Random Thoughts for a Saturday Morning

Happy Labor Day weekend to one and all. I'll be celebrating by working tonight. I'm curious, what are the best songs about working? What are your thoughts?

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial last weekend of the summer, so I hope you all have some spectacular festivities planned. If you don't, might I suggest one to those in the Chicago area: the Chicago Jazz Fest in Grant Park, which goes on today and tomorrow.

I've often wondered how this fest can be so packed with people every year, but then you never hear anyone talking much about going to jazz venues or concerts. I suppose part of the charm of Jazz or Blues Fest is that you can sit around the lawn in Grant Park, enjoy some expensive food and beer, and spend time with your friends on a beautiful Chicago day--which as most know, we only get a handful of all year. The music almost becomes an after-thought. In fact if you walk around, you'll see a great number who definitely have no interest in the music itself and are merely using it like a soundtrack playing in the background, which is fine I suppose, but personally I don't get it.

Jazz is America's one true artform. It is spontaneous, at times energetic, at times thoughtful, at times a canvas of aural color, tone, and nuance. But to be truly appreciated, it needs to be LISTENED to. It takes work, but once you develop an ear for it, jazz will reward you time and time again. It's hard to shift between pop music and jazz music, as pop can be listened to very passively, and while you might even miss things with pop if you're not careful, you can still appreciate it on a certain level while doing about ten different things at once, as we Americans, the Kings and Queens of Multi-tasking tend to do. I encourage you to go to Jazz Fest and just listen. If you can't get there, get yourself some Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Billie Holliday albums and do the same. "Kind of Blue" by Miles and "Blue Train" by Coltrane are good starting points. Give them a couple of real, fully devoted listens and I think you'll get something out of them. Then if you're feeling really adventurous, check out "A Love Supreme" by Coltrane and "Bitches Brew" by Miles. Any thing by Charlie Parker is amazing. I recommend "The Quintet at Massey Hall", though, which also features Dizzy Gillespe, Bud Powell, and Charles Mingus (who may very well be one of the greatest American composers of all time).

That's my jazz rant of the day. I wanted to talk a little bit about Dylan playing 3 shows at the end of October, which coincides with the release of his Christmas album, but I'll save that for later.

Oh and did you know that the Sony Walkman outsells the iPod in Japan? I know it's the modern version of the Walkman, but in my mind I have visions of hip Japanese youth carrying around the big 'ol '80s style tape deck Walkman! Hey, I made some great mix tapes in my day! In a way, I kind of miss it.

And also, I'm thinking of the Dylan song, "Idiot Wind". Just wanted to let you know. Long story. Might have to do with politics, might not.

Oh, and here's some Bird and Diz, once again I'm technology stupid, so you might have to copy and paste this into your browser since I can't figure out how to create a link!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkvCDCOGzGc

A Look into an Obama Presidency

There's a line in "High Fidelity" that says (paraphrased), "It's not what you are like that matters, but what you like." Rob Gordon (John Cusack) tells us that what makes people interesting is their taste in music, movies, and all things pop culture, rather than their actual personality traits. I'm not quite as gung ho as this, but as a recovering music snob, I do give creedence to this philosophy. So based on this, what is an Obama Presidency going to look like?

Barack Obama's music taste isn't necesarily new news. Rolling Stone ran an interview with him in which he revealed some of what is on his iPod. But now that he's been elected, now is a good time to re-examine the tracks that can now officially be deemed, "president-worthy". To give credit where credit is due, my friend and talented musician in his own right, Michael Mullowney (left in photo) gave me this idea. I'm including the picture of him and podcast contributor, Joao Morlett (right in photo), with Michelle (and Sasha) Obama, who is (or I guess more appropriately, was) a regular at the restaurant we all work at. I'm supremely jealous of their photo op, but I too have waited on Michelle and the kids, and once, the man himself--the 44th President of the United States of America.

Yet I digress. My brush with greatness is a mere footnote. Let's get back to the serious business of fortelling the nature of the Obama Administration, based on his music tastes.

The Rolling Stones "Gimmie Shelter" I've always liked the song, but honestly never understood most of the lyrics beyond, "If I don't get some shelter. oh yeah I'm gonna fade away". So through the magic of search engines, I was able to find out what slurring Mick was singing about. Wow! Did you know this song is political? Here all this time I thought he was talking about finding a dry place to have a picnic!! Boy was I wrong! Kidding...mostly. What does this tell us about President Obama? It shows he's a realist. "War, children, it's just a shot away". He'll be careful with how he speaks to the rest of the world. There will be no chest-thumping speeches about the "Axis of Evil". President Obama will take the path of diplomacy. War is just a shot away and we are already mired in too much conflict. But this song is also a sign of Obama's optimism, as well. For in the end, "love is just a kiss away". Can we have peace in the world, Mr President? Yes we can!!

Bob Dylan "Maggie's Farm" and the album "Blood on the Tracks" So Barack is a fan, not just a casual observer, of good 'ol Zimmy. I mean, who doesn't like Bob Dylan. But there is a difference from saying "I like Blowin' in the Wind and Like A Rolling Stone." and saying you're into "Blood on the Tracks". Just one more piece of evidence that Barack Obama is the most perfect human being alive.

These are a couple of good choices. What does "Maggie's Farm" say? "I tried my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants me to be just like them...I ain't gonna work on Maggie's Farm no more." This is Dylan declaring himself to be his own man. Obama too, will be tested by those who want him to be just like them, but will hold firm in his beliefs and vision. He will rise above the "Idiot Wind" that blows through politics ("Idiot Wind" being a track from "Blood on the Tracks"--How do you like that segue?).

Essentially "Blood on the Tracks" is a break-up album. Inevitably, many Obama supporters who are currently "Tangled up in Barack" will feel let down, ignored, and betrayed. A break-up will be had. And like most break-ups, it won't necessarily be one thing that causes the split. It will be a series of things, but it will add up. And the once jubilant supporters will wonder who this man they once knew has become. For once they will see him for what he is--an imperfect human being like the rest of us. Obama knows this already and spoke of this at his victory rally in Grant Park. Expectations for any president are high, but expectations for him are Dylan-esque. At some point President Obama will metaphorically trade in his acoustic for an electric and many in his fawning masses will cry, "Judas!". Oh it will happen.

Jay-Z "Dirt off the Shoulder" I've got to admit, I've got nothing on this one. Maybe his suit will be dirty one day and he'll ask Joe Biden if he can brush it off for him. That's what the Constitution wants the Vice President to do right?

I mean, I liked the song, but I'm not very good at analyzing Jay-Z. I think it's Obama's way of being contemporary. This is a stretch, but here's my take on this song. There will be plenty of cleaning up to do when Obama is sworn in this January. Oh he'll be needing some extra strength multi-purpose cleaner to rid the the country of the unpleasant layer of Bush that pervades. This song will remind him that there will be some serious scrubbing to do. It's that or when we see him brushing his shoulders off it'll be how we know when President Obama is "feelin' like a pimp." I haven't quite figured it out yet.

Stevie Wonder The string of amazing albums in the '70s before anyone imagined he was capable of writing the awful load of crap called "I Just Called to Say I Love You". I mean, really???

Above anything this shows Obama's great taste in music. Stevie Wonder had a string of five albums that are unparalleled in music. These albums have it all--soul, rhythm, love, politics, spirituality, funky grooves, and innovation. This is Stevie Wonder at his genius period. Hopefully we are seeing Barack Obama at his genius period as well.

I think the song from this period that best encapsulates President Obama is "Higher Ground". Ok, so maybe that wasn't the biggest leap one could make, but oh well, my blog, my selections. "Teachers, keep on teachin', preachers keep on preachin' (the election is over, Rev. Wright, you too are allowed to preach again)...believers, keep on believin." To steal a phrase from Obama's former adversary, "It takes a village...". President Obama knows this and will ask for as much passion and effort from everyday Americans as he asks from himself and his own staff. "Gonna keep on tryin' till I reach the highest ground." He will fail, undoubtedly, but President Obama is not a quitter. There is always a higher ground to reach for, and this will be the time and place and history to reach for it.

Sheryl Crow Huhhh??????

Ok, so if you've seen the man dance, you know he's not the coolest person alive. That award goes to his wife Michelle. And no disrespect to you Mr. President, but if you have Sheryl Crow on your iPod, please don't admit it. Sigh! Ok, here goes.

I'll focus on "Are You Strong Enough". It is President Obama's way of telling his staff that, "I have a vision, but I'm going to rely on you heavily. You need to be strong enough to be with me and ready to support me when I fail and help me when I say 'I don't know'." As opposed to our current president, President Obama will not be afraid to ask questions and seek answers, rather than acting carelessly. He'll surround himself with intelligent, thoughtful, and pragmatic men and women who are strong enough to be his advisors on the tough road ahead.

This will be no easy ride, President Obama. This ain't no disco. This ain't no country club. This is DC. Again, I'm sorry to be a broken record, but...Sheryl Crow????

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Charlie Parker President Obama reclaims some of his lost cool points with these selections. I mean, without jazz, there would be no term "cool". Miles had an album called, "Birth of the Cool".

This is an encouraging sign. Jazz is a thinking person's music. Yes it may be improvisational, and no doubt President Obama is going to have to do a lot of improvising, but it is highly technical and complicated. Real jazz isn't Bill Clinton honking away on a saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show. It's ground-breaking and spiritual like Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". It's technically and auditorally beautiful like Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue". It's jaw-droppingly perfect like any Charlie Parker solo when he wasn't out of his mind on drugs. And jazz is the one true American artform. I think Barack Obama is a jazz kind of guy. Cool and calm on the outside, but always thinking and looking to break new ground on the inside. Constantly innovating and finding new ways to riff on old themes. He'll bring out the best in his side players to produce great work.

So there you have it: A look into an Obama presidency based on his iPod selections. You probably can't tell I'm an Obama supporter. I'm just basing my predictions on the facts that the music presents us. I'm sure McCain supporters are wondering where R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It" is. I'm not so naive to think that perfection is going to be what happens. There's going to be a lot of bumps in the road and missteps and moments that bring to mind Bob Dylan leaping into born-again Christianity that make us all collectively say, "What????" But I have hope.

Most of the music listed above is music for the thinking person. It's the type of music that academics study. And I don't know about you, but there is something very comforting in knowing that an intelligent person is running our country. And our government consists of three branches, not just an executive branch like George W. Bush wanted us to think. Our country's recovery is in the hands of Congress and the Supreme Court as well. I think President Obama can unite everyone if they are willing to be united. You're not going to "get" Miles Davis's "Bitches Brew" if you don't allow yourself to "get" it. You've got to keep with it and finally it all comes together and you realize that you've found something. You have been transformed in a way. That's what it's going to take for the USA to turn around: a good dose of transformation from the inside out.

Yes We Can!!!