Hey I'm Back!Forgot it was Friday two weeks ago and last week my computer went to tech heaven.But your truly is a sick as a dog with what I can only guess is the flu, so I really don't have the desired energy to totally have at it so here are a couple of tunes that through the haze of fever and chills. From LA the band Dawes with Just My Luck. Sweet sad tune. Here's the Irish band Bell X 1 with Light Catches Your Face. Finally from Lucinda Williams with Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. May have sent this last one before but it's a great rendition of a great song. Okay, back to bed. Dear God please let we stop coughing for two minutes! Hey, Happy New Year!Tim
I believe it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, so lets get festive for the next few weeks and I will try to garner some fond memories and smiles from the lot of you ear whackers! But before we get into the way back machine, here is a fun piece from The Jimmy Fallon Show with The Roots with elementary school instruments with a rather recognizable guest singer.How about some Christmas songs from the 1040's? From 1941, Glenn Miller and his orchestra with Jingle Bells. Here's the crooning Bing Crosby from 1942 with White Christmas. How about the old cowboy Gene Autry with his 1947 Here's Comes Santa Clause. Also from 1947 is Frank Sinatra with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Also from the 1940's and Bing Crosby, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. and finally from 1949, Arthur Fielder and The Boston Pops playing Sleigh Bells. We'll move into the 50's and 60's next week. Enjoy!Tim
I'm Back!Life has been overwhelming lately and because of Thanksgiving I somehow lost last Friday. As many of you know I'm in a Woody Allen one act at The JCC which opens tomorrow evening. There is a through line of love in the play and as a gift to the cast and crew from me they will receive a mp3 disk they I arduously put together for them with love songs. Sweet ones, sad one, silly one and several naughty ones. Sooo I thought I share a few with you today.First up is Regina Specktor with an old timey rendition of My Man. Next up is a 78 year old Leonard Cohen resighting the lyrics to A Thousand Kisses Deep which flows into him singing I'm Your Man. Here is a brilliant renditions of Tow Waits composition of Picture In A Frame, sung by Liane Carroll. Hell how about Tom Waits! Here's Warm Beer And Cold Women, Another favorite of mine and an excellent live versions is Boz Scaggs with Look What You've Done To Me. Love the background singers harmonies at the end! Okay a naughty and funny as well. I Wanna Fight Your Father by The Rubberbandits. Lets finish up with one the all time great voices along with one of the legionary jazz saxophonists, Johnny Hartman and John Coletrane, with My One And Only You.I wish for each and everyone of you a sweet and productive Friday, and dear St. Patrick let me funny tomorrow night!Tim
I have made the decision to have a musical moment of silence for this weeks Friday Music out of respect for the 50 Anniversary of the murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I still ache these many years later for what was and what could have been.....
Mornin' All!Today is the children of musical artists. We will hear music from the daughters of Ravi Shankar, Loudon Wainwright, John Lennon, Bobby Zimmerman boy, and George Harrison. There are certainly others, but these will work and I'll try to give you a fine taste of each. So, lets start will Ravis' daughters, Anoushka Shankar & Nora Jones, with Easy. BTW, what beautiful daughters and great artists. Here are two of Loudon Wainwright III children and their mother's sister Anna McGarrigle singing together a song written by their mother. Rufus, Martha and Anna with Mendocino. Aha, the Lennon Brothers. First Julian with Someday. And now his brother Sean with Parachute. Bobbys son Jakob singing a fav of mine One Headlight. Finally George Harrisons' son Dhani Harrison and his group Thenewno2 doing a live version of Live A Lie. Have a stupendous Friday filled with friendship and music!Tim
Good Mornin' Music Lovers:Here is a piece that I have heard several times on World Cafe that I just rather like and thought I'd share it with you this Friday. By Bill Callahan, here is a rather odd but sweet and enticing song titled Small Plane, accompanied a sweet and enticing live video. Also Bill has a great voice. Next we have Richard Thompson with Good Things Happen To Bad People. Ain't that the truth! Here's someone that I've always liked and doesn't get played nearly enough. Warren Zevon with Carmelita. Finally, because today is her 64 birthday, here are a few of my favorites by one of the all time greats singers, Bonnie Raitt. Come on now, girl can flat out sing! Have a brilliant Friday!Tim
Simply put, today is a tribute to another one of the voices lost in what my Brother Mike refers to as "the killing zone," and is now apart of The Velvet Underground, yes Lou Reed and The Colored Girls are suddenly and sadly gone. So it seem fair and appropriate that I string together several of Lou's song today and remember this iconic artists.Here are some favorites of mine and I hope some favorites of yours. An interesting version of Sweet Jane live with Metallica. I rather like Cowboys Junkies version of it, but this one is rawer and I think it right for today. Two versions of Perfect Day. A really fine version from Trainspotting and a BBC promotional version that I personally love. Yep, I'm finishing with Take A Walk On The Wide Side. Sage advise from a dead man. May we all still remember the wild side from time to time. Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo. Have a good All Souls Day.Tim
DETROIT.Been floatin' around to do a little something The Detroit Sound. Yeah Motown. That's a given and I will address it at the end of Friday music a wee bit, but I want to focus on a native of Detroit, one fabulous musician and producer, Don Was. Detroit has given us a plethora of musicians, like Bill Haley, Mitch Rider, Bob Seger, Madonna, Kid Rock, Grand Funk Railroad, Alice Cooper, The J. Giles Band and on and on and on. Not to mention all the amazing Motown acts. I have picked three pieces produced by Don Was for fellow Detroit artist. First up, Iggy Pop with Candy. I sent this one out some back by Jack White titled I'm Shakin'. Was's production kicks as hard as White's singing.Third up is an up and comer, Mike Ellison with Let Me Fly. Finally from Don Was his lead singer from Was Not Was, Sweet Pea Atkinson with Slow Down,Ok, perhaps a little something from Motown. How about Berry Gordy's first hit when was living about Hitsville and hadn't flipped the music world upside down with The Motown Sound. Barrett Strong with Money. Finally, a tribute to all the unsung musicians that played on all those Motown hits. The Funk Brothers, from the film Standing In The Shadow of Motown. Here's Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Have a musical Friday my friends!!!
Guys:Here are three diverse song for this Friday, We start we The Tedeschi Trucks Band's rendition of Midnight In Harlem. The second piece is a song I've heard several times over the last few weeks and I just simply like it. Fred Neil and his amazingly deep voice singing Please Send Me Someone To Love. Finally a live version from the late great Rick Danko singing a tune off his only solo album. Here's Sip The Wine. Wasn't he something! God Bless The Band! Have a great Friday!
Morning All:I got a lot of return to sender last week. Don't know why, but there it is.Because my nephew Collin reminded me of this group after I sent out Alt-J a few weeks ago, I thought I'd play a fav of his as well as my middle daughter Oona. Here is Phantogram with Don't Move. Here's an Indie group I rather like. Everything Everything with Cough Cough. How about Betty with Did You Tell Her. Nuff said. Finally this is a favorite of mine by Joan Osborne, it's been knockin' around my head lately so I thought I'd send it out to all of you.The cut is Spider Web. You all have a great Friday!Tim
Gonna open today's music with a ditty by The Talking Heads Crosseyed & Painless.Here is an all time fav of mine by Johnny Hammond, No One Can Forgive Me But My Baby. Two versions an excellent studio rendition and Johnny playing live. I think I'm a pretty good harp player but John plays without his hands and makes The Mississippi Saxophone sing! Here is another old school blues. Lightnin' Hopkins & Sonny Terry with Conversation Blues. Love this guy, Mark Broussard with Home. Finally to book end this weeks music we have a cut from Mike Doughty's new album. He is the former lead singer of Soul Coughing. Not gonna put down the album title because it's crazy long, but here is Monster Man.Have a great Friday!Tim
Hey!Here are your tunes for a Friday in September. First up, Alt-J from a live performance. I like this group and I put this piece on so you can hear the opening intro titled Intro. There is another 38 minutes of music after it. Listen, don't listen, but an interesting young group. Now we move on Franz Ferdinand with Right Action. Takes me back to the 60's. Pretty sweet group for my money. Here's their tune Right Stuff. From Elvis Costello's new release with The Roots titled Wise Up Bear we have Walk Us Uptown. Also a solo performance by Elvis of a new song which is on Wise Up Ghost but I couldn't find with the Roots is Tripwire. And finally from Elvis and Lucinda Williams of last weeks Friday music we have a live rendition of Wild Horses. Have a great Friday. Call a friend. Make someone happy.Tim
Howdy Friday Music Fans!For no particular reason, well other that I think it's all good music, lets start with Lucinda Williams and two cut by her because I couldn't choose between them. Great renditions of Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys and Cowboys To Girls with Chris Gaffney singin' lead on the second track. Here's a sweet little group from Indiana called Houndmouth with On The Road. How about Patty Griffin with a song she wrote after something her dad said to her, which became Please Don't Let Me Die In Florida. Jason Isbell's new album is titled Southeastern and the song Live Oak was written for his wife, singer Amanda Shires. The opening line to Live Oak just floors me! Here's an artist I'm really beginning to like Laura Mvula with Green Garden. And finally a great Roger Miller song, he is joined by Willie Nelson and Ray Price singing Old Friends. Dear Lord may we all have at least just one old friend..... Have a friend filled Friday, I will be signing autographs at RocCon and on Friday evening happily getting to know a new friend.Tim
Music Fans:Because I've done some special types of Friday Music recently I seem to have lot a music stored up that I have been listening to and wanted to share. I hope you enjoy it too.First from 1982 an updated version of a song from the band Squeeze, Black Coffee In Bed. A sweet piece from Beck titled I Won't Be Long. I really do rather like his music! here is Jim James from My Morning Jacket with his solo recording of New Life. Here is what I consider a remarkable group with just a dash of one of the greatest band ever, The Beatles. This is George Harrison's sons band Thenewno2, live with Wide Awake. Pretty interesting sound. From Mayer Hawthorn, new music, from his new release, Where Does This Door Go, Her Favorite Song. Bangin' good. Finally new versions of great old songs of John Fogerty from his cd release, I Wrote A Song For Everybody. Here are two, Fortunate Son with The Foo Fighters and Kid Rock singing Born On A Bayou. Rainin' here in Upstate NY, so let the music bring out the sun. And again, Happy Birthday Brother Sean!!!
Okay, so today is dedicated to one of the great voices of this or any time, Linda Ronstadt. She recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson. She sadly with never sing another note.So I want us all to remember the brilliant singer that she is and perhaps a collective "damn, girl can sing." These are some of my favorites from a very long list of great tunes from Ms. Ronstadt. Live from 1977, Desperado. Also live from 1977, one of her greatest hits, Blue Bayou. Here is one that was arranged by Brian Wilson and he sings the harmony on the recording. Here is a live version of Adios. Just have to have a piece with Linda, Emmylou and Dolly, so here is High Sierra. Finally could not do this without a wee bit of her Latino roots, so here is Por Un Amor. Yeah "girl can sing!" Have a spectacular Friday my friends!!!Tim
Morning to all you Friday Music listeners. I have added several new listeners to today's list, because they too are lovers of a good ear whack.As I'm sure all of you know this past Wednesday was the 50 Anniversary of Martin Luther Kings historic "I Have A Dream" speech. An historic moment to some of you, but a lived piece of history by others of us. So I thought I put together some music before, surrounding and a little after the event on that sweltering Summer day so many years ago now. First is a rare rare radio broadcast from 1947 of Josh White singing Free & Equal Blues. Second is the legendary Nina Simone singing a song she wrote at 1963 but redid it live after the murder of D. King. Mississippi God Damn. After hearing Bob Dylan's Blown In The Wind, Sam Cooke spent a year working this next song out of his soul. Even with that it was a B side to a pop hit of his titled Shake. Here is A Change Is Gonna Come. Speaking of Bob Dylan, here is a piece that didn't endear him to many south of the Mason Dixon line and truth be told, in many other places in America. Here is Bob's Only A Pawn In Their Game. From I believe 1964 or 1965 The Impression with People Get Ready. Here is a current song to give a little perspective on freedom and exception in general. The goal post moves on but the fight for equality remains the battle ground of oneness. Here is Macklemore & Ryan featuring Mary Lambert with Same Love. This one just generally seems to always be true. Stevie Wonder with Love's In Of Love Today. And finally in his own works Dr. King's "I Have A Dream." Peace & kindness to you all.
Music Lovers:Going with some excellent British female vocalists this beautiful Friday in Upstste NY. First Alice Russell with Crazy. Next a fav of mine by Duffy, Syrup & Honey. Here is an artist that is fast becoming a huge star with critical acclaim, she is from North London. If you haven't hear her you will. I like this cut because it's stripped down with just her and a guitarist. Jessie Ware with What You Won't Do For Love. This is a stunning version of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me sung by Alele. Next is Joss Stone with an interesting version of Alfie as a video to the remake of Alfie. Check her full version of Alfie. It's bangin'! So many to choose from with this last lady, I know the obvious is Son Of A Preacher Man, but how about You Don't Own Me by Dusty Springfield. Hell can't go wrong with anything she sings! Have a great week end!
Back from a trip to Wisconsin where I spent time with the kind of people who make your heart ache when you say good bye. We have a new Friday music lover the oldest son of my great friend Jimmy "Youngblood" Becker, Collin Becker. Music today is like little slips of paper you find in your pocket and they remind you of something. My slips start with an artist that over the last several months I come to really enjoy and after hearing him interviewed on World Cafe, I really like how his mind works. He one of those 15 year over night successes. If you don't know him I'm pretty sure you will. From Central Pennsylvania Daughn Watson who among other things worked at an adult video store at a truck stop at 20 yrs. old and washed cars and then did big rig cross country driving. A kinda techno country sound and a bit of Johnny Cash in his voice. Which is now another scrap of paper that I will share today. Anyways here's Kissing On The Black Top. While in Wisconsin Will Pfrang the 17 yr old son of Julie & Chuck Prang hosts an open mike at an out door venue over looking Lake Michigan. Lots of talented young singer/songwriters. I was fortunate enough to get to play with Will, but there was a rockabilly group that did the song Black Slacks that jogs a distant memory and when I got home I found what I believe is the original by Joe Bennet & The Sparkeltones. I also hear an interview with Martha Wainwright driving home and she was talking about her mother Kate McGarrigle who died several years ago from cancer and that she and her brother Rufus with other artist did concerts to celebrate their mothers life and body of work and they played this piece that Martha sand and said was titled I Was Not Afraid. I really like this piece. Also this piece of music by Kate sung by Martha and Rufus with Kate's sister Anna playing piano titled Mendocino. So fro the last few days because of Daughn Watson's been reminding me of Johnny Cash I thought about all the great Cash songs and I'm throwing this cover in by NRBQ, Get Rhythm. Finally one of the last songs ever laid down by Johnny was God's Gonna Cut You Down. Man could get it RIGHT! See, random scraps of paper that are now music that I hope you enjoy. Have a great Friday!Tim
Guys:I am sending this weeks music with none next week as I will be in Wisconsin visiting friends and having a little vacation time with extended family and life long friends.I want to start by sending you a JJ Cale tune as we lost him too last week end. Great artist, great writer. Here he is with Eric Clapton doing two live tunes. One of them the biggest hits by Clapton. Next is the group Rhye with The Fall. Check out the link to them playing by candle light on NPR. Here is a song from the group Cayucas that I have recently become very happy to hear. High School Lover. From LA the Mexican American group La Santa Cecilia. with a live version of Losing Game. Love this woman's voice. This song has been recorded by Elvis Costello but I can't locate a good version of it. There is a beautiful version from World Cafe. Finally from 1967 P.P. Arnold doing a live version of The First Cut Is The Deepest. Have a happy Friday.
For those of us in North America we are being whipped by a good old fashioned heat wave. So I want to do a couple of summertime tuneage today, but first I have to share a new group and a new sound fo me. I heard them live on World Cafe w/David Dye. From Brooklyn NY doing a traditional Indian sound used for weddings and other happy occasions. It sort of Bollywood meets New Orleans. This is Red Baratt live in Central Park with Shuggy Ji. To quote brother Mike turn it up to 11!Now. We all have favorite summertime music images in our heads. This is what it looks like in my heat the steamy Summer day in July. The Lovin' Spoonful w/Summer In The City. Yeah, you got it. Janis w/Summertime. How about a little Sly with Hot Fun In The Summertime. Martha & The Vandellas with Heatwave! Do you remember Blue Cheer? I saw them on the beach of Ft. Lauderdale on a Spring Break way back in, in, never mind. Here's Summertime Blues. Now I can make the case for the last two groups always having the ability to drop me smack dab into thoughts and good vibes of the Summer. But I really like this one for the"feel" of Summertime. War with Baby Face. Finally The Rascals with two tunes because I love them both and they conger up memories of being young, immortal, full of life and an endless future beginning to unfold before me. Sigh.... Here's Groovin' and It's A Beautiful Morning. Hey have a Sweet Steamy Summer Day!!! BTW Great Big Sea played in downtown Rochester at Party In The Park for $2.00 last night!!! Did anyone see them. I was tied up with rehearsal and couldn't go. Love that group!Tim