MY FAVORITE THINGS  (John Coltrane) - released before "Sound Of Music" was made into a movie, this minor-key take from 1961 was done when that show's fame was growing on Broadway.

DESAFINADO (Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto) - I still don't know what the word means, or the words of the tune.  The Gilberto of this version was the husband of the more internationally well-known Astrud Gilberto.

I'LL PLAY FOR YOU (Seals and Crofts) - Big in the 1970's, this folk-rock duo from Texas is rarely heard today.  Both are guitar and mandolin virtuosos.

Theme from MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD (DDT) - this version, done in either the early 80's or the late 70's, is affecting in its ability to show that when punk rock is upbeat (which isn't often), it can be both funny and somewhat sincere.

FILM OVERTURE FROM 'HEAVY METAL' (Elmer Bernstein) - the little known background for the 80's fantasy film carried the viewer between installments of the action.  The separate score album (other than the hit singles album) has been reissued.

CONCERTO FOR VIOLA, STRINGS AND HARPSICHORD in G major - Largo (Georg Phillipe Telemann) - I Musici's great recording of this Baroque masterpiece.

ROUTE 66 (Them w/ Van Morrisson) - a mid-60's take on what (due to its copyright date of 1945) might be the first Rock 'n Roll song.

BAD COMPANY (Five Finger Death Punch) - this recent unexpected take on the early 70's arena rock standard boasts this band's strong electric sound and tough-but-evocative singer.

STEPPIN' OUT (Joe Jackson) -  Less angry than some of his work, this one makes me want to get up from the couch and head downtown.  This one could be the "Downtown" (Pet Clark) of 1980's Jazz-Rock.

BESAME MUCHO (Dave Brubeck) -  The whole bachelor pad / lounge music revival should keep going and rediscover the entire postwar jazz movement.  This cut is representative of those trends during the 1950's worldwide.

LIVING FOR THE CITY (Ike and Tina Turner) - Stevie Wonder's version with Ray Charles is fine, but this one has angst, soul and rhythm to spare.

STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW (Barbra Streisand) - Broadway comes to popular music in the 1960's in a stylized form.  

MY BACK PAGES (Georgia Whiting) - This guitar-based pop singer is familiar with the Beat writings needed to fully understand Dylan's song.  The video is a primer on literary San Francisco.

GOD WILL (Lyle Lovett) - One of the best go-jump-in-the-lake songs I've ever heard.

LET MY LOVE OPEN THE DOOR (Pete Townshend) - The "E. Cola" remix (heavy on synth) is a clever reworking of this Who frontman's standard - and uses his original vocals.

HOLDIN' ON TO YESTERDAY (Ambrosia) - Along with "Nice Nice Very Nice", this is among the best that the 70's California rock outfit was able to get onto vynil.

OUT OF THE BUSINESS (The Tubes) - Fee Waybill's take on the "Take This Job And Shove It" angle, the live video of this is one of the most clever rock performances in Rock history.

SMALL TOWN (John Mellencamp) - I don't normally go for him, but when he gets it right, I have to buy his CD in spite of myself.

ALL I KNOW (Art Garfunkel) - one of the greatest voices of the 20th century sings Jimmy Webb lyrics, and the work of both will live for centuries more.

SIBERIA (Charlotte Hatherley) - Dissonance is hard to do in a way that I like, and perhaps I only have a musician's curiousity about this.  But it breaks new ground.  And when she's on, her voice is one of the better arguments for the recent, vibrato-less approach.

May 2013