As if I weren't spending too much of my life at this keyboard already, I've been surfing the web for music I remember from my younger, hipper, hotter days; music that reminds me of New Orleans (for which I still mourn); music I've never heard before - I have got to get a life beyond this hard drive, monitor and keyboard, but not right this minute.
There is a piece of music by Duke Ellington, king of the suites, that I couldn't find on the 'net: from his New Orleans Suite (1970), "Portrait of Mahalia Jackson," that makes me weep every time I hear it. I found this other one, though, that I'd never heard before, titled "Newport Jazz Festival Suite." It's about 10 minutes long.
This next musician is totally unknown to me, but I like his work (the pieces I listened to, anyway). Maybe some of you know about him - Django Reinhardt, a jazz/swing guitarist.
These guys are legendary blues men, who influenced a whole lot of other artists, including the Beatles, the Stones, Clapton, you name a rock and roll group from the 60s on up: John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson.
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Other favorites, from different decades in my life:
Edith (I didn't understand a word she was singing, but it did not matter - she had me hooked.)
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The list goes on and on, but I have to quit and get some sleep.
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Yes, those are the give-away earphones that came with the t-shirt.
(c) 2009 Martha McLemore
