I actually have my blog on for the music, and am listening to "Suzanne," and loving that. In the background is manic soccer action, courtesy of Mr. Jamar. We have been jockeying over who shall go to the store. I have strategically exchanged my jeans and shirt for my pajama pants and a t-shirt (no bra) which (technically) should get me off the hook. He's still pushing for me to go with him, but I also hold the winning hand of cash left over from Gem Faire. Oh! Now we're moving on to Stephane Grapelli! I have wonderful memories of seeing him at the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl each year...
Okay, now on to Erik Satie...a favorite. I actually played the piano the other night, egged on by my husband, and played variations on this theme. So strange, to put hands and fingers to the keyboard, which has become such a stranger to me in the past two years. Some things were remembered, in that wild way that muscles recall things, even when the mind doesn't. Other things didn't rise to the occasion, like one of my favorite pieces by Chopin, lost somehow in the static of day to day life, the challenges of managing so many little things at the store. How do you lose something as BIG as Chopin?
Now, next, Lyle Mays. I do love this guy. Have for years. Check out Highland Aire....
And then there is Paolo Conte....viere, viere... it's wonderful, it is....
I love my playlist, and I love that people get it, and email to say that they play it all day long. I am always amazed by the incredible depth and breadth of the music that we choose to accompany our lives. Pilar emailed me to say she is sending new Buckley to me...hooray! We have this eccentric connection through my older sister who knew Tim Buckley, and then Pilar and I met, and I was already a Jeff Buckley accolyte and had brought my sis into the fold, and then found out that Pilar had known Jeff before his exit as well.... Round and round, and round we go....
What's on now....just coming to the end of a Django Reinhardt piece, and segueing into "Brazil" by Pink Martini.... If you don't know this incredible ensemble, dive in. At least 14 players, out of Oregon, this group sings in several languages, as well as composing themselves (all classically trained muscians). "Brazil" is a piece that never fails to bring me to my feet, especially the addition of the children's choir at the end. Catch Pink Martini at the Hollywood Bowl if you can, and listen for one of their signature pieces, "Sympathique," a take on French songs that incorporates the idle angst that is so hard to capture....and so exquisitely French:
"Once I knew the perfume of love;
A million roses didn't smell as sweet.
Now the scent of one flower in my path
Makes me sick..."
The chorus is so French, it's incredible....
"I don't want to work,
I don't want to dine,
I just want to forget...
...and so.....I smoke."
I ask you, does it get any better? And this composed by a bunch of clef-heads in Oregon...
Ahhhh, we're on to "Le Soledad" now. Frank Donadee of Collector Magazine once confided in me that this was his favorite piece of music. I miss Frank! There were many pictures of me and him in fantastic hats at various venues, including the Collector's Conference, that bring back happy memories...
The one, very true thing that I love about music is that it totally recalls things, people times, and events for us. Usually more accurately than we could for ourselves. It's like some sort of genetic imprint that we build over time, that always has us calling up memories. I so love that about music.
In this house, music always has us rushing to the computer to google things, or drag up YouTube to qualify rock and roll arguments. Last night, Alain arrive with two bottles of wine and singing "Barracuda", which spun off a whole debate: Pat Benatar? Chrissie Hinds? I am (gloating right now) happy to say that I pegged it as Heart, and won the Rock Quiz of the Day!
More Pink Martini on the blog right now....they are a guilty pleasure, to be sure. What comes next?
a.) We're eating leftover cioppino from last night.
b.) Bill Nelson!
Okay, I'm decidedly wild for Bill Nelson. This goes back to the eighties, but check it out... We can't just leave this stuff behind. Like, for instance....ROBIN TROWER! I want a shout out on this, girls! Who remembers Robin Trower..."Bridge of Sighs."?
Lemeno....
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