Thursday, April 23, 2009

Song for my Father


My Father, Kenneth Caldwell Blanchard, is in the hospital. We are hoping he will be out in the next few days, but it doesn't look good for the long term. Dad is a salt of the earth kind of fellow. Born on a farm, he went to war in the Pacific and got a pharmacy degree after the War. For both things, all of us owe him a lot. He was also a wonderful dad. Having raised two kids of my own to college age, I can only say I did it by monkey see, monkey do.

Well, in honor of Dad, here the best homage to a father in jazz that I know of:
Horace Silver/Song for My Father/Song for My Father
If that isn't enough, I think all our old folks deserve honor, if only for the fact that we will be in their place if something unfortunate doesn't happen. So here is a Jackie McLean number to sing the song:
Jackie McLean/Old Folks/McLean's Scene

7 comments:

  1. Here's hoping that your father will recuperate soon, Ken.

    Here is some music I saw on Dutch television a week ago, it's the Rosenberg Trio playing the Chick Corea standard "Spain". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUfK75q3T5I

    Take care.
    André

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  2. I hope your father pulls through. Sounds like a terrific fellow!

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  3. Best wishes for your Dads recovery. The music is helpful and meditative in these situations. Jackie's number was wonderful. You know JMac has a warm spot in my heart.

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  4. A comment on another commenter. Stochelo Rosenberg is an amazing guitarist. Maybe the best out of the Gypsy school of guitar playing (Django). Here is another incredible display of guitarmanship with another great one, Bireli Green and Stochelo together.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1sgHMR3ItY

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  5. Thanks to all! I am happy to report that Dad is out of the hospital. He is, as Jim put it, a terrific fellow. I like to think that he is what happened to the Japanese Empire.

    I have to say that I first sought out Jackie McLean after hearing Ken Laster talk about him on In the Groove. As always, I was very rewarded by the effort. All of Maclean's albums are good. I picked this one just because its title fit my theme. But McLean's 'Let Freedom Ring' is an essential disc in any good jazz library.

    André:

    Thanks for the blessing, and thanks for the link to the Rosenberg Trio clip. What a show! I have always loved this composition.

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  6. Glad to hear your father is doing allright Ken.

    Also glad that you're digging the music I sometimes post here. I was very suprised to hear Tineke Postma come through on one of Ken's podcasts a while ago. =D

    The Rosenberg clip (really great version with Bireli Lagrene by the way, KL!) came from a very good show I happened to catch on TV last week. The show concluded with a band called the New Cool Collective, and I think you will like it as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1B5hmlbfJA

    André

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