4 Responses to “All-Star Jam”
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Hey, how ’bout the addition of a “sub poll” in today’s poll? Let’s conduct it right here:
Barney Miller Theme, or School Days?
Before I can answer, I have a question of my own: What is “School Days”?
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Come on bass players (of a certain age), help me out! Those were the two songs you had to play the opening of in a music store when checking out a bass in the late seventies. “School Days”, from Stanley Clarke’s album of the same name, was actually getting some radio play back in the day. I couldn’t summon enthusiasm for today’s poll, so I diversified. It is akin to the Poll: intro to “Stairway” or intro to “Roundabout”? “Smoke On the Water” was so ubiquitous in this setting that it didn’t even allow for a second choice in a poll. It was culturally monolithic.
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Ah, I think I’ve heard you wax nostalgic over this Stanley Clarke tune in the past! I smell an entire piece centered around opening riffs to play in music stores… Anyone ready to kick it off? Write me here or offlist, if so.
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Cabbage Rolls and Coffee indeed! The Shmenge Brothers are classics. I knew that that “Gerry Todd” moniker had to be an SCTV thing. The Shmenges bit on the SCTV CHristmas DVD is priceless. The exchanging of the socks and the Christmas budgie! Killer…
I hated David Sancious’s sax playing for years but after run of that Night Music Show, all was forgiven. Yeah, it frequently devolved into bizarre aggregations of folks doing things one would never expect, but it was always interesting. Mary Margaret O’Hara knocked me out with her number on there.
DOH! Sanborn. I always get thast wrong.
I know you’re a huge fan of that show. I appreciated it, but rarely loved the outcome of those jam sessions. I’ll have to say, though, it’s possible that I never got past Sanborn’s Look.
The jam sessions were a mess. What I liked was the possibility of seeing something wild like the really great NRBQ performance of Rocket in My Pocket, or Sun Ra, or John Zorn blowing through one ofhis Naked City numbers. It was just so uncompromisingly targeted for people really interested in how far music could go instead of how big it could be inflated.
You’re right, Geo. Notice how little of that we get these days? Man, I’ve got a few hundred cable stations now, and I catch maybe three instances of what you describe per year. Maybe that’s a generous estimate. Maybe I can forgive Sanborn for that hair helmet and the Sally Jesse Raphael glasses.
holy CRAP! that was an awesome video!
yeah i agree, there is nothing cool or revalatory on cable anymore.
internet BABY!!!
Step aside stinky old doodie, and make way for the new stinky doodie!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdG60yGQpdE&feature=player_embedded
Ron Griffin has written a hit record:
http://www2.bitstream.net/~tgg/tgg/demos/RonG.mp3
Merry Xmas – Sleigh Ride overdub, take #2:
http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/files/426_sleigh_ride_overdub_take_2_2.mp3
First off, thanks for the Bongwater clip. I’ve never seen them perform previously.
I have this track and a couple others by them. I see on emusic that you can get their box set containing all or most of their songs. My assumption is that even if one likes their stuff (which, I’m guessing many do not) it is pretty hit and miss. Also, the few tracks I’ve heard have a tend to change directions mid song. Thus, song sampling on emusic may be fairly futile? Thus, my question, if anyone wants to weigh in, any recommendations on which tracks to start with?
Thanks for any help or thoughts (if anyone has any) and sorry to go off direction with this…
There’s no chance of going off direction in an All-Star Jam, underthefloat. Anything goes. Do your own thing. Chances are you’ll find a dance partner, at least for a few measures.
I’ve always liked the concept of Bongwater but never been able to get my head around their music in the little pieces I’ve heard. I’ll be following along for recommendations.
Was anybody at the Bongwater show at the Khyber Pass years ago? That was the most crowded I’ve ever seen the place. Their stuff was always hit or miss for me, I still have my copy of “Double Bummer” somewhere…
Thanks Mod. I see NOW that this thread allows for going off center!
A song I love by them is called “Talent is a Vampire”. A weird track in that it’s has 3-4 minutes of dialogue…3 rather insipid conversations (all the voice of the lead singer)that overlap with each other..somehow it’s engaging and funny, to me anyway). But that’s the thing…I wonder how often I’d find that entertaining. Does the art-schtick get old? Looking to cherry pick them.
Anyway, I also just learned that they have a song called “David Bowie wants ideas”. Hey, I liked Bowie back in the day but that’s a great song title I think.
In addition to their version of 4 Sticks, they also did a tune called “Dazed and Chinese,” which is exactly what you think it is.
Random question: Was any rock ‘n’ roll ever released on a 78 RPM record? I’m not talking about Louis Jordan and jump blues, I mean post-Rocket 88 rock ‘n’ roll. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
It looks like there was, Tvox:
http://www.musicpriceguide.com/454826/Original_Elvis_Presley_Sun_78_RPM_Record_209_RARE.html
Mr. Mod beat me to it, but here at my library they were cleaning up and cataloging that very Elvis 78 (That’s All Right, Mama/Blue Moon of Kentucky) last week so that they could place it in a jukebox for 78s we just got working in the Sound Archives.
When I was a kid I remember we found a 78 of Larry Williams’ Dizzy Miss Lizzy in a cupboard in the garage. God knows how or why my parents acquired that, but the song came out in 1958, so I guess 78s were still being produced in the later 50s.
Not only were there R’nR 78s in the late 50s, but there were also Beatles 78s that were made in India.
http://www.cool78s.com/india.html
In the Indie? thread, I was speculating that Eddie Money was threatening to encroach on Seger’s domain here in the Hall, and now this news info comes to light:
http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/catalog-albums?year=2009#/charts-decade-end/catalog-albums?year=2009
Did I speak to soon, or is Seger’s Billboard mastery a sign that perhaps he’s gotten too big for RTH? (For those who don’t click on the link, let me just summarize it for you by saying there is now indisputable proof that Bob Seger is more popular than the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson.)
I checked with my colleagues downstairs just now, and the experts say that 45s and 78s were both made throughout the 50s. Hillbilly and R&B records tended to be 78s all the way until the end of the 50s, because the demographics buying those records were less likely to spring for new turntables with the slower speeds.
Turntables were manufactured with 33/45/78 settings all the way into the early 70s. Rock & roll was a 45 and LP medium already in the 50s, but even after RCA bought out Elvis’ Sun contract they were still issuing 78s of both the Sun material and the early RCA stuff like Love Me Tender.
And btw the jukebox I said yesterday that That’s All Right Mama was destined for is going to be a virtual jukebox, so I’ll point you guys to it when it’s online.
alexmagic, I’d like to think we had something to do with that great Seger news you’ve shared. Thanks. I’m sure Bob will never outgrow us.
BigSteve, that virtual jukebox sounds amazing. Looking forward to its launch! Please feel free to write up a post introducing it, when the time comes.
What stage of the cross is Obama holding out for — that’s what I want to know!
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama_to_wait_for_next
Excellent, HVB! This indicates that it’s been too long since we’ve posted an All-Star Jam. Stay tuned!