Forget the Three Tenors - How About Twenty!

I am not talking about opera singers. I am talking about tenor saxophonists. As a former tenor player, I have a special fondness for this instrument. The list includes the holy trinity of tenor players: John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Dexter Gordon. For those of you who are not jazz fans, John Coltrane is the god of the tenor. The list starts with his classic "Giant Steps," for which he became famous for his sheets of sound. It proceeds to cover tracks by the rest of my favorites. One tenor player, who may not be so familiar these days, is Gene Ammons. Check out his version of "Angel Eyes." It is absolutely beautiful. The list covers a wide variety of styles from the swing era, bebop, hard bop, to avant garde. The list finishes with a cut from the album A Blowin' Session, which features a classic jam session between Johnny Griffin, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 31, 2005

I discovered the band, Pidgeon, while perusing some best of lists on KALX, the college radio station for the UC Berkeley. Pidgeon definitely has been influenced by the Pixies and Nirvana. They have both male and female vocalist like the Pixies, and this song, like many of their songs, alternates between relative calmness and total chaos. My song of the day - "Strelnikev." Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 30, 2005

There is something about that 60's psychedelic sound that I find very appealing. It might have something to do with the fact that I was born in the 60's. The Papercuts' "Mockingbird," has that 60's psychedelic feel. It starts with a funeral like march drum beat and some acoustic guitar, then the melancholy vocals enter along with an organ, which slowly fades away towards the end of the song, a truly beautiful song. Click here to listen.

New Order

New Order's latest album, Waiting for the Sirens' Call, was released today. It is great stuff. As most everyone knows, New Order was formed from the ashes of Joy Division, when Ian Curtis committed suicide. Both bands still are a major influence on today's acts. I remember seeing New Order in the early 80's at Chicago's Metro. I was right up front, against the stage. It was filmed for MTV, but I never saw it on the tube. If anyone had the opportunity to watch it on TV, please let me know. Enjoy the latest from New Order. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 29, 2005

Here's another great band from Seattle - Visqueen. Imagine the power pop of Cheap Trick combined with the punk rock of the Ramones, except that you have a female lead vocalist by the name of Rachel Flotard and you will have Visqueen. In fact, they have opened for Cheap Trick. Visqueen's Vaxxine is my song of the day. Click here to listen.

I Love Jazz Guitar

I love jazz guitar. There are so many different styles from the swing of Django Reinhardt, the fusion of Pat Metheny, the bebop of Charlie Christian, to Bill Frisell's unique modern style. I just can't get enough. I even included a little Frank Zappa for those of you who do not think of him in the jazz vein. One of my favorite tracks on the list is Grant Green's "Idle Moments," a true classic. Give the list a listen and you might discovery something new. See the comments section for the complete list. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 28, 2005

Saul Williams' "List of Demands (Reparations)" is an infectious song. Saul Williams is perhaps best known for his poetry, but he has created his own style of music by combining metal, techno, and hip-hop. I am not a big fan of hip-hop, but this particular song is good, very good. It has a menancing sound, it feels as if it is about to explode, but not quite, with its repetitive beats and guitar feedback. Click here to listen.

I Don't Speak Spanish - But I Understand Everything When I Am Dancing

I haven't done any latin jazz playlists yet and I am not waiting any longer. This is great stuff! The music defies you to stand still, you must get up and dance. There are a wide variety of styles on the list from Tito Puente to Los Hombres Calientes. I am sure you will find something you like and probably someone you haven't heard of before. One of my favorite tracks is Papo Vasquez's "Baila Plena," but I love them all. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 25, 2005

"Cockeyed Cookie Pusher" by Fog is my song of the day. Fog is a one man band that consists of Andrew Broder playing everything. On this particular track it starts out with Andrew singing in a bittersweet voice accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. The song eventually builds to a climax with the rest of his instrumental backing kicking in. It is a very beautiful song. Click here to listen.

A Few of My Favorite Songbirds

The song of the day by A Girl Called Eddy is so good, I thought I would put together a list of some of my favorite female vocalists. The list is by no means all inclusive, it is just some of the artists that I happen to be listening to now, such as the Dresden Dolls and Regina Spektor all the way back to Joan Baez. If you have any favorites I may not have included leave me a comment. Please enjoy the music. Click here to listen.

"Werewolf" - Cat Power
"Girls can really tear you up inside" - A Girl Called Eddy
"She Cries Your Name" - Beth Orton
"Cornflake Girl" - Tori Amos
"Desired Constellation" - Bjork
"Floaty" - Petra Haden And Bill Frisell
"Chanson De L'Arbre" - Autour de Lucie
"Don't Die on Me" - Mirah
"Until death" - Scout Niblett
"Long Snake Moan" - P.J. Harvey
"Seether" - Veruca Salt
"Cannonball" - The Breeders
"Break It Up" - Patti Smith
"Where Does the Good Go" - Tegan and Sara
"Back of a Truck" - Regina Spektor
"Half Jack" - The Dresden Dolls
"Both Sides Now" - Joni Mitchell
"Blues For The Unencouraged" - Corrina Repp
"Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" - Joan Baez
"Nothing" - Amy Annelle
"Who Knows Where The Time Goes" - Judy Collins

Song of the Day - March 24, 2005

A Girl Called Eddy's "Kathleen" is my song of the day. A Girl Called Eddy is really Erin Moran from New Jersey, now living in England. Obviously, this is not the same Erin Moran from Happy Days. Erin's voice is beautiful and her songs have a 60's feel to them, some say like Karen Carpenter with a little Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders thrown into the mix. It is hard to believe she hasn't seen greater success, as she deserves it. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 23, 2005

Can you believe it? Here's another song of the day featuring violins. DeVotchka's "Sunrise on Cicero," is an awesome song. It defies easy categorization with its violins and mariachi like trumpet solo. DeVotchka is a Colorado band, that during April will be touring with M. Ward and Norfolk & Western. Catch them if you can. Click here to listen.

Strange Brew

I have no rhyme or reason for this particular playlist. You could call it a strange brew. The playlist spans the decades, going from the 60's to the present. There are many different styles of music as well, from Tom Jones to Deerhoof. You definitely will not hear music like this on the radio. So if you are bored with traditional radio, give this list a listen. Click here to listen.

"Psychic Attack" - Thrall
"Milking" - Deerhoof
"Without MSG I Am Nothing" - Mclusky
"Flowers Of Romance" - Public Image Ltd.
"Nebraska's Valentine" - Les Georges Leningrad.
"Asobi Masho" - Asobi Seksu
"The Life Of the Party" - April March
"Across Yer Ocean" - Mercury Rev
"King of Nails" - Sparklehorse
"Boyfriends Stay" - Club 8
"Delilah" - Tom Jones
"Candy Shop" - Andrew Bird
"Poor Girl" - Jolie Holland
"Virgenes Del Sol" - Yma Sumac
"This May Hurt (A Little)" - Dressy Bessy
"Apple Tree" - Wolfmother
"Everytime" - The Gris Gris
"How Do You Feel" - Jefferson Airplane
"Breathe In" - Frou Frou
"Postales" - Federico Aubele

Song of the Day - March 22, 2005

My song of the day is Andrew Bird's "Two Way Action." Andrew Bird is the former violinist from the Squirrel Nut Zippers. This particular song is a mix of styles including pop, psychedelic guitars straight out of the 60's, and violin accompaniment. Austin Powers would probably like this song very much. Tell me what you think. Click here to listen.

Out of this World - Orbit Service

The Orbit Service have created a masterpiece of progressive rock. They have taken the progressive rock genre, which most of us including myself, have basically considered dead, and injected new life. Their album, Twilight, is absolutely beautiful. The album is full of lush, dark, sounds with a strong dose of Pink Floyd thrown into the mix. Though obviously influenced by Pink Floyd, they have taken their own twist, even adding the most luscious accordian backing I have ever heard on a modern recording. The album must be listened to in its entirety, as the tracks blend easily together creating a mood all its own. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 21, 2005

I have to thank the Radish for this one. I heard it about a week ago in a playlist that the Radish made of tracks produced or engineered by Steve Albini. For those of you who don't know, Fred Schneider is the lead singer of the B-52's, but he is not immediately recognizable, especially once the angry guitars start in. Fred is backed by the band Deadly Cupcake on this song, "Coconut." It's fun, unusual, and a great song of the day. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 18, 2005

The Pleasure Club are a great rock and roll band from New Orleans, who are just below the radar. They deserve a bigger audience, but for whatever reason have never really achieved major league success. They are loud, full of energy, exciting, and have a sound that combines elements of Gang of Four, with the current garage band revival. One of my favorite tracks is "Cops and Criminals." Click here to listen.

Sex Pistols

It's here, the legendary Sex Pistols album, Never Mind the Bollock's Here's the Sex Pistols. Though the Sex Pistols were short lived, their influence has been great. Without the Sex Pistols, we would still be listening to boring album oriented rock. They were a breath of fresh air, that the music industry needed badly. It seems that their influence is even greater today, then it was back in the 70's. I remember purchasing the album while still in high school during the 70's. I probably was the only one in my school who had a copy. In fact, I would say most kids back then had not even heard of them. The Sex Pistols were very much part of the underground scene back then. Today, that is not so true, as punk has become more mainstream. If you haven't listened to them in years, give them a listen and remember your youth. If you never heard this album, listen to a bit of history, a musical revolution. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 17, 2005

Last week, I featured Petra Haden doing a Who cover as my song of the day. Today, I thought I would feature a cover of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," by Ann Dyer. Ann is a jazz vocalist who undertook the daunting task to cover the Beatles' Revolver. I must say that her version of Eleanor Rigby is the standout track. It used to be that jazz artists' idea of standards were Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Rodgers. Today there has been a shift, and we now are seeing jazz artists covering everybody from the Beatles to Nirvana. I think you are going to like this one. Click here to listen.

Let's go to the UK

I love the music of the UK. Britpop, British rock, the British invasion, whatever you want to call it, I love it. There just seems to be so much good music coming out of the UK for the past 40 plus years. Of course, it started with the Beatles and Stones and continues today with the Kaiser Chiefs, Blur, and others. Since I featured the Kaiser Chiefs today, it got me thinking about putting together a list of British bands from over the years. Here's my list, I know there are many omissions. Click here to listen.


"The Answer" - Bloc Party
"Oh My God" - Kaiser Chiefs
"What Became Of The Likely Lads (Reworked Version)" - The Libertines
"Assessment" - The Beta Band
"Dakota" - Stereophonics
"Sale Of The Century" - Sleeper
"Come Back Around" - Feeder
"Intravenous Agnostic" - Manic Street Preachers
"Hundred Mile High City" - Ocean Colour Scene
"I Can't Explain" - The Who
"Wishing On A Star" - Paul Weller
"Spitting Games" - Snow Patrol
"Clampdown" - The Clash
"Lost Property" - The Divine Comedy
"Happy" - Ned's Atomic Dustbin
"Good Souls" - Starsailor
"David Watts" - The Jam
"We Don't Know Where We're Going" - Gomez
"Song 2" - Blur
"One Step Beyond" - Madness
"Snowden" - Doves
"And If I Fall" - Charlatans U.K.
"Stutter" - Elastica
"Fiery Jack" - The Fall
"I Just Want To Make Love To You" - The Rolling Stones

Song of the Day - March 16, 2005

Great new music keeps coming out of the UK. The Kaiser Chiefs are the latest Britpop band to get the media's attention. Their first album was released yesterday and it has quite a few good songs on it. My choice for song of the day is "Na Na Na Na Naa." I love it! The "na na na na naa" chorus is way cool. I have been playing it over and over since I heard it. Click here to listen. There are other great songs on the album, Employment, such as their first single, "I Predict a Riot" and "Oh My God."

I've Got The Blues

Being from Chicago, I love the blues. I thought I would put together a list with some of my blues favorites. The list includes early blues pioneers such as Charley Patton and Robert Johnson, to electric blues artists like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Guitar Shorty. I am sure there will be a few artists that you are not familiar with, but hey maybe that's why they have the blues. Tell me what you think. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 15, 2005

I just discovered Damien Jurado and I don't know why it has taken so long. He has been described as urban folk and compared to Bruce Springsteen, especially his Nebraska period. Regardless of the descriptions and comparisons, I think you will enjoy Damien Jurado very much. Damien besides being a singer-songwriter is a Seattle kindergarten teacher. Now, that's a cool teacher. This recording is definitely lo-fi, but it adds to the charm. "Night Out for the Downer" has that melancholy sound, which I seem to be a big fan of these days, and is my choice for song of the day. Click here to listen.

It isn't over until the Fat Lady Sings (but she is not really fat)

This may be too much of a strange mix for a Monday morning, but be brave, you can handle it. Believe it or not, I like all this music, and listen to the various artists often. I know the list is eclectic, but so are my musical tastes. That is what is so great about Rhapsody. I can indulge my musical tastes no matter what the genre. It is all in this list, jazz, punk, classical, blues, folk, opera, grunge, etc. Rhapsody is a musical feast, and I cannot help myself. Click here to listen.

"Downtown" - Petula Clark
"Krafty (Album Version)" - New Order
"Canadian Sunset" - Gene Ammons
"A to B" - The Futureheads
"Shining Book" - Pan American
"Girl Anachronism" - The Dresden Dolls
"Safe As Milk - Rotters, Liverpool 29/10/1980" - Captain Beefheart And His Magic Bands
"Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" - Skip James
"Trilogy Suite: Red House / Badinerie" - Yngwie J. Malmsteen
"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Bob Dylan
"Love Canal" - Flipper
"Gnomenreigen" - Franz Liszt
"Modern Music" - Black Mountain
"Quick Marches Medley: Third Dragoon Guards / Highland Laddie" - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
"Hungry Wolf" - X
"Love Is The Drug" - Roxy Music
"We Free Kings" - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"Slide" - Slave
"Windy" - The Association
"Teenage Superstars" - The Vaselines
"Call Any Vegetable" - Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention
"Six Pack" - Mike Patton
"Mushi no Aikata ('Insect Interlude')" - Ensemble Nipponia
"Return Of The Rat" - Wipers
"La Gioconda - Suicidio!" - Maria Callas

Song of the Day - March 14, 2005

With each day, I am becoming more and more of a fan of the alt country genre. This particular track, "Masterplan," by My Morning Jacket has everything going for it. I love that reverb sound, soaring guitars, huge dynamic changes, and Neil Young influenced vocals. Click here to listen.

Futureheads!

The Futureheads are now on Rhapsody! They are a huge success in the UK, and deserve to be in the US. Imagine a cocktail made of equal parts Gang of Four, Jam, and XTC. If you can, you will have an idea of how they sound. The Gang of Four influence is no coincidence, as Andy Gill, from the Gang of Four, helped produce the album. Their debut self-titled album is destined to become a pop classic. I love everything on it. Check out The Jam influenced, "Decent Days and Nights," the Gang of Four crossed with XTC, "Man Ray," and their cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love." Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 11, 2005

Luke Vibert is an electronic musician, producer, and DJ from the UK. He has many aliases, such as Wagon Christ, Plug, Kerrier District, and Amen Andrews. I was immediately drawn to this particular cut, "I Hear the Drummer." It has funky lounge beats and an otherworldly female vocalist chanting, "I hear the drummer strike the sky." If you liked last weeks song by Boom Bip, you are sure to like Luke Vibert. Click here to listen.

Would you like some Hammond B-3 with your Coffee?

Larry Young has always been overshadowed by the legendary Jimmy Smith. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either Smith or Young, they are at the top of the heap, when it comes to jazz on the Hammond B-3 organ. While Jimmy Smith's sound is drenched in the blues, Larry Young is more avant garde. His sound is strongly influenced by John Coltrane and you can clearly hear it in his solos. This particular album, Unity, is definitely his most famous, yet a lot of jazz fans are not familiar with Larry Young. I think you should give this album a listen. The musicians on Unity are stellar. They include Joe Henderson on sax, Elvin Jones on drums, and Woody Shaw on trumpet. For those of you who say you don't like jazz, he also worked in the rock arena, having recorded with Jimi Hendrix. Standout tracks include "Zoltan," with great trumpet work by Woody Shaw and "Beyond All Limits," which features Young's Coltrane like Hammond B-3 solos, and Henderson's sax work. The whole album is one of my favorites. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 10, 2005

Stereo Total is a French German duo that I was recently turned on to by mgrooves of Rhapsody Rock School. This particular song, "Comme un Garçon," is sung in French. It starts out with the sound of a car peeling out and what sounds like a cat almost getting run over. Then the guitar and drums launch in with their catchy riffs. I don't understand the vocals, but it doesn't matter. The music is great and I think you will like it too. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 9, 2005

Yesterday, I featured a cello quartet playing heavy metal covers. Today, I am featuring the ever inventive Petra Haden covering the Who. This album is a truly amazing take on The Who Sell Out. Petra Haden does everything vocally. There are no instruments or other musicians, just layer upon layer of vocal tracks by Petra. The standout track and my song of the day is "I Can See For Miles." Click here to listen and tell me what you think.

The Kills - No Wow

Here's the album I have been waiting for quite some time. The Kills No Wow is awesome and was just released in the US today, however, it is extremely popular across the big pond in the UK. Last week I featured one of their earlier songs as my song of the day, in anticipation of this release. This album has that raw, sweaty, true rock and roll feeling. Great stuff! Click here to listen.

And Now For Something Completely Different

I was blown away when I first heard this album and I believe you will be too. Apocalyptica plays heavy metal with a difference. They only use cellos, and it is awesome. If you are not a fan of classical music, don't worry. Apoclalyptica are metal heads with cellos and they take no prisoners. Their version of Metallica's "One" is unbelievable. They also cover tunes by Pantera, Sepultura, and Faith No More. If your looking for something new click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 8, 2005

"I Don't Know Why I Love You" is my song of the day. This song was released in 1990 by House of Love. House of Love was a major influence on bands that were to come later in the 1990's, yet they never quite reached the level of fame they deserved. This song is one of their best. Click here to listen.

Dreamy Monday

It's Monday, so I put together a list of dream pop, jangle pop, twee pop and cuddlecore. If your like me, it is often difficult to tell the subtle differences between the genres, but I find it the perfect way to ease into the week, with their easygoing vocals, gentle rhythms, and catchy tunes. Click here to listen.

"So-And-So's With Emeralds In The Sky" - The Marshmallow Coast
"Love In December" - Club 8
"Rollerskate" - Call And Response
"This Lovesick" - Very Secretary
"The All-Consumer" - Velocity Girl
"Lemonhead Boy" - Heavenly
"By The Stereo" - Ashley Park
"Sunshine Spartacus" - The Doleful Lions
"Here We Come Around" - Dear Nora
"Bossa For Jackie (Dedicated To Mrs. Kennedy)" - Fantastic Plastic Machine
"Everywhere Girl" - The Dupont Circles
"Knees On Top" - Bikeride
"Don't Let The Day Go Mistreating You" - From Bubblegum To Sky
"Golden Castle, The (acoustic version)" - Watoo Watoo
"Paris" - Acid House Kings
"Places You Call Home" - Mean Red Spiders
"A Room With a View" - Pizzicato Five
"Holding The Flare " - Silver Scooter
"Falling Apart At The Seams" - Holiday Flyer
"She's Losing It" - Belle And Sebastian
"Lazy Day" - Birdie

Song of the Day - March 7, 2005

Call and Response have a jazzy pop sound that just grows on you. The song "Connection" has a hint of that 60's pop sound, especially the chorus, but yet it still has a modern sound. Simone Rubi's vocals are irresistible. Though the song is very pop sounding, I find it very refreshing. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 4, 2005

Placebo's "Special K" is my choice for song of the day. This song has that punk, pop sound that is popular these days. It starts with some acoustic guitar, and suddenly the electric guitars kick in, followed by an addictive chorus. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 3, 2005

Boom Bip's "Voodoo Science" is my song of the day. This track definitely has that downtempo trip-hop feel. It starts out like it could be a traditional jazz quartet, with a catchy acoustic bass riff, and vibraphone. Then the drums enter, giving it a more trip-hop feel with their repetitive beat. There are also brief snippets of vocals, though for the most part the song is an instrumental. When I listen to it, I just can't get the beat out of my head. With that in mind, only listen to this song if you don't have to concentrate on anything. Click here to listen.

Regina Spektor

I came across Regina Spektor for the first time yesterday and her album, Soviet Kitsch, is definitely unusual, sparse, and unique. I love it. She has been labeled as anti-folk. I am not sure what that means, but who cares as long as the music is interesting. Most of the time, she is accompanied by piano, with an occasional guitar and drums. Favorite tracks include "Poor Little Rich Boy," "Your Honor," and "Carbon Monoxide." Click here to listen.

The Three Johns

I came across this record by accident the other day, while browsing on Rhapsody, and I am sure glad I did. The Three Johns Live in Chicago is a great album. This record was recorded in 1985 at the legendary Metro in Chicago, my home town. Though I don't recall listening to the Three Johns back in the 80's, I am happy that I found them now. They have that Gang of Four plus Public Image sound, which I particularly like. The Three Johns are John Langford of the Mekons, John Hyatt, and John Brennan. As there is a current 80's revival going on, this record should appeal to many. Click here to listen.

Song of the Day - March 2, 2005

This is The Kills, not the Killers, and the song of the day is "Superstition." The Kills are a London based duo, currently very popular in England, and hopefully soon in the States. They have that garage rock, blues, punk, thing going on, similar to the White Stripes, but they are not a clone. I love VV's vocals on this track, they definitely have a dark edge to them, which works for me. They latest album, No Wow, is due out in the states next week. Let's hope that Rhapsody picks it up. Click here to listen.

February's Songs of the Day

In keeping with the tradition I started last month, I am posting all my songs of the day for the month of February. It is a very eclectic mix, with relatively new acts, vintage rock, punk, alt country, and more. I enjoyed finding the tunes, and maybe you can discover a new artist. Click here to listen. Here's the complete playlist.

"The Monkey's Back" - menomena
"The Melody of a Fallen Tree" - Windsor For The Derby
"Asphyxia" - alu
"Ears Ring" - Rainer Maria
"Twilight" - Antony and the Johnsons
"Sawn Off Metallica T-Shirt" - Six By Seven
"Assembly Of The Unrepresented" - Brave Captain
"2 Sisters Drvnk On Each Other" - Califone
"Little Sister" - Silkworm
"Skinny White Girl" - Trailer Bride
"My Coco" - Stellastarr
"Take It" - Mommy And Daddy
"The Dreaming Dead" - Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
"No Satisfaction" - Black Mountain
"Clogger" - 16 Horsepower
"The Skeeze" - The Ruby Doe
"Rebatron Party" - Smut Peddlers
"Bad Dreams" - M. Ward
"Jets At Dawn (Smile Records Version)" - Be Bop Deluxe
"Sunday Night" - Four Volts

Song of the Day - March 1, 2005

My latest song of the day is from Little Barrie. I discovered them while listening to BBC Radio 6. They have a funky blues rock style that I really like. A London based trio, they are currently very popular in the UK. They recently released their first album, We Are Little Barrie. It is not yet available on Rhapsody, but hopefully we will see it soon. This track, "Burned Out," is from their self-titled EP. Actually, I understand "Burned Out" is on both the EP and the album. Click here to listen.