally, I don’t follow all of Sister’s logic in this one, but musically, I sure do—check out the great tissue paper/comb solo about halfway thru; & without giving away any spoilers, I will say that Sister Exister’s final point about how she actually is a chicken comes by way of unassailable logic. Now how could you check this song out, you ask? On CDBaby, right here! Sister Exister:Scratch (Sister Exister)
Weather Bird: What’s a farm without a weathervane? “Weather Bird” (AKA “Weather Bird Rag”) is a beautiful hot jazz piece, & on this recording its played as a duet by Louis Armstrong on trumpet (not cornet) & Earl “Fatha” Hines on piano. They’re both in peak form, trading solos on this highly syncopated number. Louis Armstrong:Hot Fives & Sevens (JSP)
It’s Wednesday, & that means it’s time for more Down on the Farm songs. I really was gratified by last week’s response—thanks as always for all your support.
This week’s selection is a bit more eclectic—while last week’s selections all fell under the large rubric of “Americana” music (old-time & blues), here we have a mixed bag—from Fred Astaire to Charley Patton! Quite a line-up of good tunes, tho, with videos. Hope you enjoy.
Farmer’s Lament: “It’s hard, hard on my hardworking farm.” This is an obscure track—it wasn’t released until the late 80s when Cisco Houston’s recordings were re-released on cd. The song was written by Lee Rice, who is probably best known for “The Banks Were Made of Marble.” There’s more than a touch of humor mixed with a genuine concern for the small farmer’s difficult life as he faces challenges ranging from mold to hernias. Cisco Houston:The Folkways Years 1944-1961 (Smithsonian-Folkways)
Go Long Mule: Some rhyming words in a song alert you to what’s coming—that is, if you hear “June,” you can be pretty sure you’ll soon hear “moon,” & if you hear “self” you can be sure you’ll hear “shelf” (good friend Bernie Jungle created a whole web page for self/shelf rhymes!). So if you hear “mule,” you just know there’s going to be a “fool.” So Uncle Dave Macon let’s us know “You can change a fool, but a doggone mule is a mule until he dies.” For those who aren’t familiar with his work, Uncle Dave Macon was simply a great old-time banjoist. On “Go Long Mule” we don’t get any banjo pyrotechnics (tho there’s some nice backing fiddle), but we do get Uncle Dave at his boisterous singing (& braying & laughing) best. Uncle Dave Macon:Go Long Mule (Smithsonian-Folkways)
Got the Farm Land Blues: A litany of farm laments from the seminal Carolina Tar Heels String Band—which counted the great banjoist & guitar player Clarence Ashley among its members, tho he doesn’t appear on this particular track. In his notes for The Anthology of American Folk Music, Harry Smith wryly & aptly summarized this as: “Discouraging Acts of God & Man convince farmer of positive benefits in urban life.” This is Garley Foster singing & playing harmonica, & the great banjoist Doc Walsh giving him some superb backing. Give ‘em a listen below! The Carolina Tar Heels:Anthology of American Folk Music, vol. 1, Ballads (Smithsonian-Folkways)
Green Corn: Last week we considered two excellent contemporary clawhammer banjo players, Mary Z Cox & Dwight Diller, & this week we have a third—RD Lunceford. Mr Lunceford does a beautiful version of “Green Corn” as a lead in to “Sandy Boy” on his Cotton Blossom: 19th Century Banjo Tunes in the Clawhammer Style. Mr Lunceford is a first-rate player, & he also elicits an unfamiliar sound, playing a Bowlin fretless banjo that’s pitched lower than contemporary tuning (as was the case with 19th century banjos). As a result, this instrument has a real boom. Mary Z Cox also plays a Bowlin fretless sometimes. As with Diller & Cox, I’d strongly recommend Lunceford to anyone interested in the clawhammer style or old-time music in general. RD Lunceford:Cotton Blossom (Ceilidh Brothers Music)
Hen Cackle: This is an instrumental with Woody Guthrie wielding a pretty hot fiddle, & Cisco Houston providing the guitar back-up! The point is that the fiddle is supposed to sound like a cackling hen. It’s interesting that there’s a syncopation such as occurs in “Chicken Reel.” Woody also recorded a vocal version, but this album has the instrumental only. Woody Guthrie:Muleskinner Blues – The Asch Recordings, vol. 2 (Smithsonian Folkways)
Homestead on the Farm: Flatt & Scruggs give a bit of their bluegrass treatment to this old Carter Family classic—tho interestingly, they don’t shift into high gear, but stay at a moderate pace more true to the original. Mother Maybelle Carter played with the Foggy Mountain Boys on this album, & while she doesn’t solo on the autoharp on this particular track, you can hear its lovely jangle in the mix. Flatt’s vocal is exceptional (as usual). Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs:Songs of the Famous Carter Family (Columbia)
I Wish I Was Back on the Farm: This is vintage Formby—both the exciting banjo uke playing & the naughty lyrics. Here we have the British lad who’s has gone to the city & longs for the simple life of the farm—“where there’s fun & plenty of it & it isn’t done for profit.” What isn’t done for profit? Check out the great George Formby below! George Formby:The Ultimate Collection (Pulse)
I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket: Here we’ve wandered quite far from the old-time feel of most of our “farm songs.” But I love Irving Berlin’s music & I love Fred Astaire’s singing. The Irving Berlin Songbook album is top-notch, too, as Astaire is backed by Oscar Peterson on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Flip Phillips on tenor sax & Alvin Stoller on drums. What a line-up. The vidclip below is a different version of course, from Follow the Fleet, in which Fred Astaire shows off some very nice stride piano chops (yes, that’s Astaire playing). Fred Astaire:The Irving Berlin Songbook (Verve) *
Jersey Bull Blues: OK, so this is pretty much the same song as “Bull Cow Blues,” which we heard Big Bill Broozny play last week. But Charley Patton just sums up the old-time blues to me, so do yourself a big favor & give his version a listen—very powerful vocal & absolutely mind-boggling guitar. Charley Patton:Roots & Blues, Disc 3 (1925-1950) (Columbia); that album is a compilation of several fairly disparate artists. The song is also available on Snapper Music’s The Definitive Charley Patton.
We’re bidding June a fond adieu today—it certainly has been a topsy-turvy month, at least around these parts, & perhaps ruled very much by “th’inconstant moon.”
So what better way to take our leave of June than with one last installment of Moon June Spoon—& we’ve got some really fine songs today—western swing, jazz, oldtime country & western & more.
Thanks to everyone for the very positive response to Moon June Spoon; I’ll be sure to concoct another song series before too long—maybe in August. For now, hope you enjoy these selections!
Shine On Harvest Moon: I love this sort of old song—this & “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” & “In the Moonlight” are the very songs that laid the Moon June Spoon foundation (as it were—an odd metapher, yes). It’s also worth noting that all three of these songs—& lots more— appear on the Fabulous Heftones album of the same name. In this case, Brian Hefferan handles the vocal—including the stage-setting verse which I believe a lot of folks haven’t heard. It’s a fun & rambunctious outing, as is the Leon Redbone version (& Mr Redbone includes the verse, too). For those who are interested in the Fabulous Heftones (& you really should be), you can hear their tunes—including this one—on their site here. You can also see them performing “Shine On Harvest Moon” in the video clip below. Although there’s a lot of background noise, it’s notable for at least two reasons: first, the Fabulous Heftones seem an embodiment of “playing” music—it’s fun! Second: check out the bass banjo (known as a Heftone). Now that’s a cool instrument! The Fabulous Heftones:Moon June Spoon (Heftone Records); Leon Redbone: Double Time (Warner Bros)
Silvery Moon & Golden Sands: This pleasant “earthly paradise” number by Johnny Hodges features some tasty exchanges between saxman Hodges & trumpeter Cootie Williams during an extended intro (which is kicked off by the Duke himself on the ivories). The vocal is handled by Mary McHugh. This would be a lovely tune for a moonlit June evening. Duke Ellington:The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
Sugar Moon: Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys need no introduction, at least not to fans of old time country music. Mr Wills & colleagues’ version of western swing is just flat-out great; & Wills & the Playboys were in good form when they recorded this song, with the usual fine Tommy Duncan vocal & some excellent guitar work by Lester Barnard, Jr. But the writer of “Sugar Moon,” Cindy Walker, isn’t as well known as she should be. Ms Walker is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame (inducted in 1997), but given the amazing number of hits she turned out for some of Country’s biggest stars, she should be thought of as one of the premier 20th century popular songwriters. Consider just a handful of her highlights: “Blue Canadian Rockies”; “Cherokee Maiden”; “Dusty Skies”; “Miss Molly”; “Two Glasses, Joe”; “Warm Red Wine”; “You Don’t Know Me”; “Dream Baby”—& the list goes on. Wills & the Texas Playboy’s alone recorded 50 of Walker’s songs. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys:Take Me Back to Tulsa (Proper)
That Old Devil Moon: This may be a bit of heresy to some of my classic film friends out there, but I never could quite get Judy Garland’s popularity as an actress. As Dorothy, yes. In most of her other roles—even some really famous ones—not so much. However, Ms Garland sure could sing. She had amazing range, of course, but much more than that—she could really live inside a song. A lot of folks have covered “That Old Devil Moon” but, like many of her other famous numbers, this is a song Garland made her own. I have this on an old cassette but this song is pretty readily available—one choice would be Judy Garland:Very Best of Judy Garland: The Capitol Recordings 1955-1965 (EMI Imports). For the record, mine is: Judy “Live” (Golden Circle)—looks like a bootleg to me….
What a Little Moonlight Can Do: This is one of the songs I always think about when I think of Billie Holiday—the impeccable phrasing, the understated approach, the ability to take a melody outside itself or beyond itself—taking it to a new place while it always remains completely itself. Holiday has fantastic back-up on this recording: Charlie Shaver, trumpet; Oscar Peterson, piano; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Ed Shaughnessy, drums. Billie Holiday:Jazz Masters 12 (Verve)
When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again: I really love this old country tune, & it’s one I perform myself, sometimes with guitar & other times with 5-string banjo. Needless to say, there are lots of versions out there—Elvis’ rockabilly version, tho not one of my favorites, is very well known, & Merle Haggard also has done a nice version of the tune. To my mind, it’s pretty hard to beat the original version of this song by Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan, but the version by Cindy Walker in the vidclip below is really good—proving that Ms. Walker was a terrific singer in addition to being a great songwriter. Sadly, this recording doesn’t seem to be available commercially at this time. Walker’s recording of “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again” was a top 10 hit in 1944. Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan:Columbia Country Classics, vol. 1 The Golden Age (Columbia)
Winter Moon: What a song to end on—this tune has an incredibly haunting melody, & although it’s not one of his best known pieces, I think it’s one of Hoagy Carmichael’s very finest compositions. It is a sad song—the emotion is almost desolate—but the rich harmonies & deceptively simple melody will transport you. The recording by Carmichael himself is superb, with a great back-up band called the Pacific Jazzmen (including Art Pepper on alto sax & Johnny Mandel as arranger & conductor); Hoagy’s voice was just stronger in the 50s than earlier in his career—more assured & more comfortable. I recommend this recording very highly. Hoagy Carmichael:Hoagy Sings Carmichael (Pacific Jazz)
Thanks everyone for the positive response to Moon June Spoon! It makes me realize I’d waited a while to do one of these series—Songs 4 Foodies also was quite popular—so I’ll try to make sure the next song list series isn’t so long in coming.
When I started the series I mentioned that I was going to confine the lists to music I currently listen to. There was one song, however, that I debated including even tho I haven’t listened to it in ages. Interestingly, our very own SoCal Correspondent, Audrey Bilger, wrote me an email yesterday making a case for including that very song. So…..
Blue Moon: “But wait,” you say, “you did include that.” But no, I don’t mean the Rogers-Hart tune, which turned up in the very first Moon June Spoon installment; I mean Alex Chilton’s song “Blue Moon” from the Big Star album sometimes referred to as Big Star’s Third & sometimes referred to as Sister Lovers (& occasionally called Beale Street Green). Talk about a soundtrack to my life. I was completely obsessed with this album in the mid 80s, & particularly with such haunting tunes as “Blue Moon,” “Nightime” “Take Care” “Kangaroo” & “Holocaust.” These songs seeped into my poetry & into the way I saw the world. Please check out the video of “Blue Moon” below—in my opinion the animation doesn’t fit the song, but just close your eyes & listen. This is a fantastic song from a truly great album, & one that I recommend highly. I have it on vinyl & also on a cassette—the two versions vary (there’s more material on the cassette, including Chilton singing “Nature Boy”). The “cassette” version is the one available on CD from Rykodisc. Big Star:Third/Sister Lovers (Rykodisc)
Audrey’s suggestion made me consider further that there have been other suggestions of Moon Songs—so here we have other readers’ choices, communicated either thru comments or email. I’ve included a couple of other videos, too.
Alleghany Moon – Patti Page (et al.) Moon of Manakoora – Dorothy Lamour (et al.) Moon Over Miami-The Platters (ditto) When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain (Kate Smith) Pink Moon (Nick Drake)
Special thanks to Jacqueline T. Lynch, as well as Audrey, for making suggestions. I also remembered that I meant to link to a site suggested by Dominic Rivron—the link is here, & while this doesn’t have to do with music, it has a lot to do with the moon. Check out the atlas section!
Here’s the penultimate installment of Moon June Spoon, one in which we take a moonlight stroll to the sounds of jazz guitar, a western swing band, acoustic blues & lots more, including two soundclips. Also—horror of horrors—there's a song out of alphabetical order; a "moon" song I love & couldn't leave off the list, tho I'd forgotten it earlier.
Hope you enjoy these.
Moonlight Serenade: The golden tones of the Glenn Miller Orchestra in peak form on this lovely instrumental—now that’s good stuff. This song developed from an earlier Glenn Miller number, “Now I Lay Me Down to Weep.” The Mitchell Parrish lyrics sung by Sinatra et al. actually came later. To my ear, the Miller Orchestra instrumental is the preferred version; I like the tempo & the overall feel better than the ballad version. Glenn Miller Orchestra:Golden Hits (The Masters); Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonlight in Oklahoma: This is an obscure old western swing number I have on an excellent compilation called Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys. The tune bounces along at a pleasing tempo, & features honky tonk piano, with steel guitar whining atmospherically in the background. & what a band name—Smokey Wood & the Wood Chips: Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys – The Golden Years of Western Swing (Proper)
Moonlight in Vermont: This beatiful & evocative song is a favorite, & one I’ve played around with myself in various settings, tho I’ve never been quite satisfied with any rendition I can concoct—the harmonies & bass movement in the song move it along in subtle ways that move the song thru a dazzlingly lyrical landscape. I love both the recorded versions I have—as a guitarist, I really go for Johnny Smith’s legato chord melody, but Lady Day’s version is fantastic too. Johnny Smith:Moonlight in Vermont (Roulette Jazz); Billie Holiday:Body & Soul (Verve)
Moon’s Going Down: The real blues—the Charlie Patton version is about as gritty as the acoustic blues gets—amazing guitar work by one of the early blues masters & a vocal that’s a gravel road thru a stark landscape. Rory Block’s version has a lot to recommend it, too—Block’s has a lot a guts & gusto in both her vocal & her guitar playing—& she can really drive that guitar! Charlie Patton:The Best of Charlie Patton (Yazoo); Rory Block:Best Blues & Originals (Rounder)
Oh, You Crazy Moon:Moonlight Sinatra is pretty heavy overall on the ballad side of the spectrum, with lots of Nelson Riddle’s strings & woodwinds. This, however, is a upbeat number with plenty of brass, literally & otherwise, about how the moon can sway lovers’ affections. A couple of other songs worth mentioning from Moonlight Sinatra (more in the moody ballad mode) are “Moonlight Mood” & “Reaching for the Moon.” Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
A Sailboat in the Moonlight: A Carmen Lombardo piece covered in 1937 by Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, with the following line-up: Cootie Williams, trumpet; Barney Bigard, clarinet (really featured here); Johnny Hodges, alto & soprano saxes; Harry Carney, baritone sax; Duke Ellington, piano; Fred Guy, guitar; Buddy Clark, vocal. Duke Ellington: The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
Grapefruit Moon: I’m simply re-posting what I wrote earlier about “Grapefruit Moon” in the Songs 4 Foodies series from last fall. There are a lot of sides to Tom Waits; one of them is bringing his Old Crow & Chesterfields growl to a beautiful melodic accompaniment; there are a number of examples, both from earlier & later in his career. “Grapefruit Moon” is from Waits’ first album, before his voice “changed,” & before the 3:00 a.m. poetry or crazed Americana or Klezmer-blues of his later incarnations. It’s a lovely lyric—piano playing against a backdrop of strings; & while “Grapefruit Moon” doesn’t match the poetry of later Waits’ lyrics, the title itself is a nifty image—not only visual, but literally “bittersweet.” Perhaps you have to be young to sing about this kind of heartache—Waits makes it sound real. Tom Waits: Closing Time (Asylum)
No, I haven’t fallen down the well—feel a bit like it, but that’s another story for another time. So:
We’re back with more Moon June Spoon, & this time around there’s lots of Ol’ Blue Eyes (all from the Moonlight Sinatra album), as well as a couple of novel takes on well-known numbers—& more beside, including more videos than usual.
Hope you enjoy them.
Moon Love: Wow—It doesn’t get much more lush than this—Nelson Riddle Orchestra & Sinatra in peak form. I must admit that I don’t always go for the Riddle treatment—sometimes it seems a bit much (sorry!). But in the case of this serious tearjerker it really fits, & in front of all that orchestration Ol’ Blue Eyes sings it like he really means it. Sinatra hits some notes in this one that are just so pure & so heartbreaking…. Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moon River: This beautiful Mancini tune is probably heard most often these days in “sweetened string” versions. But make no mistake—this tune, like Mancini’s music overall is the real deal, & even highly-diluated versions can’t take all the life out of it. The version I’m thinking of, tho, is anything but diluted—it’s neat in every sense of the word. Start out with Matt Brubeck’s lovely cello intro on the theme, then move into the finger-popping craziness of Ralph Carney, Joe Gore & Scott Amendola. Really great stuff, & any Oranj Symphonette (I believe there were only two albums) is highly recommended. Ornaj Symphonette:Oranj Symphonette Plays Mancini(Gramavision HiFi)
Moon Song: More of the full-on Nelson Riddle treatment. In this case it seems a little heavy-handed to me—sorry, Sinatra fanatics out there—I like Ol’ Blue Eyes, but I don’t give him an automatic pass. In some ways I like the lighter, more jazz-inflected Doris Day version in the video below. Not a big fan of Ms Day as an actress, but she could sing. Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonglow: I adore this song & have played it myself on a few instruments—guitar, tenor uke & tenor guitar. I have three versions on CD, & they’re all fantastic— Lionel Hampton:Flying Home (Living Era): Hampton’s version is with the Benny Goodman Quarter, & besides creating a dreamy atmosphere for Goodman, Hampton takes a sweet extended break; Teddy Wilson, of course, on piano, & Gene Krupa, of course, on drums; Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown:The Big 3 [note: these guys have earned that title for sure] (Original Jazz Classics): Milt Jackson is, of course, another great vibes man, & the three-way interplay between him & Pass on guitar & Brown on bass isn’t to be missed; Mary Lou Williams:1949-1951 (Chronological Classics): Last but very far from least, Mary Lou Williams duets with herself on organ & piano—fun! Also: check out Les Paul & Chet Atkins below; what guitar work….
Moonlight Bay: Wish I could find the Auldrige – Brozman- Grisman on YouTube; it’s “Moonlight Bay” set in some Hawaiian cove, & it’s truly lovely. For those of you who don’t know, all three of these guys are top-notch: Mike Auldridge, a reknowned Dobro player; Bob Brozman, Mr National guitar & also a super uke player (typically on a resophonic); & I assume most folks know of David “Dawg” Grisman, mandolin player-supreme. The Tone Poems albums are all built around fanastic musicians getting together & playing vintage instruments. Volume III involves “slide & resophonic instruments," in this case all Hawaiian-style steel guitars—a 1923 Regal Hawyfone, a 1925 Maiki Hawaiian (both of these were economy knock-offs of the top-of-the line Weissenborns) & a Weissenborn Kona Style 3. Please do check this out—but I think you’ll also enjoy the Premier Quartet from 1913 in the video/soundclip below. Mike Auldrige, Bob Brozman, David Grisman: Tone Poems III (Acoustic Disc)
Moonlight Becomes You: Sinatra was in one of his “primes” in the Nelson Riddle period, & he certainly uses his pipes & phrasing to give this lovely tune a great reading; & yes, I do think the arrangment on this one is great—including some nice guitar work pretty prominent in the mix. It’s interesting, as a for what it's worth note, that he started the song out with the bridge. But tho Sinatra’s version is really good, I’ve got to mention der Bingle’s version from the very funny Road to Morocco; check it out below (complete with a very lovely Dorothy Lamour). Frank Sinatra:Moonlight Sinatra (Reprise)
Moonlight Fiesta: A latin number written by long-time Ellington cohorts Irving Mills & Juan Tizol. The band recording this (the date was June 1937) went by the name of Barney Bigard & His Jazzopators, & besides Tizol on valve-trombone, Bigard on clarinet & Elllington on the 88s, it included Rex Stewart on cornet, Harry Carney on baritone sax, Billy Taylor on string bass, Sonny Greer on drums & Charlie Barnet on maracas. That last instrument should give you the idea. It’s a fun piece, if a bit of a novelty. Duke Ellington:The Duke’s Men: Small Groups, vol. 1 (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces)
