PRETENDERS ( the singles)

Happy tunes.  Happy times. I remember way, way back - I think it was 1979 - when I was just getting to know Jim.  He somehow managed to get tickets to hear the rising Pretenders play at Blossom Music Center. They were good pavilion seats.  No lawn-lounging for his "hot date."  It was a good evening, marked by the awesome guitar rock of the Pretenders. It struck me as  some 'kinda punk rock mixed with ear candy, if that is possible.

Formed in the late 1970s, lead singer-songwriter Chrissy Hynde has taken the Pretenders on a prolific, popular ride with a variety of background players. The band is still touring and producing, with the album Alone recently released.  Listen to Holy Commotion from the new album. It will get your toes tapping.

The Singles is a collection of Pretenders tunes from 1979 through 1986, released in 1987 for Columbia House. Included are:

• Stop Your Sobbing -1979
• Kid - 1979
• Brass In Pocket -1979
• Talk of the Town - 1980
• I Go to Sleep -1981
• Day After Day - 1981
• Message of Love - 1981
• Back on the Chain Gang - 1982
• Middle of the Road - 1983
• 2000 Miles -1984
• Show Me - 1984
• Thin Line Between Love and Hate - 1984
• Don't Get Me Wrong -1986
• Hymn to Her - 1986
• My Baby - 1986
• I Got You Babe - 1985 - by UB40

Unlike most of Jim's music collection,  I remember the Pretenders without any prompting.  It's nice to have their songs going through my mind again. Listen to the collection below.

" Valley in the Clouds " by David Arkenstone

Just sit back and relax! This is definitely chill music.

I only recognized one of the nine tunes on Valley in the Clouds by David Arkenstone. It was the final piece.  After listening to the new age CD with lots of nice, electronic sound, I was starting to feel disappointed that none of the tunes hit my memory. But then Lost Temple started. I was immediately taken back to a Saturday with Jim hanging out in his office.  Nice memory from a rather ominous sounding tune.

The electronic jazz composition of Arkenstone's work was released in 1987 by Narada Productions. It's a wonderful mix of  base, guitar, harp, piano, and synthesizer written by Arkenstone. You can read all about him at his Web site here. Or in a nutshell,  he was born in 1952 outside  Chicago and moved to California when he was 10 and never shied from music. Although mainly considered a keyboardist,  he is also proficient in many other instruments. 

Considered one of the best contemporary instrumental musicians and composers of our time, he has 45 albums, 20 Billboard hits, film and TV soundtracks, commercials and game scores, and three Grammy nominations to his credit. He delights in using technology to take music to new and exciting places. Arkenstone is still performing live and producing new recordings. 

Wikipedia has a nice biography if you are interested. Or just enjoy a sample of his music below.

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

Bela Fleck and The Flecktones delivers a wonderful, funky repertoire of jazz-rock fusion.
At least that is what I am calling it. The CD, released in 1990 by Warner Brothers Records, is a show piece for Flecks fine banjo playing. Combined with base player Victor Wooten, harmonica player and keyboardist Howard Levyand, and Roy Wooten on synthesizer-based percussion, the group made, and still makes,  awesome music!

I like the names of the tunes, and the nice up-beat rhythm of each:

• Sea Brazil
• Frontiers
• Hurricane Camille
• Half Moon Bay
• The Sinister Minister
• Sunset Road
• Flipper
• Mars Needs Women (Space is a Lonely Place; They're Here)
• Reflections of Lucy
• Tell It To The Gov'nor

Kind of romantic sounding....

For those of you wondering, Béla Anton Leoš Fleck was named after Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, Austrian composer Anton Webern, and Czech composer Leoš Janáček, according to Wikipedia. Born in 1858 and raised in New York City, Bela's interest in the Banjo began listening to The Beverly Hillbillies theme song. In 1973 Bela's grandfather bought him a banjo, and he entered New York City's High School of Music and Art, and he began playing in local Blue Grass bands - and so began his career, He's earned 15 Grammy awards and nominations since 1998.

He's still performing with the Flecktones, and his wife, fellow banjoist Abigail Washburn, as well as solo performances. Maybe he'll play my favorite, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo! Jim would have enjoyed it. Learn all about Bela here. 

Bobby McFerrin Simple Pleasures

Imagine, if you will, a 7-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl, happily dancing to the sounds of Bobby McFerrin's Simple Pleasures. I found the CD among Jim's collection, and it instantly took me back to when the kids were little, and their Dad played tunes simply for their enjoyment.

Released in 1988 by  EMI-Manhattan Records, the album includes McFerrin's version of memorable hits like Don't Worry, Be Happy; Suzie Q, and Sunshine of  Your Love. They even sang and danced to his rendition of  Lennon and McCartney's Drive my car, with special emphasis on the "beep beep, beep beep, Yah!" I remember a fun time was had by all. The CD includes five originals, including Simple Pleasures and Don't Worry, Be Happy.

The jazz vocalist and conductor has collaborated with jazz and classical artists as well. He's won 10 Grammy awards and is known for his vocal technique. His recording career begins with his first album Bobby McFerrin in 1982 and continues on through spirityouall released in 2013.  He is known for breaking the music rules, much to everyone's enjoyment. Read all about him here.

Fields Of Gold: The Best Of Sting 1984 - 1994

I really don't remember the artist Sting. But I do remember his music. Especially three tracks from the CD Fields Of Gold: The Best Of Sting 1984 - 1994. 

Fields of Gold, Russians, and Be Still My Beating Heart hold a special place in my memory, even though I never associated them with Sting. I just happen to like the beats and lyrics.  I can just see Jim rolling his eyes and telling me for the umpteenth and just-as-futile time the songs were by Sting. Got it now Jim, but I can't promise I will remember the next time I hear the songs.

The soft rock composite of Sting songs was released in 1994 by A&M Records. Besides the three songs mentioned, it includes the following tracks:

• When We Dance
• If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
• All This Time
• Fortress Around Your Heart
• They Dance Alone
• If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
• Fragile
• Why Should I Cry For You?
• Englishman In New York
• We'll Be Together
• This Cowboy Song

And Sting, it seems, is still quite the prolific artist, rocking his 57th and 9th Tour across the globe in 2017. 

Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Oct. 2, 1951 in Wallsend, Britain. He first gained global fame as the lead of the wildly successful Police until it disbanded in 1983, when he embarked on a solo career, throwing in some acting too. The musician and song writer has had a wonderful career.  Read all about it here.