A rainbow tonight and the Big Pink

Up Canada Way: The Big Pink
Dylan and "the Band"



By the way, we have quite a number of miles "further on down the road" to get to Montreal. Check out the Band's Robbie Robertson, playing a Blues classic with "Slow Hand" Eric Clapton...



...and further on back in time on a road out of the past...a younger Clapton and band...

A little bit of red

Joshua Redman's here this afternoon to blow the sax and melt the snow in Chicago on this last Sunday in March.

Jazz Crimes (alleged, of course)...

Need a friend?

It's not exactly the old-fashioned hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," but what the Doobie Brothers put together in the early 1970's will do:



Here's a updated version by DC Talk, "Jesus is Still Alright with Me."

Having a tough day? Maybe you need...

a little or a lot (depending) of "Amazing Grace." Check it out: Carlos Santana and Jeff Beck

Odes to an abysmal economy

Need a little "ca-ching" in your life? Pink Floyd’s classic: “Money”



Money, or the love of money is the root of all evil? Here's Monty Python’s “The Money Song”



She's quite good...too real a situation??

Video Diary of Unemployment

Al That!

Al Jarreau “Take Five” with a little nonsense Skat to start off.



George and Al…

We interrupt this blog with a Blue Message

We saw Blue Man Group in Vegas, and will share a personal pix later. In the meantime, catch this...

You betcha we're back!!!

Aaron and mom just came back from Vegas!! Little story behind it, but it’s rather on the boring side. This clip is not on the boring side!! Need a jolt of energy? Watch Bette Middler…She does “look good!” Her lyrics, antics, and style are worth the price of admission. The Inimitable Diva of Las Vegas will be playing Caesar’s Palace next week.

Give a DAM

DAM, “Born Here.”
Hip Hop: the You Tube lingua franca?

Feeling down and under? Have a green beer!

Dylan Subterranean Blues



Happy St. Paddy's!! Here's the Clancy Brothers singing Bob Dylan's "When the Ship Comes in."

Skipped Friday the 13th

For class on Saturday March 14, 2009


Less than four minutes, Non-Violence: Jainism Way of Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9NcGAE4WOU&feature=related

Jainism and Buddhism Compared
This is a 10-minute video clip, and is only audio, but it is quite informative. Both are traditions centered around their founder’s teachings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cASZK6Qgp3g&feature=related

Mood music

A little bit of War Time music

Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood”

Pairing up

Two Steve’s… Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughan



Two milestones…Miles and John

 

It's only Monday

First lesson in the blues…ol’ Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra



One of mom’s favorites: “Stormy Monday.” Check out Lou Rawls’ version.



Let’s end this blue-funk Monday with Isaac Hayes’ and a Super Fly-kinda piece, “The Pursuit of the Pimpmobile”

Dark rainy and late

It’s getting late but it’s not quite “The Midnight Hour.”



It rained and rained today, but not quite a “Texas Flood.”
 

For Saturday morning class

Buddhism at the local level…



Sikhism




White Sikhs in LA!

Three Six Nine

I know it’ll be midnight soon, but it’s still 3/6/9 today! Gee-tar pickin’ ragtime Blind Arthur Blake had a song called, “Playing Policy Blues.” Not sure if he played the numbers or craps, but either way, he didn’t win:

I act like a fool and played 3-6-9
I act like a fool and played 3-6-9
Lost my money and that girl of mine

So don't you get yourself "three-six-nined" on 3/6/09!

Listen as Blind Arthur sings about winning a woman in a poker game, “Poker Woman Blues”:

It's Friday!

Well, it’s Chicago and it feels like further south…Is spring here? Mebbe yes mebbe no. But one thing we do know: It’s Friday! Shabbat Shalom, everyone!

Bobby and JayZ?

Bobby and JayZ? Why not? Dylan, to me, has that genius, exploratory nature, like a scientist of music forms. Not afraid to go into the lab, and not afraid to blow up a few experiments. Not afraid to stretch, try, grow. He said it himself when he made kind of a brucha ("blessing"): "May you be forever young."

In Mercy, Mercy he did this kind of creepy piece about a man in the long black coat. Listen in to this version and see what you think.

Lord have mercy!

Here's Marvin Gaye's Mercy Mercy Me



Here's mom's "man" at the drums, the inimitable Buddy Rich (Berlin, 1970) and his big band doing Mercy, Mercy

125 box cars rumble through Buffalo Grove

Not too long ago, there was a freight train derailment in Buffalo Grove. Today I waited while three engines pulled nearly 130 box cars. My mother reported waiting for a train that had five engines puffing away, hauling a long train running. Apparently it takes a freight train two-and-one-half days to get from Los Angeles to Chicago, and then it takes another two days to get in, around, and through Chicago!!!But then it only takes a day-and-one-half or two days to get to New York.

So this song by the Doobie Brothers might come in useful when the gate comes down in front of your car!

Long Train Running



What does Bob Dylan think of this? “There’s a slow, slow train comin’ up around the bend.”

Funky First Monday in March

It's March: it's winter, it's spring; it's cold, it's warm(er). It's windy, and it's mad. And daylight savings time goes into effect Sunday morning March 8 at 2:00 a.m.

Heatwave on the Grooveline (1978)



“Making it funky…” Interesting series with a few accolades for what Larry Caldwell did for the bass…



...and one more piece...


 

March: Let the Madness begin

Aaron and I headed out one fine Saturday to have his car subjected to the Illinois Emission test. There were so many cars descending on the place that we decided to leave, and did what most Jews would do in a situation like this. We went out to eat. On the way to Walker Brothers, Aaron was playing "Acid Rain Drops" by People Under the Stairs. What's there not to like?