Wednesday's Radio Show: Slumming Saxophonists

Here's the playlist from this morning's radio show. As always, the underlined links represent songs you can download and/or play.

Jazzman Carole King TOM SCOTT (1974)
Small World (Pt. 2) Huey Lewis & the News STAN GETZ (1988)
Waiting on a Friend Rolling Stones SONNY ROLLINS (1981)
Dat Dere Rickie Lee Jones JOE HENDERSON (1991)
Just The Way You Are Billy Joel PHIL WOODS (1977)
Aja Steely Dan WAYNE SHORTER (1977)
I love your smile Shanice BRANFORD MARSALIS (1991)
I'm So Blue Melanie ART PEPPER (1976)
Take a Walk on the Wild Side Lou Reed RONNIE ROSS (1972)
Who Will Save Your Soul Jewel JOSHUA REDMAN (1997)
Pick Up The Pieces The Phil Collins Big Band JAMES CARTER (1999)
Your Latest Trick Dire Straits MICHAEL BRECKER (1985)
Lady Madonna The Beatles RONNIE SCOTT et al (1968)
Young Americans David Bowie DAVID SANBORN (1975)

Almost made it: How Can I Stop (The Rolling Stones with Wayne Shorter) Lazarus Heart (Sting with Branford Marsalis), Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell with Wayne Shorter),
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Joni Mitchell with Wayne Shorter) , The Way (Me'Shell Ndegéocello with Joshua Redman) I Be Blowin' (De La Soul with Maceo Parker) Red Top (Steve Miller with Phil Woods), Love Ain't No Triple Play (Dr. John, Bennie Wallace and Bonnie Raitt), My Life is Good (Randy Newman with Ernie Watts), Muddy Water (Madeleine Peyroux with James Carter)

No way: Ernie Watts on the Ethel Merman disco album (no kidding), I Want To Make The World Turn Around (Steve Miller Band with Kenny G.); for that matter, anything featuring Kenny G., Najee, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright and other "smooth jazz" artists.

I've been brewing about this show for a while, but I had no idea how successful my quest would become. Originally, I thought I would have to double up on artists, but that was definitely not the case. To qualify, the saxophonist had to play on the original version or collaborate with the well-known rock/pop artist. And they had to be traditional jazz saxophonists, best known for hard bop or some other format rooted in the great jazz traditions.

I realized I cheated a little bit by including fusion/smooth jazz players Tom Scott and David Sanborn, but the former provided a great introduction to the program while the solo performance by the latter performer is nearly iconic. I would have loved to have included musicians like Dexter Gordon, Jackie McClean and Cannonball Adderly, but as far as I know, they never strayed outside the jazz idiom during their lifetimes.

In putting together this show, I wondered why a traditional jazz instrument like the saxophone
has fit in so comfortably into rock, pop and r&b. Part of it is due to the way jazz eventually morphed into those newer kinds of music. But some credit has to be given to saxophonist Louis Jordan, whose highly popular "jump blues" records during the 40s were considered in many circles as the original rock records – and were huge influences on Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Bill Halley. Halley, in fact, did covers of Jordan's songs, "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" and "Caldonia."

I owe a big thank you to the folks at the All About Jazz bulletin board, who helped me expand my original list by refreshing my memory or otherwise pointing out solos that I was unaware of.

On to the notes…

• On every show, I try to throw a curveball. And the Shanice hit probably ran contrary to all the listeners who expected Branford to be blowing on a Sting tune during my show. The fact is, if you listen to Sting's first two solo albums, he doesn't give Marsalis a lot of space – the notable exceptions being "Lazarus Heart," "We Work The Black Seam" and the remake of "Shadows in the Rain." Plus, I have a soft spot for the song, which has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. As Shanice herself says during the song: "Blow, Branford, Blow!"
• Until the good folks at "All About Jazz" reminded me, I totally forgot the story about "Just The Way You Are." Producer Phil Ramone was unsatisfied with the performance of Richie Cannata, Joel's longtime sax player and the guy who had the big solo on "New York State of Mind." So, Ramone – who had one of his first gigs as an engineer on the classic Getz/Gilberto (1964) album, which won him his first Grammy– brought in Phil Woods to fit in more comfortably with the song's Bossa Nova beat.
• Even non-fans of Phil Collins (including myself) owe it to themselves to check out his 1999 live album, A Hot Night In Paris, which sees Collins back behind the drum kit in a jazz/big band setting. Sure, he does instrumental versions of his old Genesis and solo hits, but the smoking 12:39 version of the Average White Band's "Picking Up The Pieces" (with an electric solo from Carter) is worth the price of admission.
• The Art Pepper/Melanie collaboration was a pleasant last-minute surprise. Pepper, one of the premier alto sax players of all time, rarely went outside the jazz world. But somehow, he collaborated with the singer of "Brand New Key" on this song, which is definitely more jazz than pop.
• It's no surprise that the Rolling Stones have frequently collaborated with jazz musicians. Not only is their music respected across genres, but drummer Charlie Watts' background is in jazz – and he frequently plays traditional jazz when he's not with the Stones.
• You may not be familiar with Ronnie Scott, but he was actually one of the premier figures on the British jazz scene during the 60s, receiving plaudits from Charlie Mingus, among others, for his playing style. Scott, a last-minute addition to "Lady Madonna" and one of four saxophonists on the track along with Harry Klein, Bill Povey and Bill Jackson, returned to pop about 20 years later. He was the one who performed the sax solo on "I Missed Again" by Phil Collins.
• The collaboration between Jewel and Joshua Redman comes from her live performance on "Saturday Night Live" back in 1997. A significant improvement over the original song, no?
• Ronnie Ross, the other relatively unknown Brit Ronnie on the show, performed with MJQ, Woody Herman and Clark Terry during his lifetime. He also taught the sax to Transformer (1972) producer David Bowie, who has played the instrument on several of his records.
• In interviews, Mark Knopfler admits to the minor thrill that "Your Latest Trick" has provided him. You know the way people will pick up a guitar and play the "Smoke on the Water" riff or try "Heart and Soul" on a new piano? Well, music store owners have told the former Dire Straits frontman that the distinct solo from that song is generally the preferred tune of choice for musicians auditioning a new saxophone.
  

Covers of the Week – "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

Yes, I know I'm on a Beatles kick. But I can't help it.

For several reasons:

1. The Fab Four are still the greatest group in the world


2. This remains one of the best Beatles songs not written by John and Paul


3. It's my blog and I can do what I want to … Oh wait. You've already heard that one before
   

There is one other reason. I want to stimulate a little discussion on this blog. And I thought a great way to do it is to present these controversial performances of one of George Harrison's songs.

Today, I present two videos: The first is the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, where inductee Prince performs a guitar solo that people still talk about to this day. The second is from a 2007 show of "The Late Show With Conan O'Brien," where iconoclasts Todd Rundgren and Joe Jackson combine with the string quartet Ethel to put their own spin on the Beatles classic.

First, a few thoughts from me. I have always been a big Prince fan. Sure, he does head down a few long tunnels. Sometimes, however, it's a lot of fun to come along with him for the ride. This is one of the occasions. Amid all the controversy about him as a person, we need to be reminded what an incredible guitarist he is. And this solo, which starts at the 3:30 mark, really is amazing.

I remember watching it on VH1 the night it was broadcast and my jaw dropped. Yes, he was showboating as only he can (Just where did that guitar go?). But he was also crafting a solo that was utterly original and unique, while remaining true to the song. He was also enjoying himself. As was George's son Dhani, who as you can see had a wide grin throughout the Purple One' performance. (Contrast that to the scowls worn by Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty) It seems a little obvious to say, but a great solo doesn't just showcase the guitarist's technical skills. It rises to a new level when it blazes new musical territory, not straying from the source material and even enhancing the song. That's what this solo did.



I'm also including a better quality version for you to put on your iPod. Enjoy.

Play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jeff Lynne, Tomm Petty, Prince, Steve Winwood, et al.

In a sense, though, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is the perfect song for a great guitarist to showcase his talent. I mean, there's a reason that Eric Clapton (the first outsider to play a major instrument on a Beatles song) appeared on the original track. Which brings us to Joe and Todd, who undertook an acoustic tour with each other last year. I caught one of their shows. Ethel, the string quartet, opened. Then Jackson and Rundgren each performed solo sets. At the end of it all, everyone came out and the whole ensemble performed Rundgren's "Black Maria" and "While My Guitar…"

While the Conan version is pretty good, I have to admit that the version I heard live was even better. Looking back on it, maybe I'm not as impressed as I once was. Yet it's pretty solid. Here's what interests me in retrospect: As good as Todd and Joe are, it's really the string quartet that provides the backbone of the song.



Anyway, I've had my say. Now it's your turn. Which version do you like better? Or, in your eyes, are they both apostasies?

As always, thanks for reading, listening and watching. See you soon. Same bat blog. Same bat internet.

Soundtrack Sunday: "Across the Universe" (2007) and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1978)

For this week's Soundtrack Sunday, we're going to shake it up a little bit.

Hey, it's my blog. I can do what I want. And if I want to focus on two films – and two soundtracks – that's what I will do.

So what if one was one of the most staggering failures of the 1970s? And so what if the other has been hailed by The New York Times, among other publications, as one of the best films of 2007?

Separated by 29 years in terms of time, and a few million more in terms of quality, we will talk today about two films built entirely around Beatles songs – with nary a John, George, Paul and Ringo in sight.

And yes, we will compare and contrast. Which means we will focus on why one film failed so abominably and the other stands as one of the most visually audacious films of recent years (Do I sound like a film critic yet?)

Yet they do share some things in common – beyond the nine songs that are featured in both films.

Each, in its own way, was a product of its time. As in the marketing forces in play.

For Sgt. Pepper…, this was Robert Stigwood's attempt to hit another one out of the ballpark, less than a year after Saturday Night Fever returned the movie musical to the forefront. In fact, less than a month earlier, Stigwood's Grease became a box-office bonanza.

But this movie was just all wrong. In a sense, Stigwood was trying to recreate the magic of his own Tommy (1975) with Lennon and McCartney subbing for Pete Townshend; and Peter Frampton stepping in for Roger Daltrey. Rock stars. Rock music. A story that didn't make too much sense. What could go wrong?

A lot. Because though it's camp value is treasured by some, this movie is mess. Frampton and the Bee Gees just can't act. Steve Martin may never live down the fact that he made his movie debut as "wacky" Dr. Maxwell Edison. George Burns, who plays the mayor of Peppertown, had to supply narration because everyone was afraid no one would understand either Frampton or the Gibbs brothers because of their non-American accents. You listen to almost every song and you want to turn on the mute button because it destroys how much you liked it. (Unfortunately as a middle schooler who had not yet experienced the wonders of the 1967-69 Beatles, it represented my first exposure to several of these classic songs. Damn you, Hollywood!)

Everything is completely laughable.

Except for the fact that there were two cool songs in the movie: "Come Together" by Aerosmith (which, during the band's drugged out phase, played the film's villains, the Future Villains Band) and "Got to Get You Into My Life" by Earth Wind & Fire.

I'm posting the YouTube clips so you can get a small sense of how bad the movie is. But also appreciate the rays of light these bands let in during this awful mess.




I'm also posting the mp3 of the "Got To Get You Into My Life" which McCartney wrote for the Revolver album as a semi-Motown song. It's nice to see Earth Wind & Fire's Maurice White (a professed Beatle fan) do a little role reversal and perhaps even improve upon a song written by a rock artist.

Play "Got to Get You Into My Life" by Earth Wind & Fire



Luckily, "Come Together" allows us to segue into Across The Universe because it appears in both movies. And, in my mind, it is the biggest highlight of a film filled by lots of highlights. Because out of nowhere, one of the greatest interpreters of Beatles songs, Joe Cocker, begins serenading one of the film's main characters. And not only that, he plays three roles in the course of the song, which develops slowly into a full-blown production number full of the "accidental" urban choreography that has become one of Taymor's trademarks.

Play "Come Together" by Joe Cocker

Like "Sgt Pepper," this is another project that is a product of its time. The critical and commercial success of film musicals such as Chicago, Dreamgirls and Moulin Rouge have prompted studios to OK audacious projects such as this one. It has also given semi-free reins to innovative spirits such as Taymor, who made her first big splash by directing The Lion King on Broadway and went on to helm Frida (2002).

Thanks to Taymor, this film is never boring. And she makes plenty of unexpected choices along the way that keeps the film hopping. For example, "I Want You So Bad" is sung by an animated Uncle Sam getting a new army recruit. Or "Strawberry Fields Forever" gets performed as the movie's protagonist, Jude, pins the fruit onto canvas as a kind of performance art. I also like how she successfully mixes early Beatles songs – "Hold Me Tight," "If I Fell," to name a couple – with later ones.

The script about a bunch of young adults experiencing all the highs and lows of America during the 60s also seems to work in ways that Sgt. Pepper … doesn't. But then again, that's not entirely unexpected given that Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais wrote another great rock film: The Commitments (1991)

I also thought the cameos were surprisingly effective – chief among them a semi-disguised Bono, as the Ken Kesey stand-in Dr. Robert, who sings a rather credible "I Am The Walrus" at an acid-tinged psychedelic party.

Here's the clip:



Not everything works in the movie. I am not convinced that the closeted lesbian, Prudence (yes, almost all the characters are named after Beatles songs), was necessary to the plot. And the water ballet scenes are a little too precious.

But I heartily recommend that you rent or buy it when it comes out on DVD next month. You won't be disappointed.

Or bored.

Since this was a post about two movies, I thought I'd end it with a fun little table I devised comparing both movies.

Movie	Across The Universe	SPLHCB
Number of songs	32	28
Number of albums represented	9	6
Most represented album	White Album (7 songs)	Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road (12 each)
Number of pre-1967 songs	7	2
Number of songs from Revolver	0	1
Most surprising musical cameos	Bono as Dr. Robert, Joe Cocker as Bum/Pimp/Hippie	Aerosmith as FVB, Alice Cooper as the Sun King
Cameos by comedians	Eddie Izzard as Mr. Kite	George Burns as Mr. Kite
Well-known actors	Dylan Baker, Salma Hayek	Donald Pleasance, Steve Martin
Best Performance	"Come Together" by Joe Cocker	"Got to Get You Into My Life" by Earth Wind and Fire
Director	Julie Taymor	Michael Schultz
Resumé	"Frida," "Titus" and Broadway's "Lion King"	"Car Wash," "Disorderlies" and "Krush Groove"
Credibility claims	Both surviving Beatles reportedly liked the movie	Billy Preston performed "Get Back"; George Martin produced the soundtrack