In Memoriam: Merle Haggard

Rest In Peace, Merle Haggard.  As you read, here, last fall, yours truly, got to see Merle Haggard, play the Minnesota State Fair, with Kris Kristofferson, and how fantastic that show was.  Another country music legend, and a legend in all music, has passed on, on his birthday, aged 79. 

http://www.relix.com/news/detail/merle_haggard_passes_away_at_79

Albert Collins "Iceman"

Remembering the late, great blues guitarist, and "master of the Telecaster", Albert "Iceman" Collins, with his appropriately titled song, "Iceman".

Frank Zappa "Ride Like The Wind"

Christopher Cross, was supposed to sing, with Frank Zappa at a gig at a 1981 concert at The Ritz.  Well, Cross, could not make the gig.  But, the band, did the tune anyway, featuring Al di Meola, along with Frank, on guitar, and, on lead vocals, Frank's drum tech, Brian Peters.

In Memoriam: Gato Barbieri

Rest In Peace, Brazilian jazz pioneer, and master of the tenor saxophone, Gato Barbieri.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gato-barbieri-latin-jazz-great-and-last-tango-in-paris-composer-dead-at-83-20160403#ixzz44n5FUire

Here he is, with pianist, Dollar Brand, playing the tune, "81st Street".  Gato wrings tons of emotion from his horn, on this piece.

...And, another soulful tune, Barbieri featured on.  Here he is, playing tenor sax, with Carlos Santana on Santana's composition, "Europa", circa 1977.

concert review: Chicago & Earth, Wind & Fire at Xcel Energy Center, April 2, 2016

Two bands, from the same era, on the charts at similar time periods, playing together.  Two bands collaborating for one tour, seems to be something more common.  Chicago, and Earth, Wind, & Fire, revisited their hit songs that came (for Chicago in the late '60s/early '70s, and in the '80s), and Earth, Wind, & Fire, in the '70s.  Each band, has three respective original members, still a part of their ensembles.  Folks, it was the encore, the blew the roof off the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday night!  Both bands, sang on each others songs.  The encore would alternate, between a Chicago number, and an Earth, Wind, & Fire number.

So, this encore included EWF's "September", followed by a funky, spirited, jam by Chicago, called "Free" (an ode to the memories of the '60s), Earth, Wind, & Fire's "Sing A Song", came next, before, Chicago asked the relevant, and yet common question, "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?"  Earth, Wind, & Fire's "Shining Star", and Chicago's "25 Or 6 To 4" book-ended a fabulous concert.  To rewind, and set the stage, the two bands, came out together, for a three song opener including "Beginnings", "In The Stone" (the first of the Earth, Wind, & Fire songs played), and "Dialogue Part I & II.)

Earth, Wind, & Fire played solo, during the middle of the show, and played other chestnuts from their catalog.  Songs like "Boogie Wonderland", "Serpentine Fire", "Devotion", "That's The Way of The World", "After The Love Has Gone", a cover of The Beatles' "Got To Get You Into My Life", and "Let's Groove", put the audience, in a jovial mood, which is one reason why Earth, Wind, & Fire, are still so popular, particularly with fans who grew up, in the 1970s, during the heyday of the band.  Phil Bailey's singing, and falsetto, Vernon White's singing and bass playing, and more vocals from Phil Bailey Jr., Ralph Johnson on drums and vocals, and, searing tandem lead guitar work from Serg Dimitrijevic, and Morris O'Connor.

Chicago's songs, including many from their early days, with horns, and also, in their more pop oriented era in the 1980s.  Younger fans, were immediately familiar with pop ballads such as "You're The Inspiration", and "Hard Habit To Break", which, thankfully, were given more spunk, via the horn section, including Lee Loughnane on trumpet and flugelhorn, James Pankow on trombone, and Walter Parazaider on saxophones and flute.  Their more classic numbers, were also quite familiar, such as "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?", the ballad "Colour My World", and the psychedelic rockers "I Just Wanna Be Free" and "I'm A Man" (written and made equally famous by Chicago's contemporaries, the Spencer Davis Group).

As mentioned, "Free", "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is", and "25 Or 6 To 4", were performed as part of the encore, with Earth, Wind, & Fire.  The music of these two bands, transcends generations, and the two bands each looked like they were having lots of fun, playing together.  A win win, for the bands, and their fans.



   

Chicago "I'm A Man"

Check out Chicago's performance of the tune, "I'm A Man", which, was originally recorded, by their contemporaries, The Spencer Davis Group, and written by Steve Winwood and Jimmy Miller.  While the Spencer Davis version, was a blues rock number, and Chicago's version, kept that same formula.  The players in their horn section, for this piece, played percussion.  The personnel on the record, includes:

Terry Kath: lead & background vocals, fuzzed wah wah electric guitar
Peter Cetera: lead & background vocals, bass
Robert Lamm: lead & background vocals, Hammond organ
Danny Seraphine: drums
Jimmy Pankow: trombone
Lee Loughnane: trumpet
Walt Parazaider: tenor saxophone

The horn players also played percussion, with Pankow on cowbell, Loughnane on claves, and Parazaider on tambourine.  Danny Seraphine played maracas on the track as well.  However, it is not clear if they were recorded, during the actual drum solo, or, overdubbed, later on.  Yours truly, is seeing Chicago, with Earth, Wind, & Fire, in concert, tonight.  Stay tuned, for a review of the gig.

Tony Williams' Lifetime "Fred"

Check out the original version of the instrumental, "Fred".  This is Tony Williams' Lifetime, with Allan Pasqua on Rhodes piano, and of course, Allan Holdsworth, on guitar.  The tune, was released, on Lifetime's 1975 record "Believe It".