I spent this weekend working on the print program for the upcoming Twin Cities Jazz Festival*. Now that more of my work is musical than not, I don’t spend too many 8-hour days at the computer anymore. (For which my chiropractor thanks me.) Eye fatigue and cramped fingers aside, being camped out my computer gave me an excuse to dig out some treasures from my CD collection.

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Betty Carter – Of course, I know Betty Carter. The album she did with Ray Charles is one of my favorite jazz duet albums ever. So a few years ago, I picked up the album Social Call from a bargain bin at a discount record store (okay, I guess they’re CD stores now. *smile*), but I never listened to it. Bad, Sarah! All this time, I’ve been missing a great CD full of charming, inventive interpretations of some of my favorite jazz tunes.

Erykah Badu’s Baduizm – This jazzy, R&B, hip-hop-ish debut was one of my favorites when it came out. What fun to rediscover it.

Ella Fitzgerald: The Complete Ella in Berlin – One of the premier improvisers of all time! Check out her versions of “Mack the Knife” where she forgets the words (it’s okay, her improvised verses are even better) and “How High the Moon” where she scats her tail off (for over 8 minutes!).

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*For those of you in Midwest, visit www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com to learn more about this great festival of mostly free jazz taking place June 18th -20th at a variety of St. Paul locations.

I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of friends going through lots of stuff right now. Or should I say STUFF?

Financial woes, serious illnesses, the blues, the blahs … not to mention cabin fever. We live in Minnesota** and it just snowed AGAIN! (Although, I guess to be fair, some people are excited about that?) I’ve spent more than a few hours in the past months vegged out in front of the computer instead of working. (Hence last week’s post about discipline (c;)

One of the things I have to remind myself to do when the world starts to seem like it’s out to get me (and everyone I know) is to listen to music. I send music to friends and family going through STUFF. My music, other people’s music — it doesn’t matter – it’s the message, the mood, the meaning that’s important.

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Here are some songs that almost always make my playlists. If you’re grappling with STUFF (or just stuff – *smile*), they might be the perfect prescription.

• I Am Sending You Light – Melanie DeMore
• All That You Have is Your Soul – Tracy Chapman
• A Bridge Over Troubled Waters – Simon and Garfunkel (but also Eva Cassidy)
• Cry (If You Want To) – Holly Cole
• God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday (and me, of course)
• Going Home – Ulali
• I Shall Be Released – Bob Dylan (but also Nina Simone)
• Now Touch the Air Softly – Peter Mayer
• Stay With You – Jon Legend
• The World Exploded into Love – Bob Schneider
• You’ve Got a Friend – Carole King (and also James Taylor)

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**If you’re in or near the Twin Cities, the next Songtaneous is this Saturday, March 7.  Visit my Events page for more info.

I was so wrapped in tackling the
BBHoF that I forgot to tell you …

I met Bobby McFerrin!

Now, I’m not much into star-chasing,
but Bobby McFerrin is one of my improvisation inspirations and I was excited at the prospect of getting to meet him. (He sings a duet with another of my vocal inspirations — Judi Donaghy! — in the video above.)

Since I knew any introductions/conversations would likely be brief (and I was proved correct), I was maybe more excited to attend his Q&A session/performance at my alma mater last Friday.

He sang and chatted with us (er … I mean the audience) for about an hour. I particularly enjoyed hearing about how he created this identity he calls a solo vocalist (I wanna be a solo vocalist!) and the story, which includes a date and time, of how he decided to become a singer. (He’d been a pianist up until then.)

He talked about challenging himself to stay on new musical edges …  which is why he opens all his performances with an improv.

Big and profound for me was his definition of improv. So obvious and useful. If you’re nervous or unsure (or just plain scared) about improvising or scatting, you should listen to Bobby’s practical and simple definition of improvisation.
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*The song “Bobby’s Girl” was made famous by Marcie Blaine and written by Hank Hoffman and Gary Klein.