It’s a Musical Monday again here on Robert Frost’s Banjo, so get yourself a nice hot morning beverage & kick back! Today’s tune dates back a few years, & to a much different musical incarnation for Eberle & myself—this was recorded when we were performing as Five & Dime Jazz—a loosely conceived duet that could go from playing “Stars Fell on Alabama” on melodica & tenor guitar to a middle eastern hoedown on bowed psaltery & 6-string bouzouki. It should be added that we didn’t make such transitions within any given show—maybe we should have!
“Plum Blossom Serenade” is a song we wrote in 2006, & I’m pretty sure it was about this time of year. I came up with the chord progression & the guitar part, & Eberle came up with her melodica part to go on top—it may be an unusual way to write songs, but it’s the way we always did when we collaborated. This particular recording of the song—made back in our minidisk days—was used in the soundtrack for a play called Rootabaga Country, based on Carl Sandburg’s excellent books, Rootabaga Stories. If you’ve never read them, I recommend them very highly!
Hope you enjoy the music.
Cool! This brought up a vision of a couple walking hand-in-hand under a lane of blossoming ornamental trees as the petals flutter down in a gentle breeze. Good work!
ReplyDeleteLove this one, just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful ray of sun in my dark, wet Monday morning! Yes, it really is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI've got my coffee and it's raining, and now I'm basking in the scent of plum blossoms. Lovely, lovely melody.
ReplyDeletePerfect soundtrack for the long view across the spring fields. Thank you, both. (Good to hear a melodica operating so effectively as a legit instrument.)
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, one of the band names that Andy Fernbach and I used (previous episode in the 'Rock'n'Roll Years') was Five-and-Dime, as in Fernbach's Five-and-Dime. Great minds...)
most enjoyable music! i hope to carry the beauty of the tune and your images upstairs with me as i get started on a new work in the studio!
ReplyDeleteboy, you and eberle are a talented duo!
thanks for heads up to sandburg's rootabaga stories... i have never read them!
Hi Roy, Scotty, Willow, Nana Jo, Dick & Mouse!
ReplyDeleteRoy: Glad you liked it! Thanks.
Scotty: Thanks--am very much enjoying "Song a Day in May" btw!
Willow & Nana Jo: Thanks tom you both--nice to think of the music playing on a rainy Monday.
Dick: Eberle is very good on the melodica! & the Five & Dime connection is fun indeed!
Mouse: Glad you liked it, & yes, you'd love Rootabaga Stories!
How very interesting and fulfilling it must be to be able to collaborate like this, and what a treat that you share it with us!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen: Thanks! Collaboration is very rewarding, tho it can be difficult, too. Glad you enjoyed the music!
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