Blog

The Rose

7/30/2021

Words and music by Amanda McBroom. First recorded by Bette Midler for the movie of the same name.

Some say, "Love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed"
Some say, "Love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed"

Some say, "Love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need"
I say, "Love, it is a flower
And you its only seed"

It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

It's the Battle of the Ballads! Smooching Smackdown Part I

7/11/2021

3 unabashedly romantic songs.

But only one gets to be named the crooniest, brain-melting-ist,
amor-inducing-est of them all.

It's up to you America! Vote early and often.

1. More (Than the Greatest Love)

By Nino Oliviero, Riz Ortolani, Marcello Ciorciolini, Norman Newell. Known in Italian as Ti Guardero Nel Cuore.

2. What are you doing the rest of your life?

Music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman.

3. Make you feel my love

Written by Bob Dylan.

Hava Nagila and the whole nine

6/27/2021

My friends Ashley Cantu and Ilon Weinstein, celebrating their engagement last December on the grounds of the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Ashley and Ilon got married! And the band is back!
First live gig for The Mood Enhancers in over 18 months.

Yesterday, June 26, 2021, with about 30 friends and family members in attendance, Ilon and Ashley got married at The Victorian, a lovely wedding venue in Youngsville NC. We were thrilled to be part of the celebration.

Got a wedding, bar- or bat-mitzvah, house party, pool party or other gathering coming up?
Get in touch with me to discuss it! We'd love to add our music to your special event.

Hallelujah I Love Her So

6/12/2021

Ray Charles wrote a hot little song called "Hallelujah I Love Her So," and performed it in his inimitable style. Then Harry Belafonte gave it a spare, bluesy, jazzy spin. It's just become one of my favorite recordings. Submitted for your enjoyment, my cover of Mr. Belafonte covering Mr. Charles.

C'est si bon? Oh-la-la-la. C'est magnifique!

6/5/2021

Summertime... and the living is.. fantastique!

We hop the pond to France for the sublime Cole Porter tune from back in the day, C'est Magnifique:

My cover of the song from Can-Can:

And my cover of a brand new C'est Magnifique from 2021 written by Melody Gardot and friends:

If this don't relax you, I don't know what will :)

And for the finale, a slide from the sublime to the.... Dean Martin!
My cover of his velvety hit, C'est Si Bon

Au revoir for now!

Here Comes the Sun

5/31/2021

Emerging from quarantine
tip toe-ing into the world
Can I see your whole face?
Touch your elbow?

I wander through the park
Sky smiling
Trees waving

Song of the Week: Close Your Eyes

5/23/2021

This is a tune with words and music by a composer you may never have heard of: Bernice Petkere.
She was dubbed "The Queen of Tin Pan Alley" by the most famous American popular composer of the 20th century, Irving Berlin. Her first song was sung by Bing Crosby and that put her on the map. Now you know a little about Bernice!
I think this song, Close Your Eyes, is one of the sultriest, dreamiest jazz tunes I've ever heard. See what you think.

Spain (I Can Recall) by Chick Corea and Al Jarreau

4/28/2021

Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was a ground-breaking American jazz composer, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist.
One of his most famous compositions is "Spain," from 1971, an instrumental jazz fusion piece. Corea introduced "Spain" on his album Light As a Feather. The simple and haunting melody heard at the beginning of the song is from Concierto de Aranjuez, a guitar concerto by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. Corea and his band were nominated for Grammys for this song.
At one point Al Jarreau added original lyrics to the song. Jarreau featured this version, known as Spain (I Can Recall), on his 1980 album This Time.

Here's my cover of "Spain (I Can Recall)"
I sing; Jamie Saltman plays all the instruments:

Jamie and I actually "met" Chick Corea around 1975 or so. While in high school, we went to see the late, great trumpet player Maynard Ferguson and his big band at a club somewhere in the Boston area. Maynard (as usual) was blowing out his kishkes hitting insanely high notes.
At one point in the show Maynard acknowledged that Chick Corea was in the audience... "Where are you Chick?" That's when a guy at the table right next to us raised his hand and waved. That was pretty cool. We had a really great conversation with Chick (no, that part's not true). Oh well. Still, pretty neat to sit so close to genius. Jamie, I am not talking about you. Well, maybe a little.

Want to hear the classical piece that inspired Chick Corea?
Of course you do. The Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez:

Want to hear Bobby McFerrin perform "Spain"
with Chick Corea on piano?
Of course you do:

After I heard the McFerrin version, they had to pick me up off of the floor.

That's all for now, jazz fans! Until next time...

(A Rhyme) This Time

4/23/2021

Here's my cover of this musical poem
written by Al Jarreau and Earl Klugh:

I will take my time this time
I'm gonna make a
rhyme this time

I'll ring the bell this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna sing "Gotta Wing" this time

I've no sweets to sell this time
The scheming's over
I'm gonna be only me this time

Most unfortunately, my dreams
Never knew the ground
Every mirror I see, reminds
Me you're not around
I let you down

All my stories tell, this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna bring everything
This time

Most unfortunately, my dreams
Never knew the ground
Every mirror I see, reminds
Me you're not around
I let us down

I will ring the bell this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna sing "Gotta Wing" this time

I will take my time this time
I'm gonna make a rhyme this time
I will make a rhyme this time
I'm gonna take my time this time

Singing Inspiration: Al Jarreau

4/11/2021

Legendary singer Al Jarreau passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 76. His vocal versatility and infectious energy led to huge commercial success in the 1970s and 1980s.

I've been rediscovering Jarreau. He was a musical hero to me. I remember attending one of his concerts in Hartford, CT, while in college, and being just blown away by his unique voice. The New York Times noted:

Critics were particularly taken by his improvisational dexterity, in particular his virtuosic ability to produce an array of vocalizations ranging from delicious nonsense to clicks and growls to quasi-instrumental sounds.
Although he made his initial mark in the jazz world, Mr. Jarreau’s style, and his audience, crossed stylistic barriers. His music incorporated elements of pop, soul, gospel, Latin and other genres. It was a mark of his eclecticism that he won six Grammys across three different categories: jazz, pop and R&B.

Take Five

One of Jarreau's hits was a cover of Paul Desmond's Take Five, written for the Dave Brubeck Quartet - and famous for its bright sound and infectious 5/4 time. Brubeck's wife Iola wrote lyrics for the tune, and Al Jarreau recorded his scat version of it for a live concert in 1975.

Here's my homage to Al's plea to the woman of his dreams to... take a little time out with him... just Take Five: