What My Kids Are Listening To: Fun. "We Are Young" with Janelle Monae

I think this song (if not the video) is awesome, too:



The acoustic version, which I like more:

What My Kids Are Listening To: Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa "Young, Wild, & Free"

Can't say I'm too thrilled with the lyrics or the entire message, but when the moderately cleaned-up version gets played over and over on the local pop station, it's impossible to keep it from the kids.  All we can do is put it in proper perspective.  All that said, the rhythm is catchy:

What My Kids Are Listening To: Hot Chelle Rae - "I Like It Like That"

OK.  But same sound as their other hit song:

What I'm Listening To: Wild Cherry - Play that Funky Music

Yet another classic funk number that forms part of my Funky Grooves bicycling playlist:

What I'm Listening To: Parliament - We Want the Funk

On my funky grooves bicycling playlist:



My favorite part are the horns in the background.

What I'm Listening To: Glenn Miller - I've Got A Gal in Kalamazoo

And as a special bonus, you get to see the Nicholas brothers give us a wonderful tap dance performance.  They just don't do it the same way these days, and they can't even approach doing it better.  Enjoy:

Jazz Drummers

I don't know much about many jazz drummers, but of the little that I do know, I'm having an internal struggle with three of the greats on this instrument.  First, there's Chick Webb whose career at the Savoy was explosive, albeit short.  And I love his driving rhythms.  Then there's Gene Krupa whose legacy was steady and consistently impressive.  I particularly love Krupa's drumming with the Benny Goodman Orchestra.  And, finally, there's Max Roach.  He's perhaps the most innovative and well-rounded drummer I've ever listened to; and I think his talent really far exceeds that of either Chick Webb or Gene Krupa, but it's hard to compare them all together given that they represent very different performance styles.

So my question to you jazz aficionados who know a bit more about drummers: how would you rank the three and why?  And if you want to throw any other drummers into the mix as someone I need to consider (such as Art Blakey or Paul Motian, etc.) in the top tier, let me know why.

What I'm Listening To: Count Basie - One O'Clock Jump

Again, as part of my walking to work commitment, I get to listen some NPR Jazz Profiles episodes. That's one of the side benefits whenever I find myself walking long stretches. Anyway, I was listening to the 3-part profile of Count Basie, which was just wonderful. Every time I listen to a Jazz Profiles episode, it makes me want to read all the great biographies and autobiographies of these great jazz legends. One day, I'll get to them.

But one of the reasons why I chose Count Basie's profile to listen to is because I have been enjoying listening to him and his orchestra in my "Big Band Bicycling" playlist.

One of the tunes I have on this playlist is also the one tune that came to define Count Basie's orchestra: One O'Clock Jump. So, as a tribute to Count Basie and the enjoyment I've been getting from him lately, here's a rendition of the tune:

What I'm Listening To: Coleman Hawkins' All-Star Octet

Now that I'm back riding the stationary bike fairly regularly again, I'm back to my Big Band Bicycling.  One of the tracks that I thoroughly enjoy is "The Sheik of Araby" performed by Coleman Hawkins' All-Star Octet.  This tune was recorded in January of 1940 (and you can hear it on a soundtrack collection from the Ken Burns documentary "The War").

Building on his October 1939 recording of "Body and Soul," you can hear clearly in "The Sheik of Araby" during Hawkins' tenor saxophone solo towards the end of the recording a definite Bebop rhythm, pacing, and sound that would become immortalized by the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, and others.

It's fascinating to listen to an early Charlie Parker piece and then to "The Sheik of Araby" by Coleman Hawkins.  I love Charlie Parker and his pioneering work with the Bebop style, but I have to give Hawkins the true props for being Bebop's real first practitioner and innovator.

Mitt Romney's Theme Song/Video

At least what I would choose for it.  Ya gotta click here to find out.  It all fits.

What My Kids Are Listening To: Adele - Set Fire to the Rain

Granted that Adele has a nice voice, but I don't see the huge appeal.  Even still, the squirrelly girlies love her:

Jim McCormick in Nashville

Kudo's to my high school and college classmate, Jim McCormick, for his growing success in the country music songwriting world in Nashville.

I just had a chance to catch up with Jim during our annual Class of '86 Jesuit High School Christmas lunch (In the picture I posted there, Jim's the guy in the back row under the wall-mounted TV set, on the right.)

I'm so glad for Jim's success.  Couldn't be happening to a nicer guy.  Jim's performing this weekend at Carrollton Station, and I'm gonna try to get out to see him.

Way to go, Jim!

Happy New Year!

May your 2012 be the best year ever!

My New Year's Resolutions coming soon.

Glass Harp Tchaikovsky

I thought this was pretty amazing:

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's "Mr. Heat Miser"

A pretty good version of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's version of the song "Mr. Heat Miser" rendered pretty expertly to the original cartoon. Enjoy:

 

What My Kids Are Listening To: "Wobble Baby" by V.I.C.

I admit to liking this, too. Has the feel of a good Sunday football motivator for the city of New Orleans. Reminds me a bit of the "Stand Up and Get Crunk" phenomenon from a couple years ago:

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Number One Hits This Week over the Past 50 Years

Number one hit exactly 50 years ago this week: Jimmy Dean - "Big Bad John":



Exactly 40 years ago this week: Cher - "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves":



Exactly 30 years ago this week: Hall & Oates - "Private Eyes":



Exactly 20 years ago this week: Prince and the New Power Generation - "Cream":



Exactly 10 years ago this week: Mary J. Blige - "Family Affair":



Current number one this week: Rihanna with Calvin Harris - "We Found Love"



If you ask me, early November in the "1's" (2011, 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961) has been pretty unimpressive for number one songs.

What I'm Listening To: Firefall - "You Are the Woman"

Blast from the 1976 past. I think everyone knows the words to this classic soft rock hit. Dedicated to my lovely B-2/3:

 

WTUL Morning Classics Show

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have a DJ stint on WTUL, the student-run independent college radio station. We broadcast on 91.5 FM in the greater New Orleans area. But we also livestream over the internet at the WTUL website. For the moment, I am assigned to the Wednesday morning, 6-8am CST, classical music show. I call it the "Breakfast with Brahms" morning classics show. Tune in if you can. Music requests are welcome.