Love For Lyle

I first heard Lyle Mays on the radio one Sunday morning in 1979, on Bill Ayres' radio show. American Garage had just come out, and Bill was talking to Pat, and they played The Epic, and I became a Pat Metheny and fusion fan. 30 albums and countless bootlegs later, I still am.

I saw PMG dozens of times, starting in the early 80s. Lyle was unquestionably the foundation of the band, a great straight jazz player plus a synth wizard. Pat has done many projects since the Group was active, and they're all great, but PMG was definitive, the sound of a generation, fusion that mattered.

Thanks Lyle. You'll be missed.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dHTw7FpFbfBNKgyzBSLD6?si=o4DGkJBIQ7-5uNCjHrgukw

Southside's School of Classic Soul for Suburban White Kids

Over yonder on setlist.fm, there's a way to download all the songs from all the setlists an artist has ever played. I wanted to see how many songs Southside Johnny has ever covered, so I downloaded this and then removed the Jukes original tracks. There were over 750 cover tunes left! Amazing.

I did a little old-school linux software hackery to turn that list into a playlist that Spotify could digest. Then I dug through to find the coolest (and sometimes the absolutely most obscure) old soul tunes, like Weak Spot, a song they pulled out at the Pony on Feb 27, 2016 -- a great, great show that was an homage to a similar soul-covers late night set from their record release show of May 30, 1976 (One of my most prized bootlegs. Shhh.)

Anyway, here's the result. One of my favorite setlists ever. Thanks, Southside, for the musical education.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1nGedLkr7TvJBos1Ra9LrM?si=pdoOpB3URcmMPDlc4MBIxw

Everyone's Trying To Beat My Playlist

My Beatles playlist is better than yours ;-) Fab Faux preshow required listening.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5SOW0dWPEEe313e4jF2ZcA?si=UBXQiO_1QG-iUxCYMAg6DA 

No More Buffalo

No More Buffalo 

Alan's picks of the essential James McMurtry tracks. May require therapy if digested in one sitting.

After 100, I Don't Look Down

Officer: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Me: "No sir --  After 100 I Don't Look Down"

The Criminally Underrated Ben Arnold

A Philly local and a great songwriter! It is a true mystery to me how a guy this talented can get zero traction outside his hometown.

The Criminally Underrated Ben Arnold

Case Closed!

Case Closed -- my favorite Peter Case tunes, this week anyway.

Poutpourri de Batterie

Poutpourri de Batterie -- Yeah, my French needs work :-) Recent and favorite releases by or featuring my favorite jazz drummers: Tony Williams, Peter Erskine, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Adam Nussbaum, Ian Frommer, Steve Gadd, etc. I made this one about 6 months ago and it somehow it just doesn't get old.

No Horns, No Soul

No Horns, No Soul

Because XPN's Funky Friday has kinda jumped the shark.

NBJP

Here's a playlist of some of the excellent artists that have been part of the New Brunswick Jazz Project, now in its 10th year! Thanks to Virginia, Mike and Jimmy for so many nights of great jazz in NJ.

Alan's New Brunswick Jazz Project Playlist

The ECM Classics

The ECM Classics: Metheny, Towner, Abercrombie, Jarrett, Burton, Corea

When I joined Spotify I was really surprised that there was no playlist covering the great early ECM albums featuring Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, John Abercrombie, Ralph Towner, etc. So I made one. 52 followers! Somebody besides me still likes this stuff ;-)