Doin' the Friday Shuffle

Post haste!

1.) "In Your Own Sweet Way," Dave Brubeck, Dave Brubeck Ballads

I got into Dave Brubeck through the compilation disc issued along with the Ken Burns' Jazz PBS series a few years back. Never watched the series, but that Brubeck disc sold me on his stuff. This is just a beautifully melodic and wistful little jazz ballad for piano. One of my favorites of his.

2.) "Everything's All Right (reprise)," Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rise, Jesus Christ Superstar (original concept album)

Mary Magdalene sings a quick reprise of "Everything's All Right" before launching into her more well-known number, "I Don't Know How to Love Him." I love Superstar; it's on my short list of "musicals I really want to direct one day."

3.) "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine," Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde

Infectious little rocker from Dylan.

4.) "Sweet Was the Song," Benjamin Britten, A Ceremony of Carols

Boy's choir. I got this because I love the "This Little Babe" piece, and have heard it done by many a female choir. Haven't gotten too into the other stuff though.

5.) "Subterranean Homesick Blues," Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home

"Momma's in the basement, mixing up the medicine." Just got this album, and am loving it. I knew most of the songs already through various live versions. This is a great bit of rapidly delivered Dylan, including the classic line "The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals stole the handle."

6.) "Call me Lightning," The Who, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B

Early Who, before they quite figured out what they did best. Still, this bit of Beatles-esque pop-rock ain't half-bad.

7.) "Karma Police," Radiohead, OK Computer

Unlike apparently most of the British rock magazine-reading population, I don't think this is the greatest album ever. It is quite good though. This one of my favorite songs, with some nicely melodic piano work.

8.) "You're the Top (alternate take)," Ella Fitzgerald (song by Cole Porter), Ella Sings the Cole Porter Songbook

Ella is my favorite jazz singer, her singing is just so effortless. This version is wonderfully understated, with just piano, bass, drums, and Ella. Great nightclub music.

9.) "If You Can Find Me, I'm Here," Mandy Patinkin (song by Stephen Sondheim), Sings Sondheim

A two-disc set of Mandy Patinkin in concert singing naught but Sondheim, accompanied by naught but piano. A great album, full of dramatic and intense interpretations of Sondheim songs. This number, from the TV musical Evening Primrose is a great dramatic piece, about a poet who has deliberately shut himself away from the world gleefully celebrating his seclusion.

10.) "Fiddle About," Pete Townsend, The Who's Tommy (Original Broadway Cast)

Perhaps the first-ever song about pedophilia sung in a big shiny Broadway musical.

Until Whenever