Thelonious Monk (1917-1992) was a true musical original. Over a career spanning nearly 40 years, he left an indelible imprint not only on Jazz, but on music as well. His singular style, both in his personal fashion choices or his approach to piano and jazz are what made him so utterly unique.

Thelonious Alone in San Francisco, his last for Riverside ( Read more... )

Clarence Clemons, knows to fans far and wide as "The Big Man" died June 18, 2011, his passing the result of complications of a stroke suffered less than a week eariler.

Clemons, an original member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, was more than just the sax player in the band. He was the heart and soul of the group. Springsteen may be the ( Read more... )

Accomplished

I don't need a girlfriend, I need an accomplice - Jim Ellison

we all seek more than
an ornament to drive home the
appearance of wholeness.

She drives my getaway car
laughing as the miles roll by.
I squeeze her hand.

Music is a virtual time machine.  It has the ability to take you anywhere, if you let it.  Since music, like touch or smell, can trigger memories unbidden, songs that remind a person of place and time should hardly be a surprise.

For me, a couple of places come to mind.  I'll share one of them with you...

All the Gold in California - The Gatlin ( Read more... )

Since there are more than one significant people in my life, I am going to share more than one song that reminds me of somebody.

I Love Your Smile - Shanice

This is one of my wife's favorite songs and has been since before we met and married.  She has a smile that still takes my breath away.  She also has that smile she only shares with me.  Of ( Read more... )

Music can flip all manner of internal switches.  It can make you wanna dance, shag, cry, drink beer, or just close your eyes and follow the bouncing ball.   It's also a time machine.

In November of 1975, I was a month from my 12th Birthday when the news of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald broke across the country.  It wasn't quite the national ( Read more... )

Music is emotional soundscapes that you carry with you, either in your memory or through the miracle of modern technology in your pocket. Music, for me, has been a balm, friend, healer, and many other roles in life.

Today, we look at songs that make me happy. There is no real rhyme or reason to them, but I shall try to explain they why.

Jessica ( Read more... )

I'm writing this with the news of the death of bin Laden still ringing freshly in my ears. This seems sort of unimportant in the big picture, but I'm going to go ahead with it anyhow.

The 30 Day Song Challenge has been roaming around on Facebook for who knows how long, and I like the idea. It is a fun endeavor, particularly for me since I love music ( Read more... )