#rodney playing the piano

[twotales]

AU where Laura and Rodney meet when Laura goes to Canada for a tap dancing competition and he's the local kid picked to play the piano for her team.

The two of them interacting as highschoolers would be gold okay, literal gold.

Because they win.

[cecilyv]

Comfort Fanfic Reccs

@liminalmemories21 tagged me in this and I just KNOW she knew I was going to (A) fall down like, a zillion rabbit holes, (B) sit there for a while trying to think of a story/author that was one the tip of my tongue but failing, and (C) then get upset again because, y'all, the internet is NOT FOREVER. Of course there are things this makes me happy about, but in this instance.

Okay, this is no way all of them. I am re-reader. I reread. I have been in fandom for over 30 years. I retain the right to post again later with more of these because I want my friends to get the pleasure of reading these for the first time or the thousandth time -- it's all the same.

Also some of these are sad. Some are happy. I've found that I go to all them for comfort, depending on the day.

freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose by synecdochic (SGA, Rodney/John).

"There is a gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery. It sits watch over an empty grave, and there is a vine with small blue flowers, one the gardeners can't identify from any book, twining up its side." I know I've mentioned it before, but this fic lives rent free in my brain and it's sad, and lovely, and sad, and thought provoking and lovely and just read it.

This is how it works by Lim

A connected rec: Lim, not my lim but another fandom Lim, made this video for/about freedom's just another word. I'm so glad it exists on the internet still. Scroll down in the link and you might have to hit play a few times to get it to load, but it's worth it. This is the vid that made me realize the power of vids AND introduced me to Regina Spektor, so, thank you lim.

Telegraph Avenue by hackthis (the O.C. -- Seth/OMC, Seth/Ryan)

I am, in fact, sending you to the wilds of livejournal because hackthis left fandom (mumbles under her breadth) years ago and none of her stuff exists on ao3 (if it does, please let me know because that would be amazing). Honestly, I rec all her stuff -- the generation kill, the inception, freaking neville longbottom/theodore nott -- read it all, even if it's on livejournal.

Pre-Existing Condition by Helenish (Die Hard, Matt Farrell/John McClane)

Okay, okay, bear with me. I had an incredibly difficult time figuring out which of Helenish's stories to link, but I went with this one because it's a showcase of -- I will follow this author anywhere and love it. I have read this story so many times. In Helenish, I trust and that's going to be a running theme here. Come for this one, stay for the Inception, SGA, Teen Wolf, and hockey rpf, if that's your bag. Apparently, helenish was my very first bookmark on ao3 which totally tracks.

Don't You Shake Alone by Dira Sudis (Generation Kill, Brad/Nate)

Nate looked exactly like Brad always pictured him: exhausted in the full life-in-a-combat-zone sense of the word. Nate has a baby and Brad shows up. I have read this oh, like, at least a dozen times. It hits every single one of my buttons.

Steinway!verse by toomuchplor (Inception, Arthur/Eames)

Being a freshman piano performance major at a prestigious New England conservatory is difficult enough without landing the school's star baritone as your singer, and inevitably, your hopeless crush.

Written by the Victors by Cesperanza (SGA)

Caroll, Franklin R. Atlantis Revisited. New York and London, Routledge, 2011. Chapman, Denise. Several Kinds of Genius: The Life of Rodney McKay. NY: Harper Perennial, 2015. Croft, Rosalind. City of Spires: A Memoir. Toronto: The Mercury Press, 2009. Dugan, Paul. A Political History of Atlantis. Oxford: OUP, 2012. This changed fandom and me, and go read it, if you haven't. Also, Lim recced With six you get eggroll which was, uh, maybe why I finally watched Due South.

Behind closed doors: collected oral histories of queer community in New York, 1930-1945. doi 10.1999/journal.amhistqstud.32557038 by wobblyheadeddollcaper (Captain America, Bucky/Steve)

Steve Rogers, supersoldier and inept historian, confronts the absence of evidence. Those who know me, know why.

Drastically Redefining Protocol by rageprufrock (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin)

Honestly, another author I follow to the ends of the earth. I know Lim recced it to, so hopefully you go read it.

Noblesse Oblige by Alethia (Generation Kill, Brad/Nate)

This was not a normal day. This day existed to prove that hell was real and it came with musical accompaniment by will.i.am. On this day, Steve figured out how to get him out of the office and torment him at the same time by sending him to the godforsaken DNC where it was all 'we shall overcome,' oh-happy-day bullshit. Which merely justified Brad's hatred of the world and everyone in it. With a side of Worthy of Trust and Confidence because her Brad voice is just THAT GOOD.

I don't see how there won't be a second set of these at some point.

[spurious]

I mean

@audioletter ALSO made this perfect moodboard so. Let’s go.

Simple math, the truth cannot be fractioned

Rodney has always known that some things are simple, and some things are not. Simple doesn't always mean easy, but it does mean that there's a logic, a set of rules, a schematic he can hang on to if he starts to lose his way.

Physics is simple, playing the piano is simple, caring for a cat is simple, rewiring circuits is simple. Other people do not seem to think these things are simple, but Rodney knows this; knows that they are, if you can see.

Then there are the things that are not simple, the things that other people seem to grow angrier and angrier about as it becomes more and more apparent how not simple these things are for Rodney.

Human bodies, for example, are not simple, no matter how closely he tries to study, tracing anatomical diagrams like the drawings of wiring he's seen in the engineer's notebooks he saves his allowance to buy at Radio Shack. Rodney tries to understand how it all works together, but it's so messy, so filled with points of failure, that he can't, can't understand it and can't understand why no one else seems to be as horrified as he is to be trapped in an uncontrollable mass of meat and water and electrical impulses firing-misfiring, he knows, when he watches Jeannie having her first seizure, like something out of a horror movie.

Even more confusing and arcane are the unwritten, unseen rules, lines, connections between and around each person Rodney meets. He tries, at first: hopes that sharing his interests will bring connection, but in response he gets scorn, gets labels inked onto him over and over until they become true, become real, become a cloak to wrap around himself in protection: know-it-all, pompous, rude.

Rodney clings to simplicity, clings to the black and white that he can understand, knowing and accepting that maybe it's narrowed his world a little, but it's better than the alternative. He's certain of this, certain of the simplicity of his life until he steps through the stargate for the first time and life fractals out around him: simply un-simple, more than he ever expected to find, right in front of him the moment he lifts his head.

[kaifougere666]

Request: Rodney playing piano and bigweld singing "Daisy bell" and they both wearing victorian suit

A very much waited prestation ⚙️✨️

Thank you for your request

[goddess47]

Play

For @stargatefests microfic challenge -- also on AO3

-----

There had been a quickly-hidden joy in Rodney's face when they found the not-piano. It had taken John weeks to coax him to play.

Ford and Teyla learned to listen from a distance.

Then Jinto asked about the music. John bit back a smile as Rodney found himself designated as the not-piano teacher to the children.

[daggerzine]

Interview with James Dickson of The Chills! (by Matthew Kenneth)

Interview with James Dickson 8/8, 8/9 2024  James Dickson was in The Chills (Keyboards: ‘99-’05, bass: ‘05-’18)  

MK: So how did you joining The Chills come about? When was that? You were on keyboards first, correct? 

JD: I saw Martin during a party I was performing at early in 1999 - chatted to him briefly outside which he didn’t seem to recall later. Months later I saw him pass by the piano shop I was working at in south Dunedin - I went out and caught up with him, reminded him that I was available if he ever needed a guitar player, bassist or keyboard player.  He said actually yes as he’d been asked by Neil Finn if he could perform at a New Year's concert in Auckland. At this time Todd and Rodney had just recently joined but were yet to do a show. 

MK: How familiar were you with him, with his music. Had you seen them play before then? 1999 would have been not long after a long string of successive LPs. A few years after Sunburnt. Assuming there was an age difference, did you see things change dramatically in Dunedin, in NZ or were you too young maybe then to have seen the early days of the scene and the changes that occurred (if any). 

JD: I was a big fan of Submarine Bells (introduced to it by my older brother) but had been in Dunedin only a few years at that point.I was 12 years younger. I had seen that he was in the lowlands and wanted to join up to help him get cracking. 

MK: Like, down. Emotionally etc. 

JD: Well yes, in a musical sense.  But for instance, a chap in the band I was in said to me that I shouldn’t join as “Martin is a junkie”. So I quit that band and joined The Chills to help Martin in whatever way I could. 

MK: So you joined. With a gig already looming. NYE. 

JD: 20 songs to learn in three months I recall. 

MK: Doable  

JD: Some practices he bailed out on which ramped up the pressure. 

MK: On keys? I would assume it being a local crowd,  no pressure to play "the hits". 

JD: Yeah. Always had to play "Leather Jacket" and "Pink Frost." Almost every single show I’m fairly sure. 

MK: Lost EP and Brave Words era? How did rehearsals go? 

JD: Yes, four from Brave Words and at a few shows we performed "Whole Weird World." Rehearsals were great for me at any rate. They went well for the most part. 

MK: Were you learning keyboard parts that had already been established? Andrew Todd, Peter Allison.. 

JD: Yes, some were challenging like "Efflorescence and Deliquesce."  Many I wrote parts for. 

MK: Favorite song to play? 

JD: "Dan Destiny and the Silver Dawn" 

MK: How frequently did the band play after that? 

JD: Infrequent for a bit though we rehearsed regularly. (Sends me complete compiled setlists)  

MK: How were shows received in the early 2000s? Tours? When did you switch to bass? 

JD: Happy and impressed crowds for the most part. Some were diabolical due to Martin being sick. 

MK: When/how did the switch come about? To bass I mean. 

JD: December 3rd 2005 was my first show on bass. At Emerson’s brewery in Dunedin.  We were a three piece for a while. I had let Rodney go because I was tired of not hearing what I wanted to hear on bass and he was disinterested in general. 

MK: Was there not a lot of new material in the 2000s?  

JD: Kinda had to coax it out of him. He was on autopilot. Once I got on bass it was different. 

MK: Did you help write/arrange from 2005? 

JD: Yes, and also before. 

MK: It must've been exciting touring for SB's. New songs, new record, North America etc .

JD: Making the album was very rewarding for me. It’s my favourite thing. 

MK: What was your working relationship like? Friends? Were you close?  

JD: Close friends, we talked honestly together about many difficult things. 

MK: As a fan, I always felt that in his lyrics or in the subtext that he struggled with stuff. So many lyrics where he sounded like he felt like he was alone. 

JD: I believe he struggled to feel connected. I took a phone call from Martin at 2am a few months back. I’m grateful that I was awake to talk and be true to my claim “you can call me anytime you’re struggling”  

MK: So how long did it take to record Silver Bullets? 

JD: Maybe twenty days or something like that I think? 

MK: So you were his principal songwriting partner. 

JD: I would say so but not too loudly because I wouldn’t want folks to think I was being attention seeking or anything like that. 

MK: Lyrics too? 

JD: Only in the smallest way. Little ideas or changing words - stuff like that. 

MK: Was there a concerted effort to make these new Chills songs fit into the larger historical Chills story.  

JD: Martin was keen to explore new ideas and happy for the songs to sound 21st century. 

MK: I think despite the newness, there was still The Chills stamp on it. 

JD: I personally would describe that as his unique vocals and lyrics + magic reverb guitar lines and unusual chord progressions. 

MK: Without having looked too closely at the tours database to see how often you came to the states/north America in those 20 yrs I would assume this tour felt special. 

JD: Most definitely, it meant a lot to us and Martin in particular. The last shows he had in the USA previously were bad memories he hoped to alter by way of this tour. He felt he had addressed those bad memories in the way hoped by replacing them with warm happy new ones. 

MK: Lack of attendance? Poor promotion? 

JD: Hmm, no - more like troubles behind the scenes. 

MK: But the SBs tour went better? 

JD Absolutely, he felt he had addressed those bad memories in the way he hoped by replacing them with warm, happy, new ones. 

MK: He seemed happy. Based on the show I saw and followed him on social media. 

Interview concluded as James was occupied with mourning the loss of his friend and Martin’s funeral etc. Thank you, James, for your time and candid and warm words. Much appreciated.

www.firerecords.com

[elifalvey]

♫ — INTRODUCING . . .

FULL NAME: Elijah Ray Falvey.

NICKNAME(S): Eli, EJ, E.

AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: 41. November 8th, 1982.

GENDER & PRONOUNS: Cisgender man. He/him.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual.

OCCUPATION: Ghostwriter, producer & owner of MOREMUSIC studio.

HOMETOWN: Cardiff, Wales.

PREVIOUSLY LIVED: Los Angeles, California ( 2006 - 2020 ).

TIME IN PROVIDENCE PEAK: 2000 - 2006, 2020 - present.

CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD: Claret Park.

FACECLAIM: Tom Ellis.

STATS • WANTED • TIMELINE • MUSINGS

♫ — BIOGRAPHY . . .

TRIGGER WARNINGS • Car accidents, death, implied depression & grief.

There was never a dull moment in the Falvey household — or a quiet one, at that. Born to two eccentric musicians in Cardiff, Wales, Elijah Ray Falvey was destined to love music from his very first breath. His parents could sense it, too. Calming notes from a melody always seemed to soothe their son’s cries in a way that never replicated itself when it came to their later children, and they were pretty sure that they saw him dance before they saw him stand up on his own two feet. It made sense that one of the earliest memories that Elijah could muster, there was a pair of drumsticks in his hands, banging pots and pans in a crowded kitchen to David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’.

With all of the musical instruments lying around, it was safe to say that Elijah had experience with most of them by the time he was six years old. One that he was forbidden to touch, however, was his father’s dusty Steinway Model piano that took up space in the family’s garage. Any time that he got too curious and climbed up on the stool to see it, Rodney Falvey was rushing after him and grumbling about 'his grandfather’s prized possession’, or something like that. Although, one day, when Rodney wasn’t home and his mother was too occupied chasing after his siblings in the yard, Elijah snuck into the carport and fell in love almost instantaneously.

From that day onwards, playing that piano was all that occupied Elijah’s mind. At school, around the playground, when he was sleeping — learning how to properly play was all that consumed his entire being. After several exhausting months of begging his father to teach him, Rodney eventually gave in and bought his son a keyboard of his own to practice on. It was everything that Elijah ever could have dreamed of and more, much to everyone’s dismay who couldn’t pry him away from the damn thing. No other instrument seemed to matter to him as much as his piano did, and his parents had even wound up paying a private instructor to come to the house each week in order to help him hone his skill.

Other than music, his life was fairly average. He did averagely in academics, had an average amount of friends and ended his secondary school career on a pretty average note. His life stopped being average merely a couple of months before his eighteenth birthday when his parents sat him and his siblings down to tell them the news: they were moving to America. His parents, who normally performed their music locally at bars and events, wanted to expand their career and sign a deal with a recording company in the states. That meant that they had to take the next step and pack their quaint life in Wales away and trade it for a long plane ride to Colorado.

Just outside of Denver in Providence Peak is where the Falvey family wound up, just in time for Elijah to enroll in Providence Peak University the following school year. He mainly kept his head down and kept to himself, minding his own business as the foreign freshman that some other students would whisper about. It wasn’t until he met one particular freshman in October that he started coming out of his shell.

Harrison Morrey was what some would consider an old soul — he was incredibly mature for his age, but incredibly goofy at the same time; he had the same passion for music that Elijah did, hence how he found the other man following him around like a fly on the wall for months after they had met. Practically joined at the hip, Harrison would bug Elijah every single day to consider joining his newly formed rock band, Amethyst. Every single day until Christmas, Elijah politely declined. He was apprehensive of the idea even after he reluctantly agreed to listen in on one practice (which of course, turned into two which turned into all of them after that) purely because he had thought that he wasn’t made to be in a band. As much as he enjoyed music, he enjoyed creating it even more than performing it and the position of band member didn’t necessarily suit him very much. He was too reserved, too adamant on sticking to what he was comfortable with rather than trying something new. He couldn’t be in a band. Not in a million years. Harrison was nothing if not persistent, though. That much was a fact. He successfully managed to convince Elijah by the new year to be the last missing member that they needed to man the keyboard.

For countless hours after school, Elijah, Harrison and three other bandmates spent time experimenting with their style and making music that they loved. Even after all five of them graduated from the University, they still stuck together. In fact, Elijah ended up moving out of his parents’ new home in order to move in with Harrison only a few blocks away from the other band members’ apartment. They were all closer than ever, but Elijah would consider Harrison in particular his best friend so long as the other three weren’t around to hear it.

Elijah grew into his fear exponentially, realized somewhere along the way that performing music had become a passion of his and they were having fun. It reminded him of his own parents and how much joy they got from performing, and he started to think that he wouldn’t mind doing the same for the rest of his life as long as it was with them. Making music because they loved to, to put their heart and soul into their craft regardless of who was listening — that was what his dream had become, and all it took was one big break to achieve that dream.

In 2005, Amethyst had received an email from an employee at Warner Records; they wanted to meet with them and discuss a deal, from their headquarters in Los Angeles. Making the trip out there was one of the easiest decisions that they had ever made in their lives, as was officially signing on with them a handful of weeks later to record their first ever EP. The marketing that came along with working with such a large company brought with it a level of success that surpassed anything that Elijah could have ever expected. They gained popularity in what seemed like a whirlwind, when it felt like just yesterday that they were practicing in Harrison’s family’s basement. Over the course of the coming years came more music, more concerts, more fame. They got the opportunity to travel the world on tour and live the best life that they possibly could. By the summer of 2019, Amethyst had two EPs, two albums, countless singles and three whole tours under their belt.

As much as Elijah never could have expected to be in the position that he was in then, he equally never could have expected how quickly it all came crashing down.

On their way towards the venue in Los Angeles, the day of the last show on their third tour, a reckless driver had been swerving lanes on the highway when they eventually crashed directly into the band’s van. It caused a chain reaction on the road of vehicles colliding into one another until the road was merely a gigantic pile of rubble and mess. Truth be told, Elijah didn’t remember much of the crash itself — the last thing he had any vague memories of was the sound of wailing ambulances and the squeeze of someone’s hand on his arm before his mind and vision went completely blank. It was later when he came to consciousness again that he learned that he lost his best friend that day. Despite the paramedics putting forth their best efforts, the passenger sitting on the left side of the van got sandwiched between multiple vehicles and never made it out. Harrison. Harrison who insisted on going in first. His best friend, Amethyst’s front man, died that night and Elijah swore that a piece of himself died with him, along with Amethyst itself. After months of recovery — physically and emotionally — the four remaining members decided to call it quits. Without Harrison, there was no Amethyst. It wouldn’t be right to continue without him, even if they could infer that was what he would have wanted. It was too painful, the wound of losing him being brought to life each time the band even crossed their thoughts.

Elijah’s musical career was buried all the same. As was his life in Los Angeles. He was suddenly devoid of purpose, of the will to carry on doing something that he loved without the person that he loved there to witness it. Getting as far away from California, where he spent nearly half his life seemed like the best option — but with nowhere else to go, in 2020 he found himself landing in Colorado for the second time. Which didn’t prove itself to be any better, but at least he was somewhere that felt a little more like home still.

♫ — PERSONALITY . . .

POSITIVE TRAITS: Affable, Allocentric, Creative, Gregarious, Humble, Loyal.

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Loquacious, Passive, Resentful, Reticent, Self-Sabotaging.

ZODIAC: Scorpio Sun, Capricorn Moon.

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good.

MBTI TYPE: ESFJ ( The Consul ).

♫ — RELATIONSHIPS . . .

MOTHER: Erica Falvey.

FATHER: Rodney Falvey.

SIBLINGS: Nikolas Falvey ( Brother ), Reginald 'Reggie' Falvey ( Brother ), Cynthia Falvey ( Sister ).

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Aslihan Fahri-Bailey ( Girlfriend ).

CHILDREN: Rhiannon Nurbanu Falvey ( July 5th, 2023 ).

See ESTABLISHED page for all connections !

♫ — FUN FACTS . . .

Acquired two out of his four current cats shortly after he moved back home thanks to his therapist ( at the time ) suggesting that he invest in an emotional support animal. He went to the shelter and fell in love with a bonded pair of kittens, who he named Oliver & Eve. His third cat, Kemet, is technically his girlfriend's cat. His fourth is an unnamed feral orange guy who appeared around his studio one day; he's still trying to earn his trust.

Started smoking in 2001 when he was a teenager due to peer pressure from his friends. He's smoked Malboro Menthols or American Spirits consistently since then in fluctuating amounts depending on his stress levels. The highest he's ever gotten up to was two and a half packs per day, the lowest being a half pack per day. If he ever says that he's going to quit, he's definitely just fooling himself.

That being said: absolutely hates vapes. Strawberry Cereal Donut Milk? Triple Berry Ice? Strawberry Watermelon Blast? Get them all out of here. Literally what the fuck is a Geek Bar.

Is the type of guy to try just about anything at least once. Which is, coincidentally, how he found out that he hates vapes. And how he shouldn't mix hard liquor. And how he's oddly flexible . . .

Has many useless party tricks up his sleeve, such as: pen spinning, breaking apples in half, rolling coins between his fingers, and tying cherry stems with his tongue.

Found out he was ambidextrous at a very young age, but started to favor his left over time. Regardless of what hand he uses, his handwriting is pure chicken scratch. He's only known a handful of people that can confidently decipher what he's trying to write down without having to ask him what certain ink blobs on the paper say.

Will not ever commit to a favorite genre of music, despite the fact that he very obviously is partial towards rock ( classic, indie, hard, pop — he doesn't discriminate ). He will, however, say that he's not the biggest fan of heavy metal in his own roundabout way of not saying so directly.

Has become extremely annoying post-accident in the sense that he demands for people let him know via text that they've gotten to their destinations safely if he knows that they're going anywhere ( meaning: a good portion of his messages with those he cares about include variations of 'Made it okay!' and thumbs up emojis ). If he doesn't receive a notification, he gets too riddled with anxiety and starts to think that something's happened to them on the road.

Unsurprisingly favored his school's band in terms of extracurriculars as a kid, though he did fill up excess time being apart of the theatre club's stage crew.

Isn't particularly good at video games on account of not playing them much. However, he does pull skill out of his ass when it comes to rhythm games such as Guitar Hero or Rock Band. Get him in a tournament, he'll probably crush it.

Finds it extremely difficult to get up in the morning and has punched a fair amount of alarm clocks until they've stopped beeping at him. The increasing frequency in which he suffers from restless sleep these days only makes it ten times harder — thanks PTSD-induced, chronic nightmares!

Knows how to take care of his curls. His mother was very adamant on instilling a proper hair care routine when he was teenager, after she found out that he was aggressively rubbing the water off with a pool towel after every shower. His skin care still needs to catch up to speed, but a simple face soap has never steered him wrong before.

Is still cordial with Harrison's family — who, all things considered, treated him like a second son. Thinking about the accident has made it hard for him to reach out as often as he wants to, but he does make a point to stop by their cabin in Bighorn Hills at least once every six months or so. He has yet to do so on his death anniversary, which is arguably one of the most important days to let the Morrey's know that he's thinking about them, but one day he'll be able to crawl out of bed and make it there. Hopefully.

Plans to silently donate a percentage of his earnings garnered through his music studio each year to the Roadway Safety Foundation.

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

BENNY GOLSON, SAXOPHONISTE ET COMPOSITEUR "Basically, I'd like to stay simple. I'd like to write melodically, and pretty harmonically... Although I'm not consciously looking for it, maybe I want something that's easy to remember.... Beauty can be simple, beauty can be simplicity."

- Benny Golson

Né le 25 janvier 1929 à Philadelphie, Benjamin ‘’Benny’’ Golson a fait ses études secondaires à Philadelphie. À l’âge de neuf ans, Golson avait commencé à apprendre le piano sous les pressions de sa mère qui voulait faire de lui un pianiste classique. Mais Golson ne l’entendait pas de cette oreille. Il expliquait: “That was aberrational in my neighborhood. All you heard there was the blues.”

Golson était âgé de quatorze ans lorsqu’il avait assisté à un concert de Lionel Hampton au Philadelphia’s Earl Theater. C’était après avoir entendu jouer Arnett Cobb qui faisait partie du groupe que Golson avait décidé de troquer le piano pour le saxophone ténor. Il avait commencé à composer à l’âge de dix-sept ans.

Pendant qu’il fréquentait le High School, Golson avait joué avec plusieurs musiciens prometteurs, dont John Coltrane, Red Garland, les frères Jimmy et Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones et Red Rodney. LE MUSICIEN Après avoir obtenu son diplôme de l’Université Howard (où il avait écrit ses premiers arrangements), Golson avait brièvement conduit un camion de livraison avant de se joindre au groupe de rhythm n’ blues de Bull Moose Jackson en 1951. Tadd Dameron, que Golson considérerait plus tard comme sa plus importante influence comme compositeur, était le pianiste de Jackson à l’époque. Golson expliquait ainsi l’influence que Dameron avait eu sur lui: "Tadd's music really ignited the spark for me. After hearing things like 'Our Delight' and 'Lady Bird'... I wanted to do more than play tenor sax. I wanted to write."

Une autre influence majeure de Golson était le saxophoniste de swing Don Byas. Golson avait également été très influencé par Charlie Parker, qu’il avait entendu jouer pour la première fois lors d’un concert de l’Académie de Musique de Philadelphie en 1945. Golson précisait: “After we heard that concert that night, our lives changed. It was epochal, what was happening then.”

C’est après avoir entendu Parker que Golson avait commencé à développer son jeu très personnel combinant la chaleur et la fluidité des autres saxophonistes aux innovations harmonieuses de Bird.

Golson travaillait avec l’orchestre de Lionel Hampton à l’Apollo Theater de Harlem en 1956 lorsqu’il avait appris que le trompettiste Clifford Brown, avec qui il avait joué dans le groupe de Dameron de 1953 à 1958, était mort dans un accident d’automobile. Dans une entrevue accordée au magazine Downbeat en 1961, Golson avait décrit ainsi sa complicité avec Brown: "At the time of his death, Brownie was going in his direction more determinedly than anyone I've ever seen. Really, the last two years of his life, he got a hold of what he wanted to do. His imagination was infinite. He always had a bag of surprises."

Golson avait été tellement bouleversé par la mort de Brown qu’il avait composé une pièce en son honneur intitulée ‘’I Remember Clifford.’’ La pièce est devenue depuis un classique du jazz.

Après avoir quitté le groupe de Dameron, Golson s’était joint aux formations de Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges (avec qui il avait fait une tournée avec John Coltrane en 1954), Earl Bostic et Dizzy Gillespie, avec qui il avait participé à une tournée financée par le Département d’État.

Golson s’était ensuite joint aux Jazz Messengers d’Art Blakey avec qui il avait enregistré l’album ‘’Moanin’’’.

De 1959 à 1962, Golson avait co-dirigeé le groupe Jazztet avec le trompettiste Art Farmer. Le pianiste McCoy Tyner et le joueur de trombone Curtis Fuller faisaient aussi partie de la formation. En 1960, dans le cadre de sa participation au Jazztet, Golson avait remporté le New Star Award décerné par le magazine DownBeat. Le groupe a enregistré six albums avant de cesser ses activités en 1962. LE COMPOSITEUR

En 1963, à la demande de Quincy Jones et peut-être aussi pour mieux gagner sa vie, Golson s’était installé en Californie pour se concentrer sur la composition et le travail de studio. À cette époque, Golson avait composé de la musique pour des séries télé comme ‘’Mannix’’, ‘’Ironside’’, ‘’Room 222’’, ‘’M*A*S*H**’’, ‘’The Patridge Family’’ et ‘’Mission Impossible.’’ Il avait également écrit des thèmes publicitaires pour des compagnies comme Canada Dry, Carnation, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Clorox, Dodge, General Telephone, Gillette, MacDonald’s, Mattel, Nissan, Pepsi Cola, Texaco et Heinz.

Au milieu des années 1970, Golson avait effectué un retour sur scène. Golson, qui n’avait pas touché à son saxophone depuis dix ans, avait décrit ainsi la sensation qu’il avait ressenti lorsqu’il avait recommencé à jouer de son instrument: "It was like I'd never played the instrument; it felt like a piece of plumbing from the kitchen in my hand. My mind seemed like it wanted to go ahead--my fingers were those of a dead man; my lips were like ripe tomatoes. It was quite a physical struggle. I had no muscles in my lips or jaws... I sounded so bad, I was even embarrassed for my wife to hear me!" Golson avait aussi recommencé à enregistrer, collaborant notamment avec Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw et Pharoah Sanders.

Selon le critique Scott Yanow, à l’époque, le style de Golson au saxophone avait énormément évolué et s’apparentait davantage au style d’Archie Shepp et aux autres musiciens du free jazz qu’à son style original influencé par le swing de Don Byas. En 1982, après une tournée au Japon avec Art Farmer, Golson avait complètement réorganisé son Jazztet pour l’adapter aux nouvelles réalités du jazz.

La nouvelle édition du groupe avait été accueillie avec enthousiasme, tant par les amateurs que par la critique. Golson expliquait: "The reception for the revived Jazztet was so warm last year that it was almost like coming back home this second time. The enthusiasm of the audiences has been very encouraging for us--it gives us some incentive to go on in that same direction."

La reprise des activités du Jazztet n’avait cependant rien à voir avec la nostalgie. Golson poursuivait: "In twenty years, as you might expect... our musical approach is just a little different from the way it was then. Although there's some nostalgic things, like 'Whisper Not' ... I've written a lot of new tunes, and we've moved away somewhat from the hard, straight-up-and-down, strict harmonic kind of approach."

Véritable ambassadeur du jazz, Golson avait participé en 1987 à une tournée organisée par le Département d’État qui l’avait conduit du sud-est asiatique à la Nouvelle-Zélande, en passant par l’Indonésie, la Malaisie, la Birmanie et Singapour. Plus tard, l’agence Philip Morris l’avait envoyé à Bangkok, en Thailande, composer de la musique pour le Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

À la fin des années 1990 et au début des années 2000, Golson avait fait une tournée avec le groupe toute étoile Roots (dont il était le directeur musical depuis 1995) ainsi qu’avec le trio de Keith Copeland. Il continuait aussi à composer parallèlement.

De 1998 à 2000, Golson avait participé à une tournée intitulée ‘’Jazz Messengers - A Legacy to Art Blakey’’, qui lui avait fait traverser tous les États-Unis, en plus de le conduire en Europe et au Japon. Comme son nom l’indique, la tournée avait pour but de rendre hommage à son ancien mentor Art Blakey, qui était décédé en octobre 1990. Lors des funérailles de Blakey, la pièce ‘’Blues March’’ de Golson avait d’ailleurs été interprétée pour lui rendre hommage.

En 2004, Golson avait fit une brève apparition dans le film ‘’The Terminal’’ avec Tom Hanks. Dans le film, on faisait allusion à la photo ‘’A Great Day in Harlem’’ sur laquelle Golson apparaissait aux côtés de plusieurs autres musiciens de jazz. Dans le film, le personnage principal, Viktor Navorski, interprété par Hanks, avait voyagé depuis l’Europe pour obtenir l’autographe de Golson. La composition de Golson, ‘’Something in B Flat’’, peut aussi être entendue sur une scène où Viktor est en train de peindre et de redécorer une partie le terminus de l’aéroport. Dans une autre scène, on voit Golson interpréter la pièce ‘’Killer Joe.’’

Benny Golson est mort à sa résidence de Manhattan le 21 septembre 2024. Il était âgé de 95 ans. La mort de Golson a été annoncée par son agent Jason Franklin. HONNEURS ET RÉCOMPENSES Benny Golson a reçu plusieurs prix et récompenses au cours de sa carrière.

Golson, qui a remporté un prix de la Fondation Guggenheim en 1994, a vu sa carrière être couronnée deux ans plus tard par la remise d’un NEA Jazz Masters Award de la National Endowment for the Arts. La même année, le programme de Jazz de l’Université Howard avait créé un prix en son honneur nommé le ‘’Benny Golson Jazz Master Award.’’

En octobre 2007, la Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation avait décerné à Golson le Mellon Living Legend Legacy Award, lors d’une cérémonie tenue au Lincoln Center. Le même mois, l’Université de Pittsburgh lui avait accordé l’International Academy of Jazz Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award. Le prix lui avait été remis dans le cadre du 37e concert annuel de Jazz au Carnegie Music Hall. En novembre 2009, Goldson a été intronisé au sein de l’Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame.

Benny Golson est le seul artiste de jazz toujours vivant à avoir composé au moins huit standards de jazz. Véritable institution, Golson a enregistré plus de trente albums sous son nom en plus d’avoir participé à des centaines d’enregistrements d’autres artistes. Golson a aussi plus de 300 compositions à son crédit. Au cours de sa carrière de plus de soixante ans, Golson a également écrit un nombre incalculable d’arrangements pour des artistes comme Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Oscar Peterson, Diana Ross, Mek Torme, George Shearing, Dusty Springfield et plusieurs autres.

Passionné d’éducation, Golson a aussi fait des lectures au Lincoln Center et aux universités de New York et de Chicago. Loin de se limiter à la musique, les conférences de Golson abordaient aussi des questions comme le racisme et les relations raciales. Dans une entrevue accordée au Irish Times, Golson avait tenu à préciser que ses préoccupations n’étaient pas tant personnelles qu’historiques. Il avait déclaré: “[Racism] doesn’t disturb me and it didn’t disturb me when I was coming up as a kid. Racism? I wanted to play the music. I turned a deaf ear to all that stuff.”

Golson est également lauréat de doctorats honorifiques de la Berklee School of Music et du William Paterson College de Wayne, au New Jersey. Grand pédagogue, il a aussi dirigé des ateliers dans plusieurs universités à travers le monde.

Outre ‘’I Remember Clifford’’, plusieurs des compositions de Golson sont devenues des standards du jazz: ‘’Stablemates’’, ‘’Killer Joe’’, ‘‘Whisper Not’’, ‘’Along Came Betty’’, ‘’Are You Real ?’’, ‘’Blues March’’, etc.

En 1958, au cours d’une entrevue accordée au magazine DownBeat, Golson avait ainsi décrit sa philosophie de compositeur: "I feel that the best contribution any writer can make is to create compositions that are impressive, meaningful, and lasting. I think all serious writers consciously or unconsciously strive for this." Dans une autre entevue accordée deux ans plus tard, Golson avait précisé: "Basically, I'd like to stay simple. I'd like to write melodically, and pretty harmonically... Although I'm not consciously looking for it, maybe I want something that's easy to remember.... Beauty can be simple, beauty can be simplicity."

Lorsqu’on demandait à Golson laquelle de ses activités il trouvait la plus satisfaisante entre la composition et sa carrière de musicien, il répondait simplement: “It’s like having two wives. I’m a musical bigamist. I can’t decide, so I just go on with both of them.” ©-2023-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique SOURCES:

‘’Benny Golson.’’ Wikipedia, 2022. ‘’Benny Golson.’’ National Endowment of the Arts, 2023. ‘’Benny Golson.’’ Jazzstandards.com, 2023. ‘’Benny Golson.’’ Encyclopedia.com, 13 août 2018.

[kdo-three]

Kansas City Five featuring Lester Young - Lester Leaps Again (1944) (AKA Kansas City Five) (AKA Count Basie and His Kansas City Five) Buck Clayton (Wilbur Dorsey Clayton) from: "Lester Leaps Again" / "After Theatre Jump" (12" 78 RPM Shellac Single) and Various Compilations

Jazz | Kansas City Jazz

JukeHostUK (left click = play) (320kbps)

Personnel: Lester Young: Tenor Saxophone "Prince Charming": Piano (AKA: William James Basie | AKA: Count Basie) Freddie Greene: Guitar Rodney Richardson: Double Bass Jo Jones: Drums

Produced by Harry Lim

Recorded: in New York City, New York USA on March 22, 1944

Released: 1944 Keynote Recordings Records

CD Compilation Released: 1993 Charly Records (Le Jazz Series)

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪

for Leap Year Day Thursday, February 29, 2024

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪

[sga-owns-my-soul]

Pllllllsssss elaborate on fixing Rodney/making him worse I'm obsessed

i hope ur ready bc this is Long! (i'm obsessed too tbh)

rodney mckay is an incredibly interesting character. he's loud mouthed and arrogant and a massive dick. but also, so much of that is so clearly a defence mechanism?? we don't know a ton about rodney's childhood but we do know that the few times he was excited about a hobby (like being in beavers or playing piano) he was shot down (being asked to leave or told he was too clinical) we also know that his family life was. Not Great. he says in tao of rodney that his father always sided with his sister and blamed him for the lights being left on (and other things implied) ((there's also the separate issue of them insisting on calling him meredith but that doesn't really tie into this point it's just another reason for why his childhood was garbage)) so you take this child prodigy who is advancing so far beyond his TEACHERS as a kid that he doesn't have a chance of figuring out how to talk to his peers without a proper support system, and the few times he tries hes basically told he's Not Good Enough, and then you add No Emotional Support, and you're bound to get a guy who's Shit at People Skills.

so you take all of this, you add years of peers stealing his work (i'm sure he was taken advantage of SO OFTEN as a baby in the industry) and people attacking his personality and you've got this hurt little kid who's grown into a hostile grump bc it's the only protection he's been able to find. we see this so clearly in 48 hours, rodney is so excited to meet sam and show off his value knowledge to her and he's immediately and repeatedly shot down and each time he grows more hostile. (he's literally trying to save their lives and they banish him for it like yeah he was an asshole but he was TRYING OKAY)

rodney mckay is a hurt man who just needs to be hugged and told he's loved and valued and cared for. I COULD FIX HIM!!!! i could offer him so much love and care and support!!!! this poor baby needs to be wrapped up in a blanket and swaddled and cuddled until his inner child is healed and then get a nice kiss on the forehead and tucked into a warm cozy bed!!!!! he just needs someone to give him a chance and he'll try so hard for you!!!! (see: rodney and his team)

and then, the flip side

this man is a GARBAGE human. he is so fucking arrogant and egotistical and practically the definition of a god complex and he is SO FUCKING HOT. he destroyed 5/8 of a solar system and i would be standing there cheering him on like "babe that's so sexy it wasn't even inhabited so it's fine let's go find more planets for you to blow up with that big sexy brain of yours" BC ITS HOT. rodney is capable of SO MUCH and he would be the hottest fucking crazy mad scientist villain ever. he rewrote the damn timeline, there's nothing that man can't do and i would convince him hes right and perfect and correct and sexy through every terrible horrible awful decision bc i love me a terrible awful man. i would stroke his ego and fuel it so much he would go insane with it and i would encourage him Every Step Of The Way

[pixelatedquarter]

And Now for the next batch of madness:

The Tour Of Fuck It We Ball part 2: Electric Boogaloo Days 4-6 of US Tourdust: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (The Woodlands, Texas), Dos Equis Pavillion (Dallas, Texas), Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (Phoenix, Arizona)

People west of the Atlantic woke up on day 4 to a fall out boy tweet and an instagram story with 1 picture of Pete followed by CAPTAIN PLANET followed by ARAB SPRING, then LA RIOTS, RODNEY KING was added and then DEEP FAKES, all in the same typography. There'd already been rumors of people hearing a cover of we didn't start the fire playing through the PA system and a day before this, a still from the animated character from HMLAG labeled we didn't start the fire was posted on discord. Here's a great summary of it by kat-scribles. Hours later they confirmed the cover covering newsworthy things from 1989-2023 which released on day 5 (external link, RIP if something happens to the falloutboy youtube account).

In true 'Fall Out Boy Releases A New Thing' fashion it's been criticized by news and people who didn't like it and so on and so forth. Nature is healing, people are actively hating on Fall Out Boy. This is truly the tour of healing.

As far as setlists go: We got an update to the first setlist picture, it reads "sophomore, gin, coffee, suitehearts and patron". Notably GINASFS is missing, despite this setlist being from the Chicago show and it is not in the order they played these songs. As of the posting of this update, all songs have been played (on dates 3, 2, 7, 8 and 10 respectively)

Speaking of setlists:

we got one for The Woodlands, 8 Ball song was Kintsugi Kid ("How will you torture us this evening/should we sing a song from 10 years ago?/Should we sing a song about 10 years ago?" codename Tango Yeti, in keeping with the more or less NATO alphabet for Ten Years) also worth noting that this is Joe's favourite track in sm(f)s. This is how we learnt that post hiatus AND in particular current album tracks were on the list of 8 Ball possibilities, marking the first in a long series of "I didn't know the 8 ball could do that"

For Dallas we got an interesting situation with the setlist. We got one, that said and fit with Kansas' set, except that one hadn't been leaked, so a lot of speculation surrounded the magic 8 ball code OCHO, which isn't NATO alphabet. This marks the day we got confirmation that they were upping their game to keep the 8 ball songs a surprise, they posted fake/old setlists at the venue and the codename ocho stands, in all likelyhood for Sophomore Slump being the eight track in FUTCT. Here's the Kansas setlist in question.

After the show we got the real Dallas setlist, song was The (After) Life Of The Party ("Should we play one about hanging out being the afterlife of the party?", codename: Sierra Alpha for Stitch/Scar Away)

For day 6 we didn't get a setlist but the 8 ball song was Homesick At Space Camp ("Should we play a brand new fucking song?/Should we play a really fucking old song?", also of note Patrick tells the audience there's an audience participation moment incoming and teaches the lyrics since it's been so long since they played it last)

As a sidenote, with these setlists we've been able to see the names of the scenes: "AQUA Scene" for the one with the starfishes and the seashell submarine that's present for uma and 16c, "Attic Scene" for the tttyg smaller stage scene, "Dog(Bubbles) Scene" for well the giant dog head with the childlike squiggles backdrop and the bubbles and transparent balls that goes on through arms race (yes i know a lot of people are keenly aware that the dog scene includes arms race), disloyal order and heaven iowa, "Red Drape" for whatever hits after heaven iowa, "TREE Scene" for the one with you guessed it the big fuck off tree that is real and you can touch scene that lasts for fake out and the entire piano + magic section, and "Red Drape" again for grudge and The Magic 8 Ball Slot. Worth mentioning here is that they started playing their shows in Joe's attic

Piano Enrichment time these dates was, SOMETHING:

Pre-Piano banter has been great, arguing over banter between them. Day 4 gave us the banter of all time, with them arguing over body fluid composition.

Piano Boy is still out for blood. On day 4 he did a triple medley of somebody to love and take on me before moving onto don't stop believin. And then he said he had imposter syndrome and did What a Catch Donnie on day 5, which at the time was a very devastating thing.

It got immediately overshadowed day 6 because he did Spotlight, off of Truant FUCKING Wave and Soul FUCKING Punk. That was a lot of lights.

These dates are when we confirmed the fixed setlist also isn't fixed at all, Hum Hallelujah was back for day 6, without sacrificing Take Over this time

Oh yea and someone referenced "Thanks Pete!" in the crowd and Pete said "Heard it", you can hear the response (not the thanks pete) just before the banter that led to Spotlight (these are so backlogged that I can confidently spoil you this WILL be important later ;) )

We hadn't even recovered from the category 11 Soul Punk event when they hit us with the grimace shake video. It may now be part of the cinematic universe of "All the times Fall Out Boy has died, specially Pete, Extra Specially By Patrick's Hand. Guys how does this keep happening."

In the outfits category that's still a thinly veiled excuse to share pics of them being silly and 'FOB stands for Family Of Bestfriends':

No wardrobe updates for day 4 other than them ocasionally picking up friendship bracelets while bantering and the insanity of wearing three layers on 38C weather for the commitment to the emo poet look. Patrick seems to have been feeling extremely daring and wore khakis instead. But he did give an explanation why he's dressed like this.

On Day 5 pete did away with the poncho and we got skirt!, look at the skirt, two days in a row!. patrick went back to tourdust troupe t-shirt and ballcap and for day 6 it was ballcap and shirt.

Joe and Andy up to this point have packed exactly 1 grey t-shirt, one pair of jeans, two pairs of shoes and one pair of shorts for onstage. Collectively.

I do not have a fashion explanation for adding this point to the list. there's no thinly veiled excuse anymore it's just a video of Pete and Patrick being PeteandPatrick. Still fits the fuck it we ball energy that they're just doing whatever onstage and are comfortable getting close, even if the resolution of them doing a head nod is 3 pixels.

Oh yea and Pete wore green briefs. Totally the most important part about that entire link.

Source and credit list is in this other post! Check that one out too! Go give the people i compiled here some love! Specially to Lydia whose posts are linked from here several times and they helped me find pics from the AQUA scene!

Here's links to parts 1 and 3

[ivovynckier]

Film composer Richard Rodney Bennett plays a bit of Gershwin on his piano.

[fortheturnstiles]

hi kiki!!! 1, 2 , 8, 25 and 27 for the music ask 🫡

hi vic!! :-)

1: a song you like with a color in the title

was listening to this one a lot after rewatching the doom generation last month. gregg araki influences my shoegaze tendencies

2: a song you like with a number in the title

i’ve been listening to wings all day so i had to put this one .. maybe my fav track off band on the run next to let me roll it :^)

8: a song about drugs or alcohol

i had this on repeat aaaall the time last summer. emmylou’s is definitely my favorite version but i’m also partial to the part in the documentary ‘heartworn highways’ where rodney crowell and a bunch of folks play it around a table together. so much beauty and joy in the act of playing music together !! :') [i almost picked a Really depressing song for this like the needle and the damage done and then i simply decided not to lmao]

25: a song by an artist no longer living

another song i was listening to a lot last summer. i love arthur russell, i think of him very often :( ❤️❤️

27: a song that breaks your heart

kate bush piano ballads that make you go WAAUAUUHGGHHHHH!!!!!!!! her voice on this track just makes me melt into a puddle

[spurious]

kisses mcshep 5 or 14 💜

Kiss prompts meme!!! Send numbers~

5, "where it doesn't hurt"

What Rodney remembers after the explosion is pain: pain, terror, loud noise even as his ears rang, turning speech into garbled nonsense. He remembers that John had been getting everyone out, remembers hoping to god that he'd succeeded. He remembers seeing a confused, blurry silhouette with familiarly ridiculous hair, thinking oh, good, John's alive, and then promptly passing out.

He remembers waking in the infirmary, remembers pain, still, remembers being told they were doing what they could to keep him comfortable; remembers the bewilderment he felt at not having enough energy to tell them they were idiots if they thought this was comfort. Rodney remembers John's voice going strident and authoritative in the way it so rarely does, remembers snatches of words, John pointing, saying "Look at him, he's in fucking agony." He remembers the world going fuzzy around the edges after that, remembers John stroking his hair and promising he'd gotten Rodney the good drugs, and just to relax.

He remembers fading in and out, a lot, after that, remembers Teyla there, and Ronon, and Radek, and John, always John, there at hand whenever Rodney woke. He remembers being told about the physical therapy, the words "chronic pain" sitting heavy like an anvil on his chest. Like the piece of rubble that had crushed his hand. He remembers thinking that he'll never play the piano again, then reminding himself that he hadn't touched one in more than twenty years. He remembers John's fingers, stretched long and tentative over Rodney's own. Remembers the steel in John's eyes when he'd said, "You'll be back to typing angry emails in no time, buddy."

Rodney doesn't like to remember the weeks of painful retraining of muscles and tendons, but he remembers John bringing him blue jello after every session, remembers Ronon trying to teach him to knife fight one-handed, remembers Teyla with her herbal-scented hot compresses, remembers Radek sitting patiently and letting Rodney dictate reports. Remembers John, always at the edge of his vision, slouching in and out.

The first day that Rodney types, on his own, a five-paragraph screed denouncing the educational credentials and mental capacity of the entire geology department, John looks at him like he's hung the moon, takes Rodney's hand gently, so so gently, in his own, and kisses each of his fingers, his knuckles. Brushes his lips over Rodney's palm and asks, "Does it hurt?"

And, for the first time that Rodney can remember since the explosion, he opens his mouth and answers, "No."

14, "casually"

It happens so smoothly that Rodney almost doesn’t even notice it.

They’re getting geared up for a mission, him and John and Teyla and Ronon all in the ready room, and John ambles over, ready to do the thing he's always done—has been doing for years, has been doing long after it stopped being necessary—and check the straps on Rodney's tac vest. Rodney knows it's a little silly that he's never told John not to do it anymore, but it makes him feel safer, to go out into danger with the knowledge that John thinks he's safe, John thinks he's alright.

It's all very normal, very usual, until John finishes checking the final buckle, and then he uses his hold on the strap to pull Rodney in, placing the lightest, quickest little kiss on his lips before pulling back and stepping away.

"Alright, everybody ready?" John says, like this is normal, like he hasn't just made Rodney blush, but Teyla and Ronon either hadn't noticed or don't care, and John's looking at Rodney with that halfway-grin, the "our little secret" grin, the one that means new discovery and excitement pooling in his belly, so he just flashes John what he hopes is a conspiratorial smile and passes his hand over the ghost of John's grip on his vest.

[theloniousbach]

HORNS FOR A CHANGE AT SMALLS JAZZ CLUB

GARY SMULYAN with Gary Versace, Mike Karn, and Matt Wilson, 28 DECEMBER 2024, 9 pm set

EVAN SHERMAN with Joe Mangarelli, David Kikoski, and Peter Washington, 29 DECEMBER, 6 pm set

I probably have the option to see more piano/bass/drums trios on these streams, but, in addition to a general predilection for the format, I particularly sought them out for the last seven shows. But it was time for a change, so I picked up the last couple of shows from the end of the year that I was interested.

GARY SMULYAN’s baritone was itself perhaps enough, but he’s worthy of having Gary Versace and Matt Wilson on his bandstand so that sealed that one. I’ve seen EVAN SHERMAN capably behind the kit for other leaders. I’ve seen Joe Mangarelli’s trumpet some, but David Kikoski often and will, like this time, take Peter Washington’s presence as an endorsement of the gig. I was rewarded with solid, capable sets with fascinating choices of material with key players, Matt Wilson and then Peter Washington, outshining their leaders

GARY SMULYAN has a couple of trio albums with David Wong and Rodney Green based on contrafacts, new melodies on established changes. So that’s what he played with this band, reconsiderations of Yesterdays (Mal Waldron’s Vodka), John Lewis’ Milestones (SMULYAN’s Miles Tones), and Pennies from Heaven (Stop). They played Nat King Cole’s A Woman Understands as a straight up ballad and the closer sure did sound both musically and from the garbled introduction as a Hanakkuh tune. He bravely took his big horn into the china shop and didn’t break anything, but it just isn’t a nimble instrument. Gary Versace was either diffident or took a while to settle in, but Matt Wilson commanded attention, part of my drummer hot streak. He sparkled, neither shy nor flashy but giving the tunes and his bandmates rhythmic gems to polish themselves.

EVAN SHERMAN picked a great set, a blues (by Miles Davis or John Coltrane, they couldn’t decide), a hoppy number by Fats Navarro, three !! Monk tunes, including Ruby My Dear, Trinkle Tinkle as a trio date, and In Walked Bud to close, with an appealing like that Joe Mangarelli unfolded on flueglhorn. His trumpet work was equally tasty and unrushed. Together he, Sherman, and the material gave David Kikoski boundaries that channeled his invention and drive can be a bit much sometimes—and, to be fair, just right just as often. Peter Washington was particularly glorious. He was a presence despite literally being in the shadows for much of the set, but his playing was front and center. His accompaniments supported everyone and his solos were remarkably legato, no bowing but it sure sounded like it. There was a grace and sophistication to his statements.

There’s always at least a little bit of magic in just about every gig.

[therecordconnection]

Ranting and Raving: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Performed by Sam Kinison on The Tonight Show

Sam Kinison was the first true rock star comedian in my eyes. Everything about him was pure rock n’ roll. He looked like a cross between Brian Johnson from AC/DC and Meat Loaf. He had unshakable confidence and swagger. He was abrasive, in your face, and dangerous. And of course, he had a scream so legendary it put heavy metal singers to shame. To me, he’ll always be comedy’s version of James Dean; a true rebel without a cause and the first comedian I ever saw who ever truly embodied Dean’s famous mantra of “Live Fast, Die Young,” seeing as how he died young in a car crash in April 10th, 1992 with just about every substance known to man in his bloodstream. He was thirty-eight.

To me, Sam was always a more natural, more human version of what Andrew “Dice” Clay was and still is today. With Clay, the despicable persona of the Diceman always felt like a costume that he could take off until one day he found he couldn’t. Sam never struck me as that. Unlike Dice, Sam had the capacity to recognize some of his humor was in real bad taste. He ended up having regrets about nasty jokes relating to the AIDS epidemic (the wake up call was at the 2nd Annual International Rock Awards on ABC in 1990, where Elton John said, on air, “I'd like to congratulate Sam Kinison on being the first pig ever to introduce a rock'n'roll show”). The Diceman never apologized for anything and still won’t.

Sam was undeniably a character, but he wasn’t a persona in the way that some comedians like Clay adopt. You watch Sam do one set and you feel like you know who he is and you get the feeling he’s always been like this, there are just parts that are a little exaggerated for the stage. His overall anger and the power in his voice were absolutely real, but I don’t think he walked around constantly shouting at people. His father was a preacher and his brother Bill was his manager, but there’s no evidence that either of them had the same vocal talent Sam had. What Sam had was special and once he entered into comedy with his boisterous voice as his secret recipe, he was unstoppable.

Every comedian back in the eighties and nineties had a “schtick.” It was what you needed in order to stand out from the pack. Jerry Seinfeld turned observations about mundane things into laughs (“What’s the deal with...?”) Bob Saget was often quick-minded and nervous, speaking like a manic used car salesman that was painfully aware he only had ten minutes to get you on his side. Yakov Smirnoff made being Russian his entire thing. Kinison had a schtick too: that incredible vocal ability and legendary high-decibel scream. Kinison, a failed pentecostal preacher turned comedian, was well aware of what his voice could do for him if he used it in the right ways. He mixed the charisma of megachurch preachers with the energy and force of an immature angry asshole going on a tirade. It was pure, once-in-a-generation magic. 

There are many classic performances found online of Sam at his absolute best, but I think none of them highlight just how talented of a vocalist he was more than his May 1989 appearance on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show, where he sang a beautiful version (as “beautiful” as Sam Kinison could get) of Elvis Presley’s 1960 hit “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” in a way that only he could’ve done.

Sam was no stranger to incorporating music into his stand-up bits. With a voice like his, how the hell could you not? If you watch his “Love Song” bit, you’ll see that he was able to play piano. His playing is lovely and it’s a bit I recommend. He showed genuine singing ability when he tried comforting Rodney Dangerfield, the King of Getting No Respect, when he was down on his luck after a breakup. The guy could really sing... until he derailed it and let his anger get to him and then it’s Screamin’ Sammy again telling off a backstabbing, cheating, heartbreaking woman in the most vicious tirade you’ve ever heard. You can probably guess what his version of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” is going to sound like. But let’s talk about the original song for a second.

“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” is honestly kind of a boring song. The Elvis version is the one pretty much everyone knows offhand so that’s the one we’ll talk about here for the sake of convenience. It’s kind of boring, but as far as Elvis is concerned, he has done much much worse. It was the first #1 hit Elvis scored after his time in the army and it also kinda marked the beginning of the Hound Dog no longer really having any of the previous bite that made him a superstar. It’s Presley on auto pilot and he only really recorded it because it was a request from his manager, Col. Tom Parker. He sings the song in a quiet, hushed tone, almost like he’s singing a lullaby to you, but there is a darkness to it that betrays the gentle sound of it and that’s really what makes it worth the listen. The king has this cool echo effect on his vocals that gives it a haunting quality, especially when you consider this is a revenge song from a scorned lover who was betrayed. You can hear some of that resentment and scorn when he delivers the line, "Honey, you lied when you said you loved me." When he says "But I'd rather go on hearing your lies," you can feel that nastiness. Considering Sam Kinison made an entire career of spitting venom and scorn at women (both real and fictional) that broke his heart, cheated on him, or just plain did him wrong (in his eyes), you can see why it would be a perfect vehicle for him to sing and spin into comedy gold. Sam didn’t write this song, but he may as well have.

The arrangement is just as spare as Elvis’ version. Sam’s got some backing vocalists cooing behind him and a nice, gentle guitar delivering the music. Sam also didn’t change any of the lyrics except for the spoken-word monologue in the middle. That part is all Sammy. We’ll get there. 

By the time Sam appeared on The Tonight Show, he had already been well-established and seen on network television, appearing on Letterman as well as on HBO with Dangerfield a bunch of times. What he was gonna do with “Are You Lonesome Tonight” wasn’t a secret to anybody except those who somehow hadn’t seen him yet. The screaming guy was going to, well, scream, but the magic was not knowing when he was gonna do it. 

There’s a long-running theory on the internet that loud = funny. I think that’s incorrect. It’s not just being loud that makes something funny. Any schmuck can get loud, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s gonna be funny. No, the actual equation is disarming = funny. Sam would set up a joke and then raise his voice at the most precise, unexpected moments and just completely catch you off guard. Take, for example, his first appearance on Letterman. He begins in a calm, conversational voice. Then, he starts escalating and doing his best impression of a passionate southern preacher, getting louder and louder... before immediately snapping back to being as calm as he started, as if he never raised his voice. 

The funny part isn’t just that he got loud, it’s that he disarmed you when he got loud. He catches you completely off guard because you weren’t expecting him to increase in volume and start speaking like a preacher. It’s a perfect example of what made Sam Kinison so much more than a one-trick-pony: his incredible level of control. He could’ve shouted everything he ever said, but the magic was in his restraint, choosing the right moments to raise the volume and start getting loud. He could turn the decibels up or down in a flash without ever losing rhythm or sounding like it caused him pain or struggle to do it. If the voice is considered an instrument, then Sam was a virtuoso with it. 

That same disarming is what makes his rendition of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” so fucking funny. He disarms and catches you off guard by genuinely singing the song competently and completely straight for the first half. The inevitable incoming comedy aside, it’s a great rendition and proof that Sam could’ve been a lounge lizard if comedy never worked out for him. He sings for about a minute and a half without ever raising his voice to the usual territory. You’re disarmed by method of being lulled into a false sense of security. He’s Sam Kinison, so he’s going to start screaming like a maniac... but what if he’s not? What if it’s a perfect subversion where you’re waiting for The Thing(tm) but it doesn’t happen? Like Andy Kaufman continuing to read The Great Gatsby on stage until you figure out that it’s not a bit... he’s really gonna read the whole thing on stage until you leave.

Nothing like that happens here. We all know he’s gonna do The Thing(tm), but he’s making us wait for it, choosing the right moment to let that freak off the leash. I love how you can see him slightly break and start smirking right after he starts the spoken word portion of the song. It reminds me of the grin on Scott Steiner’s face right before he launched into his famous “Steiner Math” promo at Sacrifice 2008. Like Steiner, Sam knew what was coming and it’s a wonderful sign that he was having just as much fun as his audience. Beautiful.

Sam’s version of the song’s spoken-word monologue is a work of art. It’s the work of a master at the top of his game and a testament to his incredible level of control and timing. Over the course of the monologue, he does three distinct voices: Normal Sam, a higher pitched version of his voice used whenever he would impersonate a woman, and of course, Screamin’ Sam. Since this is network television, he can’t curse like he normally would, but that doesn’t diminish the comedy one bit. The entire monologue is stunning and the way Sam weaves his voice in and out of the different parts of it while keeping the whole thing flowing makes it even more delightfully unhinged. It’s such a hilarious roller coaster ride and he delivers equally hilarious jabs. I love the bit in the middle when he complains about his ex using “I’m not growing as a person” as a reason for wanting to break up. “OH, THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA! YEAH, LET'S BREAK UP, HONEY! DID YOU GROW ANY!? HUH!? ARE YOU ANY TALLER!? It’s so deliciously petty (and doubly funny because Sam himself wasn’t that tall. 5 '7, a “short king” in today’s culture). His uncanny ability to go from “guy doing a generic, high pitched woman voice” to screaming maniac is just incredible! You never hear a voice crack or any irritation in his voice. It’s just the spirit of a petty, heartbroken asshole working through him. It’s so wonderfully natural. You only realize how hard it is to do what he did when you try doing it yourself. It’s not easy at all. He snaps between these voices like Dr. Jekyll turns into Mr. Hyde and seemingly does it with no signs of strain or irritation. A natural gift shared with the world.

The joke isn’t just that he’s screaming his head off, though it’s easy to think that’s all there is to it. Make no mistake, it’s a big part of it, but there’s also humor to be found in this guy who sounds like your typical lounge lizard singing an old song in a hotel or bar somewhere suddenly letting his emotions get the better of him and you’re now witness to an unexpected freakout you didn’t sign up for. You can hear this best near the end when he snaps back to Normal Sam and says, “Ah, but I'd rather go on hearing your lies than go on living without you. That's how sick I am. Well, I'm standing here, the stage is bare...” He then starts breaking and as soon as everything becomes normal again, he breaks and goes off the deep end all over again. “YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID! YOU WERE WRONG! SAY IT YOU STUPID, STUBBORN PIG! I WAS WRONG! OH! OHHHHHHHHH!" He then snaps back immediately and sings the song again as if none of that happened. He ends by softly saying, “I hope you die” while flashing a devilish grin at the camera. The icing on the cake. 

Sam’s performance of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” still stands as my favorite showcase of Sam’s vocal talents. Everything that made him a comedy legend is here and accounted for. His beautifully strange and chaotically musical voice, his sense of timing, and his playfulness all made him a once-in-a-generation talent who was here just long enough for all of us to laugh and fall in love with him. We’ve never seen the likes of him since and we probably never will again. Adam Sandler became the “guy who screams” in the wake of Sam’s death and maybe could’ve emulated him, but Sandler recognized he was too cartoonish for that and picked his own road. The closest my generation (very tail-end millennial, born 1995) has come to having a new Sam Kinison would probably be Dane Cook, but that’s not a good thing. I remember thinking he was a fucking irritating and annoying jackoff in his prime. I still think that now. His buffoonish, wiry, “shout everything” persona subscribed to the “loud = funny” formula and we’re worse for it. Sam Kinison had music, Dane Cook was just a bunch of noise.

I think Sam Kinison was one of those bright stars that was meant to shine bright when he did and burn out when he did. His entire persona and lifestyle wasn’t meant to make old bones. I can’t picture “Old Man Sam” still screaming and I don’t want to speculate on where his career would’ve gone or what would’ve happened to him had he stuck around. If there’s any positives to take regarding someone being a star and dying young, it’s that their legend never dies. It remains encased in amber, long after they’re gone, for all to view and continue to love. Sam’s now been dead almost as long as he was alive, but in all the stand-up clips and television appearances available online, he remains more alive than ever. He was such a disarming comedian. He kept you on your toes and when you least expected it, he pummeled you with a sound so distinct and loud that your ears will still be ringing a day later.

Sam used to have a bit that involved asking if there was any man (it was always a man) in the crowd who wasn’t married. Sam would then approach said man, ask for his name, and then say something to the tune of, “Well [Y/N], if you ever think about getting married or think you’ve found the right girl, someone who will change your life, etc. I want you to remember this face.” He would then scream “OHHHHHHHH” and say that the look on his face is what you’ll look like when you’re married. I don’t always remember the face...

But the voice is an unforgettable one-in-a-million.