Notes from the Gramophone

A moment of silence to remember Mary Travers, the golden haired soprano voice of Peter, Paul & Mary, who died last week at age 72.

Folks were remembering their favorite PP&M songs, and we were out someplace and people were singing “Puff the Magic Dragon,” recalling it from their childhoods. I loved PP&M but my recollection of “Puff” was not so happy. All I could think of were the lyrics:

“A dragon lives forever but not so little boys….” and then “One gray night it happened/Jackie Paper came no more/And Puff that mighty dragon/He ceased his fearless roar….” And then, didn’t Puff sadly slip into his grave? his cave? or was it the sea? (I should really look this up) Continue Reading »

I am a sucker for radio countdowns and this time of year ushers in my favorite: whatever WXPN dreams up for their October 885 countdown. This year it is your Desert Island Songs. What 10 songs would you need if stranded on a desert island? Submit by tomorrow morning, and they’ll start counting down on Sept. 29 (probably while they’re asking for money, but oh well). Continue Reading »

I just spoke with Nicole Laurenn, the lead singer and organist for the band the Love Me Nots, who will be playing at The Record Collector in Bordentown Sept. 5.

She’s in Phoenix and remarked that it’s hot out there (over 100 degrees) but it’s not as humid as it is here. So I got to use the famous line “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”

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George Taylor Morris, the morning host of XM Satellite Radio’s Deep Tracks classic rock channel and primary host of XM Artist Confidential, died last week at the age of 62. Also known as GTM, he’d been in radio seemingly forever, as a disc jockey and air personality at stations on Long Island, and in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. Continue Reading »

Sorry to have been away from The Gramophone for awhile, but I’m back and letting you know about So Percussion and their Summer Institute, going on right now on the campus of Princeton University. The four-man percussion ensemble are good friends with Princeton music department folks like Steve Mackey, Paul Lansky and Dan Trueman and hope to have the composers interacting with student percussion participants.

For the public, there are a number of cool concerts you can check out, including one this Saturday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. at the Woolworth Music Center. Concerts are free but you need to go to the venues and get tickets. Check So Percussion’s Website to see what will be on the program. There will be another student concert Aug. 8, 8 p.m. in Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall.

What should be really interesting is the Percussion Evening at Small World Coffee on Witherspoon Street, Aug. 7, 8:30 p.m. Eric Beach from So Percussion described once playing coconut shells against his chest and drumming on his stomach, so who knows what he’ll do at Small World?

The Princeton Public Library will host a series of jazz concerts, Thursday nights beginning July 9 with the Kaczorowski-Valosin Band (that’s Dave Kaczorowski on bass and Adrian Valosin in drums, joined by pianist Jim Desalvo.

Appropriately enough, the Thursday night concerts continue on July 16 with Thursday Night Jazz, three top-notch youthful talents. I wrote about the trio a couple of years ago and was astrounded with their energy, discipline, taste and skill. They were all high school then and may still be, but managed to have a full schedule of professional gigs in addition to the usual academic tasks and athletic endeavors.

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1. I just turned on the computer to read a rumor that Michael Jackson has died at age 50. Perhaps I will write more when we know whether this is true or not. It doesn’t surprise me but it does sadden me. I grew up with Michael Jackson and the Jackson5 on the radio!

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We had Libra Time back in October, remembering all the talented Venusians who play or loved music. Now it’s time for the Twins, the Mercurial Ones — all the folks born in the last few weeks who have contributed to the music world. And there are quite a few.

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Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, here we are, not at Camp Granada, but all ready for the 2009 Courtyard Concert Series presented by Grounds For Sculpture, kicking off Friday June 12. Every other Friday night, some of the best local and regional talents bring their original music to GFS in Hamilton, when the summertime landscaping is lush and the temps balmy.

This summer’s series looks to be splendid. 3 The Hard Way, a Philadelphia/Baltimore-based band performing reggae, jazz and soul fusion launches the series June 12. The MIXXTAPE, from New Hope, Pa., comes to GFS June 26, for an event that not only showcases the group’s eclectic sound, but also features a litebrite art contest, a cassette tape swap, and tape player recycling. (Cassette tapes: another form of music technology that seems on the verge of extinction — and I still have my carefully made mixes from the 80s!!)

The series continues July 10 with Chris Barron, jamband hero and former lead singer for the Spin Doctors. Alice Leon and The Alice Project will perform on July 24. Things heat up in August with the VooDUDES, on August 7. And the series concludes with the unconventional sounds of The Alfred James Band on August 21. He’s the one with the 5-string, carbon fiber stand-up cello.

It’s a recession friendly evening of music for $15, or you can treat yourself to a 3-course meal at Rat’s Restaurant before the show for $38. (Reservations are required for the pre-concert meal.) For information or to buy tickets, call 609-586-0616.

Now, rain, rain, go away! Those of us with cabin fever want to play!

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Gene Simmons of Kiss acted like a jerk when Terry Gross had him on WHYY FM’s “Fresh Air,” but punk godfather Iggy Pop was a perfect gentleman when he was interviewed recently. He was thoughtful, insightful, humorous and not afraid to reveal his deepest thoughts, even talking about a near-death experience. And amazingly, he sounded more sane than a whole lot of people I know around here. Continue Reading »