HOW MUSIC CHANGED, PART 13-12 – THE LEGACY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG

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By 1937, Louis Armstrong’s career began to change significantly. His new manager, Joe Glaser, had begun to implement a number of maneuvers to increase Louis’ exposure, and in the process, his income. It was a long time coming, and it was wonderful for Louis to finally have some pocket money (he was only the most artistically important musician in the world at this time!), but the effect this had on his artistry (or his personal integrity) was much more ambiguous. Movies and radio were the two mediums that Glaser pursued, with mixed results. Today’s show focuses on those results.

Here are songs featured in today’s program;

1) The Skeleton in the Closet

2) Public Melody Number One

3) On a Little Bamboo Bridge

4) Sun Showers

5) On the Sunny Side of the Street

6) “Harlem” Radio Broadcast - a)Program Intro

b) I’ve Got a Heart Full of Rhythm

c) After You’ve Gone

d) Pennies from Heaven

e) That’s What I Like

f) Darling Nellie Gray

g) Washington and Lee Swing

h) Fleischmann’s Yeast Commercial

i) Sign-Off Station ID

A FEW TRACKS FROM JANUARY 1960

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It’s been a while since the new decade has rolled around, and we’ve spent so much time reviewing some of our favorite stuff from 2009 that we have yet to do a typical ‘anniversary’ show. So then, let’s get back on track by tripping back 50 years to January 1960. All songs from today’s show are now officially 50 years old – hard to believe in some cases, and no surprise in others.

Here, then, are songs covered in today’s program;

1) Let It Be Me – The Everly Brothers

2) Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin

3) Where Or When – Dion & the Belmonts

4) Theme from “A Summer Place” – Percy Faith & His Orchestra

5) Teen Angel – Mark Dinning

6) Silver Dagger – Joan Baez

7) Wildwood Flower – Joan Baez

8) Bye Bye Johnny – Chuck Berry

9) Down the Road Apiece – Chuck Berry

10) Let It Rock – Chuck Berry

11) It’s So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) – The Everly Brothers

12) Nashville Blues – The Everly Brothers

13) What About Us – The Coasters

HOW MUSIC CHANGED, PART 13-11 – THE LEGACY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG

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Our story picks up in 1935, as Louis completes an n extended working vacation in Europe. He returns to America only to find that his personal business is in a shambles, particularly as his management is concerned. Louis attempts to pick up the pieces, and finds himself with a new manager, on a new record label. Musically, he hits the cruise control button, which annoys critics but results in a catalog of consistently brilliant music.

Songs covered today include;

1) I’m In the Mood for Love

2) Got a Bran’ New Suit

3) Old Man Mose

4) Thanks a Million

5) Shoe Shine Boy

6) Solitude

7) I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket

8) Lyin’ To Myself

9) Ev’ntide

10) Swing That Music

A Few Selections from 2009, Part 3

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It’s not often that we get to cover contemporary music – and even still, the word ‘contemporary’ is relative, as we are talking about music from 2009 when it’s already 2010 – this is SO last year already! For us, it hardly matters. Since we spend most of our effort looking back 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years, looking at last year is positively new for us! So, here is one last look- our 3^rd in this series, at a few releases from 2009.

Here’s a list of stuff we cover today;

1) Catch and Release- Silversun Pickups (Swoon)

2) Lisztomania – Phoenix (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix)

3) Walkabout - Atlas Sound )Logos)

4) Up a Tree (Went This Heart IHave) - Cotton Jones

5) Weary Mind - Frankel (Anonymity Is the New Fame)

6) My Timing Is Off – The Eels (Hombre Loco)

7) The Ego Delusion – Soundtrack of Our Lives (Communion)

8) Unthought Known – Pearl Jam (Backspacer)

HOW MUSIC CHANGED, PART 13-10 – THE LEGACY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG

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Part 10 in our series covering the music and life of Louis Armstrong covers a period of transition in Louis’ life. Any musician’s life can be hard, especially if you divide most of your time between touring, performing and recording. As an American Black man touring the country in the pre-civil rights era, the difficulties were nearly insurmountable. Add in crooked managers, various mob interests who would just as soon you dead than alive, and the worst economic depression in recent history, and you quickly realize that we can’t really begin to imagine Armstrong’s state of mind during this period.

If you were to judge the times solely by his recorded output, Louis seems eternally happy, self-satisfied and generally pleased with the state of the world. He single-handedly took it upon himself to make others feel good, at a time when feeling good was not an easy thing to accomplish.

Here are song selections featured in today’s program;

1) I’ve Got the World on a String

2) I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues

3) Medley of Armstrong Hits (Part 1)

4) High Society

5) Honey, Do!

6) Hustlin’ and Bustlin’ For Baby

7) Laughin’ Louie

8) Song of the Vipers

9) Sweet Sue, Just You

A Few Selections from 2009, Part 2

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For our second show dedicated to music released in the past year, we were pleasantly surprised to be joined by Chad DePasquale. Chad hosts Ultrasound Lounge on WHPC-FM, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite radio programs, featuring an eclectic mix of just about anything, with a bent toward intelligent alternative contemporary music. Chad is the perfect foil for a show dedicated to new music, and both Heidy and I had a real good time sharing the hour with him. Here’s a list of songs that we manage to cover, between our conversations;

1) Dearest Forsaken – Iron and Wine

2) Cello Song – The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez

3) Knotty Pine – The Dirty Projectors w/ David Byrne

4) Stillness Is the Move – The Dirty Projectors

5) Diamond Dave – The Bird and the Bee

6) Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear

HoW MUSIC CHANGED, PART 13-9 – THE LEGACY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG

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Our 9^th episode covers an era that could be referred to as Louis’ ‘Classic’ Era, as it covers the time period when Louis rises to become (arguably) the single most famous musician in American history. All this takes place in the midst of rampant racism, prohibition laws (especially the gangsters that they inspired), and the worst economic depression that the country had ever witnessed. Louis could have seen his career derailed in any one of a hundred different ways, yet due to his talent and his indomitable goodwill, he managed to thrive. His musical innovations were now commonplace among musicians – if you couldn’t play like Louis, then you weren’t hip and you couldn’t swing. As a result, Louis settled into simply being himself. The music may have been only slightly less innovative, but virtually everything he touched still turned into musical gold.

Here are song selections from today’s program;

1) Blue Again

2) You Rascal You

3) Lazy River

4) Stardust

5) Chinatown, My Chinatown

6) The Lonesome Road

7) Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

8) All of Me

9) That’s My Home

10) Hobo, You Can’t Ride This Train

A Few Selections from 2009

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Before we get back into the swing of things, we figured it might be fun to look back at a few selections that were released during 2009. For a number of reasons, this is NOT a ‘Best Of’ show, as I feel thoroughly unqualified to compile a list of my own, and most lists prove be painfully wrong with what is (or is not) included. Since I spend so much time analyzing music from the past, I don’t get enough of a chance to listen to new stuff, so a lot of these songs sound virtually brand new to me. The point is to listen and have some fun. How simple!

Here are selections that we’ve chosen for today’s show – more will follow next week.

1) Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective (Merriweather Post Pavilion)

2) It’s All Good – Bob Dylan (Together Through Life)

3) Wilco (the Song) – Wilco (Wilco (the Album))

4) This Tornado Loves You – Neko Case (Middle Cyclone)

5) Oh No – Andrew Bird (Noble Beast)

6) The Rake’s Song/Abduction of Margaret – The Decemberists (The Hazards of Love)

7) Baby Boomer – Monsters of Folk (Monsters of Folk)

8) Stars of Leo – M. Ward