Jon Cleary Brings the Flavor of New Orleans to Annapolis

When I was growing up in the 60’s it was common for many African-American families to have at least one person in the household learn to play the piano. It was a longstanding tradition that probably dates back to the days of slavery.  Our family was no different.  All of my older brothers and sisters were forced to take piano lessons.  But by the time I came along, that tradition had become a luxury reserved only for those of greater means.  And greater means was not one of our luxuries. I’ve since dabbled here and there on my little keyboard at home, but I know that I will forever be a novice, never to come anywhere close to the caliber of player that I witnessed this past Saturday night at the Ram’s Head Tavern.

Jon Cleary took the stage with his new band “Jon Cleary’s Philthy Phew” and gave the audience an in-depth clinic about what New Orleans jazz is all about.  Cleary dazzled the crowd with his mastery of the blues and jazz piano, combining traditional ragtime and stride styles with updated and jazzier chord structures, elevating his style to an uncategorized place of its own.  So passionate and engaging is Cleary about his love affair with the origin of New Orleans music, he occasionally spent a few moments between songs to give the audience an engaging history lesson regarding the evolution of jazz in America, and why jazz is the great American treasure that it is.  This also gave him the opportunity to introduce his new CD, Occopella, which features the songs of Allen Toussaint, whom I consider to be one of the most underrated and under-recognized songwriters in the history of jazz/ R&B/pop music.  (Toussaint’s music has been performed and covered by scores of musical giants dating back to the early 60’s.  Google Allen Toussaint yourself and be amazed).

As impressive as his piano skills are, Jon Cleary’s ability as a vocalist is nothing to sneeze at either. Cleary delivers each song with all the versatility that jazz and blues requires. As is everything else about his music, Cleary’s voice is also what I would describe as a blend – a natural concoction of styles that somehow combines the rawness of an Otis Redding, the sensitivity of a Boz Scaggs, and the spontaneity and authenticity of a Van Morrison  - all done while not ever using the song as a prop for his voice, thereby keeping the essence of the music authentic and truly soulful.

For those of you who are familiar with the annual event in New Orleans known as Jazzfest, Jon Cleary is as well known as seafood gumbo and po' boy sandwiches.  But if you love the blues, and want to experience what truly defines the soul of New Orleans, Jon Cleary is a must-see upon making your first visit. It assuredly won’t be your last. 

G.

A Week of Legendary Losses in Music

I have always maintained that the greatest and most lasting music of all time was created during the 60’s, and the 70’s.  Today, in remembrance of these lost legends I am going to give the 80’s an honorary inclusion. That’s right, I said the 80’s.   Granted, the music of the 80’s did not have the dramatic influence on American culture as did the music of the previous two decades .  That music was born of socioeconomic injustices that had finally taken its toll on society as a whole. Everyone was sick of the racism, and everyone was sick of the Vietnam war.  The pain and suffering that resulted from that emotional fight for freedom, resulted in some of the greatest musical treasures in the world.  By the end of the 70’s, there were fewer cross-burnings, fewer lynchings, desegregated schools and restaurants (blacks and whites could now use the same restrooms).  Our Vietnam vets were no longer being ordered to kill as many North Vietnamese people as possible while dodging land mines and snipers in the jungles of Cambodia.  America was exhausted but joyous, like an underdog who had just gone fifteen rounds to defeat the reigning champ. 

Well, maybe our country didn't exactly conquer war and bigotry. We still seem to have a little bit of a problem with that to this day.  But the American people got enough love together to join hands and say, "Enough, already!"  All that pain and suffering from so much killing and so much heartbreak; the freedom marches, the sit-ins, the boycotts  – they had all had an everlasting effect on changing the world for the better.  But the warriors for freedom were weary.  Those years were no walk in the park. American freedom fighters all over the country wanted to dance.  And dance they did. I know that a lot of people made fun of the 80's.  That's fine.  But I'd rather dance than fight any day of the week.


Donna Summer – Queen of Disco

Born: December 31, 1948, Boston, MA

Died: May 17, 2012, Florida

La Donna Adrian Gaines, known by the stage name Donna Summer, was an American singer songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970’s.  She had a mezzo-soprano vocal range, and was a five-time Grammy Award winner. 




Robin Gibb – Founding Member of The Bee Gees

Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice and older brother Barry.

                                                           The Bee Gees, L to R: Robin, Barry, Maurice

Chuck Brown – Godfather of Go-Go

Chuck Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was a guitarist and singer who is affectionately called "the Godfather of Go-go". Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed in and around Washington, D.C. in the mid- and late-1970s. While its musical classification influences, and origins are debated, Brown is regarded as the fundamental force behind the creation of go-go music.^[1]

(1), All facts courtesy Wikipedia

The Heart of My Guitar: Part 7 - Black and Blue

I was all of 15 when I was playing in little bars and niteclubs around Baltimore, thanks to our esteemed manager and his self-indoctrinated cohort, the “business agent.” Let’s call them “Mr. Black” and “Mr. Blue.”

Mr. Black was a friend who lived in the neighborhood.  He was a well-liked guy and always had a smile on his face.  He was definitely one of the in-crowd and until he had heard of our band he never had a word to say to me. Hell, he was a big-shot and I was just the nerdy kid who could be seen skateboarding up and down the street, to and from the corner store.

Now, keep in mind that when this band was formed, it was right around the time when the popularity of such musical acts as the Jackson Five, The Osmond Brothers, The Sylvers, and various other family-oriented musical groups were at their peak.  It never occurred to me that someone might actually think they could make money off of us.  For one thing, I never believed we were any good. For another thing, in my mind, we simply were not cute enough.  The Jacksons were cute. The Osmonds were cute. We were just young and poor.

First of all, none of us had the capacity to grow a big afro – the first step in being a young, black, cute, teen music idol. Second, none of us were singers.  We played all instrumental songs. Whho could be interested in a band where there was no lead singer? The very idea that anyone would try to legitimize this kooky little band was, to me, utterly and fantastically ridiculous. But before I knew it, there stood Mr. Black in the corner of our basement, watching us at our rehearsal – whispering and nodding to our new business agent, Mr. Blue, as he explained the massive earning potential of this neighborhood band from Baltimore, led by a 15 year-old kid and his 20 year-old brother.

Black and Blue. I would soon find out who those two guys really were and what those two words really meant.

Norman Brown Storms the Stage at Ram's Head

The first time I saw Norman Brown perform was at the Capital Jazz Festival in Ft. Meade, Md., in 1996.  He was riding the wave of the success of his then latest CD release “After the Storm.” During that time, I had been honing my skills as a smooth jazz guitarist and was taking in the styles of any and every major guitar player who was on the scene.  I had just formed my band “Simpatico” and after months of practice. I had finally gotten down an almost note-for-note duplication of his guitar work on his hit cover of Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes.”  I loved his version of that tune and I really thought that I had reached new heights after learning to mimic this new cat on the block.  Our band had reached a level of proficiency that truly made me proud, and even a little cocky.  Then an almost devastating thing happened.

I heard Norman Brown play it live.

I learned a big lesson that hot summer day, sitting on the lawn, watching the spectators stare in awe at his fingers flying up and down the fretboard with seemingly effortless precision. I remember thinking to myself, “Holy smoke! I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

So I kept playing and practicing and trying to get better.  Playing the guitar is such an incredible journey; you never, ever, get good enough.  The more you learn, the more you find out how much you really don’t know.  And the more you discover how much you don’t know, the more you learn how to apply what you do know to achieve what you don’t know.  It is truly an amazingly beautiful and wonderful thing.

Last Sunday, I saw Norman perform at the Ram’s Head Tavern in Annapolis for the first time after all those years.  Let me tell you, he was very good in 1994, but what I saw before me last Sunday night was nothing short of phenomenal.  Brown maintains a sincerely easygoing stage presence and immediately engaged the crowd with his passion for the music, displaying the talent that has allowed him to reach a level of excellence that truly places him in the category of what I consider “greatness” as a jazz guitarist.  I believe he has reached his time to be recognized as such.

The crowd was lively and upbeat as he played fan favorites from previous albums as well as some of his new stuff. He also introduced his daughter, Rochella Brown, who is an excellent singer in her own right.  Opting to go wireless for the small venue, he wandered through the crowd giving everyone an up-close and personal view of his tireless fingers moving with lightning speed up and down the guitar’s neck for what seemed like forever.  Toward the end of the show, he did various guitar impressions that included George Benson, Wes Montgomery and Jimi Hendrix. It was a spectacular performance.

If you have never seen Norman Brown perform, or if the last time you caught one of his shows was over ten years ago, you had better go see him again. He is truly a “great” guitar player.

G.

Correction - Big shout-out to my good friend, Janet. She is a friend of Norman and his family, and quickly alerted me to the error that my original post of this story referred to Norman's daughter as "Michelle" instead of "Rochella." My apologies to all.  Journalism 101 - Check and double check your facts!  Thanks, Janet!

The Heart of My Guitar - Part 6: Summer of '74

In 1974, America was still reeling from the racial chaos that had only a few years ago swept throughout the country.  The sixties had changed everything.  Some people were relieved, some were angered, and some were inspired while others were doomed to pessimism.  Whatever the case, everyone was affected.  Throw in the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War and it’s a wonder folks got along at all.  The one good thing that resulted from all that tension was the evolution of some of the best music the world has ever known.

Ask anyone who grew up during that era; music was the most important thing in America (second to rampant indiscriminant sex, and an unrelenting desire to find new ways to get high).  Every genre of music saw a heightened sensitivity directed toward making sense of why so many people could be so severely against the idea of treating each other fairly.  At fourteen years old, I surely didn’t understand it.  All I wanted to do was play music. 

The music of that era seemed to be the only thing that got people to chill out and ignore the craziness of it all. During the riots, James Brown was scheduled to give a live concert in Boston, a city that, at that moment in time, had become a powder keg of racial unrest.  The mayor had arranged with Brown to show a live television broadcast of the concert, knowing that because Brown’s popularity was at such a high point, there would be virtually no chance that anyone would be angry enough to go out rioting and miss the rare opportunity to watch J. B. do his thing for an entire program.  The strategy worked, and some people credit Mr. Brown for “saving Boston” from total mayhem. *

I was still in junior high when my band started playing in clubs and bars.  Somehow, two “managers” had found out about us and had convinced us that we were going to be the next big thing.  I recall being all excited at the fact that they had printed up business cards for us.  One day, while listening to one of the local R&B stations, I heard the deejay advertising that our band would be featured as the live entertainment on Baltimore’s local party ship, “The Port Welcome.” I think we each got paid twenty-five dollars for that gig. Oh yeah, we knew we were stars then. But as is the case with most beginners in the music business, we too, eventually discovered that all is not fair in love and music.

G.

*Ironically, rumor has it that after the concert, Brown had accused the City of Boston of failing to uphold its financial end of the deal regarding the City’s multiple rebroadcasts of the concert, which apparently Brown had explicitly addressed in the original agreement.  Although Brown eventually conceded to a settlement, it has been said that Brown was hurt by the alleged breach, and was forever disillusioned by his belief that the City of Boston had not dealt squarely with him. 

(This is the sixth installment of a continuing story).

Coming soon, Part 7, “Black and Blue”

Blind Genius - Missing Ray Charles (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004)

It was a very sad day for me when Ray Charles passed away seven years ago today. 

After you reach a certain age, such events don’t sneak up on you or surprise you anymore.  When you know that you are living during an era that includes the likes of a Ray Charles, you see them getting older, you reflect on the life they lived, and you begin preparing yourself for the fact that someday, we won’t have them amongst us anymore.  I have also found that I will miss certain music artists, like Ray, long after they are gone, almost the same way I miss a relative or close friend.  I feel so blessed to be able to look back over the course of my life and connect so many magical moments to so much beautiful music that I have loved - created by people like Ray Charles.  

His music is so sincere, so pure, and so powerful that you really couldn’t ignore it even if you tried. I mean really, do you actually know anyone with even the slightest amount of musical maturity who would say that they simply don’t like Ray Charles?  And if you do know someone like that, I’ll bet you would find that they probably don’t like chocolate ice cream or little babies, either.

Thanks, Ray.  It was a privilege to have grown up with you.  You provided such a major part of the musical score that has been the backdrop to the story of my life. Right on, Brother Ray.

Check out this once in a lifetime video of Ray Charles performing Living for the City with Stevie Wonder.  People toss the term “musical genius” around way too often.  Watch this video and learn the true meaning.

       Okay, let’s get to the quiz!      

       1)      What is Ray’s original birth name?

       2)      Where was Ray Charles born?

       3)      True or False: Ray Charles was not born blind.  He lost his sight as a young boy.

       4)      Ray performed in what major movie box-office smash that made its debut in 1980?

       5)      True or False: Ray Charles had no formal musical training.

Interesting Facts About Ray Charles –

      

            a)   Ray moved to Seattle in 1947 (where he first met and befriended a 14 year old Quincy Jones  and soon recorded his first hit, "Confession Blues" in 1949. The song soared to #2 on the R&B charts.

b)      After his mother died in 1945, Charles was 15 years old when he was living in Jacksonville, Florida with a couple who were friends of his mother. For over a year, he played the piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla, earning $4 a night.

c)       In 1979, Charles was one of the first of the Georgia State Music Hall of Fame to be recognized as a musician born in the state. Ray's version of "Georgia On My Mind" was made the official state song for Georgia.

d)      In 1981, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was one of the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural ceremony in 1986.

QUIZ ANSWERS:

Okay, let’s see how you did!

      1)      Ray Charles Robinson – Early on in his career, he began going by “Ray Charles” so that he would not be confused with Sugar Ray Robinson.

      2)      Ray was born in Albany, Georgia.  However, most of his younger years were spent in Greenville, Florida.

      3)      True.  Ray Charles began losing his sight at age 5. By age 7, he had lost all of his vision due to glaucoma. During those days, there was no treatment for this disease.  Since then, there has been significant progress in slowing its degenerative effects, but there is still no cure for glaucoma, and there has still been no conclusion drawn as to what causes it.

      4)      The Blues Brothers. (If you didn’t get that one then I am banning you from my page for one day).

      5)      False.  As a boy, Ray Charles was trained to play only classical music. He attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine from 1937 to 1945, where he developed his musical talent.

So you got them all right, huh? Congratulations!

(But honestly, don’t get all full of yourself.  This one really wasn’t that hard).

G.

All information gathered courtesy Wikipedia

This Week in Music History

Interesting Happenings in Music History

5/29/1987 - Michael Jackson attempts to buy Elephant Man's remains

5/31/1969 - Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amour"

Stevie wows them again. Watch in wonder.

Birthdays

5/24/1956 - Larry Blackmon, funk-R&B (Cameo-“Word Up!)

5/29/1953 - Danny Elfman, LA Calif, composer (Simspon Show Theme)

5/29/1950 - Rebbie [Maureen] Jackson, Gary Indiana, singer (R U Tuff Enuff)

5/30/1909 - Benny Goodman, Chicago, clarinetist/bandleader (King of Swing)

6/02/1944 - Marvin Hamlisch, NYC, composer/pianist (Sting, Chorus Line)

6/03/1906 - Josephine Baker, dancer/singer/actress, French performer (Moulin Rouge)

6/03/1927 - Boots Randolph, Paducah KY, saxophonist (Yakety Sax)

6/03/1930 - Dakota Staton, [Aliyah Rabia], Pittsburgh, PA - Jazz singer (In the Night)

6/03/1942 - Curtis Mayfield, Chicago, Singer-songwriter/vocalist, guitarist (People Get Ready, Superfly)

May we never forget the contributions of this man. Here, Curtis gets a little help from Taylor Dane and David Sanborn in a clip taken from the now defunct "Sunday Night" jazz program.

6/03/1950 - Deniece Williams, Gary, IN, singer (Let’s Hear It For The Boy)

6/04/1937 - Freddie Fender, San Benito, Texas, country singer (Wasted Days and Wasted Nights)

6/04/1945 - Anthony Braxton, Chicago, Il – Saxophone, avant-garde jazz musician

6/04/1961 - El Debarge, Detroit, Mich, R&B singer (Debarge-All this Love)

Deaths

5/28/1996 - James George "Jimmy" Rowles, jazz pianist, dies at 77

5/30/1993 - Sun Ra, (Herman S Blount), jazz pianist (Solar Arkestra), dies at 79

5/30/1977 - Paul Desmond, US jazz saxophonist, Dave Brubeck Quartet, dies at 52

6/01/1991 - David Ruffin, R7B singer (Temptations), dies of drug overdose at 50

6/01/1996 - Don Grolnick, jazz musician, dies at 48

6/02/1987 - Andres Segovia, Classical guitarist, dies

6/02/1987 - Sammy Kaye, orch leader (Sammy Kaye Show), dies at 77

6/02/1997 - Doc Cheatham, jazz musician, dies at 91

On 6/04/1916 - Mildred J Hill, composer/musician (Happy Birthday To You), dies at 56

Did you know?

·         "Happy Birthday to You" first appeared in print in 1912 using the melody of "Good Morning to All" with different lyrics.^[2] Its popularity continued to grow through the 1930's, with no author identified for the new lyrics, nor credit given for the melody from "Good Morning to You". Based on 1935 copyright registrations by the Summy Company, and a series of court cases (which all settled out of court)^[3], the sisters became known as the authors of "Happy Birthday to You". The Hill Foundation today shares royalties on public performances of the song.

Hill and her sister were posthumously inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame on June 12, 1996.

*(Source – Wikipedia)