MWC_Edition55

January 9_RJ

The saying "Do your best. Then, don’t worry; be happy' has it's origin in the more profound teaching of Indian Philosophy. It talks about responsibility with detachment. Today we look at an Indian Mystic whose teaching in the US actually resulted up in a popular song.

Meher Bhaba was an Indian mystic (1894-1969) and gave numerous teachings on the cause and purpose of life, including teaching reincarnation and that the phenomenal world is an illusion. He toured the US and his legacy includes influence on pop-culture artists and the introduction of common expressions such as "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

In the 1960s, the truncated version of this expression by Baba was printed up on inspiration cards and posters of the era. In 1988, McFerrin noticed a similar poster in the apartment of the jazz band in San Francisco. Inspired by the expression's charm and simplicity, McFerrin wrote the now famous song 'Don't worry, Be Happy' , which was included in the soundtrack of the movie Cocktail, and became a hit single the next year. In an interview by Bruce Fessier for USA Weekend magazine in 1988 McFerrin said, "Whenever you see a poster of Meher Baba, it usually says 'Don't worry, be happy,' which is a pretty neat philosophy in four words, I think."

The song is ranked No. 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s and also appears on Rolling Stone 's list of the 15 Best Whistling Songs of All Time. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" won the awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

This song also has the distinction of being the first A cappella song to reach the top in the Billboard top 100 in 1988. A cappella music is specifically group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The "instruments" in the 'a cappella' song are entirely overdubbed voice parts and other sounds made by McFerrin, using no instruments at all; McFerrin also sings with an affected accent.The comedic original music video for the song stars McFerrin, Robin Williams, and Bill Irwin, and is considerably shorter than the album version.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, over to Bobby McFerrin. here is the Lyrics , if you want to sing along and i am sure you would want to.

http://youtu.be/d-diB65scQU

(whistling)

Here's a little song i wrote,you might want to sing it note for note,don't worry, be happy
in every life we have some trouble,when you worry you make it doubledon't worry, be happy
dont worry be happy nowdont worry be happydont worry be happydont worry be happydont worry be happyaint got no place to lay your head,somebody came and took your bed,don't worry, be happy
the landlord say your rent is late,he may have to litagate,dont worry (small laugh) be happy,
look at me im happy,don't worry, be happy
i give you my phone number,when your worried, call me,i make you happy
don't worry, be happy
aint got no cash, aint got no style,aint got no gal to make you smilebut don't worry, be happy
cos when you worry, your face will frown,and that will bring everybody down,so don't worry, be happy
don't worry, be happy now...
don't worry, be happydon't worry, be happydon't worry, be happydon't worry, be happy
now there this song i wrote i hope you you learned it note for note like good little children
dont worry be happy
listen to what i say in your life expect some troublewhen you worry you make it double dont worry be happy be happy now
dont worry, be happydont worry, be happydont worry, be happydont worry, be happydont worrydont worry be happydon't worry, don't worry, don't do it,be happy,put a smile on your face,don't bring everybody down like this
don't worry, it will soon pass whatever it is,don't worry, be happy,i'm not worried

MWC_Edition64

January 18_RJ

I first came across the name 'Benny Goodman' in an article in The Readers Digest. The article was on an entirely different topic, but what got my attention was the description "Anyone who had the pleasure of watching Jazz Musician Benny Goodman at work saw a rather ordinary-looking man in a rimless and a conservative business suit; but they also saw a human being who could play the clarinet like no one before or since." This article made me jot down the name as a reminder to buy a cassette when i came across and i did subsequently.

When i read about him, i also understood that he was a American Jazz and Swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His January 16, 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz's 'coming out' party to the world of 'respectable' music.

Goodman's bands launched the careers of many major names in jazz. During an era of segregation he also led one of the first well-known integrated jazz groups. He completely unlearnt and learnt again his style of playing to enable him to play classical music when he was in his 40s, not an easy job for some one who had to forget 30 years of learning. It was as good as learning Clarinet again.

No wonder, he was mentioned in the August 1992 Readers Digest article titled ' If you want to make a difference'.

In today's Music with Coffee, we look at a piece called 'Sing, Sing, Sing' that also featured in the 1938 concert.

Here is what The Economist has to say about this song's ongoing popularity.
"You must recognize it: that driving drum beat, that wailing wall of horn: "Sing, Sing, Sing", one of the top jazz tunes of the 1930s, has now become almost completely inescapable. Since it was resurrected by Bob Fosse in 1979 for his film "All That Jazz", it has featured in no fewer than 22 movies, including three Woody Allens, and, perhaps most penetratingly, "The Artist", the French Oscar-winning silent tribute to swing, sound, hard times and triumphant come-backs…"

Here is what the Wikipedia says about song
"Unlike most big band arrangements of that era, limited in length to three minutes so that they could be recorded on one side of a standard 10-inch 78-rpm record, the Goodman band version was an extended work. The 1937 recording lasted 8 min 43 seconds, and took both sides of a 12-inch 78."

And this is Wikipedia again, regarding the Carnegie Hall concert:
"The concert was the evening of January 16, 1938. It sold out weeks before, with the capacity 2,760 seats going for the top price of US $2.75 a seat, for the time a very high price... By the time the band got to the climactic piece "Sing, Sing, Sing", success was assured. This performance featured playing by tenor saxophonist Babe Russin, trumpeter Harry James, and Benny Goodman, backed by drummer Gene Krupa. When Goodman finished his solo, he unexpectedly gave a solo to pianist Jess Stacy... This concert has been regarded as one of the most significant in jazz history."

There are two versions of Sing,Sing,Sing ( with a Swing) that i recommend
The first one that bristles with unbridled enery, interrupted by clapping sound from the audience, is here

 http://youtu.be/0NigiwMtWE0

Listen to it completely and watch it closely from 5:30 seconds. Get a good headphone on and dance along. smile emoticon

The second one, a 5 minute version is found here -

 http://youtu.be/fhyhP_5VfKM

MWC_Edition65

January 19_AMahadevan

Terminal a movie based on the “Love for Music”

Tom Hanks father was part of a band and had collected the autograph’s of every player of that band before he died but for ONE - Benny Golson.
Tom Hanks enters JFK with the only ambition to enter America to visit Benny Golson and take his autograph.

Turn of events has him stuck at the Airport. The movie moves around Tom Hanks life at JFK. Finally manages to move out of the airport and meet the band player and takes his autograph. A moving moment for music and love for his father.

Presenting today's music with coffee - Benny Golson playing “Killer Joe”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts7x0TZE0PU