Art Ensemble of Chicago's Barnyard Funk

For some bizarre reason, I missed Art Ensemble of Chicago's funky "Rock Out" during my obsessive jazz-funk phase a year or two ago. Like some of the group's blues, "Rock Out" brings a "farmyard" quality of the band doing their best to sound like roosters and other farm animals. While doing this, they pay tribute to an incredibly catchy beat from a James Brown song ("Cold Sweat," according to Paul Steinbeck). As someone who always finds funk music from avant-garde jazz artists to be the most interesting in the genre, this unique number is certainly memorable and indicates how the group always had an ear to R&B and popular music. No surprise, really. How could anyone be married to Fontella Bass and not know a thing or two about popular music?

Moondance

Although I am not a big fan of rock music or Van Morrison, "Moondance" is one of the better examples of pop and rock artists using jazz style for their own rather successful results. "Moondance" actually reminds me of "So What" by Miles Davis with a rather bluesy piano solo and even more pronounced bass.

Why Do Fools Fall In Love

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is a beautiful song from the 1950s. That saxophone is quite delectable, too! The group was also integrated, with 3 African Americans and 2 Puerto Ricans. One can tell Lymon had a lot of talent, with that soaring voice booming. Like much doo wop and rock from this period, it's drenched in the blues and jazz idioms rooted in the blues form, as the brief saxophone solo illustrates. "Tell me why, why do fools fall in love?"

Don't Let Me Down

Though I am not a huge fan of The Beatles, songs such as "Don't Let Me Down" are timeless. Beautiful song, with melancholy coming out the wazoo. Check this out, too.

Lisztomania

Forgot how much I used to love this song...all those white folks from two years ago come to mind since this song and 1901 were their favorite songs to play, in addition to Crown on the Ground by Sleigh Bells. "So sentimental..."

I guess "1901" is good too...