Playlist from the 1950’s (mostly)
Music accompanies us throughout our lives. It is with us during celebrations and during hard times. Below is a list of songs consisting mostly of music written in the 1950’s. These are songs from the Great American Songbook, as well as a few well-known songs in Spanish.
We hope these songs can help you lift your spirits and feel less isolated.
Enjoy with your loved ones and join in by clapping, singing along, and sharing thoughts and memories elicited. Please share your reactions with us! Do you have a favorite? Anything you would like added to the list?
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Music is good for the soul – and the heart.
Check out our blog post at Northern Westchester Hospital website..
Portrait of young woman listening to music during workout
https://nwhc.net/blog/music-therapy
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Join us for a Drum Circle at the Alzheimer’s Foundation on February 15
AFA Care Connection Community Class: “I Got Rhythm” Drum Circle
February 15 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST
Top Albums of 2014
There is so much amazing music out there today. This is a list of my own personal favorite albums of the year. It includes 3 albums from the current popular jazz scene (obsessed with cameo vocals, spoken word and mixed genres), 2 modern Cuban pianists (one of which fits the current jazz scene mantra), a major rock/pop artist, a vocalist, a soundtrack, a Jewish Afro/punk band, and a beautiful tribute album.
1. The Invasion Parade by Alfredo Rodriguez
This is the album that got me the most excited this year. The cover is fitting as Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez does in fact sound like a mad prolific painter. He tends to switch colors and emotions quickly, maintaining a level of intensity that keeps you hooked and unable to let go. The primary lineup is rounded by Henry Cole, Peter Slavov, Billy Carrion, and Roman Filiu. Percussionsit Pedrito Martinez and bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding are guests in some of the songs including the absolutely beautiful ‘El Guije’ and ‘Snails in the Creek’ (the former in particular has some ridiculous vocals by Esperanza). ‘Santa Barbara’ and ‘Timberobot’ will have you jumping off your seat, while the classics ‘Quizas, Quizas, Quizas’ and ‘Veinte Anios’ are treated more delicately but with the same level of intensity. The number one highlight of the album has to be this insane rendition of ‘Guantanamera’.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-invasion-parade/id785831390
2. Morning Phase by Beck
This is a very emotional album similar to Sea Change from 2002. If you are feeling sad, it will drag you to the ground. Yet unlike Sea Change, Morning Phase does include moments that may feel potentially uplifting within the right context. It is more complex in that regard and to me it is Beck’s best album to date. The instrumentation is mostly basic with a lot of strings, colorful arrangements and subtly slick production. It has an overall sense of simplicity, openness and warmth. Beck’s songwriting feels genuine and so does his singing. Among the albums highlights are ‘Morning’, ‘The Heart is a Drum’, ‘Say Goodbye’, and ‘Blue Moon’ (otherwise known as the song from True Detective‘s last episode from season 1).
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/morning-phase/id797897966
3. The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint by Ambrose Akinmusire
The follow up to the band’s incredible album debut When the Heart Emerges Glistening is another success for this brilliant trumpeter. This one is perhaps darker and more spiritual. The album is a good representation of the jazz scene today; broad in instrumentation and genre, with different vocalist appearances. Singer Becca Stevens steals the show for a moment on this one with the thought-provoking ‘Our Basement’. The band sounds like if it has been playing together for 30 years. I particularly love how Ambrose and saxophonist Walter Smith iii blend together.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/imagined-savior-is-far-easier/id816479578
4. Big Picture by Kat Edmonson
The incredibly expressive Kat Edmonson has quickly become one of my absolute favorite singers. She will quickly draw you in and hypnotize you before you even realize what is happening. At times she may sound like Billie Holiday and at times like the girl from Cranberries, but she never loses her own unique characteristics. An incredible voice with infinite nuances and an uncanny ability to deliver her heartfelt songs in such personal way that it feels she is singing only to you.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-big-picture/id898060389
4. Mboko by David Virelles.
It should be noted that the subtitle of this album is Sacred Music for Piano, Two Basses, Drum Set and Biankoméko Abakuá, which tells you the instrumentation but also the vibe of the album. The Cuban pianist is joined by Roman Diaz, Marcus Gilmore, Thomas Morgan and Robert Hurst. This music requires your full attention. It is sparse and abstract with almost no melody and no groove (at least in the traditional sense). The band is instead mostly preoccupied with interaction, texture and space. Arguably the most interesting album I heard all year. *ECM record label does not have their albums on spotify so you most go to itunes to listen to it.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mboko/id923382031
6. Heroes and Misfits by Kris Bowers
Another modern Jazz album from the current scene as described above. Pianist Kris Bowers takes this idea to the extreme. This is indie rock, r&b, hip-hop, electro, jazz. Some really cool grooves, vibes, and textures make this a fun and engaging listen. From the albums that came out this year, this may be the one I listened to the most.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heroes-+-misfits/id779473938
7. Birdman by Antonio Sanchez
This is the soundtrack of the movie by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who had the brilliant idea of asking his fellow countryman drummer Antonio Sanchez to write it/play it strictly on drums. This gives a very unique feeling to the movie that puts you inside the crazy head of the main character, who is brilliantly portrayed by the surprising Michael Keaton. Antonio is one of the most sought after and well respected drummers in the world and tends to play very clean and perfect. Yet on this album, he purposefully plays these de-tuned drums and sounds ‘dirtier’ than you will ever hear him. Antonio arrived in Hollywood and raised the name of Mexico, drumming and Jazz altogether. I believe he deserves an Oscar.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/birdman-original-motion-picture/id922241290
8. Adramelech by Zion 80
This is one of the many many many projects involving John Zorn. The music is written by this prolific and ridiculously productive musician as part of Masada Book Two. Zion80 plays it and delivers, leaving no doubt that they are a thing on its own; A fantastic Afro/Punk/Reggeae/Heavy Metal/Jazz/Jewish/Klezmer band.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/adramelech/id900627625
http://youtu.be/-kbna5-_MGA
9. The Thought Of You by Otis Brown III
This is the album debut of drummer excellence Otis Brown III. It is the 3rd of the ‘current Jazz scene’ type of thing album of this list.The underlying tone of this one is more traditional as compared to the other two, at times bringing to mind Miles’ 2nd Quintet. Of course, vocalists are present on some of the tunes including the fascinating Bilal Oliver. Spoken words are also present including the actual audio recording from Otis’s very own wedding on “The Two Become One (For Paula)”. Otis is an explosive drummer who continuously explores highly energetic groove changes with contagious excitement.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-thought-of-you/id898129099
10. Beautiful Life by Jimmy Greene
Saxophonist Jimmy Greene recorded this album as a tribute to the life of his 4 year old daughter, a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut in 2012. Mr. Greene has often stated that he wanted the music to represent the way her daughter Ana lived, as opposed to the way she passed away. It is naturally a very touching beautiful album that includes the participation of a vast number of highly acclaimed musicians. This next peace opens the album. It starts with a home recording of Ana and friends singing a Puerto Rican song, followed by a Pat Metheny /Jimmy Greene duet, followed by another home recording of Ana singing while her brother plays piano. All in all it is a very touching album that illustrates the power of music as a coping, celebratory, unifying tool.
itunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-life/id924565924
Other good ones:
Lathe Of Heaven by Mark Turner Quartet, Taming The Dragon by Mehliana, Beat Music: The Los Angeles Improvisations by Mark Guiliana, You’re Dead by Flying Lotus, …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin by The Roots, Golden Age by Nir Felder, Vipassana by Eric Harland, Landmarks by Brian Blade & The Fellowship.
*You can access the spotify playlist of all these songs (including ‘other good ones’ but excluding those not available on spotify) by following it here: favorite albums of 2014 spotify playlist
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Miles Davis – Adapting Through Time
Miles Davis was born on May 26th, 1926, in Alton, Illinois. He would go on to become one of the most celebrated artists of all time through an illustrious career as a trumpet player, jazz musician, composer, and bandleader. Recently on the 88th anniversary of his birth, the street where he used to live in Manhattan’s Upper West Side was renamed ‘Miles Davis Way’.
To honor that, we will look at one of his greatest traits: the ability to understand and adapt to his surroundings through time.
Perhaps similarly to Picasso or Bob Dylan, Miles remained on the edge by changing styles and approaches multiple times, depending on what was happening in the world around him.
He continuously surrounded himself with the brightest young musicians of the time. John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Jack Dejohnette, Dave Holland, were among those hired at a young age by Miles before going on to become huge names themselves.
Let’s look at a brief summary of the different periods of his career.
Bebop; The early beginnings. (mid 40’s)
At 18 years old, Miles Davis moved to New York City to attend Julliard School of Music and meet his heroes Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He soon got to play in Parker’s band.
Becoming A Leader (late 40’s, early 50’s)
Miles was an innate leader and quickly started recording his own albums with the best musicians in town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHKnvwoGg0Y
Orchestra (Late 40’s and late 50’s)
He collaborated with the brilliant arranger Gil Evans in an orchestral setting. Together they recorded beautiful albums like Birth of The Cool, Porgy and Bess, Sketches Of Pain and Miles Ahead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvcU_v8ruGE
First Quintet (Mid 50’s)
The first quintet was his first great band. It had what many consider to be the greatest rhythm section of all time with Philly Joe Jones (drums), Paul Chambers (bass) and Red Garland (piano). It also had John Coltrane. Miles and Coltrane were very different and created an exciting contrast. (Coltrane comes in at 2:35).
Kind of Blue (Late 50’s)
Coltrane was still in the band but the rhythm section changed. The band got into modal music with very few chords and basically only one scale. This is a live version of “So What”, a tune from , Kind of Blue, one of his most famous albums.
Second Quintet (mid sixties)
At this point Miles had a completely new band with Tony Williams (drums), Ron Carter (bass), Herbie Hancock (piano) and Wayne Shorter (sax). Coltrane and Ornette Coleman were among those playing freer forms of jazz with their own bands. Miles incorporated certain aspects of free jazz with this band. This is also one of the greatest rhythm section of all time.
Electric (70’s)
Miles would not pass the opportunity to play for huge crowds when electric instruments and amplification made it possible. He decided to go electric and play open rock grooves. The album Bitches Brew is from this time. This is at Isle of White festival.
http://youtu.be/GmJwV3Xkl8M
80’s
Miles embraced the decade and got into the vibe of the time. He played several hits including Michael Jackson’s Human Nature.
In 1991, Miles died of health complications at the age of 65. What would Miles be playing today? The question will forever linger.
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Published! – On Music Therapy and Technology
I have the honor to be featured in Dr. Wendy Magee’s new book called Music Technology in Therapeutic Health Settings, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, one of the top publishing companies in the field .
Dr. Wendy Magee is a world renown professor, researcher and music therapist. For this project, she recruited a number of music therapists currently doing breakthrough work with music technology, and asked each to write a chapter about it.
I wrote chapter 15. Garageband as a Digital Co-Facilitator: Creating and Capturing Moments with Adults and Elderly People with Chronic Health Conditions.
In this chapter I talk about how I used Apple’s music software Garageband in a music therapy group I ran for Spanish speaking registrants at an adult day health center in Bronx, NY. This was one of the many programs I had the opportunity to design and implement while working with the Institute for Music for Neurologic Function. The group recorded a full album of original songs as part of their creative therapeutic process.
Perhaps my central argument is that technology not only can facilitate musical, creative and therapeutic processes, but also help adults and elderly feel connected to the current trends in the world surrounding them. In this group in particular, members have at least three barriers that are potentially isolating: culture, age and health related. The use of technological devices such as laptops and ipods may at least partially diminish a little bit of each.
A number of participants in the program reported feeling more connected to their younger family members after gaining a better understanding of current technology related cultural trends. They were also able to work together relying on each other’s strengths to minimize their weaknesses. A stroke survivor with a speech deficit was able to thrive in the group due to her intact memory, while a woman with early stages of dementia was able to utilize her great diction to contribute to the group in spite of her deteriorating memory skills.
With the use of technology we were able to capture the meaningful moments we created, maximize them and reflect them back. The production of the album provided the context in which we relied on for guidance and purpose. In the chapter, I describe some techniques implemented to support, fulfill and magnify the creative ideas of the group. Such techniques include overdubbing, multi-tracking, and looping.
I am hoping some of these ideas can add something to the ever present yet increasingly pertinent discussion of technology related issues in the field. What is our role as music therapists/album producers? How much should we add our own aesthetic ideas? How much do we ‘fix’ notes and mistakes? What are some counter-indications to the use of technology?
Congratulations to Dr. Wendy Magee for putting together this extremely important book, to Dr. David Ramsey -who I consider my mentor- for his genius foreword, and to all the brilliant music therapists who wrote and participated. I am thrilled to be a part of it!
You may order the book directly at Jessica Kingsley Publishers or at Amazon.
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Top 10 Albums of 2013
There is a lot of fantastic music out there and it is always tough to leave some out.
The following is a list of my personal favorites that came out in 2013.
1. Wayne Shorter, Without A Net
Wayne Shorter-sax, Danilo Peres-piano, John Patitucci-bass, Brian Blade-drums
2. Kanye West, Yeezus
3. Dave Holland, Prism
Dave Holland-bass, Kevin Eubanks-guitar, Craig Taborn-keyboard, Eric Harland-drums
4. The Pedrito Martinez Group, The Pedrito Martinez Group
Pedrito Martinez-congas/vocals, Ariacne Trujillo-piano/vocals, Alvaro Benavides-bass/vocals, Jahir Sala-percussion/vocals
5. The New Gary Burton Quarter, Guided Tour
Gary Burton-vibraphone, Julian Lage-guitar, Scott Colley-bass, Antonio Sanchez-drums
6. Derrick Hodge, Live Today
7. Drake, Nothing Was The Same
8. Albert Heath/Ethan Iverson/Ben Street, Tootie’s Tempo
Albert Heath-drums, Ethan Iverson-piano, Ben Street-bass
9. Kendrick Scott Oracle, Conviction
Kendrick Scott-drums, Mike Moreno-guitar, Taylor Eigsti-piano, John Ellis-reeds, Joe Sanders-bass
10. Cecile Mcloren Salvant, Woman Child
Cecile Mcloren Salvant-vocals, Ahron Diehl-piano, Rodney Whitaker-bass, James Chirillo-guitar, Herlin Riley-drums
Other great ones: Chris Potter/The Sirens, Craig Taborn Trio/Chants, Antonio Sanchez/New Life, Atoms For Peace/Amok, Eric Revis Trio/City Of Asylum, Dave Douglas Quintet/Time Travel, Ethan Iverson/Customs Are Mandatory, Tim Berne’s Snakeoil/Shadow Man
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Oliver Sacks’s Life Lessons
A few weeks ago, the great neurologist/writer Oliver Sacks reflected in a New York Times column on the experience of turning 80 years old.
He embraces the new experience of approaching the end of his life.
“I often feel that life is about to begin, only to realize it is almost over.”
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Classic Renditions Of The Star Spangled Banner
Performances of the American national anthem are often surrounded by all sorts of controversy. The traditionalists believe that a patriotic anthem should not be disrespected with personal stylistic alterations interpreted by the performing artist. Others argue that the freedom and individuality conveyed by the interpreter may symbolize the core values the country was founded on. Either way, the music can be challenging to sing because of its melodic shape and not-so-easy-to-remember lyrics. It is often performed in widely broadcasted events, and thus we have some interesting performances captured for the ages. (more…)
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The Mind Behind the MegaFauna: An Interview With Noah Lit
After his indie rock band Oliver Future broke up, songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Noah Lit dug deep into his soul (a.k.a his record collection) to find a new direction. A mixture of Django chords with Mingus arrangements, atmospheric acoustic textures and apocalyptic lyrics, creates a curious intricate monster that sounds something like “Radiohead songs played in the 1930’s”. (more…)
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Songs For Father’s Day
1.Beautiful boy (John Lennon)
This is one of the happiest songs I can think of. John Lennon was genius at expressing the feeling of an experience in a song. This one is about being a dad to Sean, the only child he had with Yoko. John sounds so excited about being a dad, he can barely control himself. It seems he was enjoying every moment of it but at the same time could not wait for Sean to grow up. This joyful restraint is evidenced in the music’s patient pace. Look at him goofing around in the video. (more…)
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Afro-Cuban Music to Enhance the Moment
This past week, a very wise 93 year old patient told me: “stop and smell the flowers and feel the summer breeze because it goes quicker than you can imagine”.
As the summer approaches I encourage you to listen to warm music that will enhance the feeling of the season. I have attached a video of the Afro Cuban All-Stars that may help you get in a festive summer mood. (more…)
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Songs for Mom
Mother’s Day can bring up a wide mixture of feelings and emotions. Love, happiness, sadness, loss, anger, guilt, safety, comfort; the relationship we have with our mothers is always rich in depth, and therapists and artists love exploring it.
Below we find a few examples of how different songwriters process some these emotions through song. (more…)
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Music is Universal
I recently had the opportunity to work with some amazing people at Laguardia International High School. I was invited by art therapist Alicia Ballestas to give a workshop for students who immigrated from Latin American countries.
It was greatly inspiring to hear what these bright young minds had to say.
These are some of the main points we discussed: (more…)
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Processing An Event Creatively With Groups
I recently did a presentation at the MAR-AMTA Music Therapy Conference in Scranton, PA. I love attending and participating in conferences because I get inspired AND I get the opportunity to inspire others.
In my presentation, I shared with an enthusiastic group of people some ideas on how we can help others use music to improve the quality of their existence. I proposed a multi-modal approach to helping children in medical rehabilitation develop coping, social, and self assessment skills. (more…)
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