Viddie: Ben Folds covers Such Great Heights

Something light and frothy for your Friday. Ben Folds and three percussionists improvise this cover of The Postal Service song on Australian television. (MP3 available here.)

Viddie: Caetano Veloso's Billie Jean

The Brazilian star shedding new light on classic pop. (Tip via Groovenotes.)

Viddie: Odetta and Tennessee Ernie Ford Sing Woody Guthrie

Not a pair of names you'd generally put together, but they are obviously having a high old time in this clip from Ford's television show. (That's right, kids, Tennessee Ernie Ford used to have a television show.)

The doggone Jacko's gone

Unless you bury your head in the sand, you're unlikely to miss the deluge of Michael Jackson tributes (or the accompanying snark festivals) to come in the following days. For me, few will top this preemptive salute from the mighty Millish, performed at the 2008 Kansas City Irish Festival. And, yes, that's Brubeck in there as well. (Tip via Jesse Mason of Millish.)

Listen to the crowd's reaction at the 4:40 mark. For all the weirdness, and there was plenty, the guy could write a hook. RIP Michael: you freak, you genius.

Part 1



And part 2:

Viddie: Sweet Georgia Brown

More bad news for drummers everywhere. (Rumor has it Apple is preparing a tractor Jam Pack for Garageband. Of course you didn't hear that here.)

Tip: KK at Groove Notes

Mingus at the Showplace

Today's Writer's Almanac includes the poem "Mingus at the Showplace" by William Matthews about writing a bad poem at age 17 and having the nerve to show it to Charles Mingus. I loved these lines:

He didn't look as if he thought

bad poems were dangerous, the way some poets do.
If they were baseball executives they'd plot

to destroy sandlots everywhere so that the game
could be saved from children.

TNLD says check it out. And check out some Mingus, recorded in Stockholm with Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Jaki Byard and Dannie Richmond.

See you in June

That's probably the next time you'll see a post hereabouts. In the meantime, we're packing like mad in anticipation of pulling up stakes and heading for Seattle. Thanks for everything Chicago, but it's time to make westing.

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Photo above via laflaneuse who merits watching.