Soothing The Savage Beast

Sitting in my new office - living the life of a retiree - I'm listening via the computer to some jazz music sort of recommended to me by my brother Tom, more than a few years ago. His lead has caused me to expand my CD collection, my mind, and my recommendations to others.

Over time it has been this bloggers experience that the right kind of music can do just what the title above suggests. We'll save any arguments as to the spelling of the last word for another time.

Music can also affect ("you say effect and I say affect") the emotional level of the listener in another way. While some Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky At Teatime) can be a walk by a bubbling brook, hearing some of his more strident compositions can be anything but soothing. 1812 Overture? ("If I hear those blinkety blank cannons & bells one more time I'm going to scream!", Mom said. She seldom swore.)

There are times that folks surely have chosen to switch to Mozart, Bach, or perhaps one of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, etc., for the purpose of mood elevation. Neither of my piano trained parents seemed to have the affinity for classical music that I did.

Perhaps music teacher Hazel Goretsky's introduction of Edvard Grieg & Peer Gynt to us in grade school, as well as classmate (and fellow sextetter) Dave Bullock's prodigy like rendition of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto and Rachmaninoff, did the trick for me.

Nothing quite like listening to Morning Mood from Peer Gynt, as I am now..

Most of my jazz interests came from the late 50's and early 60's: Brubeck, Jamal, Garner, Getz, Hodges, Sharon, Evans, Broadbent, Desmond, MJQ, Shearing, Ellis Marsalis, Flanagan, McPartland, Previn, Guaraldi, & Mancini among others.

Recent additions are Beegie Adair, Ruby Braff, Trio 94, Benoit, Botti, Herb Harris & a great pianist listened to often at the Harrisburg Hilton, Steve Rudolph. While Steve has his own unique inventive style every once in a while Bill Evans sneaks in under the Baby Grand lid. Lot's of S.R. and B.E. in my collection.

Favorite vocalists are Sinatra, Nat & Natalie Cole, Christy, Torme, Sassy, Bennett, Barbra, Jack Jones, Krall, Steve & Eydie, Mathis, Perry, Bing, Rosie, N. Wilson, Carmen, Dinah W., Buddy Greco, Peggy Lee, Deano & Sammy, Johnny Hartman & Arthur Prysock.

Some of these guys have suffered a very poor cover at various Karaoke bars as a result of the imitation attempts by yours truly.

My first public performance was in grade school and later when singing in a sextet at Forest Hills Junior High School - three guys and three gals. People still swear the highest voice was my boy soprano. I was slow to enter puberty.

Later harmony highlights were singing with the gang in someone's car as we were returning from playing a basketball game - "in some place out of God's knowledge". Guess who had to do the high part?

This led to a burgeoning group vocal collection that included Four Freshmen, Four Lads, Four Aces, Hilltoppers, Ames Bros, Mills Brothers, Carpenters, Hi-Los, Singers Unlimited, First Call, and Manhattan Transfer.

Singing in a car, school, church, or bar has always been an enjoyable trip for me. Church music directors have been super to a guy who has been singing for almost 70 years but never took the time to learn how to read music.

One favorite, Vicki Webber, was kind enough to allow me to learn a Christmas Cantata by ear via borrowed tapes after I moved away from Pittsburgh. Ever the purist, she obtained my executed promise I would appear at at least one of the final rehearsals before we performed it.

Around the later period in my church performances my first tenor was struggling with my cigarette habit . Solos became a challenge in order to keep from relying on my falsetto leanings.

However, it never failed that regardless of how much I struggled with the high notes in rehearsals at home and church, my prayers on performance night miraculously allowed me to reach the elusive note I sought.

My Dad, considered himself a "Beer Drinking Lutheran" but, favored a drink allegedly made from potatoes. It was dad from whom I inherited my tenor range, and who always encouraged me thusly, "Barry, God gave you a good voice. It's your responsibility to use it."

Maybe on those church performance nights it wasn't just God serving as my overseer. Dad had passed from this world before I entered my "busy season" and might have been pushing me even then.

One of my favorite jazz cuts is from a album by The Trio 1994 . Pianist Derek Smith plays an impromptu version of the spiritual "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" while Tonight Show drummer Bobby Rosengarden, and bassist Milt Hinton, jump on for the ride.

If I can find it, I just might hum along.

I'm sure brother Tom would recommend it as well.