1000 SONGS - DAY 346 SONG #377

DAY 346: Time for some Jazz

There is no need to introduce Thelonius Monk (1917-1982) to the wider public. An  influential figure

in the emergence of bebop at Minton's, taking Jazz from Swing to Academia, he was known for his distinctive style as a pianist and  ranks number two among the most covered jazz composers of all time. From his "Columbia years", here is a fine tune, relaxed and inspring at the same time (featuring some of those "dissonances" Monk is famous for): The  opening track of his 1967 release "Straight, No Chaser", "Locomotive". Musicians are:  Monk on piano,  Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone,   Larry Gales on bass and finally, the drummer,  Ben Riley. Miles Davis is credited to have said "Bebop was about change, about evolution. It wasn't about standing still and being safe" and "If you got up on the bandstand at Minton's and  couldn't play, you might get your ass kicked."

1000 SONGS - DAY 345 SONG # 376

DAY 345: An Often Covered Song

It makes no sense at all to try to list all or any of the cover-versions that have been done of that song. Anyway, this version by the man who wrote it, is really coooool. Look at the relaxed musicians (as a kind of contrast to the very focused singer) -  I especially like the drummer, who is in between cool and focused - he was the one who had to count the 26 times that Bill Withers says "I know", replacing a verse of the original lyrics. But those guys on the e-strings - just cool.

What a great song.

1000 SONGS - DAY 344 SONG #375

DAY 344: A Bosnian Song

Selma Adzem, a Bosnian singer does a fine version of Lelo, a Bosnian song by Dino Merlin. She is accompanied by "The Sound", featuring her husband Johannes "Johnny" Ertl on guitar. Ertl is a former Styrian footballer who has played for Sturm Graz, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Portsmouth. He is now member of the management of the latter club, which is (as far as I know: partly) owned by its fans. He has also played for the Austrian national team. 

1000 SONGS - DAY 343 SONG # 374

DAY 343: I'm satisfied with Delta Blues

Mississippi John Hurt (1892/3-1966) taught himself how to play the guitar when still a child of 9 years. He later started a short career as a blues musician, ending up as a farmer due to commercial failure of his records. In the 1960ies he entered the scene again together with some other rediscovered Delta Blues Musicians. Library of Congress recorded his songs that have later been interpreted by many artists such as Bob Dylan and Gillian Welch. There is a fine rendering of "I'm satisfied" by John Hiatt on "Avalon Blues - A tribute to the music of Mississippi John Hurt" (together with other fine versions of his songs done by musicians like Lucinda Williams.)  I include Mr. Hurt's recording of that song with his typical finger picking style instead of Stack O'Lee. 

1000 SONGS - DAY 342 SONG # 373

Day 342: Covering Soundtrack

"Billy" is taken from the Soundtrack of "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid", written by Bob Dylan. Here are two very different versions. The one, a rather melancholic one, is done by my favourite Americana-Duo, the great Gillan Welch & David Rawlings. The other one is a kind of Tex-Mex-version, done by Los Lobos. Enjoy.