For some people, like myself, music defines an essential and necessary part of our lives.
Thoughts, moments in time, emotions and overall philosophy regarding life can be
found floating somewhere in between the bass and treble clef of a piece of music.
I associate many times in my life with a particular piece of music, hence this post tonight.
I wrote this post back in June but it’s just appearing now, though I’m not sure why.

Maybe God knows.

I found a song that lyrically describes my current relationship with my wife, Pamela.
And no, the word “booty” is found nowhere in the song.

This song just made total sense to me, in every way.
I tried like hell to find a recording or video to post but I came up empty handed.
The lyrics to “East of Eden” by Michael McDonald describe our life to a tee.
I recommend that you download the song off Itunes or better yet buy the album “Blink of an Eye”.
No shoddy links tonight, just some lyrics.
These words perfectly describe me and the green-eyed woman that forever holds my heart in her hands.
This is purely us . . .

East of Eden

The world goes mad around us
While I stand by and watch you sleep
In the hope that harm won’t find us
I pray the Lord our souls to keep
Does he see us here
Are we precious in his sight
Or are we merely dust on this tiny ball
He hurled out into the night
Somewhere East of Eden.

From the first time that we stumble
We learn that nothing is assured
However hopelessly we tumble
It’s by the grace of God that we endure.
If there’s some better place
Far from all that’s wrong
But if God in his wisdom
Saw fit to put you here
Then this is where I belong
Somewhere East of Eden.

Maybe he laughs in our face
By way of the cold hard fact
That these moments framed in time and space
Are the same ones nothing can bring back.
“Maybe we exist and wander through this world
Just to lead each other home”
From somewhere East of Eden

I love you Mrs. Murphy . . .

I was on the commuter rail tonight and thought about this song as I listened to it on my Ipod.
Elton John was sadly prophetic back when the album “Caribou” came out.
This song is more timely now than when it was originally released.
Sad.
Listen to the words, people.
Just listen . . .
~m

Lately, I’ve been listening to this acoustic blues musician named, Kelly Joe Phelps.
I first heard him after receiving his first solo CD last Christmas from my friend J0jo (who comments on the blog from time to time)
Phelps is an exceptional guitarist and my ears immediately perked up the first time I listened to him.
He has a way with his vocal as well. For some reason he sounds “familiar” to me, though I’m not quite sure why.
As I type this I’m listening to “Lead me on”, his first solo CD now residing peacefully in my Itunes.
Check out the video and give a listen to some new Kelly Joe with the assistance of the cool MP3 player at the bottom of the post.
If you like acoustic blues, Phelps is the man.

Having three girls, there are things that as a man you just know, or don’t know.
I’ve been thinking about this for sometime and have come up with a list of things they’ve taught me.
Sometimes it’s just observing their bizarre womanly ways and sometimes I get a hands-on lesson.

• I can spot a Vera Bradley handbag from 100 paces. (yeah, I know. Scary)
• Orlando Bloom is hot, but Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) is way hotter.
• Folding laundry is quite natural now except when it comes to folding a bra.
• “I love you, Daddy,” loosely translated means, “I need something and you will get it for me.”
• Girls can be downright nasty to each other.
• Nothing dries tears quicker than a trip to Hollister.
• They know the ins and outs of Itunes way better than I do.
• They can use the T9 word when texting on their cell enabling them to send me the “Gettysburg Address” in less time than it takes me to text the word, “Ok” and hit send.
• There are countless stars in the sky, but every one has its place.
• Never honestly comment on a new hairstyle. Just say, “It looks very nice.”
• Not all facial moisturizers are created equal.
• Patience. (4 women getting ready to go out for a Saturday evening is excruciating)

Look for a future post and update.
Learning about women is an ongoing process and I’m still a beginning student, apt but beginning.

~m

I put my Nano on “shuffle” tonight and wrote a little bit about the 5 tunes that randomly came up. Check it out.

*Michel Camilo – Just Kidding (from the album, One More Once)
What can I say? I have a new favorite piano player.
This tune has intense tight, screaming horns and is not for the jazz squeamish.
Camilo’s piano solo is the quintessential jazz solo. Amazing.
The man plays right-handed octaves faster than a frickin’ machine gun.
One of you guys better be listening to this guy after all I’ve said and posted about him.
Truth be told, I want someone to pinch me and tell me I’m not dreaming.

*Los Lobos – Colossal Head (from the album Colossal Head)
I’ve listened to these guys forever.
Raw, unpretentious and innovative, LL wrote the proverbial manual on how an electric guitar should sound in the studio.
If you’ve ever witnessed two musicians arguing over the difference between tube amplifiers vs. solid state you’ll eventual hear this: Solid State sucks!
The guitar sounds on Colossal Head totally support this statement.

*Fourplay – Kid Zero (from the album X)
Bob James (keys), Larry Carlton (guitar), Nathan East (bass) and Harvey Mason (drums), need I say anymore?
Alright, I guess I should.
You’ve heard all of these guys play more than you could ever imagine.
Believe me.
Kid Zero is a very cool song for all you smooth jazzers out there.
The hidden gem on the album is Michael McDonald’s vocal on “My Love is Leavin’”, an old Stevie Winwood tune off the album Chronicles. Schweet.

*The Tubes – I don’t want to wait anymore (from the album The Best of the Tubes 1981-1987)
I’ve loved this song forever.
Hardcore Tubes fans hated it because of the way it sounded.
It was produced by a musician named David Foster, another serious keyboard idol of mine from way back. (again, you’ve heard this guy before, you just don’t know it)
My playing resembles his in many ways. Ask my wife.
This tune sounded nothing like the old Tubes. It was a few years later that they hit the pop charts with “She’s a beauty”, another Foster produced mega-hit.

*Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Here’s that rainy day (from the album Solo)
Not exactly sure what to say regarding this one but if you like jazz piano and have yet to hear Rubalcaba, you ain’t lived.
Period.
They guy is a frickin’ piano machine.

I had fun with this.
I’ve also posted an Amazon link for every album.
Click and scroll down the page for a quick listen to each tune.
There’s some real nice stuff here.
If there are a few tunes you think I might like, leave a few titles.
I’m always looking for new stuff to keep the musical boat afloat and make the train ride just a bit shorter.

~m

I think that was the shortest contest ever blogged.
When you ask a musical question with numerous musician friends, what can you expect?
The winner is the Professor! (a good friend, btw)
The album: Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973)
The “Prof” plays trumpet with the Pretzel Horns (our band’s horn section) and is actually a “professor” at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
{Send me your address Professor so I can get that CD out to you.}

In case you were wondering about several of the hints:

Pink Floyd – taken from the names of two Georgia bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council – from the early days when the band saw itself as a blues band.

Money – the song that put the band on the radio.
How do you actually make 7/4 sound funky?

I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore

Listen to anything by Alan Parsons Project. You can hear the “Floyd” influence

The post title was just a bit of misdirection.

Thanks to all four of you for playing.
I’ll have to be a bit sneakier next time!

~m

A classic from my buddy Patrick (the guy that got me started blogging).
This link was sent to me via his new Apple Iphone.
Yeah, he’s a tech-weenie. But I like him anyway.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg]

I got this from my good friend Annie.
This will meme me out for a while but this one was damn good . . . and fun too.

These are the rules:
1. Go to the Billboard #1 Hits listings (scroll down and you’ll seen them separated by decades on the left in the sidebar)
2. Pick a year you were in high school
3. Get yourself nostalgic over the songs of that year
4. Pick 5 songs and write something about how these songs affected you
5. Pass it on to 5 more people

Fame – David Bowie

What I remember most about this song is its infectious beat.
It had all the elements of a cool funk tune blended seamlessly into a rock anthem. Girls liked to dance to it and us guys used to like to watch.
I also loved the weird vocal stuff Bowie did with his vocals in the studio.
A classic tune for me. I love Bowie.

You’re having my baby – Paul Anka

I’m going to cut to the chase here.
This song buuuhlows and Anka should have had his junk blown off just for recording it. This is a total lameass piece of musical shit.
And that’s giving it something.
This ‘baby’ should have had a clinic visit long before it ever gave birth on the AM airwaves.
This song makes Rosemary’s Baby seem like a Walt Disney character.
Really crass . . . sorry.

The Joker – Steve Miller

“Some people call me the space cowboy yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice [insert your woo-woo HERE]
Cause’ I speak of the pompetous of love”

When they talk about songwriting it’s all about “the hook”, the line that grabs the listener.
This song had more hooks than my Uncle Bill’s tackle box.
IMHO, when you can combine space cowboy, gangster of love and pompetus ( a word that doesn’t even exist) in one song and make it sound like pure poetry, you’re a frickin’ genius and Steve Miller is damn close.
To this day, Miller remains prolific and ultimately solid as a songwriter.
His melodies will hopefully be around for generations to come.
Aren’t they lucky?
You bet your bippie.

Free Ride – Edgar Winter Group

This song brings me way back.
Remember Tango, Blackberry Brandy and Sloe Gin Fizz?
I used to go to concerts played by popular area bands on Saturday nights at the Middle School in my hometown.
Ah, the memories.
There was usually one stall in the boy’s room coated with Tango splash monkeys by the end of the night.
This song made you feel better even though you were already feeling pretty damn good.
How can you not love that?

You Light Up My Life – Debbie Boone

Another song from the gurgling bowels of some netherworld I’m obviously unaware of.
It even has one of the smarmiest lines of lyrics anyone ever had the sack to write:

“It can’t be wrong, when it feels so right . . .”

It makes me feel better when I make believe the songwriter was talking about sticking his head straight up his ass, an observation this song truly deserves.
If you must know, yes, I’ve played this song for many weddings (and spit anything coming up into an empty Heineken bottle)
(and yes, I’m kidding…I usually vomit after the set, I’m a pro).
The only thing that would have made this song even remotely salvageable is if it were totally re-worked (and I mean totally) by the Talking Heads or Devo.

A few songs that didn’t make the list—

We gotta get you a woman – Todd Rundgren (I love Rundgren)

Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson (how can you not like this tune?)

How can you mend a broken heart? – Bee Gees (I know. Gay.)

Uncle Albert – McCartney (weird tune. that’s me.)

Frankenstein – Edgar Winter Group (albinos just can’t be this funky, he must be an alien)

There’s my list of 5 (+) tunes.
I could go on for days but . . .
I’m not tagging anyone but I’d love to see Hannah, Evyl, Miriam, Yvonne and Zoe do a post.
How’s about it guys?

~m

Occasionally I pick a number, turn on my Nano and hit the forward button until I reach my selected number.
I then write a bit about what comes to mind when I hear the particular piece that’s playing. A real favorite of mine came on today.

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
although a tear may be ever so near
that’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

It’s a song that makes one side of me quite content while the other side is quite a different story.
There’s a sweet and sentimental sadness about the music that has always “reached me”. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the melody and music
were composed by Charlie Chaplin, a black and white icon I’ve always thought of as a simple and sad little fellow.
Maybe he wasn’t quite so simple after all.
I put this song in the same category as “You are my sunshine” in terms of emotional complexity and ability to yank your heart out of your chest.
But maybe it’s just me.

Most folks that visit here regularly will find it no surprise that my mother used to sing and play both of these songs when I was a child.
So I have the maternal/internal attachment as well as a musical one.
This song made me think about my father too.
I wrote a piece a while ago called “Just Like Chaplin” because at the time that’s how I viewed my father’s physical capacity in addition to his ‘silent movie-like’ demeanor.
I think of how many times that song would involuntarily start playing in my head just sitting with him.

All this from one song.
Powerful stuff, huh?
Music once again continues to astound me.
Almost forgot –
the version I listened to was by David Sanborn off his “Closer” album.
Just humming the song can make you feel better too.
Try it sometime for me.

smiles,

~m

Brecker Brothers.
Some Skunk Funk.
Don’t like Hardcore Fusion?
Then you’re shaking for a reason.
Better click on another link. . . quick.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PebLGYvG7E]