Laughter in the Pain

Being able to make people laugh is not something to be considered lightly.  Whether it’s the dark humour of working in a grim situation, or the funny things observed in every day life, it’s not straightforward to find that line of mirth or that story that cracks any hard atmosphere in hilarity.  Funny people are definitely worth their weight in gold.

I’m not necessarily one that admires the use of vulgarity, obscenity and expletives to convey a point, even if it’s done in a manner that is meant to sympathise with the regular ’street’ manner of communication.  I have greater respect for those funny men who can crack a laugh without resorting to those base tendencies of the human condition.

That’s not to say that I’ve acted the saint at all times and have a prudish approach to comedy and comedians.  Bernie Mac was a funny man, facial gestures, comic acting, vocally gifted in terms of his delivery in both timing, pitch, tone and content established him as a genuinely funny guy.  Sure his stand-up routine was replete with vulgarity, obscenity and expletives sprinkled with the liberty of sugar in a box full of Frosties, but thankfully that was not all he was funny for.

It is so fascinating seeing the other Original Kings of Comedy at the memorial service.  It highlights one of those crucial factors in how we approach death.  It is a time of celebrating life and the legacy of the life the lost one lived and left behind.

Cedric’s tribute kicks things off in the right light, paying homage to his friend and also getting the gags in at the right time and in the right way leaving people laughing as well as remembering what put Mac in the limelight in the first place.

DL’s tribute is truly touching as he#s evidently not just overwhelmed by the memory of the guy, but also the surroundings he’s in.  I mean it is the most peculiar place to deliver a routine, and then knowing it’s more of a tribute than a set seems to make this all the more memorable.

It is fitting that Steve has the final word because of the three of them, he has the closest links to church and his has the balance of this insight as well as his amazing communcative gift.  What is also remarkable is Steve’s bald head – that is just the business!

Through these tributes there is something very important that DL says before ending his piece.  Sometimes we never get the chance to say I love you to those who mean a lot to us.  Life is worth the living in appreciating those who help us in the living while they still live, for the time will inevitably come when that opportunity won’t be afforded to us.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

What’s Up In The Air?

I watched this film recently and would suggest that if you’re the sort that likes a good George Clooney film, or you like a film that makes you think as well as enjoy a good laugh here and there you check it out.  As well as that I’ve written a bit more about the film taking it deeper over here if you want to read more and hey I’d suggest you do that to see whether you want to check this film or not.

In the meantime with this trailer – enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Sherlock Holmes and the Case for Reason

If you haven’t watched this film as yet and feel it’s too late … fear not … it’s still worth getting when it comes out on DVD.  In the meantime check over at the other place to find a film review with a difference.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Mint Condition: Stevie Tribute – Joy Inside My Tears

So last week I was all up in here about how Mint Condition did a quality tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire.  As with a lot of R’n'B groups there’s a great deal that today’s groups and solo artists have to give thanks for in the work of Stevie Wonder and there’s been cover versions rife in this here blog.  So it’s natural when I come across a group I admire doing some work on someone I admire that I highlight it for your listening pleasure.

Joy Inside My Tears (JIMT) is not the first song you think of when you consider Stevie Wonder.  I doubt if you would pick it out of twenty Stevie tracks.  In fact if you considered Stevie’s best known album Songs In The Key Of Life you’re still thinking of at least four tracks before you might consider JIMT.  This is part of the quality of the man that such is the abundance of material that people are spoilt for choice as to what to cover and then can even look at some unearthed treasures.  Now when you listen to the song it’s a bit ambiguous.  The feel, tone and beat of the song is rather subdued and slow, somewhat drowsy, yet the lyrical content is about how the singer is obviously pleased to come across someone who has brought what the song title brings about.  It’s not an upbeat, happy-go-lucky tune, but there is something about the hopeful, promising, somewhat positive somewhere in the chord progressions especially in the satisfied structure of the chords at the end.  What helps is Stevie’s slow build vocal performance to that insistent cry of joy near the end and it’s almost as though the brother is crying.

Here’s the thing with what Mint Condition does with this track, though.  They obviously bring out a bouncier feel to the song and invest with more energy almost as though the joy is a lot more tangible.  What helps is with the build of the song so that by the time you reach the guitar solos albeit still maintaining the chilled laid back feel that Stevie had, you’re feeling how life’s history has been made and it is a truly joyful rendition.  The lead vocals are outstanding and without over-doing it with the twiddly bits, which can be off-putting, there is that similar sense that truly joy has been experienced in the whole deal. It is a brilliant cover and one worthy of being alongside Stevie’s original version.

As a dmcd bonus here’s a Stevie live version.  It’s one thing to get something down in the studio, but you always wonder how it will translate in the live situation.  It translates very well and despite the twiddly annoying Stevie vocal acrobatics that he’s felt the need to put in his songs (and if you think this is bad, listen to this one at the end to get vocal acrobatics overload) it stands well the test of being convincing and enjoyable.

It is to Mint Condition’s credit then that they have come up with something that measures up to the standards of the trend-setter himself.  Good to take on board the classics and see them revisited with class and style.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Funny – One Liners on Health by Stewart Francis

Just a quick blog post today to refer you to these hilarious one-liners from a bloke I only came across recently Stewart Francis.  He is really funny and evidently Mock the Week gave him the chance to do some of his regular stand-up material, but I still love quality one liners and this one meets the standard.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Doobie Brothers Over The Years – Jesus Is Just Alright

You get to see some things in a different light over time.  What was once something great is not so great over the years.  What was a bit naff one time, now has got some merit.  It is always good to come across something you thought was alright and then like fine wine see it mature over time.

I first was a keen admirer of Michael McDonald and that took me to some of the work of the Doobie Brothers and initially I posted just one version of their track Jesus Is Just Alright (JIJA) and thought nothing of it.  Recently, however I came across some developments on this that made me appreciate so much how a group like the Doobie Brothers can just get better and better over time.

So take for example this early version of JIJA.  Listen to it on headphones if you can – those cosy, thick things that make you think you are closed off from the rest of the world.   If you can just listen to the luscious sound of the instruments in this warm environment and rock to the refrain. It keeps you going without being tediously monotonous.  Also check carefully the relatively slim-line version of the Doobie Brothers.  You hear it, you see it and you enjoy it.

Then you skip forward a decade or two and already the band are grizzled and world weary.  The line-up is a bit more beefy and you feel like the bank are richer and fuller in sound and feel.  Also note how the main vocal has gone to the organist (where did he come from?) who adds that bit of gospel to it that you didn’t appreciate before.  The song is established in the psyche of the listeners, but the audience still appreciates the effort put in by the band who are by no means doing this thing by rote or phoning in the performance.  You’re grateful for the beef they’ve added and the maturity it brings to your enjoyment of the song.

This is the most up to date version I found and things have moved on again.  Our organist has passed on and the main vocals have reverted to the original guitarist.  There is a weightiness in this version that comes from experience and a knowledge of how you do this live performance music thing.  The band is more substantial in size and feel than ever before and so make for an even richer version without degrading their previous efforts.  You really rock with where they’re going before chilling for the mid-section before it builds to its climax which again is different to previous efforts.  Quality stuff all round and proves the point that some things just get better and better over time.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

After The Love Has Gone – Cover Versions

Music accounts for so much of life.  In fact considering life without music and the ability to express that which is within through song seems so much less interesting, engaging and heart-moving.  Despite the great genius that some have it is in the realm of music that we again see how important teamwork, collaboration and unity is.  Sure a bloke can record multiple parts himself if he is so gifted and indeed the storyteller can convey his message either merely vocally or with single accompaniment. There is something wonderful, however, about that full sound that you get with multiple instruments – requiring other players – and even other vocal parts – again requiring more singers.  Then when you add the behind the performance issues like songwriting and production it’s like the Genesis project all over again bringing different things to bear to bring about the completed piece.

As you know, I’m fairly keen on the music of Earth, Wind and Fire, itself as an ensemble piece a tribute to the power of teamwork and what happens when people get together to lay down some serious music.  One of my favourite EWF songs is After the Love Has Gone which is another example of the full process as the song was written by Bill Champlin, Jay Graydon and David Foster.

You may also be aware that I love to consider quality efforts at cover versions and there has already been the Mint Condition tribute to EWF that’s been posted.  Here though we get a dose of what the writers would have done with the song.

This Brian McKnight version is fine with McKnight showing why he is such a highly rated vocalist, doing justice to a song he loves so much.  It’s also of great interest seeing David Foster on the piano enjoying his own song evidently rendered in a manner pleasing to him.  The only minor constructive point is that the song works with strong multi-vocals – just as the EWF version worked with Maurice White and Philip Bailey contributing strong vocals together.  Beyond that though, this abridged version of the song is worth savouring.

Speaking of abridged versions, if you check the various arrangements of this song it makes you think which was the original version?  Which was the ideal version?  Even beyond that how did the song come together – who would claim the majority sharehold of the song?  How would they have wanted it to be done?  Questions like this come to mind when you watch this version of the song where all three writers of the song are present, Foster is the dude in the sunglasses, Graydon is on the guitar and Champlin himself takes on the main vocal part.  No disrespect meant to any of the fellas, but you can see after writing the song and possibly recording versions of it they gave it to EWF to make it a hit.  There is a cool about this version as well as passion from Champlin that makes this a creditable addition to the versions doing the rounds.

Now other than Champlin hogging the vocals (in the nicest possible way – after all it is his song), you’d have picked up on the brother Tommy Funderburk (fantastic name).  There can be something wonderful about acoustic versions of songs.  The thought of everything stripped back to basics and the earthy, intimate homely feel of non-electronic instruments putting the song together.  Tommy does a brilliant job showing what he can do to the song when Bill ain’t around – a superb acoustic version of a superb song, well worth tracking down.

So we conclude our overview of some cover versions of one of my favourite EWF songs with the group themselves albeit post-White when they did a tour with Chicago who had in their ranks at the time Bill Champlin himself.  Very clever thinking to get the writer to sing the song himself assisted by the group who made it popular.  Good touch.  It works as well blending in the two worlds and seeing how well they compliment each other showing the diversity in unity possible that makes music so beautiful.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Kevin Keegan – Great Player …

As you’ve gathered, one of my favourite pastimes is football.  I like watching it, I like reading about it and I like talking about it.  I enjoy some of the themes of life that you get in the sport and I love the way it can go from one extreme to another in very quick time.

When I first got into the sport and when I got into reading as well I’d take pleasure in going in the library and look for books about football and especially about Liverpool.  When I read the books that told the story of the club among the names that were highlighted in it was Kevin Keegan.  Later on I was in a second hand bookshop and saw an old autobiography that KK did when he was relatively young and I remember getting that and treasuring it for years.

There is something about his character that made me fascinated by the guy.  Then to see his impact at Newcastle United as their manager at first was great.  To see how things have turned out for him since then has left his legacy somewhat open to misunderstanding.  I read this biography about him and thought it was so far from as good an analysis of the man as I’d hope and so coming to some lazy conclusions about him.  This was surprising because the writer was involved with Tony Adams’ autobiography which is the standard for all football biographies.

It leaves the question as you check these clips from a programme done about him, what really does he leave behind for lovers of football?  How should he be remembered – the grafter who took his graft to become the first image constructed football superstar or the impulsive, emotional motivator who was unable to win major trophies in any of his time in management?  Yet there’s more to the guy than that.  I am not sure if there’s any other public impact he is to make, but I’ll remain ever intrigued by the footballer, the manager, the soccer icon and the man Kevin Keegan.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Mint Condition: EWF Tribute – Love’s Holiday and After The Love Has Gone

Mint Condition have a real talent for their craft there is no doubt about it and they full deserved their last big up on this blog with their great tune Someone to Love.  So it was a tremendous meeting of quality groups that they should pop up on a television programme apparently for AOL to do some covers of EWF favourites.

Their treatment of After The Love Has Gone is respectful and not too wild in going different places keeping it tight to the original as soon as possible.  Keeping it real with the saxophone solo near the end is also neat and his bit is more than cool for school.

Sometimes you can be faithful and respectful to original material and that can work for you, as it did for Mint Condition and After The Love Has Gone.  Then you can take a song and make it your own (sorry for anyone sick and tired of hearing that comment from popstar wannabe talent contests, but in some senses it can be true!).  Love’s Holiday may not appear to have enough room for manouvre but you don’t even remember the EWF version when you see what the group do with it and you’re alright with it – the song sounds virtually their own and a chilled version at that.  Thus going to show what a sterling group and how aptly named Mint Condition are.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

Leeds United – The Glory Days

I like football and I like a bit of history and so it was brilliant coming across this documentary about the inheritance – the legacy if you will – of the Leeds United of the Don Revie days.  Undoubtedly these are the best years of the club thus far and watching these clips gives you an idea of why the club were so eager to reach for it again in the late 90’s and early 00’s.

Don Revie, though, is a figure of contrasting depictions depending on if you come from Leeds or not.  Funnily enough with the financial troubles at the club, Revie was rumoured to have offered a few readies here and there to those willing to assist his club on their way to glory.  He also infamously left the England job that he got after the time at Leeds for a lucrative offer in the United Arab Emirates.  For all the controversy, though, there is little doubt that his Leeds team of the mid 60’s to the mid 70’s was one of the most influential of that era.  It is fascinating hearing the players give such acclaim and praise to the man as a father figure.

You can see some of the influences of Revie’s side with some of the modern approaches to the game by some teams which like to be tough to beat first and then look to play beautiful football.  Of course, some don’t bother with the latter bit, but you can’t blame Don for that.

If you’re interested in football history and the story of Leeds United from Revie to O’Leary then you might as well check out the account of the brother who posted these up as they have some quality material including the series Leeds, Leeds, Leeds.

It’s a bit funny watching the documentary now as it looks to what they believe promised to be great days for the club, only for them to collapse into financial mismanagement and football failure resulting in relegations.  It is good to see the start of their return back to  bigger things especially with their good cup run at present.

This documentary can come across as a bit of a hagiography at times, but it’s still worthwhile viewing to remember one of the significant names of English football in the 20th Century.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd