John Wade was a small, privately owned record store right in the heart of Shaker Square in Cleveland, Ohio. The red brick house on Larchmere Boulevard, where my family lived until i was eleven, was only about a 5-10 minute walk away, and it was the first place i went when i was finally allowed to walk around my neighborhood by myself.
I think the first single i ever bought there, around 1966 or so, was “Angel of The Morning” by Merrilee Rush. I was about 7 or eight years old at the time, so of course i didn't get what the song was "about." All i knew (and all that mattered) was that something about the singer and the song moved me deeply.
Looking back, i guess it's possible that the song resonated for me because my mother had died suddenly at the age of 44 about five years earlier; there must have been something in the sadness of Merrilee's vocal and the "Angel" in the lyric, that reminded me of her. It's easy to imagine now, how that line "just touch my cheek before you leave me," must have stirred me as a kid. (It's also probably no coincidence that so many of my own songs over the years have featured angels and ghosts and references to some kind of after-life).
Anyway, back to John Wade. The coolest thing about the store were the glass-enclosed listening booths in the back where you could sit, put on a pair of headphones, and check out a record you were thinking of buying. That's how I first heard “Angel of The Morning,” “Hallelujah I Love Her So” by Ray Charles and countless other records from the 60's that left deep and lasting impressions on me.
Over the years, I've never stopped being an avid music fan or obsessive record buyer. I mourn the demise of stores like John Wade, because they provided something you can't get from the iTunes store. For a suburban kid from Cleveland there was something ineffable about flipping through the racks and racks of records, examining the covers and the liner notes, listening to whatever the clerks were playing (they had excellent taste in music) and gathering up my own pile of LP's and 45's to listen to in the back, hoping that i might happen upon something truly great. (In the 60's that was an almost weekly occurrence!).
So, in honor of that store, and every other record store or record clerk that helped steer me towards a brilliant artist or piece of vinyl that changed my life for an afternoon or a decade or two, I welcome you to my own personal Listening Booth. This will be a place where you can stop by and check out what i've been playing at home lately. We'll try to include links so that if there's something i recommend that you want to buy, it'll be easy to do.
-marc
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Listening Booth:1970
As some of you may know by now, I've been in the studio for several weeks working on a new record. The concept for the record (and it's title) originated in part, here on this site. The record is called Listening Booth:1970, and consists of my take on 12-14, (depending on the final sequence) of the remarkable songs released during that seminal year.
I'm working once more with my old friend and cohort John Leventhal, who co-produced The Rainy Season and Burning The Daze for me. I can't tell you how much fun it's been getting back in the studio with John, who as musician, producer and arranger, is currently at the peak of his powers. The record is also being engineered and recorded in a studio owned by another old friend of mine, Rick DePoffi, who was one of the horn players in my old band, The Supreme Court.
i've wanted to do a record like this for a long long time. As a lot of you know, I'm as much of a fan as i am an artist, and over the years, i've been secretly making lists on my laptop of songs by other writers that i thought might be fun to try and record someday.
That idea started to take shape a bit more for me a few months back, when John's wife, the brilliant Rosanne Cash, invited me to join her in a music series she's been curating at The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Past shows included Rose and Elvis Costello for instance, performing songs with numbers in the titles (76 Trombones etc).
Rose and i did a show of songs about the sun, moon, and water. We sang classics from various genres; Moon River, Wade In The Water, Who'll Stop The Rain, I'll Follow The Sun etc. It was challenging, but liberating too...not singing only my songs for a change, but interpreting the work of others. By the end of the night, i found myself talking to John about making a record where i could just be the interpreter...the singer in the band as it were. And here we are.
Why songs from 1970 you ask? Well, by the time the record is released in 2010, it will be the 40th anniversary of that golden year. In my mind, it was one of the greatest years in music not only because it was still the golden age of the single (Tears Of A Clown, Close To You, Maybe I'm Amazed, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, All Right Now to name a few) but it was also one of the most pivotal (and remarkable) years in the history of the Album.
The Beatles broke up that year, and released Let It Be, while John, Paul, and George each released their first (and some say best) solo records.
Simon and Garfunkel also broke up that year, and released one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums in the history of pop music: Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Just to further prove my point, here's a few other titles from that year:
Moondance
After The Gold Rush
Deja Vu
Cosmos's Factory
Tea For The Tillerman
Sweet Baby James
Elton John's self titled debut AND Tumbleweed Connection
Layla by Derek and the Dominoes
Leon Russell's debut, Eric Clapton's solo debut...and the list goes on and on.
Many of these records had an enormous impact on me at the time and still resonate deeply for me today. John and i sat together for weeks, going over song after song, looking for the ones that we could not only do justice to, but could also put our own personal stamp on. Some songs that i thought for sure would work, didn't...and others that i never would have guessed that i could sing, worked really well.
I don't want to give you a track list yet...i'll drag the suspense out a bit longer on that front. Just wanted you to know what i've been up to lately. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that you're reconciled about having been naughty or nice this year. Not much you can do about it now anyway.
If i don't talk to you sooner, have a happy and healthy Holiday Season everyone. Hopefully there will be plenty to talk about in 2010!
-marc
Desert Island Discs
Night Beat - Sam Cooke 
"Lost and Lookin'" is one of the greatest vocals ever recorded.
The Birth Of Soul (Volumes 1, 2 and 3) - Ray Charles 
All the transcendent music Ray recorded for Atlantic is here.
We'll Never Turn Back - Mavis Staples
A moving, grooving collection of Civil Rights anthems and Gospel gems. Produced by Ry Cooder.
The Best Of Bonnie Raitt - Bonnie Raitt
I Can't Make You Love Me....need i say more?
The Essential Paul Simon - Paul Simon
Acadie - Daniel Lanois
Court And Spark
Hejira
Blue - Joni Mitchell
Fulfillingness' First Finale - Stevie Wonder
Still On Top - The Greatest Hits - Van Morrison
JT - James Taylor
Not on the island: The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan and The Band. Hope I'm not shipwrecked for too long.
Spring Soul playlist...
...to get you started...Enjoy!
-marc
"Another Day" Jamie Lidell
A feel good, almost- summer gem that sounds like the best mid-sixties Motown record Stevie Wonder never made.
"How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?" Prince
Essentially a piano/vocal demo. Brilliant.
"Way Down In The Hole" The Blind Boys of Alabama
"This Little Light of Mine" Mavis Staples
Produced by Ry Cooder. One of the best records of the past 5 years, featuring the legendary Jim Keltner on drums and the incomparable Mavis.
"Never Going Back To Memphis" Shemekia Copeland
I love tunes about this city, don't you?
"Yesterday" Marvin Gaye
In honor of the 25th anniversary of his death. Never heard his version of this song until a few weeks ago. Stunning.
"You Are The Best Thing" Ray LaMontagne
"Delta Lady" Joe Cocker
"Waterfalls" TLC
One of my favorite records. Great vocals, great hook, great record. Did a show at the Bottom Line in NYC years ago and did this tune as a duet w Joan Osborne.
"Iron Out The Rough Spots" Don Covay
"That's How It Feels" The Soul Clan
"Fever" Bobby Blue Bland
One of the greatest singers of all time
"Don't Mess Up A Good Thing" Bobby McClure and Fontella Bass
Ry Cooder did a great cover of this w Chaka Kahn that's worth checking out too.
"I Love Every Little Thing About You" Stevie Wonder
"Trouble Man" Marvin Gaye
"I'll Be Rested" Mavis Staples
Mavis brings it home. Can't think of anything I'd rather hear when they lower me down, except maybe the live version of Caravan by Van Morrison from The Last Waltz.
