April 29, 2011

1899 - They called him many things, including the Duke, and 112 years ago today, American composer Edward Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington was born. Due to his inventive use of the orchestra, or big band, and thanks to his eloquence and extraordinary charisma, Ellington, during his lifetime, is generally considered to have elevated the perception of jazz to an art form on a par with other traditional genres of music. He was a composer, pianist, and big band leader, and wrote more than 1,000 compositions. More than a prominent figure in the history of jazz, Ellington's music stretched into various other genres, including blues, gospel, film scores, popular, and classical. His career spanned more than 50 years and included leading his orchestra, composing an inexhaustible songbook, scoring for movies, composing stage musicals, and world tours. Several of his instrumental works were adapted into songs that became standards. His reputation increased after his death, the Pulitzer Prize Board bestowing a special posthumous honor in 1999. Ellington called his music 'American Music', rather than jazz, and liked to describe those who impressed him as "beyond category" Duke Ellington's work has come to be recognized as a cornerstone of American culture and heritage and is widely regarded as the most important composer in jazz; Ellington earned 12 Grammy awards from 1959 to 2000, nine while he was alive. Here now is one of his many, many classics, written in 1931, with lyrics by Irving Mills. Ivie Anderson sang the vocal and trombonist Joe Nanton and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges played the instrumental solos. The title was based on the oft stated credo of Ellington's former trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis. The song became famous, Ellington wrote, "as the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time." Probably the first song to use the phrase 'swing' in the title, it introduced the term into everyday language and presaged the Swing Era by three years. Following that is Stevie Wonder's tribute song to Wonder, Sire Duke.

1967 - The late and totally great Otis Redding didn't have a clue that the song he wrote in 1965, would become the iconic signature tune for soul queen Aretha Franklin, whose own version was released 44 years ago today. Respect is the song, originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. While Redding wrote the song as a man's plea for respect and recognition from a woman, the roles were reversed for Franklin's version, which became a landmark for the feminist movement. It is also often considered as one of the best songs of the R&B era, earning two Grammy Awards in 1968 for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and Best Rhythm & Blues Female Solo Vocal Performance, and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin's version by adding it to the National Recording Registry. It is number five on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and it was also included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. Clearly, then, this is one of the classic songs of all time. First video is the way it was, live, in 1967; second video is from the man who wrote the song, Otis Redding.

1968 - The musical Hair opened on Broadway, today, the year after the so-called 'summer of love', in the Biltmore Theatre. This first clip is from the original cast, doing live TV on the Smothers Brothers Show...check out the cast list for Meat Loaf and many others who went on with singing careers. Second video is from the opening scenes of the movie version. Check out the dancing horses.

1976 - This was the day Bruce Springsteen climbed the wall of Graceland to meet his hero, Elvis Presley, but the king was not at home. Take a trip back 34 years, dear reader, and watch why Bruce was the real deal. Following that video, there's some truly rare footage, taken by a fan in 1957, of the real Graceland before it became a money-making tourist attraction, and it shows Elvis on his tractor, trying to get it out of the mud...for real.

1980 - This is the night that Black Sabbath began their first tour with new lead singer, the late Ronnie James Dio. So what do you think? Ozzie or Ronnie?

1988 - It's now 23 years since Eric Clapton filed for a divorce from Patti 'Layla' Boyd. Boyd was an English model and photographer, and the former wife of both George Harrison, before marrying Clapton. She was the inspiration for love songs written by both musicians - Harrison's, Something, For You Blue and Isn't It a Pity, and Clapton's Layla.What better cue for another reason to play one of the best songs of all time...mmm...which version...let's see what youtube's got. How about this beautiful, poignant acoustic version with Clapton and Mark Knopfler.

Eric Clapton With Mark Knopfler - Layla
Uploaded by tigwenn.

1993 - The soul musician Barry White appears, animated of course, in the episode 20 of the 4th season of The Simpsons, the episode entitled Whacking Day. Let's celebrate by playing one of his songs, too...howzabout Let The Music Play, LIVE.

1995 - Tupac Shakur married Keisha Morris inside the Clinton Correctional Facility, where he was serving a 4 1/2 year jail term for sex abuse. So, how about a love song, like California Love. You may recognise a couple of the other lads, eh?