Light Flight

I first heard this song in 1970 or so, on the wonderful, and madly eclectic, WHFS-FM. That led me to buy the album, and that led me into one of the enduring loves, or at least likes, of my life: the English Electric Folky groups of the 60s and 70s.

Light Flight is not electric though, and it's not even all that folky, except for Jacqui McShee's soprano, and John Renbourn's guitar. It's more jazzy than anything else; but there's also Swingle-Singers-style scatting, and dreamy, hippy-dippy lyrics, and a mix of time signatures including 5/8, 7/8 and 6/4. (Or so says Wikipedia; I tried to figure out the time signatures myself, and couldn't.)

Wiki also says, oddly enough, that Light Flight was used as theme music for a 1969-71 BBC drama series, Take Three Girls, about three young ladies sharing a flat in Swinging London.

WKRLEM TV: One hot mama

A classic episode from Mary Tyler Moore.

Mr. Grant is dating Sheree North who plays a well traveled saloon singer who actually intimidates him with her life story. She is as hot as can be. Man that was just my speed back in the day. She can't sing for shit but man she looks good. She sort of plays a Julie London/Lola Albright type and did I mention she looks good.

Anyway enjoy.

KLEM FM

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I did not know this American music as a youth. It came to me via a young German named Sebastian who made a cassette tape of the whole session for us when we lived overseas in the early 90's. But I miss the warm crackles and pops captured on the cassette* as he recorded it from his parents' vinyl LPs.

I love the crystal clarity of Ella's voice contrasted with Louis' gravelly murk. Together, they made musical chiaroscuro.
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*I found the tape in a recent move and have been listening to it in my car -- the only cassette player left.

KLEM FM

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The song has a 5/4 time signature which is unusual for rock. It's more common in jazz -- for example, as in Dave Brubeck's Take Five and also the Mission Impossible theme song.

WKRLEM: NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER

Film Noir……..Shiny suits, skinny ties and jazz.

I am obsessed with Film Noir. But then youse guys know that. I go off on tangents and get obsessed with subjects all the time. Starlets of the 1960’s. Hallmark TV. Sinead O’Conner. Trump. So I do a bunch of posts on the subject. Currently I am jonesing on Film Noir.

Film Noir has been defined as a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism and menace. I think of it when I watch those late fifties early sixties TV shows that I love. Brooding protagonists in cheap shiny suits with skinny ties sitting in a club listing to jazz while drinking whiskey neat with a blowsy dame. Getting mixed up in some craziness with sinister overtones.

Dave Brubeck - Take Five

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KLEM FM

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     "Our culture has developed harmonic and melodic music to an imposing degree but many other cultures in the world are considerably in advance of ours in purely rhythmic conception. The music of certain African tribes which we would call primitive is based on counterrhythms executed by two or more percussionists that make those of modern classical composers and practically all swing drummers sound amusingly simple. 

     Some the most difficult counterrhythmic execution found in Western music is, surprisingly enough, not for drums but for piano. Another instrument in which independent action plays a major role is the pipe organ, which makes use of the feet as well as the hands. This preoccupation with counterrhythmic effects on other instruments emphasizes how slowly, in some respects, the drumming of 'civilized peoples' has progressed."  

Jim Chapin, Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer (1948)

WKRLEM

Lola Albright sings in Peter Gunn. One of the best private eye shows ever on TV. A prototype. The jazz scenes in the little club where Pete goes to meet his girl Lola forever stands as my idea of a cool club. Everybody drinking martini's and listening to cool music.

Lovefool - Vintage Jazz Cardigans Cover ft. Haley Reinhart

 

Link to video

"Please Be Kind"

Jane Monheit - Live at the Rainbow Room

Sweet Emma

Quand vaches saints... ils marchent dans...

Autrans, France

Pour La Fissure

Will it even ever be mended?

The "Mark Twain" has always been my favorite ride at Disneyland. A couple years ago, I even got the chance to ride in the wheelhouse with my kids. There's a little hidden cabin too with a cot where Walt used to nap.

"Now That's A Jazz Walking Line...

...you knew this kid was into something really really great."

Carol Kaye comments on playing bass for Brian Wilson. The bass line is hard to hear so turn it up!

  

The video is from "The Wrecking Crew"

In the comments, John says:

Wow, my heroine.
Carol Kaye is one of a large group of real women who the left wing grievance-meister feminists would never acknowledge. There is no place for accomplishment in the modern feminist canon. 

Maybe it had something to do with those boots...made for walking:

Can't We Be Friends? (1956)