tA's Music Set: "The Path"

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Thread started 10/06/08 10:33pm

theAudience

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tA's Music Set: "The Path"

This project turned out to be more difficult than I had envisioned when I accepted.
Before I came up with a theme, my idea was to just pick 10 tunes that I thought most folks had never heard before (maybe in a subsequent OMC project). But narrowing that down to just 10 tunes seemed much too daunting a task.
Then once this particular theme came to mind, it became apparent that even though there was now a specific topic, the task might be even more difficult.

In any case, this sequence of songs is pretty much a chronological bombardment of influences.

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The Path
(A compilation giving a brief snapshot of tunes that helped to shape my current musical tastes and opinions.)

(1) I Will Move on up a Little Higher...

...Mahalia Jackson - Gospels, Spirituals & Hynms (1991) (Originally recorded in 1947)

My Grandmother (on my Mother's side) was a Protestant Bishop and had her own church in NYC & Washington D.C.
The earliest memories I have of music on a regular basis are Gospel, specifically Mahalia Jackson.
Every Sunday morning prior to service, she'd put on (more often than not) a Mahalia Jackson record while she cooked breakfast.
The aroma of her cooking and the sound of this music made it impossible to stay in bed (and she knew it).

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(2) Laura...

...Johnny Mathis - Tender Is The Night (1964)

Moving from the sacred to the secular, my Mother was a big fan of vocal Pop music and instilled in me early on an appreciation for melody.
This Johnny Mathis vocal performance, the haunting musical melody by David Raskin and Johnny Mercer's lyrical imagery make this one of my favorite Pop songs.

Laura - (Johnny Mercer/David Raskin)

Laura is the face in the misty light
Footsteps that you hear down the hall.
The laugh that floats on a summer night
That you can never quite recall.
And you see Laura, on a train that is passing thru.
Those eyes, how familiar they seem.
She gave your very first kiss to you.
That was Laura but she's only a dream

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(3) Wait Till You See Her...

...Johnny Smith - Johnny Smith Quartet (1955)

Completing the triangle of early musical input was my Father and his extensive Jazz collection.
This particular album appeared frequently in his play rotation and introduced me to the sound of Jazz guitar.
Along with the music, the album cover was especially intriguing.
Who was the guy doing this amazing guitar playing partially obscured by the frosted glass?

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(4) Blue In Green...

...Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)

Staying in Jazz genre, this piece has earned a very special place in my listening routine.
Some time ago I started to do a post entitled The Therapeutic Benefits of Blue in Green.
It was based on the fact that one day I got in my car for my 80 mile trek to work with a splitting headache. The L.A. freeway system and a bad attitude can be a very deadly combination. Fresh out of my favorite non-prescription pain reliever, I decided to try and deal with it in a more holistic manner.

Surmising that some relaxing music could help, I had a look through some of the available CDs in my car and settled on Kind of Blue, specifically the tune Blue in Green.

After the first celestial/cerebral chords Bill Evans plays, through the initial majestic melody (swaaaaay-dee-bah, dit-dit-dit-da-bo-dee) that emanates from the Miles Davis horn, I felt the pain in my head begin to subside.

Whenever I need to bring it down a few notches, this tune never fails to deliver.

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(5) Fear (Main theme from One Step Beyond)...

...Harry Lubin - Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection (2000)

Another avenue of musical input from my younger days was TV (show themes).
The series One Step Beyond, in a vein similar to The Twilight Zone, ran for 3 seasons ('59-'61)

What you'll be listening to is not the short theme used in the show but composer Harry Lubin's full orchestral score - Fear.

It's an example of how a piece of instrumental music, when developed properly, can set off very specific emotions.

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(6) I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)...

...James Brown (1968)
(The b-side, There Was A Time, is shown in the photo)

Once I got my own transistor radio one Xmas, all hell broke loose.
I would have it under my pillow listening to music from any number of Pop or Soul station when I was supposed to be sleeping.

One of the first 45s I bought with my own money was this one.
I played this record so much that i'd be amazed if there were any grooves left in it.
You might even be able to see through it.

Being a drummer at the time, i'd never heard anybody drop a snare drum lick on the "and of 4".

Somehow in my young mind there was a definite connection between the soulful raw emotional vocals of James Brown & Mahalia Jackson.
This sacred/secular linkage is something i'd never confide to my Grandmother though. no no no!

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(7) Voodoo Chile...

...Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (1968)

Most people here know I have a great deal of respect for Jimi Hendrix.
Getting to meet him one afternoon on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village didn't hurt either.
But the reason for his inclusion in this set goes far beyond the innovative guitar and studio work.

The first time I heard him was during one of those late night transistor radio listening sessions.
While tuned in to Murray The K (a pioneer during the "free-form" FM radio days), he played Hey Joe. Hearing this incredible music was one thing but when I finally saw what he looked like, I experienced what can only be described as a mental emancipation. It was if a great weight had been lifted. I was no longer restricted to the box (by White & Black people) of how Black people were categorized. What type of music you were expected to listen to or play, how you were supposed to talk, how you were supposed to dress or how you were supposed to think.

Thank you sir. Till we shake hands again "on the next one".

As for choosing this particular song, to me it's one of the best examples of classic Jimi in a live setting. The sound of the guitar at the top of the tune sounds huge and muscular even though it's relatively clean. The addition of Steve Winwood frees Jimi up from having to carry the complete load and gives him someone to play off of.

Intergalactic Blues at its best.

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(8) Village of the Sun/Echidna's Arf (Of You)/Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?...

...Frank Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere (1974)

Another stroke of luck hit me while hanging around on Bleeker Street in 1967.
That one block housed three historic 60s music venues. The Bitter End, The Cafe Au Go Go & The Garrick Theatre.
Following music my friend and I heard from the street, led us to an open door of The Garrick Theatre.
Looking inside we were shocked to find The Mothers Of Invention rehearsing onstage.
Amazingly, after noticing these two young kids peering through the door, instead of sending us away Frank Zappa softly said, "Have a seat." eek

At the time, the only thing I knew about this group was hearing the album Freak Out.
My impression was that this was simply a bunch of drugged up hippies playing some weird but interesting music.
Come to find out, almost every sound heard on the record was written out in advance by Frank Zappa.

Being able to sit in on this rehearsal provided some life altering insights as to what it took to be in a band that actually took music seriously.
All the musicians were sitting in front of music stands and Zappa ran the rehearsals like an Army drill Sergeant.
No goofing around, no b.s. It was all about performing the music properly.

This was a lesson that has stuck with me to this day. Playing in a band that's serious about music involves hard work.
It's not about having chicks chase you down the street (my formerly warped perspective after seeing A Hard Day's Night)

An interesting note about the Village of the Sun section of the sequence.
I thought his description of the town of Palmdale was pretty hilarious.
Little did I know that later in life I would actually buy a house there.

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(9) Pie In Electric Sky/If I Lay Down With You...

...Lewis Taylor - Whoever (1996)

For me, in the past decade, he's probably the artist who has combined Pop/R&B/Rock elements in the most interesting way.
I picked this song because it shows his ability to turn on a dime musically.
What would seem to be a Rock tune turns into an ode to Marvin Gaye.

This tune is from a 4 song EP titled Whoever. Strangely, it didn't end up on his first full album release for Virgin.

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(10) Quero Dancar...

...Global Noize (2008)

I wanted to include something current in the set.
This is a joint effort by DJ Logic and keyboardist Jason Miles.

Simply put, it's got a nice airy groove and Vanessa Fallabella's voice is just too sexy. love

Haven't got a clue what she's saying but she needs to keep saying it.
Her final spoken line seemed like an appropriate ending to the set.

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BONUS TRACK - Los Tres Hermanos...

...SMV (2008)

Rather than bump Global Noize from the tenth spot when the SMV album was released last month, I just included my favorite tune from that album as a Bonus Track.

Three of the premiere bassists (Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller & Victor Wooten) of our time on one record!
Showing their musical maturity, this isn't a "head cutting" session but an example of how top flight musicians can work together to create some inspiring music.

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The Set: http://8tracks.com/theAudience/the-path

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It has always been my belief that Music is an Art Form.
I think that each of the songs exhibits excellence in either vocal/instrumental performance, composition, melody or just making you feel good.

I hope you enjoy the journey along The Path.

tA

peace

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 10/7/08 6:17am]

"Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all."