1/30/11 – Blood, Sweat, & Tears
Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory.
– Sir Thomas Beecham
I must confess – I often got Blood, Sweat, and Tears confused with Earth, Wind, & Fire. Won’t do that anymore. I knew I wanted to include this group (whichever their name is) somewhere in the course of this project, but I wasn’t sure to include them on a jazz day or a mainstream day. It’s not that it doesn’t fit in either, it’s that it fits in both. They swing as hard as most big bands, but their songwriting is clearly rock with a soul/R&B bent. And they do it all damn well. It’s like if Chicago
The opening track is gutsy – an instrumental piece based on Erik Satie’s Gymnopedies, relatively simple mood pieces for solo piano. They begin with a soft acoustic guitar and alto flue trio that could pass on one of those cheap Target kiosks of nature sound with music. However, it quickly morphs into a whirly, fuzzy brass piece with extended polytonal harmonies – far more aggressive and in your face.
There were a few tracks I was at least somewhat familiar with before latching on to this album. The first I was familiar with was “And When I Die,” whose hoedown rhythm is both corny and infectious. It’s one of those songs with a beat that people would attribute most often to bad musical theatre, but it kinda works here. Another standout of BS&T on this track (and a few other tunes on here) is the static tempi changes between sections. The straight ahead chorus comes out of nowhere, and slips back just as quickly into the relaxed “oom pa” of the verses. The cheeky electric harpsichord instrumental after the first chorus reminds me of the Manson Trio section of Stephen Schwartz’s “Pippin.” It kind of has a distinct theatrical vibe to it.
“God Bless the Child” was the specific tune I was looking for when deciding which BS&T album to discuss here. It’s a far cry from Billie Holiday’s soulful ballad, instead opting for a hard swinging funky horn section. David Clayton-Thomas’ raspy, gritty vocals are a perfect compliment to this great arrangement, although the latin jazz section in the middle seems abrupt and out of character. However, as with “And When I Die,” it suddenly shifts back into the backbeat of the opening and closes out the tune after one final verse.
“Spinning Wheel” is perhaps the band’s greatest single hit, and for good reason. Another straight-forward funk groove with Clayton-Thomas sneering out vocals every bit as aggressive as the growling quartal brass chords from the rest of the band. The transition into a swinging trumpet solo seems more organic and natural than some of the earlier songs. The end of the tune is a quirky juxtaposition of the main brass lick with a flute-y carousel. The pairing is bizarre, but for some reason, seems to work.
“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” is another tune I had heard before, but never attributed to BS&T. I think some of the finer points of the arrangement always led be to believe the tune was older than it actually was by a couple decades or so. The elements don’t seem as aggressive as most of the other arrangements, and I think loses some of the edge.
The track that really blows me away however is “Blues, Pt. 2.” (And no, there is no “Blues, Pt. 1.”) It opens with a dramatic two and a half minute church organ solo, which while not bluesy in the least, provides a certain degree of musical tension. Then, it eventually hits stride and the remainder of the band comes in for a quick shout. What follows is a smooth bass duet with the drummer. Both take some liberal solos before the organ and horns return. Some alto sax work from Fred Lipsius takes a few turns from bop to “chill” jazz before the bass introduces the main line from Jimi Hendrix’s “Sunshine of Your Love.” The full band blasts the riff with wild abandon before David finally brings in a true blue vocal, bringing the 11-minute jam to a close. Simply incredible.
The album ends as it began, with another Erik Satie variation. I glossed over a few tracks, all of which are masterful and powerful in their own right. “Sometimes in Winter,” “More and More,” and “Smiling Phases” all contribute to this excellent album. Speaking of contributors, the lineup for BS&T has included over a hundred different musicians over the years. Most of the original lineup now teaches right here in Boston
Tomorrow –Harvey: Tombeau de Messiaen
Next week – Mood Swings (The Swingle Singers)
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