Music Appreciation 2014
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MUSIC APPRECIATION 2014 JANUARY 2014 As always, a thoroughly varied set of records were brought in. In our 18 pieces, we had 3 Big Bands, Medieval chanting, Rhythm and Blues, Folk, Blues, Rock, FolkRock, BluesRock, Rock n Roll and Chopin. Of course we had old favourites Roy Orbison and Fats Waller. What appealed to me was that members of the group have started to acquire certain records because they heard (and liked) a piece of music at one of our sessions. I call that success for the group. For my part, I’m now looking for a vinyl single of The Spencer Davis Group doing a great version of Georgia On My Mind which was played at this meeting. We finished with a stunning version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on electric guitar by a 14 year old French girl called Tina S. On the video clip, it seemed to be just her sitting in her room getting so much out of the guitar. Precocious talent - Look her up on YouTube. January 2014 Playlist Nina Simone I Put A Spell On You Eva Cassidy Fields Of Gold Glen Miller Orchestra Tuxedo Junction Hank Marvin & Mark Knopfler Mrs Robinson Tom Rush No Regrets Frederic Chopin Nocturne in G Major Op 37 Josquin des Pres Veni Sancte Spiritus The Spencer Davis Group Georgia On My Mind Nora Jones & Billie Joe Armstrong Barbara Allen Robert Johnson Phonograph Blues Charlie Gracie Just Looking Roy Orbison You Got It Lionel Hampton & Nat King Cole Central Avenue Breakdown The Kinks Waterloo Sunset Santana Black Magic Woman The Harry James Orchestra Trumpet Blues & Cantible Fats Waller Grandad Tina S Vivaldi’s Four Seasons FEBRUARY 2014 A fine session of very varied records in our monthly trawl through members’ attics and memories. It was like a U3A geography lesson. Or a road trip from The Spotniks in Sweden, through the Hebrides for some Gaelic Runrig, down to Status Quo from Catford, Laura Marling – Hampshire, to France for Primitie de Futur, hop to Ireland for Van Morrison and the Chieftains, cross the pond for The Buena Vista Social Club in Cuba as was a Simply Red concert track. Plus Simon and Garfunkel from Queens, Noo Yoick, down to North Carolina for Nina Simone and Louisiana for Tab Benoit. Crossing Texas for Camille Howard, we followed the blues trail up to Kansas City for Big Joe Turner and picked up Alison Krauss in Illinois as well as Miles Davis. Stevie Ray Vaughn came in from Wisconsin and Detroit gave up Rare Earth and Frank Wilson. That was some journey (but to be fair, we did have a tea break in the middle). Highlights were (purely my opinion) Camille Howard – who had a voice like Billie Holiday and rattled a mean boogie out of the ivories as a featured soloist in Roy Milton’s band – before giving it all up to be a nun!. Ian Robey brought us a nice bit of Alison Krauss Country music (but to be kind to Ian’s reputation, we’ll call it Bluegrass). The Laura Marling track was a surprise, starting folksy but built up to a powerful toe tapping finish. February 2014 Playlist Buena Vista Social Club Chan Chan Status Quo Raining In My Heart Rare Earth Tobacco Road Joe Turner Morning Noon And Night Alison Krauss & Union Station Gravity Simply Red Fairground Nina Simone I Put A Spell On You Miles Davis Summertime The Spotnicks Orange Blossom Special Camille Howard Why Did You Do It Camille Howard Fluff Boogie Laura Marling Sophia Primitie de Futur Eddie and Lonnie Runrig An Ubhal As Airde Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Waters Tab Benoit For What It’s Worth Van Morrison & The Chieftains She Goes Around The Fair Stevie Ray Vaughan Little Wing Frank Wilson Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) MARCH 2014 The convenor had to go home to find a stylus for the record deck, but once we got going we played 19 pieces of music. As always we had a variety of music dependant on what our members bring in (including on vinyl and CD formats). We had old favourites The Shadows, Mark Knopfler, not Fats Waller but a tribute to him, and Simon & Garfunkel. Added to the mix was a bit of Rimsky- Korsakoff, some Ukrainian (very topical) Harmonica music, pure guitar Blues, soft Bluesy Jazz, English Folk–Rock, Gaelic Folk-Rock, Mexican Marimba and Flute, a bit of a Brazilian and an unconscious New Orleans emphasis from three different sources. Part of the New Orleans feel was a small feature on the Neville Brothers (nothing to do with Man U.) who have been making records since the Fifties as a tight band veering from New Orleans jump beat, funk, R&B, devotional ballads – but across it all the amazing quavering voice of Aaron Neville who made Leonard Cohen’s ‘Bird on a Wire’ sound listenable. Who says this stuff isn’t educational? APRIL 2014 Well, we’ve really dragged ourselves into the 20th Century at our April 29th meeting. We had moving pictures with some of our phonograph recordings. Amazing. Alongside CDs, LPs, singles, cassette tapes and audio from iPad, tablets, etc., we have now mastered the ability to use the projector (with a laptop) together wirh the sound system. YouTube clips of a Scottish Folk Band, a Jazz pianist (no, not Fats Waller!) and a tribute to recently deceased old guitar pioneer Arthur Smith were interspersed with a range of music from records like John Denver, Joe Cocker, Kenny G (who I now know is a saxophonist), a bit of bluegrass, Caro Emerald, Blue, Kirsty MaColl, Sam Cooke, Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, some tango, Scissor Sisters, Etta James, John Trudell and a local electric folk band called Crossharbour. A little more ‘rootsy’ this time with the folk bands and blue grass ( which tied in nicely with the Arthur Smith video and highlighted guitar/banjo music derived / ripped off from his ‘Guitar Boogie’, a small unplanned feature this month. MAY 2014 Our session at the end of May threw up 19 pieces of music and tested the audio visual equipment to the full. Music came at us on LPs, CDs, Cassettes, Singles, Notepad, and YouTube downloads. The spread of styles went from Bing Crosby to the Dubliners, Manhattan Transfer to Seasick Steve, Peggy Lee to Frigid Pink, Beatles to Bobby McFerrin, Ray Charles to Allman Brothers, Nillson to Chris Farlowe, Animals to Chris Rea, Gloria Estefan to Leroy Carr, Red Hot Rhythm to Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry. All that and we manage a coffee break in the middle. We continue in our adventure into having moving pictures to go with some of the music and we’ll build on that - but they’ll not stop me playing vinyl singles! May 2014 Playlist Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry Ain’t Got No Home The Beatles I Need You Red Hot Rhythm Red Hot Band Leroy Carr Blues Before Sunrise Bobby McFerrin Watch Me Play Chris Rea Stainsby Girls The Dubliners Seven Drunken Nights Manhattan Transfer On A Little Street In Singapore Chris Farlowe Out Of Time Frigid Pink House Of The Rising Sun The Beatles Roll Over Beethoven Seasick Steve You Cant Teach An Old Dogs New Tricks The Allman Brothers Band Pony Boy Peggy Lee Manana Gloria Estefan Can’t Stay Away From You The Animals Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood Harry Nillson I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City Ray Charles Careless Love Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong Now You Has Jazz JUNE 2014: DYLANESQUE We had a brief musical tribute to jazz singer Jimmy Scott who recently died and then proceeded to our special subject – the music of Bob Dylan. Nine tracks from himself and ten cover versions of his songs. We ranged from early (1962) protest era to the mature (1997) era, from popular to downright obscure (Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues), ending seemingly appropriately with The Times They Are A’Changing. A very varied bunch of records – especially amongst the cover versions - Melanie, Joan Baez (of course), UB40 & Robert Palmer, Rolling Stones (naturally playing Like a Rolling Stone), Adele and others. June 2014 Playlist Jimmy Scott Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool Bob Dylan Thunder On The Mountain Brewer & Shipley All Along The Watchtower Bob Dylan All Along The Watchtower Melanie Mr. Tambourine Man Bob Dylan Watchin’ The River Flow Bryan Ferry Make You Feel My Love Adele Make You Feel My Love Joan Baez It Ain’t Me, Babe Bob Dylan Blowin’ In The Wind Donovan Catch The Wind Rolling Stones Like A Rolling Stone Bob Dylan Lay Lady Lay Robert Palmer & UB40 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight Chris Farlowe Its All Over Now, Baby Blue Bob Dylan Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues The Everly Brothers Abandoned Love Bob Dylan House Of The Rising Sun Bob Dylan Girl Of The North Country Bob Dylan The Times They Are A’Changin’ JULY 2014 Our July session was back to the “bring what you like and we’ll play” format. It started with Billie Holiday, (the heavily socially conscious Strange Fruit). A very mixed bunch of music followed – from quite obscure to the very obscure interspersed with some well known ‘tap your feet to’ music. We had local band Edmangundi, The K Tones (featuring Nat King Cole on piano), Klara Kormendi, The Association, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Wendy Carlos (doing the Brandenburg on synthesisers), Stacey Kent, Eric Coates (Desert Island Discs theme), Eagles, Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, R.E.M., Tom Petty, Clapton, Hendrix and a tribute to Johnny Winter (the blues guitarist who died the week before).