Lovely Day by Bill Withers
I had an almost spiritual experience when I was a around 19 years old. It was christmas eve and I got a CD with yellow, white and black colors the cover and a smiling face. It was Bill Withers’ greatest hits. His name didn’t ring a bell, but oh my – his songs did!! I felt like I knew like seven of them, but I couldn’t tell from where.. Ain’t no sunshine, Lean On Me, Grandmas Hands, Who is he, Whatever Happens, Use Me and not least… Lovely Day. What a singer and songwriter he was, so much heart, and an ability to put together words and music, and touch all kinds of people all around the world. Some years ago I was in New York walking down a street in Harlem. I pass a barbershop and turn my head to see a man the chair that looks very much like Bill Withers. I was in awe and I didn’t dare to go back and see if it was really him. I like to believe that it was, and that I’ve been close to the man before he past some years later. Respect and much love.
Speed of Love by Earth, Wind & Fire
The world becomes a more beautiful place when I listen to this song. The founder of EW&F, Maurice White is one of my favorite singers. He sings from the soul and with a smile and strikes a chord deep within. The song is from the album “Powerlight” from 1983 (a transitional year going from analogue to digital) which I got to know as a kid, since my dad had put it on a mixtape we listened to in the car. EW&F has shown that the power of music is the power of love. Uplifting music that unites all people across the world.
Shadow of Your Smile (Live 1969 San Francisco) by Erroll Garner
Got my first Erroll Garner CD for my 15 year birthday from my mom and dad (thanks!). It contained ”Concert by the sea” + some live tracks from the 60’s including ”The Shadow Of Your Smile” from 1969. WOW!! This blew my mind. So funky, so happy, so beautiful. Erroll Garner as far as I know is a self taught child prodigy on the piano. And you can tell: the child is SO alive when he’s playing, like on a playground with friends. His has a totally unique sound and way of playing, that you can recognize him after like 3 seconds! As a piano student I sat down and learned his solo on this track which gave me an even deeper connection to this genius.
Power of Equality by Red Hot Chili Peppers
The early ninetees was SO creative musically! Milestone after milestone was released. So much life-affirming and powerful energy from rock bands… and MTV! I feel blessed to have been a youngster in those years. The album ”Blood Sugar Sex Magik” I heard a lot with my friends, and on a soccer camp in Italy. This album is a pure masterpiece from four young men with something on their mind. In the hands of producer Rick Rubin. Seventeen tracks of creativity, band-spririt, awesome guitar licks, bass and drums that hits you right in the stomach and many other places. Just WAUW!
Zanzibar by Billy Joel
My father had a bunch of Billy Joel records in his collection. ”52nd street” made a huge impression when I was a teen learning to play the piano, and sing as well. Zanzibar is a very ambitious ”pop song” that we actually tried to play in my teenage band (The Megabites – haha!) with help from our very good ensemble teacher, Claes. The jazzy chord progression really inspired me. And all of a sudden a jazz trumpet! Freddie Hubbard it was, I learned later on. A warm sound of the seventees, New York, Billy Joels strong italian/american voice and creative piano playing and not least a real band playing together with a common feeling and sense of storytelling.
Glamour Profession by Steely Dan
I have many favorite songs by this legendary american 70s band: Any Major Dude, Reeling in the years, Peg, Kid Charlemange and many more. Glamour Profession is a strange gem from the album Gaucho (1980) – many a soundenginers reference album, due to the outstanding production. The song has a steady beat played by the one and only Steve Gadd, an awesome bassline played by Anthony Jackson, jazz harmony and saxophone parts and on top original melody and lyrics song by Donald Fagen with his very own voice, not trying to sound like anyone else. The song reminds me of night life, neon lights, old movies, grand piano and Hollywood (“…who inspires your fabled fools?”)
All Blues (Live1964) by Miles Davis
The entire concert (Live at Philharmonic Hall) is a timeless masterpiece! A beautiful example of musical art created as a band in the moment. On All Blues, Herbie Hancock plays one of the most inspiring solos I know. So much life, natural movement, melodic hipness and rhythm, and with Ron Carter and Tony Williams supporting and pushing with so much energy and creativity. In my twenties I listened a lot to Miles Davis and fell in love with everything he did in the sixties with Gil Evans and his marvelous quintet(s). DEEP.
Fly into This Night by Gino Vannelli
The sound of a dream. It makes me high and cry at the same time. In my fathers record collection were several albums by Gino Vannelli, with his grandiose one-of-a-kind voice, not afraid to show big emotion (thank you for that!). With his brother Joe Vannelli they’ve made music with so much originality and heart. With Italian/Canadian roots, and inspiration from jazz, funk, rock and classical music they’ve created something that doesn’t remind me of anything else.
The melody and harmony in Fly Into This Night are totally Vannelli, the haunting analogue synth pad and the rich body-moving groove with an african talking drum.
Ahmad Jamal – Ahmads Blues
Back in my late teens diving into the world of jazz, I sometimes went to the public library in Copenhagen to borrow a bunch of CD’s for inspiration. As opposed to nowadays where you just go online, I liked the fact that I had to get up and ride my bike to to get my hands on these psycical items with booklet and everything. Well – ”Ahmads Blues” was the name of one cd and my first encounter with this piano genius. His touch, his time, his way of using space. His dynamics, his groove!! His way of playing a melody without giving it all away, but leaving something for the imagination. Ahmad Jamal and his great trio has a place in my heart!
Penny Lane by The Beatles
I got my first piano lesson when I was nine. Luckily my teacher loved all kinds of music including The Beatles. At home I would sit and play through The Beatles Complete trying to make music out of the chord symbols and singing. In 1967 Penny Lane (by Paul McCartney) and Strawberry Fields (by John Lennon) were released as a double single. Two unique songs. Strawberry Fields is the sound of another dream. We didn’t play it yet in my project Baun On Beatles. Wouldn’t know how to make it “my own”… Penny Lane I heard as a child on a tape with only Beatles singles on it.
Classic Paul McCartney in the best sense. With the major and minor chord changes, an uplifting and catchy melody, descending Höffner bass line, and a touch of… a classical trumpet! British images on my mind. Like Strawberry Field there’s nothing like this song.
