SYNESTHESIA SINGLES: DWEEZIL ZAPPA "ROX(POSTROPHY)" TOUR 2025: BARRYMORE THEATER MAY 1, 2025

DWEEZIL ZAPPA
RETURN OF THE SON OF...
ROX(POSTROPHY): CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF APOSTROPHE (') AND ROXY & ELSEWHERE

LIVE
BARRYMORE THEATER
MADISON, WI
MAY 1, 2025

MUSICIANS:
Dweezil Zappa: guitar, vocals

with
Ryan Brown: drums, percussion, vocals
Scheilia Gonzales: saxophone, keyboards, duck calls, vocals
Kurt Morgan: bass, vocals
Zach Tabori: drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar, vocals
Bobby Victor: keyboards, vocals

Over the years, as I have amassed the good fortune to witness Dweezil Zappa and his band of uniformly formidable musicians--this posting representing my fourth time--I wish to passionately implore to all of you reading that should Zappa and--again--his band of uniformly formidable musicians make a tour stop near you...purchase a ticket and...GO!!!! 

Certainly familiarity with the incomparable, indescribable music of Frank Zappa will intensify your overall enjoyment with these performances by Zappa's son Dweezil but I would argue that it is not any sense of a pre-requisite. In fact, if Frank Zappa ever self described himself as anything, it was never as "rock star," or "satirist" or "provocateur," even though he existed as all of those entities and more. 

Frank Zappa always thought of himself first and foremost as a Composer. With that in mind, should you attend a Dweezil Zappa concert, I suggest that you place yourself within the mindset of going to a symphonic performance of Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler and the like yet you are witnessing the son painstakingly executing his Father's dizzyingly impossible music with then utmost reverence, passion, a healthy dose of irreverent humor and an even heftier dosage of stupendous guitar heroics all of which serves as tribute to a man's body of work as well as to a figure who had two of the best hands to ever hold a guitar.

Trust me, and even after four times around, my jaw was routinely left upon the theater floor in awe for I really believe that Dweezil Zappa must be seen to be believed!

Celebrating the 50th anniversaries of both Frank Zappa's "Apostrophe (')" (released March 22, 1974) and the double live album "Roxy & Elsewhere" (released September 10, 1974), Dweezil Zappa and his bandmates, again dressed in the "Roxy" attire of matching jet black t-shirts and blue jeans, launched into material from both albums, including the scorching "Trouble Every Day," the race relation laments of "Uncle Remus," the anti television diatribe "I'm The Slime," the spiritual skepticism of "Cosmik Debris," and a personal favorite, the gloriously, deliriously gymnastic "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" and "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?". 

All of those pieces plus additional selections, including titanic show opener, "Filthy Habits," and the interstellar "Inca Roads," immediately placed the spotlight upon Dweezil Zappa'a superlative guitar heroics. But, as any great band realizes, all of the pieces have to fit perfectly for the entire escape to transcend. Jus having Dweezil Zappa solo into the night would not be interesting in and of itself. I was thrilled to see band veterans drummer Ryan Brown, bassist Kurt Morgan and the astonishing saxophonist/keyboardist Scheilia Gonzales all still within the fold but for me, the MVP of the night was new band member Zach Tabori who raced between instruments with incredible alacrity, while also handling lead vocals (!!!), most stupendously on the 11 minute plus, "Punky's Whips," a tale about a young man's homo erotic crush via a photo on a rock star's poster, which Dweezil Zappa expressed with bewilderment that fans over the years have proclaimed to be the song that served as gateway to Frank Zappa's oeuvre. 

Indeed, a sardonic sense of humor is required for a show such as this one. But instead of leaning into the sometimes relentless scatological elements, Dweezil Zappa and his band leaned heavily into the overall silliness, the kind of which that showcases how every solitary sound, be it silence, guffaws, guttural utterances, and snatches of dialogue are as integral to the music as the cavalcade of notes, harmonics, melodies and polyrhythms. There was ample space for a Drake/T Pain auto tune parody before "Zomby Woof." The music of Adele and Lionel Richie was performed with hysterical duck calls. And of course, Frank Zappa's idiosyncratic lyrics to sing along with. 

Yet, if there was anything that surprised me about this go around with Dweezil Zappa was the sincerity and warmth that was injected into this night. While Dweezil Zappa has never emitted an aura that was standoffish, or even as seemingly as impenetrable as his Father's persona, he has typically been somewhat reticent, commanding the stage with a relaxed demeanor and bemused grin displaying a presence that makes this impossible music seem effortless. However, this time, he exuded a gregarious charm, spinning stories from his upbringing including a time when as a 12 year old, he was surprised to find none other than Edward Van Halen in his house for a visit, a story leading the band to beautifully perform the Van Halen deep cut "Push Comes To Shove."

Best of all was regarding Dweezil Zappa proudly wielding his Father's guitar, the very own on which he him self performed and composed many of the selections heard, including pieces based upon some of the earliest performances by Frank Zappa but featuring different arrangements melodies and lyrics. The coup de grace was definitely "The Lost Zappa Song," composed during the period of "The Great Wazoo" (released November 27, 1972) but never recorded. To see this honest display of heart was undeniably unexpected but extremely welcome.

To utilize a phrase from one of Frank Zappa's own album titles, to regard Dweezil Zappa and his musicians is to experience the best band you never heard in your life. Trust me, give it a chance as once you hear them, you may only wish to return and see them again!  

I know I'm ready!

SAVAGE RADIO PLAYLISTS APRIL/MAY 2025

 

SAVAGE RADIO

EPISODE #470

APRIL 2, 2025

1. "Modigliani (The Look In Your Eyes)" performed by Book Of Love

2. "2+2=5 (The Lukewarm)" performed by Radiohead

3. "The Guardian Of Sleep" performed by Field Music

4. "The Challenge" performed by Thinkman

5. "Losing You" performed by Everything Is Recorded

6. "What Does It Mean Now?" performed by World Party

7. "Have You Seen Jackie?" performed by The Dukes Of Stratosphear

8. "If Six Was Nine" performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

9. "Mother Of Pearl" performed by Wendy & Lisa

10."Games Without Frontiers" performed by Peter Gabriel

11."Being You" performed by Father John Misty

12."I Believe" performed by R.E.M.

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #471

"1975: HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY-PART 3"

APRIL 9, 2025

1. "Everybody's A Star (Starmaker)" performed by The Kinks

2. "San Ber'dino" performed by Frank Zappa

3. "Fly By Night" performed by Rush

4. "Night Flight" performed by Led Zeppelin

5. "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" performed by Parliament

6. "Doctor Wu" performed by Steely Dan

7. "Jungleland" performed by Bruce Springsteen

8. "Blackmail" performed by 10cc

9. "Shadows and Light" performed by Joni Mitchell

10."Bring It On Home To Me/Send Me Some Lovin'" performed by John Lennon

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #472
"REMEMBERING PRINCE 9 YEARS LATER..."
APRIL 16, 2025
1. "Planet Earth" performed by Prince
2. "Sexuality" performed by Prince
3. "Four" performed by Madhouse
4. "Waterfall" performed by Wendy & Lisa
5. "River Run Dry" performed by The Family
6. "The One" performed by The New Power Generation
7. "I Don't Wanna Leave You" performed by The Time
8. "Koo Koo" performed by Sheila E.
9. "Push" performed by Prince and the New Power Generation
10."One Day We Will All B Free" performed by Prince

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #473

APRIL 23, 2025

1. "Lonesome Is A State Of Mind" performed by Djo

2. "Hanging By A Moment" performed by Slow Pulp

3. "Rise" performed by Todd Rundgren

4. "There's No Future In Optimism" performed by Garbage

5. "Snakes" performed by Pixies

6. "We Are All Cowards Now" performed by Elvis Costello

7. "Honey Water" performed by Japanese Breakfast

8. "I Miss You" performed by Badfinger

9. "Springtimes" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins

10."People and the World" performed by Roy Ayers Ubiquity

11."Die For It" performed by My Morning Jacket

12."Best Guess" performed by Lucy Dacus

13."Atomic" performed by Blondie

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #474

APRIL 30, 2025

1. "Honey" performed by Moby

2. "Nothing Romantic" performed by Sunflower Bean

3. "Ballad Of The Last Payphone" performed by The New Pornographers

4. "Last Goodbye" performed by Post Animal

5. "Year Of The Snake" performed by Arcade Fire

6. "St. Elmo's Fire" performed by Brian Eno

7. "Get Down Moses" performed by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

8. "Bandoliers" performed by Them Crooked Vultures

9. "The Tourist" performed by The Waterboys

10."Say Tell Me" performed by Tokimonsta

11."Never Be You" performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

12."Last Call In America" performed by Fishbone

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #475

"1985: HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY-PART 1"

MAY 7, 2025

1. "Life In A Northern Town" performed by The Dream Academy

2. "Say What!" performed by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

3. "Listen Like Thieves" performed by INXS

4. "Crashing By Design" performed by Pete Townshend

5. "Paisley Park" performed by Prince & The Revolution

6. "The Confessor" performed by Joe Walsh

7. "This Is Not America" performed by David Bowie & The Pat Metheny Group

8. "Absolute" performed by Scritti Politti

9. "Stereotomy" performed by The Alan Parsons Project

10."It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" performed by Eurythmics

11. "Harvest For The World" performed by Power Station

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #476

"LOCAL ARTISTS, LOCAL HEROES 2025"

MAY 14, 2025

1. "Outside Man" performed by Post Social

2. "A Million Words Or Less" performed by Sean Michael Dargan

3. "Diamonds and Queens" performed by The German Art Students

4. "Shake Me Up" performed by Heavy Looks

5. "Time Staggers On" performed by Skyline Sounds

6. "I Won't Tell You" performed by Kainalu & Munya

7. "The Mortifying Ordeal Of Being Known" performed by miscellaneous owl

8. "Dreamboy" performed by Dash Hounds

9. "Turn It Off" performed by Squarewave

10."All My Life" performed by Thompson Springs

11."Dusk" performed by Dusk

12."Gone 2" performed by Slow Pulp

13."Hitting A Nail With A BB Gun" performed by Disq

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #477

"1985: HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY-PART 2"

MAY 21, 2025

1. "Sleeping Bag" performed by ZZ Top

2. "When All's Well" performed by Everything But The Girl

3. "E=MC2" performed by Big Audio Dynamite

4. "Goodbye Is Forever" performed by Arcadia

5. "Hounds Of Love" performed by Kate Bush

6. "The Working Hour" performed by Tears For Fears

7. "Nothing Compares 2 U" performed by The Family

8. "Goodbye Lucille #1" performed by Prefab Sprout

9. "Sanctify Yourself" performed by Simple Minds

10."Every Big City" performed by Wang Chung

11."Walk It Down" performed by Talking Heads

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #478

MAY 28, 2025

1. "Learning To Fly" performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

2. "Live On" performed by Sloan

3. "Echoes Round The Sun" performed by Paul Weller

4. "Cynical Days" performed by XTC

5. "Late In The Day" performed by Supergrass

6. "Without You" performed by Badfinger

7. "There's A Part I Can't Get Back" performed by Sunflower Bean

8. "Un-Reborn Again" performed by Queens Of The Stone Age

9. "Who Are You?" performed by World Party

10."Just Go Away" performed by Blondie

11."Birds Of Paradise" performed by Pretenders

12."Rainmaker" performed by Bruce Springsteen

SAVAGE RADIO PLAYLISTS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2025

 

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #462

"BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION 2025-PART 1"

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

1. "Walk Tall" performed by The Cannonball Adderly Quintet

2. "Welcome To The Terrordome" performed by Public Enemy

3. "Sinnerman" performed by Nina Simone

4. "Desperate People" performed by Living Colour

5. "Madness" performed by Miles Davis

6. "Everybody's Going To Make It This Time" performed by Funkadelic

7. "Black Rainbows" performed by Corinne Bailey Rae

8. "Soldier Of Love" performed by Sade 9. "Please Don't Go" performed by Stevie Wonder

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #463

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2025"

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

1. "Love Is Alive" performed by Gary Wright

2. "I'm Gonna Love You" performed by Peter Criss

3. "Scuba Divers" performed by Dwight Twilley

4. "Love Rules" performed by Don Henley

5. "I Need You" performed by Billy Squier

6. "Alone Too Long" performed by Daryl Hall & John Oates

7. "Femme Fatale" performed by Tracey Thorn

8. "Mandocello" performed by Cheap Trick

9. "Maybe I'm Amazed" (1973 sessions) performed by Paul McCartney & Wings

10."Untitled (How Does It Feel?)" performed by D'Angelo

11."I Can Love You" performed by Badfinger

12."Speed Of Love" performed by James Iha

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #464

FERBUARY 19, 2025

1. "All The Love In The World" performed by Nine Inch Nails

2. "Basic Being Basic" performed by Djo

3. "The Less I Know The Better" performed by Tame Impala

4. "Devil In My Pocket" performed by Fantastic Negrito

5. "Hopper's On Top (Genius)" performed by The Waterboys

6. "What It Feels Like" performed by Aly & AJ

7. "I'm Not The One" performed by The Cars

8. "Orchestra" performed by Bryan Ferry ft. Amelia Barratt

9. "Time Waited" performed by My Morning Jacket

10."Champagne Taste" performed by Sunflower Bean

11."Canada Vs. America" performed by Broken Social Scene

12."Big River" performed by Van Halen

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #465

"BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION 2025-PART 2"

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

1. "Welcome 2 America" performed by Prince

2. "Dig In" performed by Lenny Kravitz

3. "Bag Lady" performed by Erykah Badu

4. "Letter To The Free" performed by Common ft. Bilal, Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins

5. "Follow Your Dreams" performed by Michael Kiwanuka

6. "Protect Your Light" performed by Irreversible Entanglements

7. "Acknowledgement" performed by John Coltrane

8. "Emerald City Sequence" performed by Quincy Jones

9. "the fear is not real" performed by Willow

10."Everyday Sunshine" performed by Fishbone

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #466

"STATE OF THE UNION 2025"

MARCH 5, 2025

1. "Better Way" performed by Ben Harper

2. "Sleep Now In The Fire" performed by Rage Against The Machine

3. "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" performed by JAMES BROWN

4. "Revolution" performed by Arrested Development

5. "No Thugs In Our House" performed by XTC

6. "The Day The Nazi Died" performed by The GC Family

7. "History Will Teach Us Nothing" performed by Sting

8. "The Ballad Of The Skeletons" performed by Allen Ginsburg ft. Paul McCartney, Phillip Glass and Lenny Kaye

9. "Clampdown" performed by The Clash

10."Deportee" performed by Tony Carey

11."All You Fascists Bound To Lose" (live) performed by Billy Bragg

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #467

"1975: HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY-PART 1"

MARCH 12, 2025

1. "Initiation" performed by Todd Rundgren

2. "Magic Man" performed by Heart

3. "Kimberley" performed by Patti Smith

4. "Show Me The Way" performed by Peter Frampton

5. "Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)" performed by Queen

6. "Gino (The Manager)" performed by Daryl Hall & John Oates

7. "Welcome To The Machine" performed by Pink Floyd

8. "Ain't Nobody But Me" performed by Supertramp

9. "Nightingale" performed by Roxy Music

10."No More Looking Back" performed by The Kinks

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #468

MARCH 19, 2025

1. "Stand" performed by Sly & The Family Stone

2. "Wound" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins

3. "Staring At The Sun" performed by U2

4. "Welcome To The Boomtown" performed by David & David

5. "Killing Me Softly With HIs Song" performed by Roberta Flack

6. "Konichiwa Internet" performed by Disq

7. "Art For Art's Sake" performed by 10cc

8. "The Knife In Me" performed by Yves Jarvis

9. "Sweet Tuesday Morning" performed by Badfinger

10."The Loner" performed by Supergrass

11."Ankles" performed by Lucy Dacus

12."Sometime In The Morning" performed by The Monkees

13."(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #469

"1975: HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY-PART 2"

MARCH 26, 2025

1. "Fire On High" performed by Electric Light Orchestra

2. "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" performed by Elton John

3. "Too Many Hands" performed by Eagles

4. "Over My Head" performed by Fleetwood Mac

5. "Venus and Mars (reprise)/Spirits Of Ancient Egypt" performed by Paul McCartney & Wings

6. "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" performed by Jeff Beck

7. "Dreaming From The Waist" performed by The Who

8. "Let's Take It to The Stage" performed by Funkadelic

9. "Somebody Up There Likes Me" performed by David Bowie

10."There Will Be Love" performed by Jefferson Starship

SAVAGE RADIO PLAYLISTS JANUARY 2025

 

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #457

"HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2025: SIDE ONE, TRACK ONE"

JANUARY 1, 2025

1. "Love Is All We Have Left" performed by U2

2. "Do It Again" performed by The Kinks

3. "Walking Down Madison" performed by Kirsty McColl

4. "The One Thing" performed by INXS

5. "Is It Too Late?" performed by World Party

6. "Tables Will Turn" performed by Todd Rundgren

7. "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" performed by Genesis

8. "Mean Street" performed by Van Halen

9. "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" performed by Spoon 10. "Shout" performed by Tears For Fears

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #458

"REMEMBERING DAVID BOWIE 2025"

JANUARY 8, 2025

1. "The Wedding" performed by David Bowie

2. "Panic In Detroit" performed by David Bowie

3. "Kiss and Tell" performed by Bryan Ferry

4. "Cindy Tells Me" performed by Brian Eno

5. "Praia Grande" performed by Donny McCaslin

6. "Kinky Sweetheart" performed by Dave Stewart

7. "Teenage Wildlife" performed by David Bowie

8. "Arnold Layne" (live at Royal Albert Hall 2006) performed by David Gilmour featuring David Bowie

9. "All The Young Dudes" performed by World Party

10."Bleed Like A Craze, Dad" performed by David Bowie

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #459

"REMEMBERING NEIL PEART/GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME 2025"

JANUARY 15, 2025

1. "New World Man" performed by Rush

drums: Neil Peart

2. "Speeding" performed by The Go-Go's

drums: Gina Schock

3. "Message Of Love" performed by Pretenders

drums: Martin Chambers

4. "Lonely Tonight" performed by The Power Station

drums: Tony Thompson

5. "Regatta De Blanc" performed by The Police

drums: Stewart Copeland

6. "Hand In Hand" performed by Phil Collins

drums: Phil Collins

7. "In My Time Of Dying" performed by Led Zeppelin

drums: John Bonham

8. "Drummn' Man" performed by Topper Headon

drums: Topper Headon

9. "Eyes & Mouth" performed by The Smile

drums: Tom Skinner

10."Celebration" performed by The New Tony Williams Lifetime

drums: Tony Williams

11."Red Lenses" performed by Rush

drums: Neil Peart

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #460

JANUARY 22, 2025

1. "Play Money" performed by The New Pornographers

2. "Upstarts" performed by Johnny Marr

3. "Yours Is No Disgrace" performed by Yes

4. "Adventure" performed by Elephant Gym

5. "Lily's Call" performed by Little Dragon

6. "Confessions Of A Dopamine Addict" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins

7. "Hejira" performed by Joni Mitchell

8. "No One Knows We're Dancing" performed by Everything But The Girl

9."Leap Year" performed by Lowboy

10."Drive" performed by Stereophonic

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #461

"FOR OUR DEARLY DEPARTED..."

JANUARY 29, 2025

1. "Shades Of Gray" performed by The Monkees

2. "Friend" performed by Christine McVie

3. "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" performed by Sinead O'Connor (ft. Clyde Stubblefield on drums)

4. "Medicine At Midnight" performed by Foo Fighters

5. "Blue Wind" performed by Jeff Beck

6. "1974" performed by David Crosby

7. "20211201" performed by Ryuichi Sakamoto

8. "Highway 99 With Melange" performed by Michael Nesmith and the Second National Band

9. "A Little More Love" performed by Olivia Newton-John

10."Troubled Times" performed by Fountains Of Wayne

11."Ol' 55" performed by Eagles

12."Someday Man" performed by The Monkees

SAVAGE RADIO PLAYLISTS DECEMBER 2024

 

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #453

"FOR MY DAD...THE 6TH ANNIVERSARY: MUSIC FROM MY DAD'S RECORD COLLECTION"

DECEMBER 4, 2024

1. "'Round Midnight" performed by Miles Davis

2. "Can't You See It's Me" performed by Diana Ross & The Supremes

3. "Cascades" performed by Oliver Nelson

4. "Honey" performed by Ohio Players

5. "Getting Too Big For Your Britches" performed by The Staple Singers

6. "One For Miles" performed by Ahmad Jamal

7. "Jesus Children Of America" performed by Stevie Wonder

8. "Rumpelstiltskin" performed by The Cannonball Adderley Quintet

9. "The Love Between Me And My Kids" performed by Smokey Robinson 10."Love and Peace" performed by Quincy Jones

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #454

"2024 WRAP UP: BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL"

DECEMBER 11, 2024

1. "Dreamin'" performed by Common & Pete Rock

2. "First To Betray Me/Runaway From You" performed by Fantastic Negrito

3. "Floating Parade" performed by Michael Kiwanuka

4. "Protector" performed by Beyonce

5. "Wanted" performed by Willow with Kamasi Washington

6. "30 Decembers" performed by LL Cool J with Q-Tip

7. "Quantum Universe" performed by Bilal

8. "Dream State" performed by Kamasi Washington featuring Andre 3000

9. "Reincarnated" performed by Kendrick Lamar

10."What About The Children" performed by Gary Clark Jr. featuring Stevie Wonder

11."Patience" performed by Brittany Howard

12."Love Is My Religion" performed by Lenny Kravitz

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #455

"2024 WRAP UP PART 2"

DECEMBER 18, 2024

1. "Fast Cars" performed by U2

2. "My Golden Years" performed by The Lemon Twigs

3. "Sweetest Fruit" performed by St. Vincent

4. "Drone: Nodrone" performed by The Cure

5. "Bless Yourself" performed by Jack White

6. "Annihilation" performed by Wilco

7. "So High School" performed by Taylor Swift

8. "Badman's' Song" (live) performed by Tears For Fears featuring Lauren Evans

9. "Sighommi" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins

10."The Door" performed by Ryan Adams

11."Mother Nature" performed by MGMT

12."Got To Give" performed by Pearl Jam

SAVAGE RADIO EPISODE #456

"MERRY CHRISTMAS/GOODBYE 2024"

DECEMBER 25, 2024

1. "Christmastime Is Here" (vocal) performed by The Vince Guaraldi Trio

2. "Give Love On Christmas Day" performed by The Jackson 5

3. "Fireside/God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/Carol Of The Bells" performed by Robert Glasper featuring Cynthia Erivo

4. "Purple Snowflakes" performed by Say She She

5. "Whatever Happened To Christmas" performed by Aimee Mann

6. "Riu Chiu" performed by The Monkees

7. "Everyday Is Christmas" performed by The Chamber Strings

8. "Life's A Miracle" performed by Prefab Sprout

9. "50 Words For Snow" performed by Kate Bush

10."Fur Elise" performed by Jon Batiste

11."Zat You, Santa Claus?" performed by Emmaline

12."I Want ToCome Home For Christmas" performed by Marvin Gaye

13."Grace" performed by U2

SIGNS: WORDS FOR MY DAD...

 

May I talk to you about my Dad right now?

On December 9, 2018 at 9:40 a.m., my Dad passed away, making this year the 6th anniversary of his transition. As I think about his final moments, I will forever remember how when he passed, he  exited quieter than a whisper's whisper. For a man who was always the lion of my life, the quietness of it all was so remarkable and for that, I remain thankful because of its utter peacefulness. Perhaps a reward for a full life lived fully and surrounded with love. No temperament. Just less than a hush. A grace note to mark an ending. 

On the day that he passed, I know that I was running on considerable adrenaline. For mere hours afterwards, I was already on a bus from downtown Chicago to return to Madison, WI. and I was already thinking about returning to work the very next day, a thought I was thankfully and quickly talked out of by my wife. Soon, adrenaline changed to sorrow and as sorrowful as I was feeling, life, as it does without consideration or mercy, continued to move forwards. I did return to work two days afterwards and then, just three days afterwards, I had to return to my shift at WVMO for the next episode of Savage Radio. 

For that broadcast, I was gifted two hours to myself and I utilized that time to pay tribute to my Dad by playing music and artists that he liked and the very music through which he and I connected. It all went well emotionally until I played the The Beatles' "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" medley from "Abbey Road" (released September 26, 1969), an album from his collection which he revered and according to him and my Mother, side two of which was often played for me as a baby, the side song suite always settling me down tranquilly. The first notes of the song combined with Paul McCartney's first lines ("Once there was a way...") upended me and right then and there, I broke down as I sat all alone in the studio. Believe me, as I am typically surrounded by people throughout my days, I was more than appreciative of the solitude during that song at that time.

Since then, I have  performed tributes to my dad upon Savage Radio every year. Additionally, I have found myself upon return visits to my Mother in Chicago, to taking extended perusals through my Dad's beautiful record collection. I remember looking at the vinyl spines as a child, and as I remember those time as I am writing, I am thinking that I was perhaps performing the same feat as I am right now: I am trying to gather a sense of who my parents are as people through the music they loved and collected.

My Dad's favorite musical genre was jazz and his hero above all others was Miles Davis, an artist he followed from beginning to end. While he marveled at all of the stylistic changes just as I marveled at the evolutions of The Beatles and Prince, my Dad's favorite period of Davis' career arc was essentially between 1950-1968, the era of his first and second quintets plus his collaborations with Gil Evans, with "Kind Of Blue" (released August1 7, 1959) his favorite album. 

Music was a constant within my household. While largely, what we as a family experienced was the soul and R&B of the time, it co-existed with jazz, gospel, showtunes, classic film scores, and by the time I came along, I naturally gravitated to rock music. Over my childhood, formative years and adolescence, my Dad would extol his passion for jazz, which never quite reached me as it just felt so foreign to my ears yet over time, especially as I became obsessed with progressive rock from the likes of Rush, Genesis and Yes, both my Dad  and I saw it as a gateway to beginning to understanding jazz as he introduced me to the fusion albums he owned from Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham and Jeff Beck. 

And through everything, he continued to showcase jazz music he adored powerfully from songs to artists, including one time in particular in which I remember him placing a record upon the turntable he just LOVED. The song was "Mercy Mercy Mercy" as composed by Joe Zawinul and performed by Cannonball Adderley. I thought that name was hysterical. Quite a response from someone whose first passionate musical love was for a band called The Monkees.  

This past summer, while visiting my Mother, I found myself again pouring through my Dad's records and this time, I became so interested in the history of these albums as they were obviously the original releases. But beyond the music itself, I found myself imagining my parents taking their own trips to record stores, just as I did and still do, wondering was was traveling through their spirits to inspire them to make those journeys, finger through the stacks and then select the music that spoke to themselves. Some of the records still even possessed the labels of the actual--and long defunct--record stores they visited! The life and memories contained in these inanimate objects, representations of their individual selves. In some way, looking through his records made me feel a piece of him somehow. 

And so, I came upon the idea of perhaps making any and all future tributes for my Dad arrive exclusively from his collection. It would help me honor him better by giving what could be heard as a musical portrait of my Dad. But doing so would present a challenge as I do not know his music as intimately as my own. It had to be ephemeral.   

I began taking random photos of album covers and once the time arrived to begin piecing together a show, I would look through my photos and randomly pick albums and artists to feature. Then, I would look online at album track listings and song samples and randomly pick selections to weave together into a tribute. Yes, I keep using the word "random," but...you know, I wish to believe that it was all my Dad somehow guiding me, reaching through me and making his suggestions. One could never know for certain. But, that is what I want to believe and truth be told, especially from my Mom's reactions, this is indeed what I am sticking with. Remember...the life and the memories are all in the music.

This time around, an album by The Cannonball Adderley Quintet--the artist whose name I once found to be so hysterical--announced itself to me. "The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free" (released December 1970), featuring the keyboard work and compositions of Joe Zawinul before his departure from the group, is a double live album largely culled from the 1970 Monterey Jazz Festival. I just knew that I had to feature a track from it, so I chose the truly rambunctious "Rumpelstiltskin," a selection fueled by rock and roll energy and featuring an equally vibrant audience.

Yet, something else occurred for me through this selection. While listening to this one song, I found myself unable to shake its power, much like any music, at first unfamiliar, weaves its way into my consciousness with a fervent curiosity to hear more. The sensation was not nagging but a gently persistent mental poke, pushing me to look further and seek out the album in full. Since I did not have my Dad's copy in my possession, I turned to online sources for a CD copy, of which it is looking to be out of print. This dead end led me to streaming services and from there, I took the plunge and purchased a digital copy of the entire album. 

DAMN!!! What a release this album is!! The first cacophonous moments of the album--the first 40-45 seconds, to be exact--contained words that I have heard since 1990 but never knew the original source. Under the rabble chattering of the audience, the rhythmic chant of a tambourine and some ethereal notes from Joe Zawinul's electric piano, I am assuming I am hearing the spoken voice of Cannonball Adderley himself as he invokes, "Sex!! Freaks!! Freaks!! PEACE!!"

Those words...THOSE words!!! Those words have long been reconstituted and have found an additional home in the concluding moments of "Bonita Applebaum" from A Tribe Called Quest's iconic debut album "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" (released April 10, 1990), an album that has existed in my collection and life since its release. Hearing those words in its original context was a mind blower to say the least. Yet, on a deeper, more soulful level of thinking about this discovery, this musical moment was not solely one where I enjoyed something of his and then appropriated it for myself or even vice versa, when he would honestly enjoy something that I loved. This was a moment when our respective collections connected --two musical souls finding a joined point of contact.

While jazz is firmly the musical bedrock from this auspicious starting point, the quintet stretches outwards into an experience that feels like four distinct movements that play out upon each album side and flowing through soul ("Exquisition"), rock and blues ("Down In Black Bottom"), folk ("Bridges"), vocal selections ("Pra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye)," "Lonesome Stranger"), protest songs (the album's title track, "Together," "Get Up Off Your Knees"), avant garde ("Inquisition," "1-2-3--GO-O-O-O") the sacred ("Painted Desert") and the profane ("Wild Cat Pee," "Alto Sex").  

If this album was to be the most serious introduction to the musical universe of Cannonball Adderley, I am not certain if there would have been a better one for my ears to experience, for this album just had it all! Its breadth, depth and combination of musical styles and genres spoke directly to the very fabrics I love about my most favorite albums. The diversity of instrumentation, approaches, sounds and voicings made me hear just how formidable this grouping actually was and it made for a gripping, propulsive listening experience. 

From the primary quintet core of bandleader Cannonball Adderley (alto and soprano saxophones, vocals), Nat Adderley (cornet, vocals), Walter Booker (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums), and Joe Zawinul (piano, electric piano, ring modulator) who were themselves augmented by 15 year old Nat Adderley Jr. (piano, electric piano, guitar, vocals, songwriting), Bob West (bass) and even then, augmented further by the audience heard throughout the album (especially one raucous woman heard yowling vibrantly in the right speaker over and again) to the point where even their church revival responses and reactions serve as additional instruments to an overall album, experience that feels like a force of nature. Not only have I listened to this album several times since paying tribute to my Dad once again, I have begun to seek out additional Cannonball Adderley albums to hopefully extend this experience to a greater and deeper level.

If anything, and long beyond my own enjoyment of the music, I am hoping that somehow, somewhere, through the act of listening, my Dad can feel our connection ever still, knowing that he was absolutely correct in voicing his love for this artists so long ago to me. 

For planting this particular seed which has taken this much time to grow.  

You know, for a short spell immediately after my Dad's passing, I began to see signs of him. Largely, I was seeing the time of his passing--9:40--everywhere...always without looking for it, but inexplicably so present. It was never disturbing or troubling. It was a marker, a reminder, an acknowledgement of this seismic event that happened between both of us. It is unable to be forgotten but even so, that sign of our connection, our unbreakable bond. 

A greater sign occurred on the week of his funeral as I was returning to Chicago by bus, my source of travel from Wisconsin since my college days (as I am not a confident driver and suffer from anxiety on highways--the travel time is perfect for me to just sleep and zone). On this trip back home, and upon arriving in Chicago and exiting the Dan Ryan Expressway, the bus ended up taking a route it had  NEVER taken before or since as it drove directly in front of the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School...where my Dad presided as Principal during the 1980s and 1990s. It really felt as if I was the only person on that crowded bus even taking notice and certainly, I would be the only one to know of the significance. Again, it was not disturbing or troubling. It was one of warm astonishment. Something that told me that the bond between my Dad and I was real and everlasting despite the lack of his physical presence.  

Since then, if there have been any more signs, they have been so subtle that they may have slipped past me. He occasionally visits me in my dreams but aside from that, signs feel quiet. Maybe...just maybe...looking through my Dad's albums is a form of seeing those signs. Maybe...just maybe...the songs I have played on air in tribute are signs of him guiding my hand, making musical suggestions to tell his story to me and whomever is listening, including my Mom. 

And maybe...just maybe...finding The Cannonball Adderley Quintet's "The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free" is a more direct sign from him. To show me even now the man he existed as through the music he cherished...even now, as we head into what is bound to be a turbulent 2025, the man he is hoping and instructing me to be in his stead as I move forward in this life.

Thank you, Dad. Please keep sending me signs and I will keep looking.