Smile! You're on Battle of the Bands Results ( #BOTB Results )

       "There is nothing new under the sun," said King Solomon in the Bible.  I guess that means we keep on rehashing the same old stuff and pretending that it's innovation...

     
          After I had posted my previous post for #IWSG I realized that there was a connection between that post and my previous #BOTB post.   Both of these posts presented elements from my past--that sometimes hazy part known as the seventies.  At that time I was listening to a lot of wild music (like the Don Ellis Orchestra piece that I offered in my BOTB using the song "Hey Jude") while at the same time writing a lot of wild surrealistic stuff.

          But it was the seventies--a time of experimentation and rebellion against what the previous generations had liked.  Now as I look back I realize that many of the movies I liked then are rather tedious for me to watch now--to much muddle and nonsense.  On the other hand, I tend to enjoy the psychedelic music from that era.  Don Ellis is still a band that I find to be pretty darn great.  Too bad Ellis died at the age of 44 in 1978.   What additional heights this innovative musician/composer could have attained is left to speculation.

          Interestingly as well, I could not help but notice a similarity between my Battle and that of BOTB host Stephen T McCarthy in presentations offered.   Both of our contests faced off a trio against an actual orchestra.  Simple spare arrangements versus big brassy orchestrations that were longer in length.   And in both cases the bigger more complex arrangements were vastly overpowered by the smaller trios.  Two David versus Goliath battles!


Battle of the Bands Results

       In my Battle of June 1st,  I matched the small ensemble not-an-orchestra Smile Orchestra against the venerable music giant the Don Ellis Orchestra with their versions of the Beatles classic "Hey Jude".  Though this song has been highly lauded by many and was a huge song after it was released, many voters indicated that they did not particularly care for this song.  It's not my favorite either--overly long and repetitious.

         I didn't quite expect the voting to be so overwhelmingly against the psychedelia of Don Ellis, but that it was and it looks like I have a real blowout this time.  If I don't count my vote it's a shut out.  Yes, I voted for Don Ellis.  Old favorite, you know, and you might have guessed that from my post.

       All I can say is that I recommend any fans of the big band sound to listen to a bit more of Don Ellis.  There is some fine listening ahead for those who do.  At least that's how I see it.  And now I'll leave this Battle to a fading memory not to be mentioned again after this...

Final Vote Tally

Smile Orchestra         14 votes

Don Ellis Orchestra      1 vote (mine)



Next Battle on Saturday June 15th

       I'll try to do better on that one.  Actually I don't think this previous Battle was all that bad.  But I like a lot of stuff including anchovies on my pizza.

       
       What new thing that you've discovered actually happened to be a very old thing?   Why does it seem like that so often genius dies young?  Do you like anchovies on your pizza?    Do you like ukulele music? 

Two Writers Walk into a Bar...

     

        "Two writers walk into a bar" sounds like a variation on a cliched joke opening.  And really the observation has little to do with the point I wanted to make in this post.  First though, if you haven't voted on my current Battle of the Bands you might want to click this link in order to vote and read  the story and then skim through the comments   My words today are reflective of what was said there.

          Also, you might want to check out my most recent post on Wrote By Rote for some more backstory regarding the Battle of the Bands post.  In my Battle winner's announcement on Wednesday I'll continue on with my reflections and then hope to hear your thoughts as well.  Come to that post with your philosopher's robe and your memory cap.

            Concerning present thoughts about the two writers walking into a bar--I'll state right here that in my life I have been no stranger to going to bars, but for the most part I have neither been a frequent bar patron.  Not like Stephen T. McCarthy seemed to indicate about himself in his comment on my post.   Here's part of what McCarthy said:

It's occurred to me lately that probably there is no place you can go and meet a wider spectrum of people -- good and bad -- than in a bar. And I don't mean any bar. Not some rundown ghetto bar. But your average bar and grill in an average neighborhood.

That does pretty much describe people I've found in bars.  I have these vague recollections of some pretty interesting people that I've met and spent an hour or two or more with and then I never see them again and can't even remember their names.  

         However,  me being in a bar by myself is unlikely.  Most of my visits to bars were because I was with other people who were going there.  I'd go, but I usually didn't drink much.   For one thing I'm cheap--or should I say frugal?--and don't like spending money drinking.  Happy hour can be nice--especially if there are cheap (or even free!) snacks to nosh on while sipping inexpensive drinks. Then I save money on dinner and that ain't bad at all.

          My bar days are essentially behind me though so if two writers walk into a bar then one of them would probably not be me.   So the question in order to arrive at the punch line is who are these writers?  What are their genres?   Or for that matter, do they write fiction?

           As a joke teller you'd want to establish character motivation and set the scene.   Maybe some backstory would be good.  Are the writers married?   What are their genders?  What are their educational backgrounds?   And who else is in the bar?

         Sorry but I could keep rambling on about this idea. Maybe there is no joke here from my telling.  I should write a story about this.  I was never very good at telling jokes.    Actually maybe I should write a book about it.  Be watching for the release of my forthcoming book Two Writers Walk into a Bar.   Yeah, right, sure--just as soon as I write it.

           Hmmm...I kind of like that title:  Two Writers Walk into a Bar.

            Are you good at telling jokes?   Have you (or do you still) ever hung out in bars?  What would be a good way to end the joke that starts "Two writers walk into a bar..."?

Quixotic, Concrete, and Everything In Between (#atozchallenge)

“The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby on Manhattan

Queensborough Bridge and Midtown Manhattan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Corner NYC (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Midtown Manhattan from Liberty Harbor in Weehawken New Jersey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Diverse City:  Quixotic, Concrete, and Everything in Between

        Manhattan is the city of dreams and harsh reality.  It's a place where idealism converges fundamental realism.  The tough and the gentle.  Cold and sentimental.  Manhattan is the embodiment of city life in the United States.  Name a city in America and one of the top ten answers will be New York City.  It's very probable that the "Big Apple" will be the number one answer.  Yeah, the Big Apple--New York, New York.   That's Manhattan to youse guys.

         "What Does Manhattan Say to You?" was the question that I asked back in January.  The answers were many.   Manhattan said a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  Here are a few of those answers:

1. Crystal Collier said:

   Yeah... Manhattan brings back memories--little kids, bumper-car parking, brighter lights than Vegas, tourism, statue of liberty, Chinatown, amazing food, and smoke. You can't get away from the smoking in NYC. Ever.
   1. Sherry Ellisused her imagination to bring the city to life in her mind:  
   2. I have never been to Manhattan, but when I hear the word, I think of a bustling place, rich with people, activities, and art.
   3. Jamie Dorner remembered:
   4. I love watching the sunrise at Rockefeller Center. Of my many Manhattan memories, that's my favorite. The city that never sleeps takes long periods of "just resting my eyes." I've got a few pics from a trip a decade ago.
   5. Cathy Kennedy is another who relies on her mind's eye to see the city:
   6. Lee, I have not been to Manhattan, but the first things that come to mind in no particular order are skyscrapers, city lights, the privileged, and crime. I think it would be an interesting place to visit someday.
   7. And finally there were some observations from Stephen T. McCarthy who co-hosts the bimonthly Battle of the Bands: 
   8. Here's what I think of when I hear the word "Manhattan"...

   • The song which was the inspiration for the Francis Ford Coppola movie  'ONE FROM THE HEART'. (Catch that first sentence.)
   • I hate the Yankees.
   • I hate the Mets a wee bit less.
2. That's all the word "Manhattan" makes me think of.
3. 
   
4. Well... one more thing...
5. 
   
6. It's damned difficult to find a chocolate bunny in Manhattan on Easter Sunday! And if you do find one, they'll gouge you on the price! (But you'll buy it anyway because... well... Easter, chocolate bunny.)

       Thanks Stephen T McCarthy!   Love it!   As always you add some unique twists.  I would have never thought of the chocolate bunny angle.  But come to think of it I had a similar experience in Toronto one Easter back in the 1980's so I totally relate to this story.   Sometimes it's not easy to find a chocolate bunny when you really crave one. 

          If someone asked you to name a city in the U.S, what would likely be your first answer?   If you were vacationing in Manhattan what would be the main things you would want to see?   Have you ever craved something and couldn't find it right away?    

     

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Just A-Swingin': BOTB Results

A Close One!

        Benny Goodman was known as "The King of Swing" and Lena Horne was a "queen" of female vocalists during the Swing Era.   Putting up the two of them against each other in my most recent Battle of the Bands contest was like swinging at the playground.   The vote went back and forth--and understandably so.

        Like me, many of you were torn about which way to go with your vote.   This was a tough decision.  If any contest so far deserved to be a tie then this was the one.   I like both Horne's and Goodman's versions of "The Man I Love" so much that I am tempted to call it a tie for my own vote, but I prefer to state a clear winner instead of establishing a precedent of wishy-washy decision making.   So I made a choice.

       Before I tell you who I voted for, let me tell you the predicament that I have here.   At my final count, according to your voting Goodman takes a narrow win with 13 votes against Horne's 12 votes.    As you can see, the outcome of my vote will either result in a tie or it will mean a win for Benny.  So what to do?

A Dilemma

      In the comment section of his own Battle post, BOTB co-host Stephen T. McCarthy made the following bold prediction about who my choice would be in my own contest:

         On your own August 15th 'BOTB' installment, without the slightest hesitation, undoubtedly, unquestionably, and with 100% certainty I can predict that you will cast your own vote for Lena Horne.

       Well, now what?  With that statement I feel almost an obligation to vote for Lena.   Her recording is indeed top notch.  It's not just the vocal either.   The orchestration is sublime to my ears.  Mr. McCarthy knows that I have a particular fondness for strings in music and the string section in this arrangement is sublime.  Then when that beautiful brief violin solo comes in my musical heart melts.   This recording by Lena is a real winner.

        If I vote for Benny Goodman's version I might be accused of just trying to prove Mr. McCarthy wrong.  The Goodman version is a winner as well, but do I dare vote in that direction appearing in the end as just attempting to be a contrarian?   I may have a bit of a reputation at times for going against the grain just for the sake of controversy so voting the opposite way that my good blog buddy predicted could appear to be suspect.

        Perhaps some further explanation is warranted in this case.

The Story Behind My Vote

       Throughout my childhood I'd been very familiar with Benny Goodman's music.   I'd seen the movie biopic of his life which starred Steve Allen, one of my childhood heroes--I loved Allen's television show.  Goodman himself had also appeared in several movies which were sometimes played on television.  The clarinetist was an iconic representative from the Swing Era who maintained a presence on the entertainment scene when I was a kid.

         After I started college in 1970, I continued to expand my musical knowledge and sought out recordings of music beyond the rock that I had been mostly been listening to.  Most of the classical, jazz, and world music albums that I began to purchase I obtained through some clearance house that would send out a catalog through the mail.  That's where I got my copy of "The Benny Goodman Quartet Live at Carnegie Hall".

          The music thrilled me.  I gained a new perspective of what jazz was all about and this album fueled my interest in the genre.  The Goodman Quartet album was on my turntable frequently.  The standout song on the album was "The Man I Love".   This was not frantic wild music like I had associated with the term "jazz", but it was mellow relaxing music where Goodman let his fellow musicians shine in their quiet elegant solos.  This album has been a big favorite of mine for over 40 years.

          Lena Horne was a frequent presence on television during my younger years, but her music never much caught my attention until around the mid 1990's when I ordered a compilation CD of her earlier music.  It was older sounding music from a music era that I love.  This disc had great classics that I'd known all my life--some of my favorite songs.   This is an album I continue to listen to with regularity.   Her voice, the orchestration, the songs, the style--this is music that I truly enjoy.

         In the end though, if I have to pick my favorite version of "The Man I Love" between Goodman and Horne, then I'll go with the Quartet.  This is not to say that I like Lena's less because there is a parity between the two.  However going with personal favorite in terms of the version that has been with me the longest and provides me with the best memories then I vote for the version by the Benny Goodman Quartet.

         My vote is not a "swing vote", but just an affirmation of the outcome as voted by the voters in this contest.   Benny wins this one, but Lena is right there close to the top.   Great contest!

Final Tally:

Benny Goodman Quartet    14 votes
Lena Horne                        12 votes 

          Thanks for voting in this BOTB!   Join me again on Monday September 1 for another classic song contest pitting the girls against the boys.   My next Battle is one that I think you will find interesting.  It's one that will be tough for me to predict as my choices may be considered rather odd.

          What do you think of my explanation for my vote?    Have you seen The Benny Goodman Story?    If Lena Horne's style turns you off, why is that?

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Battle of the Bands: I'm Jumping in the Song River for Round 3

And Now for the Friday Night Fights
   
         This is round three of the Battle of the Bands.  I missed rounds one and two but when I saw this going on I just had to dive in--I love this music stuff as you regular readers may be aware.  If you're wondering what I'm even talking about you can check my original announcement or you can go directly to the source at Faraway Series and Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends.   In fact you need to go to those sites to see who the other contenders doing battle are.  Then you vote your opinion.  Don't forget there are prizes at stake.

Here's the Deal

        Let me explain more about this.  On (or around) the first and fifteenth of each month we who are participating will post our selected match-ups.   In the comments readers will vote for their favorite versions of each song.  Be sure to give us your reason for voting on the selection you have chosen.  Then on (or about) the 7th and 21st of each month we who have participated in the BOTB posts will announce the vote tally and tell you our own personal choices.   Easy enough, right?

        Why should you vote?  Here's Stephen T McCarthy's explanation: Every 4 months there will be a new compact disc winner. In other words, ‘Battle Of The Bands’ #1 was posted on August 1, 2013, so at the end of November, one of you lucky voters is going to win a CD that includes one of the songs we’ve featured in our ‘Battle Of The Bands’ installments (you get to choose, and it doesn’t matter if the song won or lost its battle – if you like it, it’s YOURS!)

        Stephen at Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends is monitoring the contest so be sure to vote at his site. And Faraway Eyes at Faraway Series put together this whole extravaganza so be sure to visit her site as well. 

          So on with my part of the show!   Here are my contenders:

Neil Young "Down by the River" (1969)

         This classic song is from prolific songwriter/music artist Neil Young's  second album.   In his sophomore solo effort Young was backed by Crazy Horse, a band made up of most of the members of Los Angeles based group The Rockets.  I probably don't have to say much about the artist or the song since most of you are probably familiar with both.

         Take a listen...




McKendree Spring "Down by the River" (1972)

        McKendree Spring appeared on the music scene in 1969, but I didn't pick up on them until they had released their third album in 1972.   When I noted that they were covering one of my favorite songs by Neil Young and had a violin player in their line up, I decided that this was an album that I had to own.  I was not disappointed.  Their albums frequently include cover versions.

         Lamentably, the third album is the only McKendree Spring album I've ever owned and the only one that I'm familiar with.  Since Amazon and other internet purveyors were not around yet, finding the Spring albums was not always easy.  Back then I rarely ordered albums in record stores and music buying was mostly an impulse thing for me.  If I had seen other Spring albums at times when I had the money on hand, I would have probably picked them up.

        This group is still together and has a few recent recordings.  They apparently still play on occasion.  You can find more about them at the McKendree Spring website.

         Here's their version...





Now It's Your Turn

        Please vote for your favorite version in my comment section.  Then go to the blogs of Stephen and Faraway Eyes  to vote for their contenders.   Your votes will be kept on record for the final tally.

         You may win a CD!

          If  you want to join in and post your own battle we welcome you to do so.  Let us know in the comment section that you are adding your own match ups.   It's not a blogfest officially, but it's kind of like one.  If you're joining us then be sure to link to the three blogs that are in the contest (mine, Faraway Eyes, and Stephen T McCarthy) so readers will know what's going on and join in on the contest.  I've already heard that Alex J Cavanaugh is doing a battle on his site.

          Don't forget to come back on September 7th (or the case of Tossing It Out Friday September 6th) to see which version readers preferred and why I chose my personal favorite.

           Which version do you prefer?   Why do you prefer this version?   Had you previously heard of McKendree Spring?

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