American Songwriter » Paul Zollo

Inside ASCAP’s 8th Annual “I Create Music” Expo

Paul Zollo — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:49:26 +0000

ASCAP’s 8th annual "I Create Music Expo" was held this past weekend at that Loews Hollywood Hotel (formerly the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and before that, a Holiday Inn) in the heart of Hollywood. Once again, it brought in a vast range of musical talent, including hit songmakers of all stripes – producers, engineers, publishers, songwriters, singers and more. As in previous years, the biggest attractions at the Expo where the big names, from current hitmakers like Katy Perry and Ne-Yo, to great musical legends of the past such as Judy Collins. View The Photo Gallery But in addition to the signature keynote interviews, there was also a cavalcade of panels and showcases all weekend long, in addition to a profusion of opportunities for songwriters to get feedback on their own music, and to discuss issues on the minds of songwriters and other music creators, such as the differing royalties for vocal and non-vocal music ( a subject raising much ire), and copyright protection. Katy Perry, who was interviewed by ASCAP VP Randy Grimmett, described her ascent from aspirant to star with much humor and humility. Her struggle was not atypical, she said, for any songwriter and singer these days, summed up by the word “depressing,” which she used often. Though she said her time collaborating with songwriter Glen Ballard was great, as was a liberating collaboration with Dave Stewart, the opposite was true about her time with the Matrix songwriting trio. But nothing was as bad as her time with Def Jam, she said, contrasting it with the ever-improving support of Capitol. Asked for the highlight of her career, she said “’Firework’ is the most important song I’ve written.” As for the artists who had the greatest influence of her, she named Alanis Morissette, Queen, Patty Griffin, Jonatha Brooke and the Beach Boys. One of the most lively panels this years was the “Confessions of a Hit Producer” panel, which featured Eman Kiriakou, 'Drumma Boy' Gholson, Dan Omelio and Brendan Benson. Eman, who produced Selena Gomez & The Scene’s hit “Who Says” as well as Hot Chelle Rae’s “Tonight Tonight,” said ASCAP was responsible for his breakthrough success when New Kids On The Block’s Joey McIntyre invited him to collaborate, after ASCAP introduced them. “I wrote with Joe,” he said, “and he asked me to produce his record. That was it for me.” Eman offered sound advice on his to deal with problematic artists in the studio: “Get them drunk,” he said, to much laughter. Brendan Benson, who joined Jack White in The Raconteurs and co-wrote “Steady as She Goes,” said he always preferred production to songwriting, since he started recording on two cassette machines back in high school. “I could perform a take,” he said, “and then switch tapes and mix in a harmony or another guitar part. I liked that much more than I did writing or performing.” Though “Drumma Boy” Gholson was quite late to the panel, he did not hold back his excitement in talking about working with artists including Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa and Drake. A&R exec Teresa LaBarbera Whites moderated, and offered the advice that nobody should wait for industry support, simply post music on Youtube, SoundCloud and elsewhere and let the world find you: “You would be amazed by how many people are scouring YouTube looking for people to discover,” she said. Similar advice was offered in many panels, especially the Music Supervision in the Digital Age panel presented by the Guild of Music Supervisors. JT Griffith, who is a music & creative licensing manager, said to post music for free, and be patient. The lesson, he said, for those trying to get their music in front of music supervisors is “do your homework, and talk to the right people.” DanceOn music supervisor Jason Cienkus suggested finding out every place in town needing music, and then to aim specifically for their needs. “Find out what kind of music agencies or what TV shows are using,” he said. “The more specific you are, the better.” Nick Guarino, Director of Film & TV Music for Universal agreed that songwriters need to research, and find every opportunity there is: “If your song works for a hotel,” he said, “call a local boutique hotel in your town and see if they want to use it in a video. Don’t wait.” One of the best and funniest interviews was with the producer Steve Lillywhite, whose work includes the first three albums by U2, as well as records by The Rolling Stones, Phish, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads and more. Interviewed by ASCAP EVP of Communications & Media Erik Philbrook, Lillywhite was in good humor throughout, as he told hilarious stories about famous colleagues such as Bono, Keith Richards and Morrissey. “Morrissey is one of the more eccentric people I’ve ever worked with,” he said. “He’s fearless in a lot of ways.” Kevin Nassberg, a songwriter and aspiring film and TV composer from Staten Island, New York, said he enjoyed every panel and performance he heard, but especially the one with TV scorer James S. Levine. “He’s the guy who did the amazing music for ‘American Horror Story,’ which is some of the greatest scoring ever, I think. He also worked on ‘Glee’ and ‘The Closer’ – and he spoke about the different approaches he took to each. I got to meet him afterwards and he said he’d love to hear some of my instrumental music. So for me, although the entire Expo was great, nothing touched that! This could be my break.” Missladybug, a colorful and vibrant songwriter-performer from L.A., said this was her second year at the Expo, and completely different than the first. “It was much different this year,” she said. “The first year I went was a little haywire ‘cause I didn’t know where anything was. It was better this year. But the biggest difference was last year I came just for self-promotion. But I sensed there are a lot of people needing support, needing direction. So I went there to pray for people. Because I wanted to give back.” So she offered her prayers to a variety of people she met, both panelists and attendees, and with varied results. Some people – perhaps struck by her eccentric Imogen Heap-meets-Yma Sumac appearance – thought she was joking. But others were quite moved, no more so than Matheus Fernandes, a recent rejectee of American Idol. She told him she, too, had been a sad rider on the Idol train, and knew he was rejected – as was she - because he is unique. “I told him I knew he had something special inside him,” she said, “and I wanted to pray for him. He said that was amazing – that he felt lost and had prayed that day to God to give him a sign. And here I was.” She also said she was moved by Katy Perry’s words. “She’s spent time in the Christian music industry like I did,” she said, “which is problematic. People who say they love God, excluding weirdos who have faith like me, are not welcoming to an out-of-the-box approach. She was dropped by Christian labels, and said she found a lot of music outside of the church that was exciting, and I get that. “What I do I hope brings more light to faith-based music, but with songs that are whimsical, and fun. I know people say ‘I cannot sing “Hallelujah” ever again!’ I want to represent the innocence of a child and not shy away from that. We are alike, so I prayed for her that there would be hope for her to do everything she hopes to do.” The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO is considered one of the premiere conferences for songwriters, composers and producers. All music creators – not only ASCAP members – are welcome. For more information and to register for next year, please visit www.ascap.com/expo.

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Backstage At The 2013 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

Paul Zollo — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:56:47 +0000

Diversity was the key word at this year’s annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, held this year in Los Angeles, the second time in 20 years it’s been here. The inductees were Randy Newman, Heart, producer Lou Adler, Quincy Jones, Public Enemy, Albert King and Rush. When the show began and these names were announced by Rolling Stone editor and Rock Hall founder Jann Wenner, there was a lot of applause for each, but when the name Rush was announced, the place went nuts. Evidently Rush fans – thrilled that their band was finally received this honor – packed the place. The same diversity was very much alive on the red carpet, as a vast range of musical artists and celebrities came though, including Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Cindy Crawford, Cheech and Chong, Mike McReady of Pearl Jam, Dave Grohl plus inductees Ann and Nancy Wilson (who graciously stopped to talk to everyone who wanted them, and posed for photos), Lou Adler, Chuck D of Public Enemy and Quincy Jones. Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra was the house band, as they have been every year, although the show was here in L.A. this year. Backstage the scene was like at the Grammys and other big awards shows – a huge mass of every kind of press assembled, each trying to get the best photos and news bites for their outlet. The press watches the show on big monitors in between appearances by presenters, performers and inductees who came back to meet the press. Randy Newman was the very first to be honored. He performed a special star-studded version of his theme song for this, his hometown, “I Love L.A.,” backed up by Tom Petty, John Fogerty and Jackson Browne, all of whom sang some key lines. He performed a stunning version of one of his oldest and most beloved songs, “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” solo with orchestra, and then did one that is not well-known –- but is both hilarious and relevant, “I’m Dead (But I Don’t Know It),” which is about aging rock stars so aged they don’t even know they died long ago, and performed as a duet with none other than Don Henley. It was Henley who gave Randy’s induction speech, and also came backstage afterwards with him to answer questions. I asked about Randy’s choice of “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today,” which is more than four decades old. What is it about that song, I asked? “I don’t know,” he answered with his customary humility. “It’s not a typical song for me. I always thought I would write more like it, and I never did.” “It’s the melody, Randy,” Henley interjected. “It’s the chorus and the melody.” Asked about his other song choices, Randy said, “I was told what people wanted me to do. I chose ‘I’m Dead’ cause it fits the event. And I was thinking I should do ‘Sail Away’ or ‘Rain’ and everyone told me to do ‘Rain.’” Asked if it was true that he wrote “I Love L.A.” on a bet, he said no, it wasn’t true, that he wrote it when people complained to him for writing about other cities, such as Baltimore and Cleveland, and not about his hometown. Though the song is intentionally funny, he said he means it –- he does love L.A. In his induction speech, Henley, in his gray beard and reading glasses, looked like an elder statesman. Since the rules of the Rock Hall are that an artist becomes eligible for this honor after 20 years passes from their debut, that means Randy’s been eligible for twenty years, as he debuted in 1968. Given that Henley said “This honor is long overdue, shamefully overdue.” He then went on to praise Randy’s twelve studio albums as “an extraordinary body of work.” He referred to Randy as one of the funniest people alive. “That’s a pretty hard thing to follow,” Randy said in his acceptance. Among the most memorable parts of the show itself, besides many amazing performances, were two speeches, those from Quincy Jones and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy. Quincy, remarkably, spoke for almost a half an hour, free-associating, sharing his singular history from early jazz through Michael Jackson and Thriller and beyond, and then spoke about the importance of seeing the world and learning its cultures. “If you don’t go, you don’t know,” he said. “I speak 24 different languages, including Arabic and Mandarin. I am proud of that.” He also quoted several of his famous friends, including this quote which might offer insight into the magnitude of his speech: “Frank Sinatra used to tell me, ‘Live each day like it will be your last, and one of these days you will be right.’” Flavor Flav, in his acceptance speech along with Chuck D and Public Enemy, was also notable for its length. Flav started going and just kept going, to the extent that Chuck D, on camera, gave him the hand-signal for “Wrap it up, Flav!” But Flav was in no rush, and with his big shiny smile and giant clock around his neck, held court for a long time. He held up his clock, which he said he’d been wearing since 1987, and was about to retire, so that it can be displayed by the Rock Hall. But have no worry, he said, he would replace it with another. Backstage later Chuck D. said, “I think Flav was running for president of the world tonight.” Spike Lee and Harry Belafonte (who is 86, yet looks twenty years younger) spoke on behalf of Public Enemy and their contribution to music and culture. Belafonte was treated like a saint by the press, and though he didn’t stop to have his photo taken by the assembled mass, this intrepid reporter followed him into a TV area to thank him for his long lifetime of great music, and to take several photos of the great Harry Belafonte. To induct the legendary producer Lou Adler – who produced such classic records as The Mama & The Papas’ “California Dreaming,” as well as “Eve of Destruction” sung by Barry McGuire (and written by PF Sloan) and Tapestry, by Carole King – his discoveries Cheech and Chong spoke. Then, even more eloquent than any spoken words, was Carole King’s solo performance of “So Far Away,” from Tapestry, which for a long time prior to Thriller was the best-selling album in the world, outselling Sgt. Pepper. Adler was funny backstage, and humble, describing the wonder of hearing classic songs like “California Dreaming” and Carole’s “You’ve Got A Friend” for the first time. “Those are moments you don’t forget.” He described the late great Mama Cass as “having a great big voice, as big as she was, and a heart even bigger.” He thanked all the great teams of studio musicians with whom he created classic albums, and even thanked Elmer Valentine, the founder of Hollywood’s Whisky-A-Go-Go, “for lighting up the Sunset Strip.” Oprah Winfrey was present to induct her old friend Quincy, saying there was nothing she wanted more in life than to be in the film version of The Color Purple, which he produced. “The safest place to be in the world is the space in Quincy’s heart.” Evidently she didn’t feel as safe in front of the press, as it was announced that was about to come back, and then that she changed her mind. Hence, there are no photos of Oprah here. Backstage Chuck D. was funny and humble, saying he felt bad talking during Heart’s performance (though that is how this works, still he felt bad) and praised Nancy and Ann Wilson as great musicians. He was asked how if felt to have his group, Public Enemy, honored with this award. “Your group has always been anti-establishment,” said one reporter. “But this is the establishment. So how does this feel?” “We have never been accepted by the establishment, or by this industry,” he answered. “We have never gotten a Grammy, we have never gotten any of the attention other bands and groups receive. Never got anything. All we knew was how to rock the house. So now we are happy for this, happy for any recognition that we get.” The event will be broadcast on HBO with its debut on Saturday, May 18. HBO Signature will present a coinciding 24-hour marathon of this special beginning on May 18th and concluding midnight of May 19th. All Photos: Paul Zollo

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Book Review: Springsteen On Springsteen

Paul Zollo — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:17:39 +0000

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“There’s a time-bomb in the heart of every great rock band,” said Bruce Springsteen while inducting U2 into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and it’s in the way that he’s controlled the combustible force of his own time bomb over the decades without imploding that’s at the heart of this collection of interviews, essays and speeches. Because at this moment in America, Bruce Springsteen is more than a rock star; he’s a genuine American hero. At 64 he’s still out on the road, still in perfect shape, playing three hour straight shows with a band that just keeps expanding in many great directions (rather than replace the late great Big Man, Clarence Clemons, with another sax-man, for example, he got a whole horn section.) What was phenomenal when he was a young man is positive heroic these days, as he persists in being a great figure of hope for all of us. Read An Excerpt From Springsteen On Springsteen: Was Bob Dylan The Previous Bruce Springsteen? His story is not your conventional rock tale of drugs, hedonism and other methods of self-destruction. Far from it. According to early interviews, Bruce never smoked even a joint, much less the harder stuff which took over the lives of so many of his peers. Nor did he ever drink. Which is not to say that his road was an easy one. His primary challenge, as well-illuminated here, was to stay true in a world where truth is rare, and to remain grounded in the face of unfathomable success, as well as the relentless self-doubt, fueled by his father’s lack of faith in him, that he’s harbored his entire life. This book is a must for any Springsteen lover as it has so much – not only a wide range of interviews in all media , here and overseas, but a collection of beautiful speeches written and delivered by the Boss over the years. Journalist-author Jeff Burger’s love of the subject comes across in this vast profusion of unexpected material he’s discovered, allowing the reader to view Springsteen from many angles, and over the decades. There’s the expected magazine Q&A interviews, going all the way back to 1973, all of which are a joy to read, reflecting the evolution from brash but confident youth to world-weary acquired wisdom to folk hero. But it’s those speeches which really show you the Lincoln-esque side of this guy, the eloquent, impassioned speaker who surely could have been a great politician if he weren’t a songwriting genius. Who can speak about America as beautifully as he did back when Obama was still a senator in 2008, and he went to Cleveland to urge America to vote for him with these words. It tells you a whole story about this man’s soul that doesn’t contradict the spirit of his songs, but confirms it: “I’ve spent thirty-five years writing about America and its people. About what does it mean to be an American, what is our duty, our responsibility, what are our reasonable expectations that we live in a free society. I never really saw myself as a partisan, but more o an advocate for a set of ideas: economic and social justice, America as a positive influence around the world, truth, transparency and integrity in government, the right of every American to have a job, a living wage, to be educated in a decent school, and to have a life filled with the dignity of work, promise, and the sanctity of home. These are the things that make a life. These are the things that build and define a society. And I think that these are the things that we think of at the deepest level when we think about our freedom.” - Bruce Springsteen, November 2, 2008. His induction speech for Dylan into the Rock Hall is also a treasure. His first exposure to Dylan, he wrote, came from his mom’s car radio and sounded “like somebody kicked open the door to your mind.” He wrote “Where great rock music is being made, there is the shadow of Bob Dylan over and over again,” showing all music scribes how it can be done. There’s also a great Obama stump speech, and his beautiful eulogy for his fallen brother Clarence Clemons: “Big Man… thanks for the miracle… and for letting a little white boy slip through the side door of the Temple of Soul." In the interviews you have a real chance to look into the soul of this guy. And though he went through unfathomable success, it’s surprising and somewhat sad to see how unhappy he was. Lack of success was a mountain he had to surpass, and when he did his challenge shifted to how to stay grounded even when shot like a rocket into the stratosphere. So many times in these talks Bruce returns to the subject of his dad, how much he wanted to impress him, and how many times he failed, that it’s pretty clear the old man’s indifference to his son’s talent impacted him so thoroughly he never recovered. It might be the reason that Bruce, even after enormous commercial success, felt there was somewhere farther to reach, something still to prove, new mountains yet to climb. Rather than ever rest on any laurels, his journey has always been about forward-momentum, never resting too long in the easy pocket of success so as not to get stuck there. All the parts of the story – the Jersey phenomenon, the life and times of the E-Street Band, his decisions to go solo, his marriages – all of it is here. It’s a revealing and redemptive journey, both harrowing and heroic, across the arc of this singular career. There’s a wide range of interviews here conducted by interviewers of various skills, so that some are focused better than others. But regardless of the questions asked, the answers throughout reveal Springsteen’s prodigious dedication through the decades to fully embrace what matters most for himself and his audience: to never lose sight of just how much this music matters, and to always offer an affordable ticket to that inspirational Land of Hopes and Dream of which he sings. If you’re hungry to learn about the true soul of this remarkable man, look no further; it’s all here.

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Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter 2 Competition Crowns Winner

Paul Zollo — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:50:38 +0000

And the winner is: Jeff Campbell. The Philly native was chosen Saturday night at Hollywood’s Hotel Café out of a field of ten finalists as the winner of the annual Guitar Center Songwriting Contest, co-sponsored by American Songwriter magazine. Chosen by Grammy-award winning songwriter John Shanks, Campbell not only wins the distinction of being this year’s winner, he also gets an amazing prize package, a dream come true for any aspiring songwriter: the recording of a 4-song EP with Shanks, $10,000 in cash, new gear from Martin, Bose, Korg, Zoom, Shure, D'Addario, TC-Helicon and Converse, studio time at the Converse Rubber Tracks studio in NYC, and worldwide distribution from Tunecore. He will also get his name in American Songwriter, following in the footsteps of the world’s greatest songwriters. Asked afterwards how he felt to be the winner, Campbell said he was humbled. “I am actually having trouble processing it,” he said. “It is the most overwhelming feeling, the most humbling joy I have known. I have worked so hard and for so long to make something happen in my career, so that now to be validated like this is extraordinary. To share the stage with the other nine finalists was an honor, as they are all great artists. And to be awarded this from an iconic genius songwriter-producer like John Shanks is fantastic.” Prior to the announcement of the winner, there were performances by last year's winner Josh Doyle, and then by all ten finalists: Melissa Polinar from Dallas; Joshua Robinson from Lakeland, Florida; Carson Henley from Seattle; Mikey Wax from Long Island, New York; Cyra Morgan from New York; Madilyn Bailey from Wisconsin; Joe Hertler from Detroit, Michigan; Evan Gibb from Orlando, Florida; Drew Schofield from Denver, Colorado. Each performer played only a single song, but each with much grace and humor, and gratitude to be included. Cyra Morgan admitted to a quick yoga session in the women’s room prior to performing to calm her nerves, after which she sang a stunning song called “Sanctuary,” about “going to your happy place when you are in need.” Drew Schofield, with his long mass of blonde hair, first established that he was neither Kurt Cobain or Keith Urban before launching into a passionate rendition of his song “Hang Out.” Detroit-native Joe Hertler spoke about the demise of the historic Hudson Building in his hometown, which he used as the main symbol in his song, supporting himself ably on harmonica as well as acoustic guitar. “I’m a fifth grade teacher,” he said afterwards with much excitement. “And [my students] are excited!” Evan Gibb, with a voice and guitar-style reminiscent of Dave Matthews, performed the touching “I’m Slowing You Down” against an elaborate yet flawless finger-picked guitar part. Joshua Robinson opened by saying he was amazed to be here, a “swamp Everglades boy in the land of dreams.” With strong falsetto, he entranced the crowd with his song “Black & White.” Carson Henley brought a good portion of soul to his singing, conjuring up the spirit of classic Motown as he pounded the piano and sang “Go Under.” Mikey Wax, who also performed on piano, delivered a lovely exploration of modern times called “Counting On You,” and got the crowd of Hollywood hipsters to actually sing along. Madilyn Bailey, one of only three female finalists, spoke of her “tiny tiny” Wisconsin home-town, where “there are more cows than people,” before singing a beautifully jazzy song of ultimate romance, “Crescent of the Moon.” Melissa Polinar spoke of her gratitude and then took us on a sophisticated and spiritually-tinged soul journey called “Skyline.” In his opening song, prior to winning, Jeff Campbell took the stage to a big ovation, showing that this Philly native already had fans in the room. He sang the strident “Shut Your Mouth,” a suggestion the crowd followed as it stopped talking to take in his performance. He so won over the crowd that it seemed highly likely he would be the winner, as predicted by his fans and friends in the audience, as well as those who didn’t know him but were won over. “This guy is phenomenal,” shouted one inebriated audience member, fist-pumping through the whole song. Linda Swanson, a defense attorney from Seal Beach, said, “I’ve heard [Campbell] before, and he is always great. I think he is a world-class artist.” Shanks, upon announcing the winner, explained that it was a very difficult choice, as he truly believed in each artist. “Everybody who was here today,” he said, “was someone I chose myself. They are all great artists.” When he announced that Campbell was the victor, the crowd went wild, with many contingents of obvious Campbell fans jumping up and cheering. Imagine midnight on New Year’s Ever and you get the idea. Afterwards, Ocean Record Studio manager Greg Ruoff, who has worked with Shanks on several projects, said he made the right choice. “All of these artists are excellent,” he said, “but I have known Jeff for a long time, and he’s special. He’s got the making of a great songwriter because he is very in tune with the world, and he can extract that into his songs in an honest way. He’s also a tremendously appealing performer. So they couldn’t have chosen a better winner.” Folk-rock singer Lissie closed the show with a spirited set.

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Paul Zollo’s Favorite New Releases

Paul Zollo — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:13:53 +0000

Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite GET UP! A happy merging of two great talents, this duo album serves up much great blues and soul material in a wonderfully raw setting. It starts with “Don’t Look Twice,” which opens with essential soul etched in one voice, one guitar and Musselwhite’s monumental harmonica, which breathes with the quintessence of the blues; when the man weeps on the harp, you hear the age-old cry of a human in the world, getting through. A band kicks in a little while into the song – as you might expect – and it then winds down back to these two men, alone. It’s a great effect and a beautiful start to a fine and fiery musical journey. “I’m In I’m Out and I’m Gone” resonates like a stomping Willie Dixon classic with Muddy Waters-like exhortations throughout and the harp woven deeply into the groove. The songs are all written or co-written by Harper, who said he had hoped to work with Charlie for more than ten years. “We Can’t End This Way” has a visceral Dylanesque vibe which shape-shifts beautifully to Gospel, aligned with a sly and angular ¾ time groove which propels the listener to a world of hope kept alive. Besides Harper on slide and electric guitars and vocals, and Charlie on harmonica, the band is has Jason Mozersky on guitar, Jesse Ingalls on bass and Jordan Richardson on drums. If you’ve been hungering for some brand-new timeless blues, hunger no more. Here it is. Marc Platt Blue Collar That the man is a very serious songwriter is evident from any one of his songs you hear. His previous album, Bitter & Sweet, was so strong that one might have expected him to peak already, but it just pushed him higher: to this collection of strength, an EP of songs about the world at hand, entirely timely but still timeless, like the best music. Like Springsteen, who has discovered many avenues by which to express the plights of the common man in songs, Platt has delivered here a song cycle which faces modern times head on. But lest you worry these are heavy message songs that are no fun, have no fear – he’s a savvy songwriter who loves great pop and rock; each song here is soulfully inviting. The opening “Undervalued Underpaid” has a clear and strident message of the hardship of today’s working world. But it does it in with great musical appeal, the chorus a strong hook, and with CSN-like harmonies it rings with great power and poignancy. Produced by Lisa Nemzo, as was his previous record, these are modern protest songs written by a songwriter who knows his way around a song. Well regarded in the L.A. songwriting community for his breadth of knowledge, Platt’s a rock and roll kid grown up, and somewhat of a pop and rock and roll historian. He brings that knowledge and savvy to all of his songs: “I’ve Been Told” is a conversational saga which unfolds with a jaunty confidence accented by slide guitar; it’s a song Johnny Cash could have nailed. “Whole World’s Watching” is another perfect wedding of a serious message with a wonderfully propulsive and visceral melody. Set around an unexpected Lennon-like chord progression, it’s both alarming and deeply haunting, and also boasts one of his most passionate vocals. Nemzo beautifully lets it simmer slowly over an acoustic guitar edge before it bursts out into many sonic directions. “Living On The Edge” is masterful songwriting, opening with mournful harmonica before launching into the deeply beautiful melody which underpins this story of those on the very edge. Living through these days, in which so many souls walk that razor’s edge which separates us from those on the streets, this one comes across with great power and sensitivity – but is not slightly contrived or false. Like Dylan, Platt finds music and phrasing as serious, and yet inviting, as the magnitude of the subject. Whereas most songs about the homeless are well-intended but very maudlin, and result in a trivialization of the situation, this sounds so genuine, so from the heart that it’s stunning. If only for this song this album would be worth the price of admission. Nemzo’s production of this one is so loving and tender that it underscores the sorrow with delicate dynamism. It’s a track you can listen to over and over, as have I, and it works. It holds up. “Work In Progress” is a beautiful elegy abut the progress of the heart, and boasts one of Platt’s most magical melodies with finely etched words and an aching but expansive spirit which just seems about to burst; imagine Bono singing with Mumford & Sons and you get near the idea. He takes what seems like a fairly pedestrian phrase, “Work In Progress” and shows us new possibilities we never expected, the essence of fine songwriting. It all comes to a close with the single Platt-Nemzo co-write “There’s a Road,” an epic cinematic journey down inevitable pathways of life. This is seriously good. In an era when people complain that nobody writes meaningful songs anymore, here comes Platt with the goods: Beautifully crafted songs of great depth and spirit with timeless melodics. This is Rock & Roll for adults. Not to be missed. To see the great video for “Undervalued Underpaid,” which has been viewed by millions: Christopher Lockett Road Songs for the Restless He writes songs like a much older man, like a songwriter weathered and wearied by the musical life, but with an ample amount of remaining soul. “Heartbroke, Drunk and Restless” starts this party, and it’s a powerful opener. Powered by great organ playing against a driving groove, Lockett sings from his heart about the multitudes of experience that all exist within one iconic Golden State, California. “I got a love as big as California, I can’t deny it,” he sings. Sounds like his heart is about that big. He writes lyrics with the earthy grace of Merle Haggard, who he tips his hat to in the first song. “Cold Night For A Suicide Girl” resounds like some miracle collaboration between Hank Williams and Marilyn Manson. As haunting as a 3 am truck stop with a full moon above, this is grim Americana, the dark side of the heartland. “When This Old Car Was New” is a perfect song: beautiful with an earthy, gutsy beauty, and Lockett’s voice deepening into rich Tom Rush bass pedal tones, and an absolutely gorgeous and essential chorus, “We are still in the summer of our lives.” He’s a country songwriter swimming against the prevalent Nashville current of pop country to return to the deep waters of songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. “Mbira Mboogie” is a remarkable and unexpectedly spirited instrumental of that rings exotically, like a marimba in a pawnshop, displaying his multi-instrumental chops, as do a few other intermingled instrumental excursions, such as “A Road Back Home” and “Heart Like A Train,” a great title for him as his heart seems both locomotive in its range. “Nobody’s ever made a dime singing any song of mine,” he sings, “but if you don’t mind I’ll keep trying.” We don’t mind at all; he’s writing the kinds of songs a whole lot of singers could sink their teeth into. A substantial and soulful songwriter of the highest degree, and a deeply emotive singer, Mr. Lockett is making deeply satisfying music, the kind of music that keeps you going even through the toughest of times. Lee Feldman Album No. 4 He’s a songwriter of some special character, a guy cut from old-fashioned cloth, it seems, not unlike Van Dyke Parks in the sincere Americana of his tunefulness and sweetness of vocal delivery. His new album starts with a song which crystallizes the challenge of songwriting, “Trying To Put Things Together That Have Never Been Together Before.” That is the aim, to make those new connections in terms of language and tune and the ways they intersect, and Mr. Feldman is a brave purveyor of the form. He writes fresh, creatively tuneful songs, songs which spring with the sweet early Brian Wilson brain trust vibe at times mingled with a little Nilsson, such as the exultant “Halo” and the lovely “That’s The Way The World Used To Work.” Especially nice is “The Magician,” a gentle piano-based exploration that is sonically spiced unexpectedly throughout with horns and synths that intensely outlines the isolation of the performer. It starts light and slowly becomes quite thick and heavy and remarkable. “River” is a happy expedition streamed with happy horns and a kind of inverse samba. The album’s 14 song-cycle concludes with “Thanks,” a direct appeal to the listener that is wholesome and lovely in its grace. Lee Feldman’s a good songwriter, something this world always needs more of. Thanks. Shannon Hurley Ready To Wake Up Shannon Hurley is a beautifully expressive singer-songwriter, who really knows how to make songs work. The opening “Matter of Time” is really savvy songwriter, the music propelling the words along the very subject of imminence – something about to happen, to burst forward – and to paint this picture, she builds up brilliantly with a pre-chorus on the title, which builds before she breaks into a magnificently melodic chorus. Her voice is perfectly suited to the elegant flow of the melodics; her high notes ring with the purity of a bell, like Judy Collins in her highest register, and her low notes resonate with a conversational grace. “Sunrise” is another which merges an elegiac lyric with a glorious melody, the tunefulness of which is so welcome and heartwarming in this age of often cold sonics. The album has several different producers, but it’s the work of the great Israeli producer-songwriter Guy Erez that really distinguishes this album; his great mastery of dynamics to propel a song goes a long way in bringing all the beauty out of these beautiful songs, which are so well-written it makes his job easy. Unafraid to be pretty musically, Shannon Hurley writes those kinds of songs people say nobody writes anymore, tuneful songs that do right to the heart. Excellent musicianship throughout sparkles, with Shannon on keys, Guy on bass and guitar, Ben Eisen on bass and Grecco Buratto on guitars. “Breaking Down” is a wonderfully dimensional saga that wraps up the album, with a beautiful remix by Celeste Lear. This is serious great songwriting, beautifully performed by the singer and her band, and so tuneful throughout that it makes a song lover smile all day long. This is great work which makes one yearn for what’s next. FALLDOWN Falldown A brave young Chicago band led by multi-instrumentalist Jared Rabin, Falldown, on this, their eponymous debut, sounds like a real band, a band like Wilco or The Band itself, all about musicians playing together, about rich harmonies and acoustic instruments and unique, personal songwriting. Rabin, who plays guitars, lap steel, violin and mandolin, is also the lead singer and songwriter, and he writes tuneful and appealing songs which merge a vast range of influences, embracing country, jazz, folk and rock & roll. Beautifully colored instrumental touches laced with the fine playing by Patrick Lyons, another serious instrumentalist, on slide guitar, pedal and lap steel and vocals, propels all of these songs in colorful and unique directions. “Couch Sleep” has the winding melody of early Steely Dan with a hint of Country-Western. “Slay Me,” a nifty country-shuffle, is invigorated by Rabin’s fiery fiddle, the perfect complement to this saga which unfolds within the indie-rock realm where early R.E.M. used to dwell- before a great swaggering country breakdown which ignites the track. “Sarah Says” is a romantic ballad about the aspirational if ungrounded existence of musicians, brought down to earth by love. With a sweet waltz-time melody reminiscent of Ben Folds that bursts into a wonderful chorus, it unites the ethereal with the earthy, landing on the line, “I’ll see her next Thursday.” It all comes to a close on “Steal Again,” another with jazzy Steely Dan-like cadences wed to country sounds. It’s a song about California dreaming from a distance – that of their native Chicago. Falldown is that rare band whose songwriting matches the high level of musicianship throughout. There’s only six songs here, but each is so strongly realized, it makes one hunger for what is next. They seem capable of anything. Ellie Lawson Insights So great was her debut album, with its wondrous mix of brilliant songwriting, strident vocals with rich harmonies and hip-hop tinged soundscapes, that I’ve long looked forward to its follow-up. This doesn’t disappoint. She co-wrote all the songs this time around with Dave Harewood, with whom she concocted musical tracks, and then wrote the words and tunes herself. Her melodies are invariably exotic, often mixing fast rap phrasing with Turkish and Arabic-flavored melodics. The opening song, “Back On Track” is deliciously multi-dimensional, a rich, deep panoply of sweetness and groove. “Try” starts with just voice and guitar before moving out in many directions, and matches the elemental subjects of her other titles here, “Why” and “I Know.” “Try” takes that one word and wrings magic out of it, showing what songs can do. She’s at once conversational and formal, cannily contrasting sections of fast phrasing, with many words, against sections like this chorus, focusing on long melismatic turns. “I Know,” for example, plays with dynamics of wordiness, playing the simple phrasing of the short title as a great hook against the complex shifting colors of the verses. Her music has everything; like Beck, she’s as creative with the words as the music as the arrangements and song structures. Produced and mixed by Ian Grimble, it’s very new and fresh sounding, while still related to great soul records of the past in the deep grooves and sweet melodics. This is inviting music; you hear it once and you need to hear it over and over, and each track so rich as to encourage maximum repeats. It all ends with the great “Why” which brings up the question Why? Why isn’t Ellie Lawson a superstar? She’s got everything and more. Here’s hoping this is the album that brings a vast audience to her beautiful work. She writes the kinds of songs, and make the kinds of albums, that are meant to be around for a long time. This is one not to miss. Jeannie Willets anywhere I go She’s long been beloved on the L.A. folk circuit with good reason; she’s not only a fine and seasoned songwriter, she’s a tremendously appealing vocalist who could have had a career singing other people’s songs if she didn’t write her own. Delicately produced by Jeannie with the team of Franklin Spicer and Bruce Ablin, who also engineered, the tracks are all elegantly understated: finely focused around Jeannie’s sweet vocals, and accented gently by acoustic guitar with tasteful percussion, drums and other subtle touches. Most of the tracks don’t even have bass, but it works. These are stately, aching melodies, often with jazzy turns throughout. She’s a seriously good melodist – the songwriter wisely providing the vocalist with some seriously good material. “Since You Went Away” is an ideal ballad of loss, which bursts into rich harmonies (sung by the legendary Alex Del Zoppo of Sweetwater along with Kris Jarvis and Pam MacLean, who also team up to bring great richness to other tracks, reminiscent of Todd Rundren at his most lushly harmonic). “Paris Song” is a lovely romantic wish to live a life of love in the City of Lights. Dale La Duke’s elegiac accordion is the ideal ingredient to lend this track a Parisian spirit. Several of the songs detail equations of the heart, such as “The Heart Is The Place,” and the closing song “Plans With You.” Set only against a single acoustic guitar and keyboards, she sings, “They say a heart knows at a glance/but now and then must take a chance” and leads into one of her most sumptuously poignant songs. This is a beautiful collection of songs by a singer whose purity of spirit comes across on every track. Check it out – it’s heartwarming.

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Inside Look: The Best Songs From The 2013 Grammys

Paul Zollo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:30:41 +0000

Each year I have the privilege of writing the stories behind the five nominated songs for the Best Song of the Year for the Grammy program, most of which I get by interviewing the nominated songwriters. Though many people tell me they are confused by the distinctions between awards for Best Record, Album and Song, the Grammy for Best Song is awarded for the writing of the song itself, not the performance or the production of the record. It is a pure songwriting award, and one I am privileged to relate. Here are the five stories, starting with the winning song this year, “We Are Young,”by Fun. Winner: “We Are Young” Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe) It all started in his car, en route to Woodstock, Nate Ruess of Fun told us: “I was alone, driving,” he said, “and out of nowhere, the chorus popped into my head. And it sounded exactly as it sounds on the album.” Because the sun was shining, the word ‘sun’ became the obvious rhyme for ‘young,’ and the anthemic chorus was complete. With chord progressions from bandmate Andrew Dost, Nate completed a draft of the song, which he sang a capella for producer Jeff Bhasker, who was stunned: “His jaw dropped to the floor.” Bhasker started tracking the song, and attempted to structure it conventionally on a normal rhythmic grid, although Nate knew it needed to go off the grid to enable its multi-rhythmic groove: “When I explained that to him, I thought he might punch me in the face because I was sounding crazy,” said Nate. “But after some connecting, he understood, and we sped up the verse. He so loved the sound of my voice sped up, that we kept it that way. And when he heard how well the tempo worked, he freaked out, he was so excited.” Bhasker retooled the melody slightly, while Fun-mates Dost and Jack Antonoff added “their magic touch,” which included “an awesome guitar part” by Jack, and orchestral arrangement ideas from Dost. It was Bhasker’s inspiration to invite Janelle Monae to bring her uniquely spirited vibe to the track: “She had never heard of us, but loved the song,” Nate said, “And we so loved what she added. It was a beautiful contribution. So the song is very much a collaboration between all of us.” “The A Team” Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran) Her name was Angel, a homeless woman he met at a shelter in London, who told him the story that led to the song. “We had a bit of a talk,” Ed Sheeran said, over the phone from Cincinnati, “ and her story struck a chord in me. I was only 18 and I had never seen the underground of London. That night I went back to my mate’s flat, picked up his guitar and wrote the entire song on his bed in twenty minutes.” The title, he explained, “insinuates that she is on what in the UK are called Class A drugs, such as heroin. I wanted to write a song which explained what her life is like, and I used a lot of her own words.” He recorded a raw but passionate demo, which he ultimately used for the finished record: “The version you hear on the radio, that is played worldwide, is exactly as I recorded it in that instance.” As spontaneously generated as the song was, it still began with simple songcraft: “The first things I wrote were the rhyming couplets,” he explained. “I wrote down a whole list of a rhymes for A Team, like eighteen, daydream, wasting, pastries. And then I pieced the song around one rhyming scheme. The words and the melody mostly came at the same time, the melody based on singer-songwriter folky chords. But I also wanted to have a but of soul in there, and the main element of the chorus sings almost like a standard on the line, ‘it’s too cold outside for angels to fly.’” “Adorn” Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel) “I’ll be honest,” Miguel told WPGC Radio about “Adorn”: “It’s the craziest thing: hearing voices in your head, you lay it down, you lay down the beat and the words, and hearing the melody and the song almost writing itself. Then singing it in another country and people knowing the song, or hearing it on the radio. It’s a humbling thing.” Getting to the place where “Adorn” and other songs could emerge had to do with the artistic liberation he’s embraced since making his debut album, leading him to write and produce all the songs on his second album, Kaleidoscope Dream. “It was so much easier,” he said in an interview with Contact Music, “because that was the actual driving thought: Just be true to yourself on every level this time around.” “Adorn,” built around the timeless invitation, “Let my love adorn you,” has already shown the durability of a standard as it shines through countless remixes, the most popular of which is by hip-hop superstar Wiz Khalifa. “It’s the best song I have ever heard anybody sing,” Wiz said on the red carpet of the BET Hip Hip Awards. To Miguel, Wiz said, “You sound like you drank gold that morning.” On The Wendy Williams Show, Miguel said he loved what Wiz did with his song: “It was such a cool re-mix. It’s my favorite, hands-down. He did it on the official tip, so I got to shout out to him.” “Call Me Maybe” Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen) She called it “Call Me Maybe” because she’s bashful: “I just liked the idea of being brave in love, and approaching a total stranger,” Carly Rae Jepsen told us. “But I am shy by nature so `Call Me Maybe’ felt more coy than just plain `Call Me.’” Written with Josh Ramsay and Tavish Crowe, it was based on an idea she and Tavish shared while in the midst of a tour. “It began on acoustic guitar,” she remembered, “so it originally sounded a lot folkier. ” The title emerged while the three jammed with voice and guitar, throwing out random lyric ideas until the ideal one arrived: “When I sang out ‘Call Me Maybe,’ the guys loved it. Josh said, ‘That's it! That's gotta be the title.’” The verses, though, required a little more work: “The melody [for the verse] came first,” she said, “and the lyrics were rewritten twice before we were happy with them.” Almost as soon as the writing session was done, the production of the song commenced. “The song really began to take shape when Josh began tracking it,” said Carly. “He's a bit of a mad genius when he gets excited about something.” As excited as she is about the phenomenal success of this song which even President Obama quoted during his campaign, nothing compared to the exultation she finds in songwriting itself. “The writing process is always different for each song,” she said. “But my excitement remains the same. I always feel the most alive when I am writing a song.” “Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)” Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson) “It changed my life,” said Florida-songwriter Ali Tamposi about “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Like many famous songs, it was borne out of heartbreak. “I went through a crazy break-up the night before writing the song,” she told us, “and I was on the way to the [writing] session with David [Gamson] and Jörgen [Elofsson] and my mom was in town, and I didn’t want to go. And she said, ‘Darling, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ It was just a little mother-daughter advice! But it said everything.” Asked for concept ideas upon arrival, she shared her mother’s line, and as Gamson played chords and she and Jörgen sang melodies, the song quickly came together. “Jörgen and I bashed heads over the lyrics,” she said, “and then we took a walk, came back and finished the song.” Originally they felt the song would be right for Leona Lewis but then agreed it was too edgy for her. When told Kelly Clarkson wanted to record it, Ali was shocked: “I thought it was a joke,” she said. “[Kelly] is like super-human. This is a hard song to sing, with a big range. She said it was like a work-out, recording it. She is a vocal genius, and totally transformed the song. Having her sing this song is magic. And [producer] Greg Kurstin’s track is amazing. All the stars aligned on this song, starting with my mom, who is the the proudest mom in America right now.”

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Backstage At The Grammys With Gotye, Mumford & Sons, Adele And More

Paul Zollo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:19:58 +0000

It was a night all about musicians making real music, about real bands with real instruments conjuring up that kind of magic musical spirit only real bands can create. Crystallized by a exultant tribute to an absent friend, The Band’s Levon Helm, led by Elton John, Zac Brown and Mavis Staples, it was also a tribute to Levon’s group, The Band, who were all about real musicians playing together. This live spirit linked performances by the banjo-fueled Mumford & Sons, who won Album of the Year, with that of the Black Keys, who won two Grammys, and Fun, who won two Grammys, and Bruno Mars, who teamed up with Sting and Rihanna to perform a wonderful tribute to Bob Marley. When Mumford & Sons emerged from their native England a couple of years ago with their acoustic gumbo of bluegrass and folk played on acoustic instruments, it seemed like a nifty novelty. Now it’s mainstream, as years of music created by loops and samples has garnered a hunger for real bands playing real instruments. Their album Babel was awarded with the Grammy for Best Album of the Year. Asked backstage how they captured the passionate live spirit of their music in the studio, lead singer Marcus Mumford said, “We cut a lot of this record live. It was something we learned since we went on the road. We have developed a lot on the road over these last six years , and that has changed how we record.” He insisted what they do is nothing new, quite the opposite: “It’s always been around – this kind of music,” he said. Ben Lovett admitted they were surprised to win anything this year, after having received so many nominations last year and losing over and over. “We resigned ourselves that last year was Adele’s year. Cause she won everything ! So this year our expectations weren’t high.” So, asked the press, how does it feel now that you have won? He answered loudly and immediately: “It’s fucking awesome!" The Australian artist Gotye, featuring the New Zealand singer Kimbra, won three Grammys: Record of the Year for “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Best Pop/Duo Performance for the same record and Best Alternative Album for Making Mirrors. They were awarded their third trophy from Prince, who made a rare appearance in dark shades and hood, but with a sly smile that seemed to suggest he knew how excited everyone is just to see him in person. Backstage both Gotye and Kimbra admitted to being as excited about getting their award from Prince as they were about getting the award itself. “Prince said he really loved the song,” said Gotye. “That is just so great.” Asked how he felt about winning this, one of the biggest awards of the evening, Gotye said, “I didn’t expect to win any of the awards we won. It is flabbergasting. There are so many other great artists this year.” The he added, “I have written better songs, I think,” he laughed, “but I am very glad it got this honor.” Asked if he had any hit songs on his iPod, he lingered on the phrase “hit song,” before saying, “The song ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ by Bruno Mars, I think, is just a fantastic song, and it is incredibly produced. I think he is an incredible performer.” Since much of the assembled press is there to represent newspapers and non-music magazines, they often ask very non-musical questions, such as this one tossed to Gotye: “What is the weirdest mispronunciation of your name?” He said they were in Milwaukee, where someone saw him and said “Hey are you that guy from The Goyotes [rhymed with coyotes]?” Katy Perry introduced the Best New Artist category by saying it was her favorite. “But if you don’t win,” she said, “don’t worry. I was never even nominated in this category," she said, "and I have my own eye-lash line.” Then Fun won. It was their second Grammy, the first for the prestigious Song of the Year award for their anthemic hit, “We Are Young” Asked how the song, which is credited to all three members of the band plus producer Jeff Bhasker, was written, Nate Ruess said: “I was alone, driving, and out of nowhere, the chorus popped into my head. And it sounded exactly as it sounds on the album.” Because the sun was shining, the word ‘sun’ became the obvious rhyme for ‘young,’ and the anthemic chorus was complete. With chord progressions from bandmate Andrew Dost, Nate completed a draft of the song, which he sang a capella for producer Jeff Bhasker, who was stunned: “His jaw dropped to the floor.” [More about the writing of this, and the other nominated songs for the Best Song of the Year, follows]. Adele, who swept the Grammys last year by winning all six for which she was nominated, won one early in the show this year, for Best Pop Solo Performance for the live “Set Fire To The Rain.” She came backstage this year clutching her single Grammy, and said she was shocked to win, that she’d expected “just to come and enjoy the show this year.” Since she has given birth since last year, she was asked how her life has changed. She answered with her customary blend of funny candor and self-deprecation. “I’ve been up since 6 am,” she said. “So I’m a bit exhausted. But I have not been stressed out, because when you’re a mother, you have to prioritize, so stuff doesn’t stress you as much.” Asked how much progress she’d made on her new album, the follow-up to 21, she said, “Not far. I’m here in town so I’m having lots of meetings. But I’ve been out of the loop – most of my singing lately has been singing my baby nursery rhymes.” Later she added that there were many ways to follow up winning Grammys, besides what she did, which was “getting knocked up.” Although the official televised portion of the show is broadcast live at 5 pm PST for 8 pm starting time on TVs throughout the east (delayed here in the west),there is a pre-televised ceremony that starts here at 3 pm, in which all the Grammys not awarded during the live telecast are given out. And since there are 90 awards, and only ten are awarded during the main show, that’s a lot of Grammys. The press is in place, backstage in a chain of rooms, prepared to ask questions and take photos and film of winners and presenters. For the press, there isn’t a huge difference between the pre-telecast and the live show, as winners are paraded backstage in both and it’s our job to cover their reactions. Between the pre-telecast show and the official telecast, longtime producer Ken Ehrlich addressed the audience out front, and said how special it was to have so many “old friends, like Elton, Sting, and Justin Timberlake” together, as well as new friends like “Fun and the Black Keys.” With a minute to go before air-time and many in the audience still wandering despite entreaties from Ehrlich to sit down, he passed the mic to Justin Timberlake, who said, “Hey, it’s time for everyone to sit down for the 55th annual Grammys!” As soon as he spoke, people listened. Seconds later Taylor Swift was onstage in full Alice in Wonderland regalia, replete with a giant white rabbit for a performance of her song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” changing the lyric slightly to add “I’m busy opening the Grammys.” I couldn’t help but reflect on what a different persona she was now projecting – veteran superstar Hollywood glamor – compared to only three years ago, when she performed a timid acoustic duet with Miley Cyrus – and many asked the question, “Who is that blonde girl with Miley?” The main distinction between the two portions of this event is that some big stars, like Rihanna, who won the very first award of the day, don’t show up till prime-time. But many do. Beach Boy genius Brian Wilson came back quietly, surprising the press who didn’t know a legend was in our midst. He had just won a Grammy for Best Historical Album for the deluxe box set of Smile. Having recently recovered from back surgery, he sat down rather than stand. A man of few words (but vast amounts of music), he answered in short bursts. Asked if he could feel the love the world held for him, a question I asked him a few years ago and to which he said, “no,” he said on this night, “Absolutely.” And how does that make you feel, asked Rona Elliot, who runs the press room and has been a friend of Brian’s for years. “It means a hell of a lot to me, Rona,” he said. I asked him to name his favorite song he wrote himself. “California Girls,” he said. Not ‘God Only Knows’ I asked? “That is second,” he said. Jazz legend Chick Corea was on hand to pick up his award for Best Instrumental Composition for his album Mozart Goes Dancing. “The inspiration for this recording was Mozart,” he said upon acceptance. “Thank you Mozart.” (It was the first and last time Mozart has been thanked at the Grammys in decades.) “But I also want to thank some of the composers who were inspiring me while making this, especially Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Art Tatum and Lennon & McCartney.” When asked to name a recording that changed his life, Chick said “Someday My Prince Will Come” by Miles Davis. “Miles Davis was a part of my life from 1947 on,” he said, “I was born in 1941 and I first heard him in 1947 on a 78 rpm. And then I followed his career, starting with his first solo album in 1951. He was an icon and inspiration and a mentor to me. Then I got to meet him in 1964 in New York City, and then in ’68 he invited me to join the band. It was memorable, an important period for me.” Since Chick was set to perform a tribute to Dave Brubeck, who passed away in December, he was asked if he knew Brubeck. “I knew Brubeck very well. He and his wife were close friends to [my wife] Gayle and myself. I looked up to him. He was a mentor to me, a beautiful man, and a beautiful creator. His album Time Out was, I believe, the largest selling jazz record of all time. That recording was the beginning of a musical evolution, towards fusion.” Asked if he felt jazz was still a viable form of music, he said, “Jazz has always been on the edge of stuff because it’s always changing, so you can never say, `This is jazz.’ There is a legacy to it – Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong and Art Tatum and John Coltrane and Miles Davis. It is basically black music mixed with Americana. And jazz has always influenced pop music. But you can’t pin jazz down.” Another living jazz legend, Arturo Sandoval, was in the house, picking up the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You), a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie. Backstage Sandoval spoke lovingly of Dizzy, saying they met in Sandoval’s native Cuba when the jazz legend came on a jazz cruise with Stan Getz. “[Dizzy] was the creator of Bebop,” he said. “And Bebop is the most respected style of music there is, among musicians. A good Bebop player can play anything. Dizzy was a genius, a guy who made a brand new style of music.” Singer-songwriter Billy Vera, who has previously been nominated three times, won his first Grammy, not for his own music, but for writing the liner notes to Singular Genius, The Complete ABC Singles, a boxed set by by Ray Charles. “Holy Shit!” was the first thing he said when accepting, to much laughter and then applause. “This is my fourth nomination. I thought I was getting too old to win.” He thanked those involved, ending with a tribute to the subject of this album: “Thank you to Ray Charles, the greatest musical performer of the second half of the 20th Century.” When he came backstage, I asked how he felt to have won after all this time, but not for his own music. “Hey, I’ll take it any way I can get it,” he said, inspiring much laughter. He went on to say that Ray Charles was his hero. “He’s always been my hero,” he said, “since I was a kid. When I started [my band] The Beaters, I modeled it after his band in the ’50s.” He spoke about how he had the privilege of producing his hero, when Ray cut a duet with Lou Rawls. Asked the secret to producing him, he said, “Man, you don’t produce Ray Charles; you just get out of the way.” Since he said three times that he considered Charles the greatest musician of the second half, I had to find out who he considered the greatest musician of the first half of the previous century. He answered without pause: “Duke Ellington.” Like Billy Vera, Janis Ian is another great musical artist who won a Grammy today for a non-musical project; her Grammy awarded for Best Spoken Word album for the audio version of her book "Society’s Child: My Autobiography." Since she famously created her first single, the race-conscious “Society’s Child” when she was still a kid, I asked her if after all these years of making meaningful music, if music still held as much meaning as ever for her. “Music means more to me now that when I was a kid,” she said, “because I didn’t know yet just how great music is. Music is the great equalizer; it levels us all out and makes us a greater community. She said narrating the entire book was harder then writing it, because “when you’re writing you have that nice distance from the material.” Asked about her the philosophy by which she lives her life, she answered with a line so perfect it could have come from one of her songs: “I assume God knows what He is doing even though I rarely agree.” Fritz Klaetke, who won for Best Boxed Package for Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection, mentioned the place of CD artwork created in the “age of downloadable music,” saying his artwork is a “frame to enhance and make the whole experience richer. I really want to thank Woody [Guthrie], whose lyrics today are more powerful today than ever.” He said that although many music lovers download their music and so never encounter the artwork he does, he said it’s actually a great time for his work. “With CD Box sets, we have so much room and space, more than you ever had, even in the age of the 12-inch LP that everyone loved. This is a 150-page booklet, and it’s perfect to contain Woody’s spirit, because there’s so much – his artwork, drawings, lyrics, poems – we have all of that. We even have the first check he received for recording, from Moses Asch for $20.” He said one of the ‘Aha’ moments of this project was finding the cover photo of Woody. “So many of his photos have been used to death,” he said, “you have seen them a million times. Nora, Woody’s daughter, found a passport photo that we had never seen, and we blew it up, so there was really a feeling of looking into Woody’s eyes. And that is our cover.” Carrie Underwood, who won for Best Country Solo Performance for “Blown Away” said she loves the Grammys for “putting together great artists you’d ever see together otherwise. The tribute to Levon Helm – with everyone singing `Take a load off Annie,’ that was so great, so moving.” The first applause from the press, watching the show on monitors backstage in between asking questions of winners, was for Frank Ocean, who opened his acceptance speech by saying people tell you to picture the audience naked so as not to be nervous, “but I prefer to picture you kids all dressed up….” Kelly Rowland, who was a presenter, came back and spoke about her new album which is under way. “I just changed the name of it,” she said. “It’s R&B; which I love. I loved seeing Justin [Timberlake] doing his rhythm and blues. That was outstanding. That boy just got too much soul.” Asked about performing with Beyonce in the Superbowl for a Destiny’s Child reunion, she said, “It was great. Doing ‘Bootylicious’ with my sisters, that was great. Miss that.” Does it mean there might be a more substantial reunion? “I can’t say. I’m working on a new album, and Michelle [Williams] in is Fela, we’re all doing our own things. But I can tell you [our reunion], that was a hard secret to keep.” The late great Gil Evans won a posthumous award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for How About You. A protégé of Evans accepted the award, and spoke about the maestro backstage. Asked what made Evans’ arrangements unique, he said: “It was a combination of many kinds of music. He loved French Impressionistic music. He had a library card and would always go and check out recordings and scores. But he also had a unique ear; he could hear music no one else heard. He was always adding special colors to his music, which is what propelled his music forward, and made his music stand out.” Mary Mary is a gospel duo consisting of two sisters, Erica and Tina Campbell. They won for Best Gospel Song, a songwriter’s award, for “Go Get It,” which they wrote with Erica’s husband Warryn Campbell. Because Tina was home with babies (“many babies,” said her sister), Erica accepted the award. Asked backstage about the derivation of their name Mary Mary, she answered, “There are two Marys in the bible: mother Mary, who is perfect, and Mary Magdalene, who was not perfect at all. Yet God loved them both equally, and that is the message. The power of love can change your life.” Before the Lumineer’s tremendously tuneful performance, Ken Ehrlich ran the track for the audience during commercial break inviting everyone to sing along. “It’s not that we don’t trust you because you are in the music business,” he said, “and you already know this song. But I’m gonna run it for you so you can practice. “ Neil Portnow, president of NARAS, the Grammy organization announced that a new Grammy award was being established, The Music Educator Award, designed to recognize music educators for their contributions to the musical landscape and their positive influence on their students’ musical experiences. The award is open to any current American music teacher from kindergarten through college, and anyone can nominate a teacher. The winner, and nine finalists, will be flown to Los Angeles and each awarded a $1000 honorarium; the winner will receive a $10,000 honorarium. Grammy for Best Album went to Mumford and Sons for Babel. “We didn’t get lucky last year cause [Adele] got nominated last year and won everything.” Zac Brown, who won for Best Country Album for Uncaged, said, “Our whole organization runs on love so it’s hard not to be thankful to everyone. Doesn’t take me a lot to get into tears talking about my folks. This whole weekend has been like a dream. I have been hanging out with my whole CD collection. Then winning a Grammy. It has been an amazing time.” Asked about the prevalence of real bands winning Grammys this year, he said, “Everything runs in cycles. There’s some not so great stuff that comes through, and then the real thing comes and it sounds very special. It is great to have people who write songs and play their own instruments, like Mumford and Sons. It is great to see this kind of music get the spotlight.” Bonnie Raitt, who won a Grammy for Best Americana album for Slipstream, said the first record to really impact her life was “Times They Are A Changing” by Bob Dylan. “My family was very politically conscious,” she said, “and the way Dylan translated that spirit and put across that message across in a singer-songwriter way, it changed my life. There was just something about that record that spoke to me. His emergence came when I was 13, and it was a seminal time for me, setting me on my path to make folk music.” Jazz guitarist extraordinaire Pat Metheny won for Best Instrumental Jazz for Unity Band, and in his reaction expressed a gratitude that linked all the artists throughout the day. “For me, playing music is just an incredible honor,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be a musician. Every time I get near an instrument I feel extremely lucky. And I try to make each work the best I can. I don’t think about more than that. I just try to make the music I love."

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Role Models: Donald Fagen

Paul Zollo — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:45:53 +0000

On the occasion of Donald Fagen’s latest non-Steely Dan effort, Sunken Condos, we sat down to talk about this new classic, and the previous ones. You and Walter Becker are among the few songwriters to extend the vocabulary of chords. Back in the days when they wrote standards, a lot of composers were using more jazz progressions, like Harold Arlen or Burton Lane. And jazz composers who wrote songs were into interesting changes. These days it’s not that way, because it’s now all guitar-based music. What makes a melody great? Melodies can be good depending on the context. You can have a simple melody, and if the harmony behind it is interesting, it can make a very simple melody really different. You can also have a complex melody. The more complex it is, the harder it is to sing, and then sometimes it can sound contrived. You could write a melody that would be fine on a saxophone but if you give it to a singer, it can sound raunchy. Is it your feeling that a song, lyrically, can contain anything? Yeah. Dylan opened up popular music so you could write about anything. He started using surrealism and wrote songs that showed the interior mind at work. Nothing like that existed before he started doing it, and we were big Dylan fans. Was there ever content you tried but failed to get into a song? Yeah, we failed many times [laughs]. We once tried to write a song about the Congress of Vienna. We never pulled that one off. Does songwriting get easier? No, it gets harder. It takes longer. When you get older, your mind slows down and you don’t have a lot of energy, and you’ve used up a lot of your ideas. You’ve really got to work to do it. It’s exhausting. You think sitting in a room and thinking things would be easy, but it’s not. I throw out so much stuff, that to get a few bars or a few good lines takes a long time. Do you have any method for getting ideas flowing? Take a walk. Go to a movie. The whole thing of seeing these giant faces and hearing loud music gives me ideas. I don’t usually get ideas when I go to a room with a piano and sit down to write. I have a list of ideas I got at random times. Do you have any regular songwriting routine? I mainly have three modes: writing mode, recording mode and touring mode. When I’m in the writing mode, I get up about 10 and write till about 7. There are demos of you and Becker online, and it was always both of you singing. Yeah, when we first started we were going to be the white Sam & Dave [laughs]. I took the high part. I think I was Dave and he was Sam. Do you remember writing “F.M.”? Yes, I do. I wrote that in California. There was a film called FM and we were asked to do the title song. And I said, “Does it have to have any specific words?” And they said, “No, it just has to be about FM radio.” We wrote that very quickly, I remember, in one or two days. And we also recorded it very quickly, too. Johnny Mandel came in and did the string chart. It was fun to meet Johnny Mandel. Will you always make albums? Yes, I’m used to it. I think 50 minutes or so is a good length. It’s not too long, but it’s long enough to be satisfying. I don’t know if anyone listens to albums anymore. I like it. For someone who enjoys sitting there listening to music, it’s a good length. It may be a dead art form though. I think songwriters like listening to whole albums. Do you have a preference for major keys or minor keys? I think you have written more in minor keys but I could be wrong. I think you could be right about that. I do think that minor keys have more opportunities for richness. But maybe that’s just because I am a depressive person [laughs].

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Smokey Robinson Astounds And Inspires With “Words”

Paul Zollo — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:41:22 +0000

"Rhyming comes naturally to me," said Smokey Robinson, the legendary songwriter and Motown star, last night on the stage of North Hollywood's historic El Portal Theatre. It's an understatement. Although those rhymes are long famous in classic songs he's written and performed, such as "Tears of A Clown," "Going To A Go-Go," "Shop Around" and so many others, what's less famous are the rhymes Smokey instills into his epic poems. He recited several of these poems at El Portal with the vital, verbal energy of a young rapper, and touched on areas every bit as timely and relevant, such as racism, the use of the word "African-American" and human nature in general. "Words" was written by Smokey with Linda Cevallos-French, who also directed it. She produced it with Brian French. Delighting the audience, who were responding throughout as if in church with a steady expression of "Hello!" and "Hallelujah," Smokey also told richly-detailed and very funny stories about his "longest friends," Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, both of whom he grew up with in Detroit, and Motown-founded Barry Gordy, who launched his career. Perhaps the most astounding story, in its recognition of true greatness and generosity, was about the time Smokey with the Miracles got to open, at the very start of their career, for Ray Charles at the historic Apollo Theater in NYC. Armed incompletely with chord charts but no actual arrangements of his songs at first rehearsal, Smokey was sharply castigated by the Apollo folks who were shocked he'd show up so unprepared. As he was being denigated for his amateurism, the great Ray Charles showed up. "Hey, what's all the problem?" he asked. When they explained, Ray asked Smokey if he could play the song for him. Stuttering and scared, Smokey managed to say, "Y-y-y-yes, Mr. Charles, I c-c-c-can." Ray told him to sit down next to him at his piano bench - a heady place for any young musician to sit! - and said to play the song. Smokey did, and Ray Charles - a fairly fast study, after all - learned the song and began to play it himself for his band. "And he played it," Smokey said with awe. "Ray Charles played my song. He played it like I had neverheard my song played before." Ray then proceeded to arrange the song on the spot, telling his horn players where and what to play, and quickly whipping the arrangement into place. "Before that I loved Ray Charles," said Smokey. "At that moment, I loved Ray Charles." Smokey learned a life-long lesson that day, he said, "a lesson about giving. About generosity." It was a lesson he never forgot. His poems were long, inspired, rhymed, and quite remarkable in the sustained verbal momentum he achieved with his great gift for rhyme and love of words. "Woman" is a beautiul prayer to God to build a perfect human, one with a mixture of all the attributes necessary to live and lead a good life, from a recognition of God - a subject which rang through the proceedings - to a sense of humor, humility, and more. It ended with the request: "Call her Woman." "O" is a wonderfully energetic and funny account of several men of different races meeting at a blood bank to embrace the understanding that although they all had different color skin, that their blood was the same. This recognition of man's unity under the skin was especially resonant coming from this man who said many times "I love being black." "Oh My God" is a beautiful chain of thoughts that essayed his sorrow at the way God has been extracted from so much of American life, when he feels a recognition of the Creator is exactly that which unites us all. "My Dog Ran Away With My Cat" was a brilliantly funny exploration of human nature as it applies to sex, romance and timeless relations between the sexes. The final poem, "Being A Black American," took on the subject of race identification - after celebrating in "O" the common blood which flows through all human veins - and explored with great savvy and humor the oddity of calling these Americans who have been here since the dawn of our nation "African-Americans." There are African-Americans, he said, who have moved here recently from Africa and make their homes in America now. But for those generations of Black men and women who have lived in this country for centuries, and for whom racial lines have blurred because of generations of mixed heritage, the word, he said, is Black. "As my brother James Brown said, say it out loud, I'm black and I'm proud." Smokey also inserted a few singing moments into the show, a great gift for the audience as he sang, a capella, with the sweet tenor that George Harrison called his "effortless butterfly of a voice." A long, very loving standing ovation ensued after Smokey's last words, ending a magical night at this theatre where magic has been presented for decades. For more information on the great Smokey and "Words," which is available in print, see www.smokeyrobinson.com.

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Role Models: Don Mclean

Paul Zollo — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:00:41 +0000

Some forty years since Don McLean’s “American Pie” first hit radio airwaves, it remains one of the world’s most remarkable songs, as mysterious, expansive and anthemic as ever. It came from the same guy who wrote the beautiful “Vincent” and countless other classics. McClean reflected on his career for us while promoting his new autobiography, American Troubadour. On writing “American Pie” I was trying to create a dream. So there were lines in there that were dreamlike, almost, in order to connect other concepts that I had that were semi-real, but it was a dream and the idea came from the idea that politics and music flow parallel to one and other. I wanted to write a song that summed up everything I felt about America and music, and I did it, and it turned out beyond my wildest dreams. It didn’t take a long time to write. The body of the song was written pretty quickly once I got the gist of where I was going. The first part, the opening part and the chorus, I had for a few months. I couldn’t quite figure out where to go with it. Then I decided to speed it up and change it. So I found a way to do it. The [Buddy Holly plane crash] is the start of it. But then it moves onto a whole other realm. On producing “American Pie” It was a well-written song, and I felt it was a really good idea. But when I first played it, people yawned. They didn’t know what I was talking about. It was way too long. It was just verse-chorus-verse-chorus but we broke that up by having a slow beginning and a slow end. Ed Freeman, who produced the record, deserves a lot of credit for making a record out of it that was very, very special. And which was commercial. I also deserve a lot of credit, because I made the band play it until it was right. I had to fight on so many things with people who were my allies. Ed Freeman and I damn near killed each other a few times over some of this stuff. I said, “This is not right.” Finally, we got a guy named Paul Griffin, a black piano player. He came in and he just jumped all over that song. He understood exactly how to play that song, and he played the living hell out of it. And I drove that guitar right up his ass, in his ear phones, my acoustic, and that’s what made him jump all over it, and that’s how it happened. And then I said, “Now you’re talking. Now we’ve got the track.” This stuff isn’t easy. If I’d have given in, we would have had a lousy track and you’d have never heard the song. On listening to classics You have to have great music in your head. Cole Porter, Gershwin. You’ve got to put good stuff in to get good stuff out, if you want to write songs. You’ve got to go back to the Irving Berlins and The Beatles, and the good stuff from the 1950s. On writing “Vincent” I read a book about [Van Gogh] and decided to write a song. But how will I write a song about him that doesn’t sound stupid? And I figured the way to do that was to look at the “Starry Night” picture. And I came up with this idea to use him, to use all these images I see and tell the story with a verbal or poetic representation of the colors and energy [of his work]. That was the plan, and it just clicked. “This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you” is the last line. That line came while I was writing. A lot of people feel that way about themselves. It’s one of those lines that people take to heart. They think, well, it is hard to be in the world, and maybe I’m not right for the world. A lot of us feel that way. On his early days making records I was completely devoted to music-making in those days. I was in love with the record business, and I was in love with making records, and I was in love with the studio. It’s all gone now. I don’t like what they replaced it with. It used to be about creating something beautiful, something that would last. Now it’s computer music, and it’s nasty, mean and negative. It’s music that doesn’t help anyone.

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