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All the Leaves Are Brown
A Rate-the-Record challenge to get you through the winter
The Original
There’s a reason why this classic from the Classic Rock era doesn’t seem outdated like many of the other 60’s hits. Even if you could play the original in your head without any actual listening, please audition “California Dreamin” again before moving on the the following versions. (Spoiler: I think all three are superb, just different. Each has something to contribute.) I’m assuming no background for the original is necessary. (And for younger viewers, the badly lip-synched video was the norm back then. “Hey, it was the 60’s man.”)
A flute solo becomes a cover
The flute solo on the original performance was played by the West Coast jazz giant Bud Shank. A year or two later, he released an entire album featuring the track plus 11 other covers of pop songs from the era. The album California Dreamin’ featured inimitable duos with Shank’s California partner Chet Baker.
After a brief piano intro, Shank and Baker provide a unison rendering of the melody, but then riff on the melody each in his own way — Shank’s eastern-influenced mysticism and Baker’s heroin-tinged fatalism. Notice how Shank’s alto saxophone solos follow the basic melody, while Baker’s trumpet passages deconstruct the optimism of the Mamas and Papas melody. The centerpiece of Shank / Baker’s performance is (unexpectedly) a Shank flute solo, but not restricted to the simple elegance on the M&P song. Does it work? Include your observations below.
Scandinavian Dreaming
Fast-forward 50 years to the Swedish supergroup Amason’s EP California Airport Love. The instrumentalists typically take the subtle road while singer Amanda Bergman shines with her warm, sultry vocals (that make most torch songs sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks at 78 rpm — ask a Boomer).
So how well do these performances insulate you for the following months of cold? Comments and ranking (if you wish) below.
Standard and rationale for the Rate-A-Record series from Terry Barr
