an album (or more) a day

AN ALBUM (or more) A DAY

I first started my jazducation well over 55 years ago. My dad was a jazz enthusiast and among his collection, I remember clearly he had the Ink Spots, three Ray Charles albums that I was (and still am) fond of and many other artistes like Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum and many others.

So I come to my album of the day, Dedicated To You (1961) by Ray Charles. This is a unique album because it had 12 tunes, each one titled with a woman's name.

It was there that I first heard of Hard-Hearted Hannah, the vamp from Savannah. Then there's the fast-moving Sweet Georgia Brown, with lyrical interpretation that flows as fast as the staccato of a stenographers' typewriter, or Stella By Starlight which is the only vocal version I can handle. Every other adaptation that I love or listen to has been instrumental.

I started off by talking of where my love for this genre of music started. There have been unintended consequences. So, twenty years on, I heard tunes that I was sure I'd heard before but couldn't place where. For example, Cherry, which I thought I'd first heard and liked in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Alice Walker's The Colour Purple. Not so. I first heard this on the album as a 5 year old.

Josephine, with the typical Charles' keyboard skills with the backing of an orchestra. Or Marie, who was probably the first woman I fell in love with, though I'd never met her before. Yes, I know. I was 5. But just like I said before, there were unintended consequences and maybe falling in love too early was one of them.

But I loved Margie. And Rosetta, too. And Ruby. And Nancy. And Candy (no, not that one!).

I was a lucky boy. Because I know they all loved me back. 

And this is what I'm listening to.