Lily Allen. Because sometimes the best defense is a catchy chorus.
Lily Allen was born on this date in 1985. A few of her songs dot today’s playlist.
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Tunes Du Jour Celebrates International Jazz Day
Jazz is a genre that defies easy definition, yet its influence is undeniable across decades of music history. At its core, jazz represents freedom – freedom of artistic expression, freedom to improvise and venture into uncharted musical territory. From the early days of jazz pioneers like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday, this artistic freedom has been the driving force behind the ever-evolving sounds of jazz.
The genius of jazz lies in its ability to seamlessly blend composition and spontaneity. Take Miles Davis’ seminal album Kind of Blue, where masterful musicians like John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley were given a simple modal framework to build upon through their improvisations. The result was a transcendent exploration of space, melody, and emotion that still captivates listeners today. Similarly, Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” broke new ground with its innovative use of quintuple meter, exemplifying jazz’s boundary-pushing spirit.
Yet jazz is more than just innovative time signatures and harmonic progressions. It’s a language of human experience, a means of conveying the full spectrum of emotions through sound. Billie Holiday’s haunting rendition of “Strange Fruit” transformed a song into a searing indictment of racism and injustice. Nina Simone’s stirring vocals on “My Baby Just Cares for Me” radiate warmth and playfulness. And Chet Baker’s rendition of “My Funny Valentine” captures the exquisite vulnerability of heartbreak with effortless cool.
As the genre evolved through the latter half of the 20th century, jazz continued to defy conventions and push creative boundaries. The modal jazz of John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” was a spiritual exploration unlike anything that came before it. Ornette Coleman’s pioneering free jazz broke down traditional concepts of melody and harmony. And the fusion era saw artists like Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, and Grover Washington Jr. incorporate elements of funk, rock, and R&B into their jazz foundations.
From its humble beginnings in New Orleans to its modern global influence, jazz has remained a quintessential expression of artistic freedom. Its ability to constantly reinvent itself while maintaining a deep reverence for its roots is what makes it one of the most vital and culturally significant art forms of our time. Jazz is more than just a genre – it’s a living, breathing embodiment of the human spirit’s endless capacity for creativity and innovation.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 4-29-24
In their autobiography Hound Dog, songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller tell of one time when they were at Jerry’s apartment. Jerry was in the kitchen while Mike was trying out ideas on the piano. Jerry called out to him “Take out the papers and the trash!” Immediately, Mike responded “Or you don’t get no spending cash.” Ten minutes later, the duo finished writing a rock and roll classic. The Coasters took the song, “Yakety Yak,” to number one.
The late Carl Gardner of The Coasters and The Robins was born on this date in 1928. A few of those groups’ songs with Gardner on lead are featured on today’s playlist.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 4-28-24
Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon was born on this date in 1953. Hear a few of the band’s songs on today’s playlist.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 4-25-24
Per the chatbot with whom I was just conversing, before Erasure, Andy Bell sang in a heavy metal band called Power of Dreams.
The chatbot also told me that Erasure’s Andy Bell was born on this date in 1964. A few of his/their songs are included on today’s playlist.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 4-24-24
“Daydreams light the corners of my mind.” That was the original opening line of this smash. Barbra Streisand suggested changing “daydreams” to “memories.” I applaud that change.
Barbra Streisand was born on this date in 1942. A few tracks from her are included on today’s playlist.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 4-21-24
It really rankles and roils, riling me relentlessly, gets my goat and grinds my gears that a ghastly ghost greedily grabbed some of my greatest grooves, several superb sounds from my marvelous music menagerie, including The Cure’s Disintegration on vinyl, vanishing without a visible vestige. It’s a haunting hijacking that has me howling hauntingly, harboring hopes that horrific hoodlum returns my rightful recordings. Relievingly, I’ve retained Robert Smith’s resonant refrains on compact disc, considerably consoling my celestial lamentations.
The Cure’s Robert Smith was born on this date in 1959. Even if you don’t have the disease, we have The Cure on today’s playlist.
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