Eddie Daniels - Blackwood

Whoa! To me, clarinets were always the "sick geese" of high school band. They filled each performance with - to me - a rather grating  sound. Yes, to me they sounded just like the proverbial fingernails on a chalk board.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled Eddie Daniels Blackwood from Jim's CD collection. His clarinet playing was remarkably smooth and enjoyable. Titles included are:

• Blackwood
• Cruise
• Heartsong
• P.I.
• Toucan Dance
• Black Diamond Run
• Clara's Heart
• Walking the Line
• Blackwood (Reprise)
• Blue Waltz

Each piece has wonderful percussion wrapped around Eddie's jazz clarinet playing.  It is awesome!  I'm not kidding.  Listen to Blackwood here.  And then he continues his magnificent playing in a classical setting. 

Produced by Dave Grusin, Rob Mounsey, and himself, Blackwood was released in 1980 by GRP Records Inc. The title, Blackwood, makes reference to the African Blackwood, from which the finest clarinets are made.

If you would like to learn more about Eddie and his remarkable musical career, visit his Web site.

After hearing Eddie's music, I'll never again think of clarinet playing as sick geese.

The Beatles Please Please Me

Come with  me to the infamous cartoon character Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine to 1963, where The Beatles were young, and I was even younger. Just listening to the music reminds me of warm summer days at the neighborhood pool, where popular music like The Beatles played all day.  That, an occasional frozen Zero chocolate bar, and nonstop swimming were the highlights of what was then endless summer.

The Beatles CD, Please Please Me, is  made-up of original sound recordings by EMI Records LTD, and includes:

• I Saw Here Standing There
• Misery
• Anna (Go To Him)
• Chains
• Boys
• Ask Me Why
• Please Please Me
• Love Me Do
• P.S. I Love You
• Baby It's You
• Do You Want To Know A Secret
• A Taste Of Honey
• There's A Place
• Twist And Shout

My toes are tapping just thinking about the tunes, even if by today's standards they are simplistic.

If you live in the Cleveland area,   you may want to catch a show by Beatles tribute band Revolution Pie on April 7, 2018.

Or if you would like to know more about the album Please Please Me, listen here:

Duke Ellington Blues In Orbit

Wow! I never really thought much about Duke Ellington. 

Tunes of the great composer, pianist, and band leader would zip in and out of my life on the radio or old movies, with me rarely paying any attention where they originated. I was pleasantly surprised when I found a stack of Duke Ellington CDs among Jim's collection, and decided to listen to one. 

Blues In Orbit was released in 1988 by CBS Records Inc. as part of its Columbia Jazz Masterpieces series. The CD case proudly states the collection is  " Digitally Remastered Directly From The Original Analog Tapes" of the original 1960s album. It does hum, with the bass rattling the walls at a normal level. The jazz-swing compilation has been remastered over 10 times between the 1988 version and 2017.

The CD includes the original tunes from the album, and had some room to include a few later pieces. Fourteen titles making up the list include:

• Blues in Orbit
• Track 360
• Villes Ville Is the Place, Man
• Brown Penny
• Three J's Blues
• SMADA
• Pie Eye's Blues
• C Jam Blues
• Sweet & Pungent
• In a Mellotone
• Sentimental Lady
• Blues in Blueprint
• The Swingers Get The Blues, Too
• The Swinger's Jump

I really enjoyed this CD. Made me want to get up and dance.  My toes are still tapping.  If you would like to know more about "the jazz legend" Duke Ellington, visit the official site here.

Or for a traditional taste of his music, listen to the YouTube post below.

Fruitcake Toss Day? Hmmmm

I was quietly remembering Jim on his birthday, January 3, when I discovered the date is shared by Fruitcake Toss Day. He would have liked that, probably going out and buying one on clearance just to toss.

Apparently this holiday was first created and celebrated in Manitou Springs, Colorado in 1995. It involves taking all the left over fruitcake - often given as presents - and chucking it. 

I know, I'm supposed to be writing about music.  But it was too tempting to  write about Jim having to share his birthday with fruitcake. I'm sure he would have been impressed.

And if you suddenly find yourself wanting a fruitcake, follow these instructions on Youtube.

Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Boy Named Charlie Brown

Da da da,  da da da, daa daa, da da da daa....

I pulled this CD from Jim's shelf and smiled.  The track Linus and Lucy filled my thought and I immediately went and listened to the Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Boy Named Charlie Brown. The sweet jazz music is from the original sound track for the well-known CBS television special.

The animated comedy-drama made its appearance on TV in December 1969. Released as a record in 1972, and then on CD in 1989 by Fantasy, Inc..

Most of the tracks were composed and played by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi and supported by Monty Budwig on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums.

Tunes include the following:

• Oh, Good Grief
• Pebble Beach
• Happiness Is
• Schroeder
• Charlie BrownTheme
• Linus and Lucy
• Blue Charlie Brown
• Baseball Theme
• Freda (With the Naturally Curly Hair)
• Fly Me to the Moon (an additional and enjoyable track not on the original LP)

The CD makes me happy, not only because I remember Jim enjoying it, but because the characters and the music associated with each one makes me happy - even ornery Lucy.  I've made a mental note to play this CD if I'm feeling down. Can't stay there for long.

Read a Wikipedia article about A Boy Named Charlie Brown here. I really enjoyed the article, and am sure you will too.