...to the Sublime

Ellie Greenwich, RIP

Ellie Greenwich, who died yesterday at the age of 68, was half of one of the great pop music writing duos that emerged from New York's fabled Brill Building. She and her then-husband Jeff Barry teamed with Phil Spector on a number of classics for girl groups such as the Ronettes and the Shangri-Las. (After Greenwich met Spector for the first time she recalls thinking: "I thought he was a crazy person." Uh, yeah.)  And then there was "River Deep, Mountain High," recorded by Ike & Tina Turner, which epitomized Spector's legendary "Wall of Sound." The 26-track(!) 1997 album pictured above is a great collection of originals, cover versions and rarities. The highlights: "Baby I Love You" by Jason Falkner: nice rock-ish cover of The Ronettes' classic, but where is Tommy Roe's bubblegum version?; "I Can Hear Music" by The Beach Boys: Carl Wilson steps up. So tough; "River Deep Mountain High" by The Supremes and The Four Tops: this is the post-Diana Ross Supremes, so I'm guessing that's Mary Wilson singing lead, but the song really takes off when Levi Stubbs blasts in on the second verse; "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love" by Sonny & Cher: a gem from their 1965 debut album; "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine" by Beth Orton: a lovely take from her debut album; and "You Don't Know" by Ellie Greenwich: a rare single by the songwriter that shows she could've had a solo career.

The CD includes great liner notes with the backstory on each song and comments by Greenwich and Barry. But it doesn't seem to be available on iTunes so, once again, anyone want to have me over for cocktails? 

Download 19 You Don't Know

 

Monumental Art Sale

This blog has become dominated by posts about music, but it was conceived to be broader topically, so we interrupt this song to bring you this news: Three epic murals that formerly graced the interior of downtown's Victor Clothing Co. are being sold, with proceeds to benefit the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, which was given the works when the building was sold in 2004. The murals were created by some of L.A.'s most prominent Chicano artists: East Los Streetscapers (Wayne Healy, David Botello and George Yepes, "Gateway to Manifest Destiny, above); John Valadez ("The Top Hat Bridal Shop Mural"); and Eloy Torrez ("Mural of Muralists"). Fred Page, whose Grace Lane Gallery is handling the sale for MALDEF, told the L.A. Times that they have approached several institutions--"the Angels, the Dodgers, television stations, Wells Fargo Bank. This is where they belong, in a public venue." (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/08/latino-murals-victor-clothing-building.html)

Uh, conspicuously missing from that list are cultural institutions. And once again, L.A.'s embarrassing lack of a major Latino arts institution becomes conspicuous. Plaza de la Raza continues to do important work, but it likely doesn't have the financial resources or the proper exhibition space.  The Latino Museum is operating out of downtown's Los Angeles Theatre Center, but it is keeping a rather low profile and there is no indication that they have the wherewithal to make such a purchase. Those murals could look great in the LATC lobby though. Meanwhile, across the street from Plaza Olvera, the county-supported Plaza de Cultura y Artes continues to slowly take shape. County supervisor Gloria Molina and a strong board are working on its behalf, so perhaps someone will come forward to secure the murals.

Of course, the recession probably gives LACMA, MOCA and even the Getty an excuse not to make a run. But even if they could, these murals should be the cornerstone of the great Latino cultural institution that L.A. has long deserved.

Who's going to step forward?

    

A Little Traveling Music

Now that vinyl has made a huge comeback, is it just a matter of time before someone resurrects this idea? In 1956-57, several American auto companies manufactured cars with built-in record players! Because there weren't as many radio stations at the time, this was perceived to be a great option for music fans. The players were designed to play 7" records at 16 rpm. The slower speed supposedly helped keep skipping to a minimum. The library was limited to easy listening, classical and spoken word recordings. No jazz, no early rock 'n' roll. (Didn't want the drivers getting too excited!) I guess the idea didn't catch on, even though it was several years before 8-track tapes debuted. But for a brief moment, a few people (like Lawrence Welk, above) had a jukebox of sorts in their cars. Crazy.  

The Shape I'm In

Every year I make a summer playlist and I was going to write about this year's version, but it's nothing special. I haven't found the perfect song this summer to build this year's list around. I did include some Michael Jackson, of course, and the Stevie Wonder songs he so beautifully performed at MJ's memorial. And I included some songs to mark our trip to Paris, and "Easy To Be Hard" from the soundtrack of "Hair," which we saw on Broadway. And I included some De La Soul to mark the 20th anniversary(!) of "Three Feet High and Rising" (and the 20th anniversary of my move to SoCal).

But the best song I've heard all summer didn't fit on that playlist. It's not sunny or carefree and it's not something you can dance to. Nevertheless, I can't get "I and Love and You" out of my head. It's by The Avett Brothers, an alt-country trio from North Carolina that consists of siblings Scott and Seth Avett and Bob Crawford. Their new album, produced by Rick Rubin, isn't due until Sept. 29, but the title track is available now (on iTunes or FREE! on this NPR playlist: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106427862).

"I and Love and You" is a plaintive ballad that reminds me of something The Band might've done. In fact, one of their song titles is referenced in the chorus:

Oh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in

Are you aware the shape I'm in?

My hands they shake, my head it spins

Oh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in

And after the chorus repeats for the second time, a Garth Hudson-like organ part pops in and you swear that Levon Helm is going to chime in next. Get thee to this song and on one of these warm summer nights when you're alone, pop open a cold one, listen to "I and Love and You" and contemplate the shape you're in. I hope you're not as sad as the singer of this song.