Celebrating Black History Month: Fan Favorites - Episode 12
Added 2023-02-28 22:57:49 +0000 UTCWe're wrapping up Black History Month with a Fan Favorites video that includes reactions to six excellent songs. As I say in the video, I am thankful for all of your participation and enthusiasm for this topic this month. We had many wonderful suggestions, some of which we included on the YouTube channel.
In this video, you'll hear:
- School Days - Stanley Clarke
- Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
- Respect - Aretha Franklin
- Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations
- Living For the City - Stevie Wonder
- Giant Steps - John Coltrane
Comments
I kinda feel the claps on the offbeats (I hear the tempo as slowish, so the claps on the offbeats, not on 2 and 4) as somewhat ironic, in terms of the gospel/jubilee feel you identify. The other thing I noticed about the drum part is this: for the first two thirds of the song, the kick hangs out on 2 and 4 (essentially replacing the snare. The downbeat in the bass is so powerful, you don't need the kick reinforcing it...but 2/3 through, you get the kick on 1 and 3 where you expect—and the feel subtly shifts: it's a little less swinging, just a bit darker and more direct. Incredible arrangement.
Jeff Norman
2023-03-06 04:48:23 +0000 UTCGreat Reactions Doug. I have been a member for a couple of years now and have learned quite a bit from your insightful commentaries. Huge Stanley Clarke fan. You will notice a name that is on many of these Jazz Fusion performances, David Sancious. He is a tremendous artist in session performances as well as his solo material. He would definately be worth a listen.
Jeffrey Rohrbach
2023-03-05 18:57:41 +0000 UTCThanks Bob!
R. Douglas Helvering
2023-03-05 00:52:35 +0000 UTCI enjoy all of your reactions. Whether they are unknown, casually familiar or listened to on a very regular basis for 40+ years, your insight and perspectives sweeten the level of appreciation of music I have never really known before. I have never played an instrument nor studied music. I’m just a heavy appreciator of music. So glad you liked my choice of Stanley Clarke, but don’t get me wrong about Tony Levin. He has appeared in a lot of the music I listen to, but me feeling like he isn’t the best, doesn’t mean I think he is bad. He’s very good and very solid, just not the best. I felt I owed you a bit more of an explanation on my feelings of Mr. Levin. All due respect to him as well. 😃
bobj
2023-03-04 14:03:04 +0000 UTCHow can you not smile when listening to this music? I am so grateful for the contributions of all these artists, those featured throughout the month, and so many more. Thank you, Doug for dedicating this month to music that inspires, teaches, and just makes us smile.
Thom P
2023-03-04 11:40:49 +0000 UTCThat was fun. Diversity rules!
Dave Brockis
2023-03-02 19:02:40 +0000 UTCIf you're a jazz musician, "Giant Steps" is still something you have to come to terms with. If I remember the story correctly, pianist Tommy Flanagan (no slouch himself) knew the music going into the session, but assumed the tempo was going to be about half as fast as it turned out to be. As good as he was, it seems like he's just kinda holding on for dear life.
Martin Broten
2023-03-01 21:03:53 +0000 UTCRegarding the strings on Papa Was a Rollin' Stone I can definitely confirm that the strings were real and were played by members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The DSO players actually appear on a lot of classic Motown tracks.
Philip Briddon
2023-03-01 10:48:34 +0000 UTCRegarding the single edit of Livin' For The City. If I recall correctly, the entire spoken word scene is cut, and the track actually sounds like positive reinforcement of having a poor, but good upbringing. I could be misremembering, but I think that's the case.
Illume Eltanin
2023-03-01 06:42:24 +0000 UTCWe had a brief discussion on the Discord regarding the chorus of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." Whenever I looked up the lyrics, it's always transcribed as "and all he left us was alone." But, what if, especially based on the way Papa was described it's actually, "and all he left us was a LOAN," meaning he left his family even further in debt. That would fit right in with the character being described, nu?
Illume Eltanin
2023-03-01 06:15:48 +0000 UTCI'd like to comment on Papa Was a Rolling Stone. The instrumentals of that song are beautifully layered IMO, especially the strings and the brass, and the brilliant vocals are the proverbial cherry on top!
Gerard Dion
2023-03-01 01:52:04 +0000 UTCIt has been a great month of music, and hopefully we'll eventually get to hear the songs that didn't make the Big List on future editions of D.D.!
Bill Coonley
2023-03-01 01:47:15 +0000 UTCI sure can hear Jeff Beck in that Stanley Clarke tune. Miss him so much. Oops, my bad. Seems like it is Raymond Gomez on guitar.
Richard Applebee
2023-03-01 01:42:46 +0000 UTCI'm glad you decided to dedicate a substantial amount of your programming this month to include Black History Month. The contributions African-Americans have made to American music are, as most know, are incalculable. They were instrumental (pun intended?) in the creation and development of several popular genres of music we know today including blues, jazz, rock, rhthym and blues, and hip-hop. Concerning bassists, I consider Stanley Clarke the greatest bassist at least technically. he is such a treat to watch!
Gerard Dion
2023-03-01 00:22:48 +0000 UTCThe bass chords that carry School Days were an essential stage in a young bassist's development in the 70s.
Christopher Arters (relative timeworx - Mr.A)
2023-02-28 23:42:42 +0000 UTCStanley Clarke mix sounds weird because it was recorded as quadraphonic and the label forced a stereo release instead
Kevin Bowers
2023-02-28 23:19:51 +0000 UTC
