Author Archives: Tom Muscarella

Song of the Week – Waiting on a Friend, Rolling Stones; Shipbuilding, Elvis Costello; Aja, Steely Dan; Just the Way You Are, Billy Joel

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Ignored             Obscured              Restored

On October 3, 2015, I published a post to pay tribute to jazz greats Wilton Felder and Phil Woods, both of whom had passed away the previous month.  I noted a curious coincidence: both had contributed to Steely Dan’s album Katy Lied.  Felder played bass on “Chain Lightning,” while Woods delivered a memorable sax solo on “Doctor Wu.”

Over the years, many rock musicians have turned to jazz legends to infuse their recordings with sophistication, soul, and swing.  Today, let’s spotlight a few of those memorable collaborations.  But first, a simple ground rule: the featured jazz artists must have been born before 1940.

This eliminates many exceptional, yet more “contemporary,” jazz-fusion and smooth jazz icons such as Randy Brecker (Bruce Springsteen), Michael Brecker (Paul Simon), David Sanborn (David Bowie), Jaco Pastorius (Joni Mitchell), Branford Marsalis (Sting and the Grateful Dead), Tom Scott (Paul McCartney), and Larry Carlton (Steely Dan).

Interestingly, some of them had early career breaks in rock bands.  The Brecker Brothers, for instance, played in the original Al Kooper-led version of Blood, Sweat & Tears (Child Is Father to the Man, 1968), while Sanborn spent five years (1967–1971) with The Butterfield Blues Band.

So, who’s left under our ground rule? Quite a few, as it turns out.

Perhaps the most iconic jazz cameo in rock history is the sax solo Sonny Rollins played on the Rolling Stones’ “Waiting on a Friend.”  In fact, Rollins contributed to three tracks on Tattoo You (1981), though he was uncredited in the liner notes.  At the time, many saw this omission as a slight, but Rollins later explained that he had requested anonymity — fearing association with a rock record might damage his credibility in the jazz world.  Rollins, often hailed as one of the greatest tenor saxophonists in jazz history, rose to prominence in the 1950s alongside legends like Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Max Roach.  His landmark albums — Saxophone Colossus, Tenor Madness, and Way Out West — cemented his status as a titan of modern jazz.

Another poignant fusion came on Elvis Costello’s “Shipbuilding.”  Written by Clive Langer with lyrics by Costello, the song reflects on the bitter irony of war bringing economic revival to Britain’s shipyards during the 1982 Falklands War.  Originally recorded by Robert Wyatt, Costello later included his own version on Punch the Clock (1983), enlisting the great Chet Baker to deliver a haunting, elegiac trumpet solo.  Baker, a central figure in the West Coast “cool jazz” scene of the 1950s, became famous for his lyrical, introspective style.  Known equally for his trumpet playing and intimate vocals, Baker first gained national attention with Gerry Mulligan’s pianoless quartet, and went on to lead a storied — and often tumultuous — career that spanned decades.

Then there’s Wayne Shorter — legendary saxophonist with Miles Davis and Weather Report — who graced the title track of Steely Dan’s Aja (1977) with a transcendent solo.  Recording at the Village Recorder studio in Los Angeles, Steely Dan’s jazz-obsessed duo, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, were determined to bring Shorter on board.  Through a connection with studio owner Dick LaPalm, a friend of Shorter’s, they got their wish. Reportedly, Shorter laid down six takes over roughly 35 minutes, and was gone!  What he left behind remains timeless.

And we circle back to Phil Woods — who earns a second mention for his gorgeous solo on Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are.”  Often referred to as the “New Bird” for his stylistic ties to Charlie Parker, Woods had played with jazz titans like Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, and Dizzy Gillespie.  His lyrical, yearning alto sax solo helped elevate Joel’s ballad to Grammy-winning heights in 1979, claiming both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

These examples showcase how traditional jazz artists have not only crossed over into rock — they’ve enriched it. Their contributions remain some of the most expressive moments in rock music history.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Her Name Is Love, The Chains

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Back in the early oughts, a Montreal-based band called The Chains released a terrific album – On Top of Things! (2002) – a tight, energetic blend of power pop and garage rock.  At the time, the genre was enjoying a resurgence led by acts like The White Stripes (recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), The Strokes out of New York, Sweden’s The Hives, and The Vines from Australia.  That whole scene was right up my alley!

Unfortunately, The Chains never achieved the recognition and status of those better known bands.  Following On Top of Things! they only managed one further release – the 2004 single Till You Come Back Home / The Boy Who Took My Place – before fading into obscurity.

Still, On Top of Things! holds up remarkably well. The opening track is “Her Name Is Love”.

It kicks off with a galloping rhythm that recalls the Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction,” layered with touches of Rockpile-style neo-rockabilly. It’s a confident, hook-laden gem that sets the tone for the rest of the album.

It’s a shame this group didn’t receive more attention “back in the day” but their music hasn’t disappeared entirely. You can still catch a track or two on Little Steven’s Underground Garage — a fitting home for a band that deserved more love.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Song to the Siren, Tim Buckley

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In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Tim Buckley emerged as the avatar of daring, adventurous folk music.

His beautifully aching song “Morning Glory,” co-written with Larry Beckett, appeared on his second album Goodbye and Hello (1967) and was later covered by several artists, including Blood, Sweat & Tears.  However, the song was ultimately too conventional for Buckley, who felt compelled to keep pushing his music into new, uncharted territory.

By 1969, Buckley was embracing jazz influences, collaborating with vibraphonist David Friedman and conga player C.C. Collins on Happy Sad (1969).  His exploration of improvisational structures culminated in what many of his most devoted fans consider his masterpiece: Starsailor (1970).

Buckley understood that this shift in musical direction would likely alienate his core fanbase, but he was determined to follow his artistic instincts.  He toured the album in small jazz clubs, often to indifferent or confused audiences.

The standout track from Starsailor is “Song to the Siren,” also co-written with Beckett.

The song draws on Greek mythology, referencing the sirens who lured sailors to their doom.  Its poetic lyrics reflect Beckett’s literary sensibilities, offering a stark contrast to Buckley’s more emotionally direct songwriting style.

The arrangement is minimal — anchored by a reverb-drenched guitar that perfectly frames Buckley’s extraordinary five-octave vocal range.

“Song to the Siren” found new life in 1983 through a haunting cover by This Mortal Coil, which has since been featured in numerous film and television soundtracks.

Buckley died 50 years ago of an accidental drug overdose. He was 28. His friend and drug dealer, Richard Keeling, had given him heroin the night he died. On the advice of Keeling’s lawyer, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and served four months in jail. Today, he says he regrets that decision and wishes he had fought the charge.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Stand!, Sly and the Family Stone; God Only Knows, The Beach Boys

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This past week has been heartbreaking for those of us who love music — especially if you grew up on the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s.  We lost two absolute legends of Rock and Soul: Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, both coincidentally at the age of 82.

If you’ve read my missives before, you already know the major milestones of their lives and careers.  But if you’re still hungry for more, I recommend their New York Times obituaries:

So much has already been said about them this week that I’ll keep this post short and sweet.

While There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971) is widely considered Stone’s masterpiece, I’ve always had a soft spot for his earlier release of new material, Stand! (1969).

The album’s title track, “Stand!”, cracked the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 — an impressive feat for a song that doubled as a subtle civil rights anthem. Its message of empowerment resonated broadly, not just with Black Americans, but with all underrepresented groups — including hippies.  Maybe that’s part of why it struck such a chord.  That, and its absolutely infectious melody.

As for Brian Wilson, his masterpiece is Pet Sounds (1966) — and you won’t hear any argument from me.  Just look at how it’s fared in critical rankings over the years:

YearOrganizationAccoladeRank
1993The TimesThe 100 Best Albums of All Time[522]1
New Musical ExpressNew Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums[521]1
1995MojoMojo’s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time[572]1
1997The Guardian100 Best Albums Ever[573]6
Channel 4The 100 Greatest Albums[574]33
2000VirginThe Virgin Top 100 Albums[575]18
2001VH1VH1’s Greatest Albums Ever[576]3
2002BBCBBC 6 Music: Best Albums of All Time[577]11
2003Rolling StoneThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time2
2006QQ Magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums Ever[578]12
The ObserverThe 50 Albums That Changed Music[579]10
2012Rolling StoneThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[580]2
2015PlatendraaierTop 30 Albums of the 60s[581]7
2016Uncut200 Greatest Albums of All Time[523]1
2017PitchforkThe 200 Best Albums of the 1960s[582]2
2020Rolling StoneThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[583]2
2023Rolling StoneThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[584]2
2024PasteThe 300 Greatest Albums of All Time[585]10

The standout track? “God Only Knows.”

It’s the most perfect pop song ever written and recorded.  The lead vocal is stunning, the harmonies are flawless, and the instrumentation—courtesy of the legendary Wrecking Crew — is nothing short of sublime.  Wilson, as producer, guided it all.  The Baroque stylings complement the lyrics beautifully, and small touches — like Hal Blaine’s use of sleigh bells (who uses sleigh bells outside of Christmas music?) — elevate it to something transcendent.  It’s one of the few songs that can still bring me to tears.

Even Paul McCartney, no slouch in the songwriting department himself, has often named “God Only Knows” as the greatest song ever written.

As the week winds down, let’s take a moment to honor Sly Stone and Brian Wilson — for making this world a better, more soulful, more beautiful place through their music.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week Revisited – Runnin’ Away & If You Want Me To Stay, Sly and the Family Stone

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Sly Stone has died.  That makes me very sad because he has always been one of my favorite artists.  The post below was only the second SotW I wrote, back on February 16, 2008.  I’m reposting it to honor Sly’s passing.

This week I’m listening to Sly Stone. In my last band session, we played “You Can Make It If You Try.” It was a lot of fun to play that funky music. But sometimes I prefer his slow burn funk to the “punch the sky”, “take you higher” rave ups. 

Check out the deep cut “Runnin’ Away” from There’s A Riot Goin’ On and “If You Want Me To Stay” from Fresh. Both have those trademark Family Stone horn accents. “Stay” has one of the coolest Larry Graham bass lines on record. You gotta move (at least a little) when you hear it. 

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Evil (Is Going On), Howlin’ Wolf

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Next week, on June 10th, Howlin’ Wolf would have turned 115 years old.  A giant of a man — both in physical stature and musical legacy — he stood 6’3”, weighed nearly 300 pounds, and loomed just as large in the world of blues.

He’s best known for recording many blues standards, including:

  • Smokestack Lightning
  • Spoonful
  • Little Red Rooster
  • Wang-Dang Doodle
  • Back Door Man
  • Killing Floor

A personal favorite of mine is “Evil (Is Going On)”.

What draws me to this track is its dark, menacing tone. It capitalizes on the fearsome image Wolf projected — using his imposing size and the gravelly, raw timbre of his voice.  After just a single, ominous guitar chord, Wolf bursts in, practically shouting the opening lines:

If you’re a long way from home
Can’t sleep at night
Grab your telephone
Somethin’ just ain’t right

He heightens the drama by using a different voice for the chorus, creating a chilling call-and-response effect:

That’s evil
Evil is goin’ on wrong
I am warnin’ you, brother
You better watch your happy home

The band behind him is equally powerful.  Guitarists Hubert Sumlin and Jody Williams deliver a fierce dual-guitar attack.  Otis Spann dances over the keys in the high register. Willie Dixon — who also wrote the song — anchors everything with a deep, steady bassline, while Earl Phillips keeps flawless time on the drums. Wolf himself adds some haunting blues harp work.

The entire track carries the weight of the lyrics: a desperate, urgent warning to men (himself included) to beware of creeping infidelity.

Originally released in 1954, “Evil” didn’t chart until 1969, when a re-recorded version finally reached #43 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Let’s honor Howlin’ Wolf’s birthday this June 10th by keeping his music — and his legacy — alive.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Airport, The Motors; Girl of My Dreams, Bram Tchaikovsky

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Nearly 47 years ago to the day, the British new wave group The Motors released their hit “Airport” — just a few days before my college graduation.

The song reached #4 on the UK charts and broke into the Top 10 in several other European countries.  While it didn’t bother the U.S. charts, it did receive a fair amount of airplay on college and alternative rock radio stations.

I’m tempted to label “Airport” a UK one-hit wonder, though that’s not entirely accurate. Andrew McMaster — the band’s songwriter, vocalist, and keyboardist — also penned “Forget About You,” which climbed to #13 in the UK.

Although McMaster led The Motors, it was his bandmate Bram Tchaikovsky who arguably found greater post-Motors success. After leaving the group in 1979, Tchaikovsky formed his own eponymous band and scored a U.S. Top 40 hit with “Girl of My Dreams,” which peaked at #37 — making him a one-hit wonder stateside as well.

“Girl of My Dreams” is Tchaikovsky’s ode to his inflatable doll:

Some of the late ’70s and early ’80s power pop still holds up surprisingly well — even if only as a guilty pleasure.

Judy was an American girl
She came in the morning with the U.S. mail
Didn’t say nothing but she looked pretty good to me

Golden hair that shined so bright

Loving eyes that seem out of sight

She could keep the secrets that we shared in my world of dreams

Some of the late ’70s and early ’80s power pop still holds up surprisingly well — even if only as a guilty pleasure.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Armageddon It, Def Leppard; This guitar, Def Leppard ft. Alison Krauss

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When Alison Krauss teamed up with Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant to create the Grammy-winning album Raising Sand, the unexpected pairing raised eyebrows in the country/bluegrass community.  But for those who had followed Krauss’s eclectic career, the collaboration was less bewildering than it seemed.  Krauss has long embraced a diverse array of musical influences, consistently demonstrating an adventurous spirit and an open ear.

One particularly surprising influence? Her admiration for British rock titans Def Leppard.

In the June 2025 issue of MOJO, journalist Sylvie Simmons conducted an insightful, revealing interview with Krauss that shed light on this unlikely connection.

You and Def Leppard have something going.  Years ago you interviewed Joe Elliott for Q magazine.

It’s crazy.  I don’t remember how that came together but I do remember when the idea came up.  Union Station were making a record called So  Long So Wrong (1997) and around that same time I was listening to Def Leppard all the time – just the way that they do their harmonies.  Bluegrass people are crazy over Def Leppard.  Because bluegrass is a lot about harmonies.  Among other things, Def Leppard did the best harmony parts.

When asked which Def Leppard songs best resonate with the bluegrass crowd, Krauss didn’t hesitate.

The songs on Hysteria particularly, like Animal and Armageddon It.  All the parts where they do the high lead and they put what we call the baritone underneath the lead.  That’s a very kind of heroic sound for the bluegrass people.  Because when you have a high male lead, and you stack the parts underneath, it’s a real magical harmony stack that bluegrass people love.

Here’s “Armageddon It”.

Krauss took her passion for Def Leppard to a new level in 2022, when she recorded two emotionally rich tracks — “This Guitar” and “Lifeless” — for the band’s album Diamond Star Halos.

“This Guitar” stands out as a tender, wistful ballad. Krauss’s ethereal harmony with Joe Elliott, paired with a gently weeping slide guitar, allows the song to slip seamlessly into contemporary country playlists.

The moral of the story?  Stay curious.  Like Krauss, refuse to confine music into neat little boxes.  True artistry often lies where genres collide.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Traffic

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A few days ago, I stumbled upon a rare YouTube gem: the only known concert footage of the band Traffic.  Filmed at the Santa Monica Civic Center on February 21, 1972, the performance featured songs primarily from The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys — released just three months earlier — and John Barleycorn Must Die (1970).

The concert opens with the song “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys”, today’s SotW.

The studio version of “Low Spark…” showcased Traffic’s core lineup at the time: Steve Winwood (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jim Capaldi (vocals, percussion) and Chris Wood (sax, flute).  They were joined by former Blind Faith bassist, Ric Grech, percussionist extraordinaire Rebop Kwaku Baah, and Zelig-like drummer Jim Gordon.

Wikipedia offers a vivid description of the track:

It begins with a gradual fade-in and ends with a slow fade-out. The signature two-chord piano vamp enters after the fade-in, cued by the dry rattle of a vibraslap.  Verses are sparsely arranged with a slow deliberate pace in D minor contrasting with double-time densely-layered pop choruses modulating to D major. The tune fades out with a dissonant, reverberating final chord sustained over the vamp.

So, what the hell is “the low spark of high heeled boys”?

Again, according to Wikipedia, co-writer Jim Capaldi once explained in an interview with WNEW radio that the phrase originated during a trip to Morocco with Oscar-nominated actor Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde):

Pollard and I would sit around writing lyrics all day, talking about Bob Dylan and The Band, thinking up ridiculous plots for the movie. Before I left Morocco, Pollard wrote in my book ‘The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys’. For me, it summed him up. He had this tremendous rebel attitude. He walked around in his cowboy boots, his leather jacket. At the time he was a heavy little dude. It seemed to sum up all the people of that generation who were just rebels. The ‘Low Spark’, for me, was the spirit, high-spirited. You know, standing on a street corner. The low rider. The ‘Low Spark’ meaning that strong undercurrent at the street level.

Given that Capaldi co-wrote the song with Winwood, that may be the definitive explanation. Still, other interpretations — such as those offered by the blog I’ve Got the Hippy Shakes — add intriguing layers:

  • One theory suggests the song is about drug culture, with “Low Spark” representing injection and the “High-Heeled Boy” symbolizing a speedball (a mix of cocaine and heroin). The verses supposedly chart the experience of a user, a dealer’s overdose, and a philosophical meditation on mortality.
  • Another posits that the song criticizes the music industry: “Low Spark” represents the creative energy of artists, while the “High-Heeled Boys” are agents or industry figures profiting off their clients’ dreams and living extravagantly on their backs.

In the end, the meaning is beside the point.  It’s simply a great song.

Though “Low Spark…” was never released as a single — likely due to its length — it has become a staple of Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) radio and remains one of Traffic’s most enduring tracks.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Monkey Man, Rolling Stones

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We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the Stones kicked in – “Monkey Man” roared through the speakers like a freight train full of mescaline and bad decisions.  Nicky Hopkins, God bless his ghostly British soul, hammered that piano line like a madman trying to summon Satan with eighty-eight keys and a jug of bourbon.  Suddenly, the whole trip made sense.  This wasn’t just music – it was gospel, prophecy, a searing manifesto of the damned.

Rock music wasn’t background noise for Hunter S. Thompson. It was blood in the ink, the sonic chaos that drove the typewriter at 3 a.m. while the walls breathed and the lizards danced.  He didn’t just listen to it — he inhaled it, snorted it, blasted it through his skull like auditory ether.  The man once called Herbie Mann’s Memphis Underground “the best album ever cut by anybody,” and who the hell are we to argue with that?

Far Out magazine, in a rare moment of journalistic clarity, unearthed the gospel according to Thompson: ten albums that lit his brain on fire during the so-called “rock age” – a time of beautiful noise and narcotic truth.  It wasn’t just a playlist. It was a manifesto.

Behold the holy relics:

Herbie Mann – Memphis Underground (absolutely filthy jazz-funk, pure American madness)

Bob Dylan – Bringing It All Back Home (a lyrical fever dream with a harmonica snarl)

Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited (America on the verge, painted in amphetamine blues)

The Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead (acid-sweat Americana for the true believers)

The Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed (dirty, dangerous, and soaked in gin and blood)

Buffalo Springfield – Buffalo Springfield (flower-power on the edge of a nervous breakdown)

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow (psychedelic lullabies for the chemically unhinged)

Roland Kirk – Various Albums (the sound of a man strangling the cosmos with three horns at once)

Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain (matador jazz played in slow motion by a stone-cold killer)

Sandy Bull – Inventions (instrumental mysticism for interstellar cowboys)

These weren’t just albums.  They were tools – instruments of psychic warfare, necessary for surviving Nixon’s America and the corporate stranglehold of post-‘60s dream rot.  You had to have the soundtrack right, or the whole illusion fell apart.

And then – “Monkey Man.”  That’s not just a song. That’s the anthem for the freaks, the outcasts, the wide-eyed maniacs who chose not to play the game.  “I’m a monkey!” Jagger shrieks.  Yes.  Yes, we are.  All of us.  Scrambling through the ruins of the American Dream, chasing shadows, chewing through vinyl and broken glass just to feel something.  But it’s Nicky Hopkins’ piano that makes it immortal.  That intro doesn’t just open the song – it launches it, like a bullet from a gold-plated revolver fired in a jungle nightclub.

God bless the Stones.  God bless the chaos.  And God help anyone who tries to understand it without a damn good stereo and a suitcase full of dubious substances.

Enjoy… until next week.