A Couple Endings And A Beginning

I was sad to hear that Jerry Lieber, half the second best song-writing duo of rock and roll, passed away this weekend. Anyone who enjoys 50's R&B and early rock and roll has to love Lieber and Stoller.

There was another loss the same day.



Nick Ashford, who along with his wife Valerie Simpson, wrote some of Motown's greatest songs, has also left us. Later, in the 1970's, they decided to release some songs under their own names. It had long been Motown practice for songwriters to record demos so the performers had a template from which to work. That was how Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson started out. Diana Ross's cover of this duet is a sad piece of re-engineering; personally, of all the Ashford & Simpson songs, this is the one that, for me, stands the test of time the best.

Today was the first day of school for Moriah and Miriam. For Moriah, it was a milestone of sorts - her first day of high school. So, in honor of this momentous occasion . . .



Con Alma - Wes Montgomery
Old Folks - Miles Davis
Home By The Sea (Live) - Genesis
Into The Lens - Yes
Offertorium "Salve Regina" - Franz Schubert
Single Girl, Married Girl - The Carter Family
Closer to Fine(Live) - The Indigo Girls
Don't Leave Me Now (Live) - Pink Floyd
Rumba Mama - Weather Report
Symphony 31 in D, 3rd movement, Allegro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

As Roy Harper's lyrics say, it is usually those labeled immoral who stand and hold back the moral nightmare.