"Blue Rondo a la Turk" on the Two Generations of Brubeck album. Wow.
There are many fine versions of this tune, but this one gets me dancing, clapping, fist-pounding, whatever, every time....and it's not easy to dance in, what, 9/8? I love tunes that grow, build, develop, and move through changes. This one just picks me up and takes me right along with it. Great melding of jazz and rock idioms, too. It's fun to imagine Dave Brubeck setting the groove and then sitting back to hear where his kids and their friends take it.
You can continue exploring Dave and the kids on Two Generations of Brubeck, "The Great Spirit Made Us All". And Chris Brubeck's rock/jazz band Sky King on "Secret Sauce".
For extra credit, give a "spin" to Chase, "Bochawa" from their last album, Pure Music.
"It Makes No Difference", written by Robbie Robertson, recorded by The Band. Robertson's last great song, sung by bassist Rick Danko. Wonderful 3-part vocal harmonies by Rick, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel, tasty "chimey" guitar solo by Robertson and alto sax solo by organist Garth Hudson.
A superb piece of music making, seen and heard performed live by The Band in The Last Waltz film. Do you know how hard it is to sound that good live? The Beatles certainly didn't when I saw them in '65, or in the rooftop scene in Get Back.
@dabel: Speaking of Emitt, if you go onto YouTube and do a search for his live performance at the Poptopia Festival in 1997 (I believe it was)---Emitt’s first time on stage in a quarter century--you can hear me leading the band on drums on three of his songs from that night’s show. I’m barely visible in the shadows at the back of the shallow stage, but you can hear me just fine.
News of Emitt’s upcoming appearance brought people from all over the country and even the world, as he had become a reclusive legend after retreating to his Hawthorne California recording studio in the mid-70’s, having been badly burned by the music business in the early-70’s. They say it’s poor form to speak ill of the dead, but Emitt was a pita to work with. The band that had been assembled to provide him with musical accompaniment for the show held a couple of rehearsals in the days right before the show, none of which Emitt showed for. Unprofessional. Finally on the afternoon of the show he appeared, only then realizing he needed to do some preparation, not having been on stage in twenty five years. You can see his insecurity in the live footage. The band sounds much better than he.
Other members of the band that night were Jamie Hoover (well-known North Carolina musician who has worked with Don Dixon and Marti Jones---favorite music makers of mine, Bill Lloyd, The Smithereens, Graham Parker and many others, and leads the excellent Power Pop group The Spongetones) on lead guitar and harmony vocals, Brian Kassan (original bassist of Brian Wilson’s collaborative band The Wondermints, leader of the wonderful Pop group Chewy Marble, whose second album Bowl Of Surreal I can be heard on. Playing bass on the album is a fantastic musician---Derrick Anderson, more recently The Bangles’ road bassist) on electric piano, Power Pop singer-songwriter Walter Clevenger (now residing in Austin) on electric rhythm guitar, Bryan Shumate (co-member of Let’s Get Mikey with Jamie Hoover) on acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies, and band leader that night Ray Paul on electric bass (if you consider a Rickenbacker a "real" bass ;-) and vocals. Pretty damned good band.
Emitt’s debut album is a stone classic, a Power Pop masterpiece. At only twenty years of age he wrote all the music and lyrics, sang every vocal part, and played every instrument. McCartney did the same on his contemporaneous debut, but Emitt’s is by far the better album.
@bdp24, from Norway correct? To bad you're barely visible, it's always the musician on key in on the most during performances. I'd rather see drummers front and center on stage, much like amps between a set of speakers. Front man off to the side :-)
Having no experience other than what I've read and seen in documantries, the industry does have a way of rearing its ugly head ... a shame.
Thank you for taking the time and sharing a part of history.
Not for the first time, I'm sitting here, listening to music I never heard of before reading about it on this this thread. Not to diminish others' contributions, it's often bdp24 whose deep knowledge sends me in a new direction. Today, I can't believe I've never known of Emitt Rhodes until now. That debut album is as good as bdp advertised and does remind me of McCartney and the Beatles. Similarly, Emitt's multi-instrumental ability and variety of tones and techniques in production is really impressive.
I would add Harry Nilsson as a point of comparison, though Nilsson was more zany and pop-oriented.
For those of you discovering Emitt’s debut, here’s another you gotta hear: Sincerely by The Dwight Twilley Band. Another Power Pop masterpiece by a remarkable trio: Dwight on songwriting, piano, rhythm guitar, and vocals, Phil Seymour on drums and vocals, and the extraordinary guitar playing of Bill Pitcock IV. It’s follow up Twilley Don’t Mind is mighty fine too. After that album Seymour left for a solo career. In the early Twilley Band videos you will see Tom Petty playing a Rickenbacker bass.
More recently there was an unusually good group you may be familiar with: Jellyfish. If not, they made two fantastic Power Pop albums, then splitsville.
And for those with a taste for Merseybeat, you just gotta hear Shake Some Action by The Flamin’ Groovies, produced by the great Dave Edmunds. Not a hi-fi demo record, it is intentionally made to sound "old". Very dark, thick, and fat. Works great for the music.
Thanks for the suggestions. Jellyfish was a great band for sure, and they made two wonderful albums. Excellent songwriting, and each one is like a journey.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
