Bring Back the Talk-Box - Rock's Forgotten Guitar Hero's Friend

Music Wed - Among the weird things I love is the use of the "talk-box" in classic rock songs. Now, if you are under 40 years of age, this posting will be like a musical archaeological dig because, with a few notable exceptions like Slash, Dave Grohl and Jerry Cantrell, virtually one has really used the talk-box in a popular song since the mid '80s. If you are over 40, then don't pretend you have never heard of this oddball, cool device which allows a singer to sing his lyrics through the notes he is playing on a guitar. You can legitimately debate the merits of this early attempt at synthesized musical combinations, but you can't deny you know (and probably secretly dig!) at least one talk-box song.  For the younger readers, this device works as follows - the singer/guitarist routes his voice through a clear rubber tube next to the microphone through the guitar and then plays the guitar for a voice-merged-with-guitar sounds emerging as the final result. To pull this off, you need to be both a decent singer, as well as a skilled musician who can jam sufficiently well to make a synthesized voice sound cool coming out of a guitar. I rue the day musicians stopped playing with this device because it adds such a fun and unique combination of skills to any song that makes the song unforgettable.  Here are my favorite talk-box songs (all of which should be no surprise to you over 40 readers). First is the great Joe Walsh's classic jam on "Rocky Mountain Way", which is a song that not only has a lengthy talk-box solo, but also includes comical lyrics and just good old fashioned axe work on the Gibson guitar that Joe has always favored (http://youtu.be/F1uWA7VPGiE). Obvious choice, but Joe is an endearing figure among rock guitarists and he does make the best Rock-Guitar-Faces when he plays. Next on any list like this has to be Peter Frampton's epic live version of "Do You Feel Like We Do" (http://youtu.be/y7rFYbMhcG8) - no one did more for the talk-box than Mr. Frampton because of the 20+ million copies of Frampton Comes Alive which have been purchased, not to mention the constant plays on 70's FM radio of the full jam version of this song - as an aside, I will never forgive AM radio for its insistence during the 70's on the three and one-half minute song limitation which resulted in lame, chopped-up versions of so many great songs, this one included. No RIP to AM radio - your passing is not missed.  Since most talk-box songs last at least 8-9 minutes in length, I will end with only one more classic - Motley Crüe's "Kickstart My Heart" (http://youtu.be/1PJOHbzQwGw).  This is the Crüe live in all their bombastic glory, and Mick Mars gives a very strong showing on his guitar work, including his use of the talk box. Enjoy!

The Joys of Jazz and Instrumental Music

Music Wed. In honor of the holiday, I am going to indulge in a second posting this week. Back in the 60s and 70s, every band featured one or two instrumental numbers on their albums to share (and oft times show off) their musical chops. Since modern pop artists have no such chops, the instrumental songs on albums died about 30 years ago. But I am here to declare that instrumental music is awesome, and I have three cuts to prove my case. First, is the great Jeff Beck, featuring my current favorite bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, on the indescribably eery and ethereal "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" (http://youtu.be/qMryWoRRqUc) and (http://youtu.be/VC02wGj5gPw) - yes, I gave you two versions because one is a wild jam at Crossroads 2007 where Tal goes nuts when Jeff turns her loose, and the second is a more refined version showcasing Jeff's mystical way of pulling notes from a guitar. Next, we will shift to a cover of one of my Top 5 Stevie Wonder songs, "Moon Blue", as covered by the David Reinhardt Trio and featuring Cyrille Aimee on vocals (http://youtu.be/1KAr3K3NtT0) - Ms. Aimee's vocals are passable, but wait until the end when she scats. Then she shows her artistry - all I can say is wow! Finally, we end with a version of a 60s sugary pop classic, "Sunny", that is given a lift by the Rosenberg Trio featuring David Reinhardt (http://youtu.be/iK4GF2GD1XI) - Messrs. Rosenberg and Reinhardt trade solos, never losing the song or each other. Sheer Brilliance. I always like to leave you with a little unexpected treat, so I want to share a recent discovery of Sting's haunting song "Fragile" featuring Sting and Stevie Wonder (http://youtu.be/Oi5FC2Mf-Bo) - keeping with our theme, this song features a virtuoso harmonica solo by Stevie that reminds us that John Popper is not the only one who can make this odd little instrument meaningful and beautiful. Enjoy! One last tip - if you love funky female bassists, check out rising star Alissia Benveniste on her composition "Let it Out" (http://youtu.be/ggPooXtzUD0) - pretty funky stuff for a music student!