Can't get 'em out of my head

Songs that are playing over and over in my brain . . .

"I Hear Your Name" and "1975" by Incognito. The world's best funk/r&b band has been doing it for over 20 years, 30 if you include its lone 80s release, 1981's Jazz Funk. "I Hear Your Name" hails from the 1995 collection 100º and Rising, and features great vocals by Joy Malcom and Pamela Anderson, propulsive percussion, tight horn work, and lush strings. Last year's Transatlantic R.P.M. included the instant singalong "1975,"which namedropped EWF, Santana, Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, and a host of other r&b/funk hitmakers from that decade, all wrapped in a delicious discofied track. It doesn't get any better than this.

"Matte Kudesai" by Kurt Elling. Elling wraps his rich voice around this standout track by the 80s quartet version of King Crimson. He's appearing at Interlochen this summer in what's sure to be one of the top performances of the summer. Don't miss it.

"Do-Re-Mi" by the Brooklyn Rundfunk Orchestra. This mashup of "Do-Re-Mi" and the Jackson 5's "ABC" is hilarious and spot-on. What great chutzpah. And it was approved by the estate for the von Trapp family. Amazing.

"Led Boots" by Jeff Beck. One of the standout tracks from the brilliant concert at Devos Hall in Grand Rapids April 19. Beck and his band, including the hard-hitting Narada Michael Walden on drums, were on fire from the first note. "Led Boots" was the only track from Wired to make the cut ( it would have been great to hear "Blue Wind") and was among the many highlights of the evening. Check for my upcoming piece on Beck in Progression magazine.

Grammys continue to be a joke

So now the Grammy Awards have done away with a host of award categories, ostensibly to look at the "underlying infrastructure and rationale across all the awards as to how we're doing this," as Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow told Billboard Magazine. Gone are the delineations between traditional and contemporary blues, as well as gender-based categories in pop, R&B, rock and country. There will no longer be separate awards for male or female vocals, simply an award in each genre for a single "solo performance." In R&B, for example, the three categories of female, male and duo or a group vocal performance have been consolidated to R&B performance. Several instrumental categories have been eliminated as well, including the key Latin Jazz category, home to numerous well-loved artists over the past 40 years.

It's surely no coincidence that this restructuring happened on the heels of the win by independent band Arcade Fire for Album of the Year. The Canadian band shocked the music world by taking the Grammy over industry heavyweights such as Eminem and Lady Gaga. That prompted longtime marketing/music exec and hip-hop insider Steve Stoute to take out a full-page ad in the New York Times taking NARAS to task. Stoute basically made the point that in years when major artists are flourishing that NARAS can’t deny the album sales and have to recognize it on Grammy night, indicating that Justin Bieber, Eminem, and Lady Gaga should have won the major awards. In other words, there's no artistic relevance here, it's just a popularity contest. This restructuring of the Grammy Awards certainly favored the major labels and undermined the work of independent record labels. Steve, why don't you just take your ball and go home?

Well, why would he when he can gain Portnow's ear? After Stoute called the show "a series of hypocrisies and contradictions" in that full-page ad, he and Portnow buddied up. After meeting several days later, the two issued a joint statement saying they would discuss how the Recording Academy could evolve "in an ever-changing cultural environment." Talk about the tail wagging the dog. Portnow later said the changes that were made were already in play prior to his meeting with Stoute. Oh, we all certainly believe that.

Look, with a few exceptions (Herbie Hancock winning Album of the Year), the Grammys are and have almost always been a joke. They have been skewed towards popularity at the expense of artistry. We all know the example of Milli Vanilli, who sucked to start with, before being found out as impostors.

For further proof, look no further than 1979, when the Best New Artist Grammy went not to the Cars, Elvis Costello, Chris Rea, or Toto, all of whom were nominated, but instead to those influential tastemakers, A Taste of Honey. No, I'm not kidding. Or that the first ever Heavy Metal Grammy went to - Jethro Tull? Yes, the band that gave us "Bungle in the Jungle" and "Songs from the Wood"has always been one of my favorite head-banging outfits.

So yes, by all means, let's penalize the musicians some more. Take away more opportunities for artists to break in and garner some accolades. Idiots.

Grammys continue to be a joke

So now the Grammy Awards have done away with a host of award categories, ostensibly to look at the "underlying infrastructure and rationale across all the awards as to how we're doing this," as Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow told Billboard Magazine. Gone are the delineations between traditional and contemporary blues, as well as gender-based categories in pop, R&B, rock and country. There will no longer be separate awards for male or female vocals, simply an award in each genre for a single "solo performance." In R&B, for example, the three categories of female, male and duo or a group vocal performance have been consolidated to R&B performance. Several instrumental categories have been eliminated as well, including the key Latin Jazz category, home to numerous well-loved artists over the past 40 years.

It's surely no coincidence that this restructuring happened on the heels of the win by independent band Arcade Fire for Album of the Year. The Canadian band shocked the music world by taking the Grammy over industry heavyweights such as Eminem and Lady Gaga. That prompted longtime marketing/music exec and hip-hop insider Steve Stoute to take out a full-page ad in the New York Times taking NARAS to task. Stoute basically made the point that in years when major artists are flourishing that NARAS can’t deny the album sales and have to recognize it on Grammy night, indicating that Justin Bieber, Eminem, and Lady Gaga should have won the major awards. In other words, there's no artistic relevance here, it's just a popularity contest. This restructuring of the Grammy Awards certainly favored the major labels and undermined the work of independent record labels. Steve, why don't you just take your ball and go home?

Well, why would he when he can gain Portnow's ear? After Stoute called the show "a series of hypocrisies and contradictions" in that full-page ad, he and Portnow buddied up. After meeting several days later, the two issued a joint statement saying they would discuss how the Recording Academy could evolve "in an ever-changing cultural environment." Talk about the tail wagging the dog. Portnow later said the changes that were made were already in play prior to his meeting with Stoute. Oh, we all certainly believe that.

Look, with a few exceptions (Herbie Hancock winning Album of the Year), the Grammys are and have almost always been a joke. They have almost always been skewed towards popularity at the expense of artistry recognize artistry. We all know the example of Milli Vanilli, who sucked to start with, before being found out as impostors.

For further proof, look no further than 1979, when the Best New Artist Grammy went not to the Cars, Elvis Costello, Chris Rea, or Toto, all of whom were nominated, but instead to those influential tastemakers, A Taste of Honey. No, I'm not kidding. Or that the first ever Heavy Metal Grammy went to - Jethro Tull? Yes, the band that gave us "Bungle in the Jungle" and "Songs from the Wood"has always been one of my favorite head-banging outfits.

So yes, by all means, let's penalize the musicians some more. Take away more opportunities for artists to break in and garner some accolades. Idiots.

Gohar Vardanyan's six-string magic

 They say you can’t go home again. As far as Gohar Vardanyan is concerned, they’re wrong.

Vardanyan returned to Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she studied from 2001 to 2004, for a classical guitar recital Wednesday April 6. The small but enthusiastic audience was rewarded with a program of uncommon skill and verve.

The opening set of three Argentinian pieces immediately established Vardanyan’s ability. She has a marvelous technical aptitude, effortlessly rendering arpeggios and runs. Best of all, it doesn’t come off as something difficult, but rather very fluid.

That was the case throughout the evening. Her playing made the difficult passages sing. The “Introduccion y Rondo Op. 2 No. 2” by Aguado was a prime example. Almost jaunty, her fingers never got ahead of her passion. She continued to warm to the occasion, performing three other pieces before a brief intermission, each more evocative than the last.

The second half of the program was even better. Whether she was more relaxed or simply more comfortable with the music, Vardanyan showed she’s both a formidable talent and an engaging one. Joaquin Turina’s “Sonata, Op. 61” showed a greater dynamic range, and Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Invocacion y Danza” found her fingers dancing up and down the fretboard and inviting the audience to do likewise.

Despite a player’s prowess, sometimes the classical guitar repertoire can sound a bit tiresome, like exercises meant to challenge or build up the student’s ability, rather than a composition people (other than guitarists) will enjoy hearing. That’s why the Scarlatti Sonatas were such a delight. The two pieces by the baroque composer were melodic, joyful, and far too brief.

Early on, Vardanyan paid homage to John Wunsch, her former instructor at Interlochen. Throughout the show it was engaging to see his reaction to her playing, beaming, bobbing his head in time to the runs, as his student demonstrated how she’s grown.

Onetime Genesis axe-slinger Steve Hackett, whose album “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” showcased his acoustic playing with orchestra and topped the classical charts, has said there is an orchestra inside the guitar. Vardanyan had no difficulty finding it and conducted it well.  

Music old and new

Yes in concert - takes you back a few years. My first Yesshow was in 1976 at Wings Stadium, with Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White, and Patrick Moraz. Later shows featured Rick Wakeman, Geoff Downes & Trevor Horn, Wakeman and Anderson again, and then the mega-Yes, with Bill Bruford,Tony Kaye and Trevor Rabin among the eight-member assemblage.

Squire, Howe and White remain, along with Oliver Wakeman on keyboards (yes, Rick's son) and Benoit David on vocals. The show at the Orbit Room in Grand Rapids was a step down from previous excursions at Wings, Joe Louis, Olympia and the like, at least in size. Never mind the fact the promised comps and photo pass did not materialize, how was the show? First, the good. Howe and Squire haven't lost a thing technically. And there's still a lot of fire there, including White, pounding out the polyrhythms.

The set list was interesting, with two tracks from Going for the One and Drama, and de rigeur classics "Close to the Edge,""Roundabout" and "Owner of A Lonely Heart" (Howe has managed to put his stamp on that Rabin raveup). They went back as far as The Yes Album for "Yours Is No Disgrace," and the "Soon" excerpt from "To Be Over" on Relayer was a highlight. But no tracks from the more recent The Ladder or their upcoming CD, which was quite disappointing. "Owner" was the only Rabin-era track, and similarly no tracks from Tales From Topographic Oceans, though there were some brief quotes in Howe's guitar solo.

Also, in a smaller venue, the stage set was spare, with none of the Roger and Martyn Dean creations or lasers. But the biggest disappointment was the sound mix. Must be Squire was in charge, because his bass sounds totally overshadowed everything else, save Howe's electric guitar. When Howe pulled out the mandolin for "I've Seen All Good People" you couldn't hear it. Ditto Wakeman's phalanx of keyboards, with the exception of one; it must have been set on 11 and the rest on 3. Dad would never have allowed that.

The vocals too were difficult to discern, and David had an unfortunate tendency to go flat. A stronger mix might have helped even in that regard.

Overall,  the playing was impeccable, the stage presence of Squire and Howe strong, if less so for David.

On to the jazz side of things. Dave Grusin has a new CD, DVD, and iPad app: A Night with Dave Grusin includes his originals as well as music from Bernstein and others. Guests include Patti Austin, Gary Burton, Nestor Torres, Arturo Sandoval and Jon Secada. Stirring, cinematic music, even those tracks not from movies.

Grusin is a charming man and for someone with the career he's had - scoring 60+ movies, releasing another 20+ recordings, performing worldwide, and helping save jazz in the 80s by starting the GRP label with partner Larry Rosen - affable, humble and enjoyable to talk to. He gives much of the credit to Rosen, who he said took the idea of a concert and turned it into an event.

That includes the first-ever iPad app of its kind. It gives you not only the music but photos, bios, interviews, and several additional camera angles from the show. Fun stuff.

Finally: Lowdown on new Rippingtons, Yellowjackets, & more

Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons have delivered another winner, with great melodies, engaging riffs, and just a couple pratfalls. The second cut on the new Cote D'Azur, "Le Calypso," is one of the unfortunate missteps, with a melody that's not much there. But for most of the rest, from the zesty title track which opens the disc with a booming bassline, to the closing "Mesmerized," the Ripps show their mettle. Freeman shines as always - he never gets enough credit for his playing, and the band is tight and grooving throughout. Critics may call the music formulaic, and while it fits neatly into the smooth jazz playlists, it still offers more than ear candy. These guys can play, and even if they rarely surprise anymore, you can always count on a Rippingtons album to deliver the goods.

The Yellowjackets predate the Ripps, and originally were more bluesy/r&b oriented, serving primarily as the vehicle for guitarist Robben Ford. With Ford's departure, they became more jazz-centric, first with saxophonist Marc Russo, then even more so with his replacement, Bob Mintzer. Their jagged compositions, by all four band members, bring to mind everyone from Weather Report, Chick Corea, and 60s West Coast jazz. Timeline features Mintzer, original members Russell Ferrante on keys and bassist supreme Jimmy Haslip, and the return of drummer Will Kennedy. Mintzer's magnificent sax playing is always marvelous, and Ferrante's keyboard work (especially his acoustic piano on the title track) makes this as fun to listen to in its way as the Ripps. And of course, the rhythm section is spot on. It's great to hear music by these veteran groups as impressive as anything they've recorded over their lengthy careers.

Back before either of these groups was in existence, the CTI label released a host of fab jazz discs. They ranged from early crossover discs to straightahead jazz to Latin flavorings and nearly everything in between. A series of re-releases includes George Benson's White Rabbit and Deodato's Prelude. The former offers a seven-minute take on the Airplane classic, done as a funky Latin jam, with Herbie Hancock, John Tropea on acoustic guitar, Benson on electric, and Hubert Laws on flute showing what masters can do with the mundane. Prelude was CTI's biggest seller ever, on the strength of the hit reworking of "Also Sprach Zarathustra," then popular as the theme to "2001: A Space Odyssey." Amazingly, Deodato only did two more albums for CTI as a leader, before going on to write and produce for other artists.

Super Bowl, not so super commercials

So the big game is over for another year (or more, if the NFL has a labor stoppage), and so are the commercials. Fortunately. Because most of them weren't very good. I was asked by the TC Business News to gather a virtual panel of advertising professionals and get their input on the commercials last night, ostensibly from the first half. So I watched with more than my usual fervor, making this the second year in a row I've actually watched the Super Bowl.

Let's start with the slew of spots for upcoming movies. I cannot ever recall seeing so many commercials for films. They were okay, but I can't recall any one flick over another at this point. Other than the fact it looks like there's another Transformers movie. Or maybe they're just re-releasing one of the others. No one would ever be able to tell. Too, too many.

The same with promos for FOX shows (with one huge exception, noted below). They all just blended together. What I found most disappointing was the lack of any support for my two favorites, Lie to Me and Human Target. I have a feeling the latter, which is showing its season finale this week, may be scuttled. Too bad. It's fun, in an over-the-top, A-Team kind of way. Lie to Me remains tied with Castle atop my personal fave list, followed by Human Target and This Old House. Sherlock on PBS would be #1 if its season had lasted more than three episodes.

There was a surprising amount of agreement among the panel on the top spot. Course, that doesn't mean they were right. The most popular commercial was the Passat spot featuring a pint-sized Darth Vader who finally captures the Force when he magically starts the car in the driveway, thanks to some help from Dad's remote. Huh? What on earth (or in space) does that have to do with the car? Oh, that's right, nothing. Great branding. Passat, the car Darth Vader used as a youth.

Most of the panel hated the Budweiser commercial where the cowboy threatens violence when the barkeep tells him they're out of Bud. The day is saved when the stage coach being pulled by Clydesdales (of course) arrives with ice-cold beer. Then the whole saloon broke into "Tiny Dancer." I found it absurd and hilarious, especially the part where the stage coach driver drops the case onto the bar amid a shower of ice cubes. Ice cubes. From a stage coach. In the old west. Funny stuff.

Worst in show had to be the Doritos commercial featuring the guy sucking Doritos powder from another guy's fingers and then de-pantsing a fellow office worker to sniff and lick his pants. Yeah, you remember the spot, with disgust and horror. It certainly disproved the adage "There's no such thing as bad publicity." Can anyone eat Doritos without thinking of the commercial and having their stomach crawl? No matter how cute the opening Doritos spot was with the pug crashing through the door atop its tormentor (very predictably, I thought), this one negated any goodwill there might have been. Now and forever.

The slew of automobile commercials were mostly okay, as predicted by media analyst David E. Johnson of Strategic Vision, a PR and marketing firm out of Atlanta. There wasn't much visionary here, but there also weren't too many "What were they thinking?" moments, as was the case with Doritos or Groupon.com, which garnered a big "Huh?" while also riling the Chinese with its sympathetic portrayal of Tibet. Analysts are already predicting big trouble for the company, which is trying to expand in China. Great thinking.

One car commercial stood out among all others: The two-minute Chrysler spot in the second half with Eminem driving around Detroit landmarks while the narrator spoke of a city that was down but not out. Haters can vilify Detroit all they want, but how could anyone from Michigan not feel their chest swell with pride?

Best of the best was the brief spot for House. The caustic doc is approached by a young boy who tells him he's the best doc ever. House, of course, agrees. The boy offers House his churro, to which House replies, "My patient just died. You think a Spanish deep-fried snack is gonna make things better?" Then House tosses the kid his cane, which whacks him upside the head and hand. This takeoff on the classic Coke ad with Mean Joe Green was easily the funniest of the night, and by far the best branding.