ROCKOLLECTIONS

I'll start this Chapter with a Suggested Song, and even for Rockollections or Sax And The City, there are suggestions, and there are those that carry a certain weight, lol!Then a trip back in time for some surprises with Sneaky Sax Songs- you may not have paid much attention to the Saxophone in them.I’ll close this Show with an old FM Turntable Hit- it’s a Long Cut, the title track of an album and the longest track on it.I am not finished with Sax And The City, there’s at least one more, maybe two, good shows with excellent Music for Saxophone.But I’ll give a rest to some tired Lips and Cheeks for a few weeks before returning to the Series.There will be a Show here next week, but let’s listen to and hopefully enjoy THIS one first!

Mike

It’s Sax And The City, with Songs that prominently contain or feature Saxophone.I have spoken before about how I place a great emphasis on Songs that Begin and End Series- it’s a chance to set the mood and/or close by saying something via the Western Union Telegram that is Music.Almost always I have that Starting or Ending Song in mind, or Both, before a Series even begins.Before starting each Show within the Series however, I sit down and usually grab a Song that grabs ME, and go from there.And groups of Songs with some thread connecting them make themselves apparent to me- it’s not hard and I don’t plan.This time was rare, I started Logically, lol!Join me, some Real Rockers in here!

Mike

In the previous Chapter, I said this is right where I want to be.It’s a nice diversion as Sax And The City Grooves Into Jazz.Including my favorite Jazz Song, which 2 years after its release, became the Biggest Selling Jazz Single Ever!I could see this Set coming, so I’ll have a group that always had an element of Jazz to them, with a Song that not only has Saxophone in it but is about a Sax Player!No matter what I play though, I always consider it Rock & Roll.And a definite return to that, getting right to the Heart!These songs are so good I can’t stop now!Come on, Let’s Have Sax Again, lol!

Mike

Sax And The City returns, and this is trouble- between me thinking of more Sax songs and people making better suggestions than they ever have, this Series may never end, lol!Hence the sense of Urgency to get started!Songs that contain or feature Saxophone, whose presence you may have forgotten over the years, that’s what I am playing.Like a song from an All-Time Album that was on the charts for YEARS, and has TWO Sax Solos in it...at least!I am not saying the Sax MAKES these Songs!But they sure would be missed if they weren’t in there!

Mike

The Amazing Sound Of The Saxophone is what we are listening to in Sax And The City.And now we come to The Greatest Band That Ever Existed, always a good idea in any Musical Endeavor.They have any Sax in their songs?As a matter of fact they did in a Single, played by Jazz Musician Ronnie Scott, but it was hidden in the mix.We’ll hear it...Up Front!I’ll be reaching deeper into the 60's this time out.Now if only I’d stop talking over the damn Songs while they are playing, lol!Give a listen, good stuff in here to keep you Saxually Satisfied!

Mike

More Wailing Saxophone as I move through the years with Sax And The City.I replayed a Song from last week because I talked over it, it was necessary as I was running short of time- but it was the only 45 RPM a guy's father ever bought.He wrote and told me.I'll have King Curtis in here, he mastered Tenor, Alto and Soprano Sax, and played every kind of Music you can think of!We will enter into the 60's, but with one last (maybe) dip into the 50's for a famous DJ's Band.I'll set it up for you to supply the Punch Line, lol!Join me, and feel the Saxiness!

Mike

We move on with Sax And The City- our Celebration Of The Saxophone!They are still in Rock & Roll but nowhere near as prevalent as in those Early Days in The 1950’s.Sometimes the Sax wails all through the Song, or at the break, at the end, or hidden in the mix- and sometimes it comes right at you!I will for the most part progress up through the years with this Series, so if you don’t like the 50’s your Decade will be coming.But if you don’t like the 50’s what’s WRONG with you?By the way, in this Chapter and the previous one, give a close listen, I managed to play some not always easy to find Stereo versions of songs.Enjoy, and I’ll add more to your Sax Life next week, lol!

Mike

It’s the start of a new Series, a Celebration Of The Saxophone!With no apologies to HBO and their old Series, I am calling this Sax And The City!This could go long, there’s lots to choose from.In the Early Days of Rock & Roll it was almost obligatory to have a Saxophone in a Song.Sure, you had Guitars, Bass, Drums...but you better have a Wailing Sax in there too!And I will start in those Early Days, including the first Rock & Roll Song to hit Number One on the Charts.As well as what some have called the flat out first Rock & Roll SONG!Maybe, maybe not, but very important to our Music and credited to the WRONG guy, lol!If you have a heartbeat, join me for when Good Old Rock & Roll was Wild, Raucous and Rebellious!

Mike

I will continue through the Covers on that first Beatles album in England, Please Please Me.One of them was the title song of a Play, and on the Soundtrack for that Play as well as 2 other versions that charted, it was an Instrumental.But we will hear the Beatles Sing It, followed by the original FIRST rendition with Lyrics!I'll also be dipping into their second British LP, With The Beatles.And I forgot to mention last time, much of the fun here is in comparing the versions- do you like the Beatles one better or is the Original the one that does it for you?I can almost guarantee you will be introduced to Music you have not heard before.Enjoy!

Mike

I always wanted to do Covered By The Beatles, Songs originally done by others and later recorded by The Beatles.Now I initially thought I would simply pull out the first British Beatles album, Please Please Me, and just take them in the order they appear, and then the next album, and the next...!But as I started to do that, I realized I could and should go back even BEFORE that debut album.So that's what you will hear for openers.This will hopefully be educational as well as a treat for you, as it was for me, because in some cases you have likely never heard the Originals.So I invite you to join me for the Maiden Voyage of Covered By The Beatles.I do believe this is gonna be fun!

Mike