It's been eleven months since Mt. Rushmore last made an appearance. Please fib and tell me you've been anticipating this latest iteration of my longest running, most prolific series. Today's monument enshrines four transformational musical moments. What shook you enough the first time you heard it that you'll never be quite the same?
1.) A voice: All it took was hearing that two-syllable name - Roxanne. I even remember saying - either out loud or to myself - Who the hell is that? In my life, the only close competition for a voice that immediately grabbed me like Sting's was the first time I heard Saving All My Love for You. What happened for you when you first heard either Sting or Whitney Houston?
2.) A guitarist: In the quaint days when people listened to commercial radio, a DJ would often wait until a song was over to tell you the title and - if you got lucky - the artist. Upon first hearing Sultans of Swing, I recall hoping the DJ would give me that minimal information. After learning this new band was called Dire Straits, it was up to me to discover Mark Knopfler's name. His playing has mesmerized me ever since.
3.) An ensemble: Seeing the Mahavishnu Orchestra perform soon after they released their first LP - The Inner Mounting Flame - was as close as I've ever come to having a mystical musical experience. The way these five extraordinary musicians played their impossibly complex compositions was breathtaking. But amazing as that was, when they then began to improvise at breakneck speed - simultaneously - I was changed at a molecular level, musically.
4.) A bass player: Of the moments on my mountain, my initiation to Jaco Pastorius, did not - unlike the other three - coincide with his explosion into the musical firmament. Jaco had already blown away legions with his earlier work in Weather Report. But when I heard his otherworldly bass playing on Joni Mitchell's masterpiece Hejira, particularly on Refuge of the Roads, I knew a musical comet had just passed. Jaco's early death still saddens me.
How about you? No need to erect a full mountain or to use any of my categories; it's your monument. But please share with me and others at least one musical moment that rattled you as the four above did me.
This one is fun! 1) voice - I'll never forget sitting over my little 45 player hearing John sing "oh" in I should have known better. It was my first inkling that there was sex in the world. It still gives me butterflies. 2) guitarist - In a friend's college dorm room, I really listened to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and became aware of Eric Clapton for the first time. 3) Ensemble - Branford Marsalis' Group close up at the Count Basie - including a fantastic drummer. and 4) a bass player - unfortunately I still don't know his name. We saw Mike Stern in a park in Edison. His bass player was the most amazing, blindingly fast, and creative bassist I have ever seen/heard. I've tried to look him up but without success.
ReplyDeleteKim; Glad you had fun with this. Four great moments, for sure, especially since I was with you for the last two.
DeleteAs for voices, Barbara Streisand never ceases to amaze me. The best male torch song I've ever heard is George Michael singing "One More Try." Then there's Steve Winwood's version of "Georgia on My Mind" from the Spencer Davis Group album, Live in Finland 1966. You listen to the first few bars and say, "Wait a minute. That's a 17-year-old white boy singing? No way."
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to guitarists, I too am a huge Mark Knopfler fan. I remember hearing the opening minute of "Black Magic Woman" for the first time and getting chills. Still do. That song was written by Peter Green, who has some terrific songs -- "Tribal Dance," "Supernatural." B.B. King, whom I also love, said Green was the only guitarist who ever made him cry. " Then there is the guitar solo at the end of "Look at You, Look at Me" by Dave Mason off the the "Alone Together" album that I have listened to eight gazillion times.
Jim; I'm not sure what's going happennig on your end but your comment from last night shows up on my comments screen but not on post itself. Weird. So, I cut and pasted it (as you can see) and put it here. Still, it will only take your comment using my name! Even weirder. In any case, thanks for the comment; your choices are really good ones. Wish I could figure out what's going on with blogger but that's beyond my pay grade. Hope you don't have similar problems with future comments you try to make.
DeleteHey Pat. OK .. going to give this one a try ..
ReplyDelete1. Voice - When I first heard Billie Holiday and then Janis. Two voices that, to me, were beyond incredible
2. Guitarist - There are so many but I'm going to go with the first time I heard Classical Gas by Mason Williams. One of my favorite all time pieces of music.
3. An Ensemble - I'm going to go with 'Return To Forever'. Simply amazing and I get lost in their music each and every time I take the time to really listen to it. And, as a side note, I love the Mahavishnu Orchestra. I can remember the days of sitting with my headphones on listening as their music took me away. Haven't listened in some time. Definitely need to correct that.
4. Bass Player - Although I cannot disagree with anything played by the great Jaco Pastorius, I am gong to have to add John Entwistle. Not a huge Who fan, although I love watching Pete play, John was am amazing Bass player in his own right. Played very fast ...
Be well,
Bob
Bob; Intriguing Mt. Rushmore musical choices. Janis's voice could have easily ended up on my mountain as well. I have a clear memory of the first time I heard that scream at the end of "Piece of My Heart" - goosebumps, for sure.
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