Musiciancarnation: The Edge

In my next life, if I could come back as a member of U2, I'd be The Edge.

Thanks to my awesome husband, who splurged on two tickets for us, we got to see U2 perform on earlier this month at Carter-Finley Stadium (thankfully, we actually made it through the traffic, unlike some very disappointed fans). The band, which I first listened to in the mid-80s, thanks to my much cooler (and younger) brother, put on an amazing musical spectacle for a solid two hours. I don't know how they do it, night after night and year after year, but they really pulled it off.

I don't even need a Facebook quiz (I'm sure there is one) to tell me that I'd definitely want to be the guitarist/keyboardist/back-up vocalist, born David Howell Evans. So why, you're asking (I know you are), would you want to be The Edge? I'll tell you:

• He never has a bad hair day thanks to that hat (and apparently he doesn't have much hair left anyway).
• He plays guitar AND plays keyboard AND sings. Triple threat with a sexy guitar stance.
  
• He's been credited as defining the "U2 sound," even more so than Bono.
  
• He has the coolest stage name around, involving an article no less.
• He gets to run around stage, having a blast with his best friends from high school -- and he gets paid for it.
• He ate Cooper's BBQ after the Raleigh show. Okay, so they all did -- but I still think that is awesome.
  

So, who would you be if you were in U2?

Past "Musiciancarnation" posts:
China Forbes
Tift Merritt

Image from ctnews.com.

Making Music Together

When I was four years old, my mother took me to Kindermusik classes -- some of the first in the U.S. My mom then became my first piano teacher, starting me on lessons that would last through three other teachers until I graduated high school. I also studied flute and sang in school and church choirs. Later, my mom became a Musikgarten teacher, singing and dancing with other moms and babies.

Given that history, and the fact that my kids really love all sorts of music and dancing, I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I finally took Junius and Pippi to our first music class last week. But better late than never -- all three of us had a great time singing, playing, dancing and jumping along with Ms. Angela and the nine other mommies and 12 other children. In addition to being great fun in a musical learning environment, it's also one of the few activities I could take the kids to at the same time -- not a lot of kids programs are open to both a 4-year-old and a 19-month-old.

During the class, Ms. Angela encouraged all the mommies to sing regularly to their children. "No matter what you think your voice sounds like," she said, "your children will think it's the most beautiful sound they've ever heard." I liked that advice and decided this was a good time to stop listening to NPR in the car and start singing along with our new Music Together CD.

So on our way to Nanna and PopPop's house last week, I put in the disc -- the kids were smiling and clapping and trying to sing along. And I'm thinking what a great mommy I am that I can take them to this fun class and then sing with them in the car and how happy they must be to hear my beautiful voice.

Then Junius pipes up from the back seat. "Mommy," he says. "When you are singing...?"

And I'm waiting for him to say how much fun it is when I sing and he can sing and Pippi is learning to sing and how much he loves me...

"Mommy, when you are singing," he says, "I can't hear the music. Mommy, please don't sing."

His comment left me speechless, thus having the desired effect.

I'm just hoping he won't complain when I start singing even louder in class this week.

Image from Music Together.

For My Husband

As I walked down the aisle eight years ago today, arm-in-arm with my parents, my hands were shaking so badly that I thought I might drop my bouquet. It wasn't so much nerves as excitement and emotional overload.

When I got to the front of the church, I took my soon-to-be-husband's hand, kissed him on the mouth and promptly stopped shaking.

After the wedding, I got a lot of teasing about how I was supposed to wait until the end of the ceremony for the big kiss. But it was totally worth it.

We might have surprised a few people with our choice of song for our first dance, too -- although not our next door neighbor, who didn't realize he'd been listening to us practice our shag moves (no, not that kind of shag) every time it played.


Happy anniversary, my love. Only 42 more years until you get to renegotiate the contract.

Online Music Monday

We're having a beautiful time at the beach, although I'm grouchy this morning because apparently my daughter didn't get the memo about sleeping late and taking long naps on vacation.

Thankfully, I had a link to this video from a friend on Facebook to cheer me up:


As budgets shrink across the country, school districts are facing tough decisions about cutting teaching positions and eliminating courses. In some cases, that means getting "back to basics" by focusing on reading and math. I'm a former English teacher, so I appreciate attention to reading -- and numerous studies have shown that a student's future academic success is dependent on learning to read by third grade. But a focus on reading and math at the expense of science, social studies, foreign language and the arts comes at a price.

The following quote is from an article about how the P.S. 22 chorus became celebrities on the Internet and got to meet some of the artists whose songs they've covered (like Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks and Rhiannon):

"As for fame, aside from some local-hero treatment on Staten Island, getting spoiled by stardom isn’t an option, thanks to the bittersweet realities of P.S. 22, which runs only through fifth grade; most of the current group graduated from the school and the chorus last month. 'I’m devastated,' says Milagros Vega, whose daughter, Mariah Baez, is an alto. 'I want to hold her back.' Mariah typifies the benefits of working with Breinberg: Confidence skyrockets and grades improve. 'Mariah has more friends and is so much more expressive' Vega says."

"Confidence skyrockets and grades improve." The ability to sing songs by The Cure might not get tested by No Child Left Behind (NCLB), but the significance of being excited about learning and having opportunities for success can't be measured by standardized tests.


Gregg Breinberg (a.ka Mr. B), who started the chorus at P.S. 22 in 2000, has a blog about the group and their performances. Check it out -- more than 9 million people have already watched their videos. I just hope that, when it comes to supporting public schools through volunteer time or taxes and bonds, all those viewers will remember what our teachers and students can accomplish when given the support they need.

Photo from PS22 Chorus blog.

New Music Monday: Driving with Children

Okay, so it's not really Monday. But I composed this post in my head on Monday, so I think it still counts.

Will be spending a lot of time in the car with my children this week -- first, a quick trip to Nanna and PopPop's while I have work meetings, then an extra-long weekend at the beach with dear friends. All good travels, but Mommy has to do something to keep everyone entertained in the car since we won't have Daddy with us.

Here's what we'll be listening to while we cruise I-40:

• Rockin' the Suburbs by Ben Folds: Junius likes listening to "Chuck's brother" -- and I do, too, despite the fact that I have to sing loudly to edit over all the cussing. We'll probably have to stop listening to this one soon (Juni's ears are too good and I really don't need him dropping the f-bomb at his Baptist pre-school), but the drums and piano are really fun for now. Need to talk with Big Bang Boom about recording a kid-friendly version of this album.
  
  
• Greatest Hits by The Bangles: We have a lot of Manic Mondays at our house, so this just seems appropriate. And I figure this is a good opportunity to teach my children about the brilliance of the 80s. Or at least prepare them for karaoke.
  
  
• Quick by Eddie From Ohio: EFO makes great car music, so you just can't go wrong with them. Plus this album features a gorgeous a capella song called "Great Day" that we played as we entered our wedding reception, so it always makes me happy.
  
  
• Dear Mr. Sinatra by John Pizarelli: Junius refers to this one as the "Ring-a-Ding-Ding" song. Always need a little something jazzy in the car -- and I love watching their little baby heads bounce in the back seat while they pretend to play trumpet.
  
  
• Cry Cry Cry by Cry Cry Cry: One of my sweet neighbors brought me this CD over the weekend -- have only listened to the first few tracks so far, but they're some really good covers by Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky and Dar Williams. I'm hoping by the time we get to this one, the kids will be snoozing and I can just listen and enjoy.

Friday's Five: Story Songs

Just in case you're missing New Music Mondays this summer, here's another musical Friday's Five to tide you over.

I really like "story-telling songs" -- the ones that might be a bit long, but reward you with the double-entertainment factor of an interesting tale and some good music. Whether funny or moving or powerful or all of the above, they're fun for singing along with in the car, plus you can amaze your friends and family by learning all the words and performing a capella. Okay, maybe not so much on that last part, but it's worth a try.

Often there's a turning point in the story, when you realize things aren't going to turn out quite like you thought or maybe when things finally start to work out just as you hoped they would. It's not the refrain, but it's the line that sticks, gives goosebumps, rings in your ears.

Here are five of my favorites -- what are yours? (Links take you to the lyrics)

1. "Johnny’s Camaro" by David Wilcox: The tale of Johnny's girlfriend, who discovers on a trip to Africa that she doesn't need a dude in a Camaro to be able to soar... "Man, she didn't know she could jump that high. Ah, but she does now."
   
   
2. "The Queen and the Soldier" by Suzanne Vega: An honest soldier boldly questions his queen about the wars he fights on her behalf, but she isn't ready to face the truth... "But the crown, it had fallen, and she thought she would break / And she stood there, ashamed of the way her heart ached."
   
   


3. "Shopping Cart of Love: The Play" by Christine Lavin: Her fiance ditches her for her roommate (and takes her car and her favorite sweater), but a disastrous trip through the grocery store's express lane turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to her... "So he grabbed me / And he dragged me / As as I was sobbing toward the door / When a soft voice whispered / 'I've got seven items, I'll take three of yours.'"
   
   
4. "A Christmas Song" by Dave Matthews: It's an old, familiar story, but this song brings new life to the important tale of a young couple, their new son and the love that he would share with the world... "I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene. Instead I fear I’ve spilled the blood of our children all around."
   
   
   
5. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel: Okay, so this one is a little cheesy. But it holds such fun memories of my summer spent in Laurinburg. Follow along as Brenda and Eddie find out what happens when you peak too early... "They got an apartment with deep pile carpet / And a couple of paintings from Sears / A big waterbed that they bought with the bread / They had saved for a couple of years / They started to fight when the money got tight / And they just didn't count on the tears."
   

What would happen if I just put my hand here?

Last weekend we took Junius to see the N.C. Symphony's Summerfest concert with Cirque de la Symphonie. It was a big night out for the three of us -- we left Pippi at home with a friend from the babysitting co-op because we knew she'd a) never sit still for the concert and b) need to go to bed about the time the show was starting.

The amphitheater was packed when we arrived and got more crowded as the night went on. But despite the lack of space and lack of a clear view (more on that in another post), we had a nice time eating our picnic and watching the show.

If you're not familiar with Cirque de la Symphonie, it's kind of like Cirque de Soleil in front of a symphony -- acrobats, dancers, jugglers, and the like. The performers are mind-bogglingly (did I just invent an adverb?) strong and graceful, dangling from the ceiling on ribbons and hoops or balancing on tiny stools and each other.

So here are my questions: After you've done all the strength training and gymnastics training and so on, how do you make the leap to saying to your friend...

"Just hold still --
I'm going to do an upside-down one-armed push-up on your head."

Or "I think I can spin three *more* hoops..."


Or "I'm sure I could wrap these sheets
around my wrists and fly..."

For more photos and a video to get the full effect, go here. In the meantime, I'll be training with Junius and Pippi for the next tour. I'm pretty sure I can juggle both of them at the same time.

Musiciancarnation: Tift Merritt

In my next life, I want to come back as Tift Merritt.

She's talented and gorgeous -- and she's lived in North Carolina and Paris, which are two of my favorite places.

The first time my husband and I saw her perform, he leaned over to me halfway through the first song and said, "I think she's on my list."*

"Are you kidding? She's on MY list," I responded. The woman is that sexy.

And not just because she has fantastic hair (read: all the thick curls I never had, even with my '80s perm), a beautiful smile (read: straight teeth that I used to have before I gave up on my retainer in 7th grade and my teeth shifted back to being too crowded) and a great figure (read: all the curves I never had, even when I was nursing).

It's something in her voice, how she holds the guitar, the way she moves toward the microphone, how she leans her head back when she sings -- all of it is sexy in a powerful, sensual, musical way.

Check out one of my favorite songs below (it can be a little slow to load) or go here...


*We have this running joke about which three celebrities are on our "list" of people we'd be allowed to fool around with and not get in trouble -- which is totally safe because none of them know we're alive so there's no chance of actually cheating and thus destroying our marriage. I think we took the idea from a TV show or something (can't remember anymore), but it seemed much less weird before I tried writing down an explanation about it.

Photo from Ents24.com.

Musiciancarnation: China Forbes

Note: New Music Monday will be on hiatus for a few weeks while the kids are home -- no preschool or summer camp, so we're on the move to keep us all entertained. Instead, I'm introducing a new occasional feature called "Musiciancarnation," that is, if I could be reincarnated as a particular singer, this is who it would be.

In my next life, I want to come back as China Forbes.

She gets to wear sparkly, sexy dresses while singing fabulous songs in at least nine different languages, her gorgeous voice dancing along with ten amazing musicians. When she came out on stage Saturday night for the Pink Martini show at the Museum of Art, my husband's comment was, "She is saucy." Rrrrrrrrrrarrrrr.

And she sings her true-story song, "Hey, Eugene," about a guy she met at a party who asked for her number and then never called her. Doesn't he feel like a dumbass now.

And as if that weren't enough, she's a new mom, too.

Take a listen to one of my favorites here (plus a couple other good ones)...

Pink Martini - Concert at Portland - Part 3 of 6
Uploaded by blackethylene. - Explore more music videos.

Photo of Ms. Forbes from http://www.lasplash.com.

Friday's Five: Covers

I missed New Music Monday this week since we were at the beach, so it seems appropriate to have a musical Friday's Five instead.

Recently on Back Porch Music, I was surprised to hear a cover of a Nick Drake song -- took me a bit to realize what it was because it sounded so different, yet so familiar. I think that's what makes a good cover song -- one that takes its own path while still honoring the original.

Here are five songs, listed with their primary artist first and the cover artist second. In each case, I can honestly say I like both versions. I think #1 is the best twist and #5 is the most surprising. Take a listen and see if you have a favorite...

1. "Kiss" by Prince and Tony De Sare
2. "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett and Eddie From Ohio
   
3. "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper and Eva Cassidy
4. "Northern Sky" by Nick Drake and Bill Evans and Megan Lynch
   
5. "Hey Ya" by Outkast and Ted from Scrubs
   

New Music Monday: The Beach

My husband loves beach music. When we were planning our wedding, I think we spent as much time in shag lessons (the Southern dance version, not the Austin Powers British slang version) as we did in our marriage prep class -- and we looked awesome at the reception.

So given that today is a holiday and we're heading to the beach this weekend, it seemed appropriate to let him pick out today's new music. He calls this "Lookin' for Love - Beach music to move your feet, stir your soul and get you in the spirit of summertime." His only disclaimer is that there are few "pure beach music" albums, so the list is primarily compilations of R&B/beach music CDs. Of course, he also says that a compilation is just a professional mix tape, so that's not a bad thing.

• The Very Best of Jerry Butler
• Rhythm of the Beach (no longer available in stores)
• Beach Beat Classics Vol. 5 (other volumes available online, but vol. 5 has been discontinued)
• Grand Strand Gold Vol. 2
  
• '70s Soul: Sexy Love Ballads (one used copy available on Amazon for $74.95 -- it appears I've been under-valuing my husband's CD and cassette collection)

Now I think I might have to go add Shag: The Movie to my Netflix list.

New Music Monday

Got a little off track this morning because I had a meeting out of the "office" (a.k.a. my house). But I'm back now and trying to get some new music in the CD player before I pick up my kids from preschool. If I don't do it now, we'll end up listening to what's already in there or to kids' music -- and there's nothing wrong with that, but preschool ends on Wednesday (gasp!), so I'm not ready to go totally over to their world just yet. I still have two more days to work first.

Here's the line-up of music that's fun for me -- and hopefully good for the whole family, too:

• The Inevitable by Squirrel Nut Zippers
• Stunt by Barenaked Ladies
• Turn by Great Big Sea
• Graceland by Paul Simon
• Big Noise by Eddie from Ohio
  

New Music Monday: Singing with the Rain

It's another rainy Monday. Another work day when there's much to be done. But I think today I'm going to go with the rain instead of fighting against it. Brewing some chai tea and settling into the day.

Here are five women I've listened to over the years, most of whom are in my collection thanks to other wonderful women I know. If you have any of these discs, feel free to sing along:

• Ophelia by Natalie Merchant
• Suzanne Vega by Suzanne Vega
• Fat City by Shawn Colvin
• The Angel in the House by The Story
• Feels Like Home by Norah Jones

image from nataliemerchant.com

New Music Monday: Jazzy Work Day

With only six working days left until preschool is over for the summer (because Pippi only goes two days a week), it's time to get in the groove on this project. Hoping that maybe some jazzy rhythms will do the trick.

• Brasileiro by Putumayo World Music
• Hang On Little Tomato by Pink Martini
  
• Half the Perfect World by Madeleine Peyroux
• Last First Kiss by Tony DeSare
  (this is worth getting just for the cover of Prince's "Kiss")
• Live in Paris by Diana Krall
  

New Music Monday: Post-college bands

Much work to do this morning, so I'm need of some pep in my playlist. We've been listening to Here Come the 1 2 3s by They Might Be Giants all weekend -- it's awesome, but I need some "grown-up" music now that the kids are at preschool.

This week's selections represent bands I've seen perform that all have North Carolina ties (I think). Mostly, I saw them back when I was young and single and living in Charlotte after college. Seems like a lifetime ago, but the music is still great.

• Buzz by Jump Little Children
• Red Clay Harvest by Cravin' Melon
• Fun & Games by The Connells
• Radiance by Athenaeum
• Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben Folds Five
  

New Music Monday: Rainy Work Day

It's a rainy, unmotivated kind of Monday, but sadly I've got to get my arse in gear. Deadline is approaching and somehow this report on advanced learners isn't writing itself. Hoping that some fiddle and banjo will get me moving. Notice that in the meantime, I'm procrastinating by writing this post.

Here's today's playlist, with a favorite track in parenthesis in case you want to take a listen:

• Why Should the Fire Die? by Nickel Creek
  (#13 "Doubting Thomas")
  
• Bramble Rose by Tift Merritt
  (#4 "Bird of Freedom")
• Pontiac by Lyle Lovett
  (#5 "L.A. County")
• Flyer by Nanci Griffith
  (#12 "On Grafton Street")
• IV by Chatham County Line
  (new CD, so I don't have a fave yet)
  

New Music Monday for Kids

It's our last day of preschool spring break, so this morning's "New Music Monday" lineup is a kid-friendly one. As many of you have probably already discovered, there's a wide range of kids' music out there, from sappy and annoying to hilarious and rockin. Thankfully, we've managed to find plenty of discs that the whole family loves.

Pippi is napping now so we're taking a break, but here's what we've been dancing to since breakfast:

• Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner: If your kids watch Noggin, you've probably seen/heard Laurie Berkner and her band. All-around great music for dancing and playing, including original tracks and traditional songs. "Pig on Her Head" and "Monster Boogie" are fun favorites.
  
  
• Why Can't I Have Ice Cream by Big Bang Boom: We discovered this band live at the Greensboro Children's Museum and have been groupies ever since. The music rocks, plus it's so fun to be able to take the kids to a show. And you can even book BBB for your next birthday party and be the coolest parents in the neighborhood.
  
  
• Old MacDonald's EIEI Radio by The Biscuit Brothers: We found the Biscuit Brothers on our PBS Kids channel early one Sunday morning and would definitely be groupies if we lived in Texas. Since we don't, we've settled for recreating the show at home with the CD and lots of parades. Teach your kids about musical instruments and terms with a fun soundtrack and plenty of banjo.
  
  
• The Teasing Bird and Other Stories by Ira Marlowe: I'm not sure I've ever heard this whole CD because Juni just asks to hear "Molly the Moose" and the title track over and over again (both of which are great for singing along). This CD combines a broad range of styles, from reggae to rock to techno, complete with jokes for the parents and important lessons for the kids. And you just can't go wrong with a song about a moose who hitchhikes because she's too big for the subway.
  
  
• Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle and Shake by various artists: Grandpa sent us this winner, which introduces your kids to jazz music by such greats at Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Prima. You haven't really heard "Old MacDonald" until you've heard Ella belt it out. And your kids will love singing about chickens and potato chips.
  

There you have it. Five discs, and not one involves a purple dinosaur telling me he loves me. Thank goodness.

New Music Monday

It's easy for me to get into a rut with music -- the same five CDs can sit in my stereo for months, despite the drawers full of other discs that I could listen to. That's one of the many reasons why I like Pandora so much -- it helps me find new artists without having to try hard.

The other way I try to keep myself from getting stuck is by instituting New Music Mondays. Since I work from home (alone) while my children are at preschool two mornings a week, I like to get a new playlist going to start my work day on Monday morning. So here's this week's rotation:

• Rabbit Songs by Hem
• Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap
• Pink Moon by Nick Drake
• Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum
• Dirty Wake by Collapsis
  

Remembering Ally

Depending on your age and your TV viewing habits, you may or may not remember a show from the 90s called Ally McBeal. At the time it first aired, I was the target audience for the show -- mid-20s, single white female, searching for true love and professional happiness. I followed the show religiously, grading papers while I watched in order to justify staying up past my high-school-teacher bedtime. I lived vicariously through Ally (played by the frighteningly thin Calista Flockhart, shown at left), sharing her pain and wishing I could wear those fabulous short skirts. I finally stopped watching when I was living overseas and didn't have a television (plus the UK version was a season behind), but I think the show jumped the shark while I was gone and I never went back.

I'd forgotten about the show until this week, when I pulled out a Vonda Shepard CD for New Music Monday. Shepard provided much of the soundtrack for the show, and just listening to the first song suddenly took me back... Ally's continuous efforts to get over the (supposed) love of her life who had married someone else (and unfortunately worked in the same law office along with his new wife), her crazy boss who put up with (and sometimes contributed to) her own craziness, her desperate quest to find the right man to love, her often failed attempts to be good at her job, her biological clock not just ticking but dancing in front of her.

Thinking back on the show made me so grateful for all the ways my life has changed since then... two graduate degrees, one husband, three internships, one long-term job, two babies, seven moves, three houses, one consulting gig, too many friends to count. Lots of chaos and plenty of challenges, but also hundreds of wonderful, beautiful and ordinary days.

In many ways, I have less control over my life now than I did then -- my kids determine my routines more than I do and I don't remember the last time I even got to use the bathroom alone. And yet I feel like I'm making more conscious decisions these days, choosing to live in my craziness instead of trying so hard to get out of it. Believing in that doesn't always make me feel better, but it does give me something better than a skinny TV character to hold on to.

Simple Gifts

Today's inauguration was amazing. I'm embarrassed to confess it, but I don't think I've ever actually watched one before, except in news clips. Got goosebumps and choked up and all that. Really felt like it was "my" president being sworn in for the first time.

The instrumental performance before the swearing in -- with Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma and the two other people whose names I can't remember -- took my breath away. Composer John Williams worked in "Tis the Gift to Be Simple," which we used in an arrangement for our wedding processional. Seems like the perfect music for a wonderful beginning. If the parallel holds true for my first year of marriage and Obama's first year in office, it won't necessarily be an easy year for him, but it will definitely be worth all the effort.

Every time Junius saw the 44th president on TV today, he would jump up and sing out, in his clearest, most careful voice, "That's President Bar-ack O-bama!" Made me so proud, even though I'm not sure he understands what he's saying.

I just have this feeling that 2009 is going to be a good year. And it will be the simple gifts -- watching Pippi get steady on her feet, listening to Junius sing, having the same home address all year, trusting in our President -- that will make it so.