An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary. Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out ! Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

Thanks go to Dave Lawrence for enthusing about this crazy Croatian cellist duo of Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser - artistically known as 2Cellos. 

Playing instrumental arrangements of well-known pop and rock songs, as well as classical and film music. Check this video out and the many more available on YouTube.

This'll get you started >

  

I completely missed the sad news of the death of Christine McVie last week (there must have other things going on 😏)

Did you see the BBC reran a special about her career, which was mostly with Fleetwood Mac. Her first band was Chicken Shack with Stan Webb, when she was still, somewhat accurately Christine Perfect. The band had a 1969 hit single with a version of Etta James' - 'I'd Rather Go Blind' - the same year Christine was voted best female vocalist by readers of the 'Melody Maker'. 

To quote Stan Webb "RIP Chris. A legend never dies" 

This song has already been a Star Track, way back in 2016, performed on that occasion by Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa. 

  

Can't quite recall how I came across this video, but the bass guitar solo certainly registered and when I discovered the player shared my birth date, I had to earmark it for today's track.  

Tal Wilkenfeld (born 2 December 1986) is an Australian bassist and guitarist, singer and songwriter and has performed with lots of well-known artists over the years.

In 2008, Tal was voted "The Year's Most Exciting New Player" by Bass Player magazine readers' choice poll [at age 22]. 

This video is of Jeff Beck live at Ronnie Scott's in 2007, performing the Stevie Wonder composition (as an instrumental): 'Cause We've Ended as Lovers'.

One minute 30 in, her solo starts and she looks pretty pleased with herself 70 seconds later -
many happy returns > 

In addition, and interesting listening - here is Rick Beato analysing this very song and informing us that Jeff Beck is 'Uncopyable' > click here. 

 

For the record over the last seven years   T H E  F R I D A Y  M U S I C  S P O T   has now starred 350 tracks, from the beginning in November 2015. 

The first 50 songs can be replayed via this link. For 51-100 click here: 101-150 click this one and then 151-200 (link) ; while 200-250 is here ; 250-300 right here. Today lists the last 50, below.

Click on the blue arrow ➤ to replay that track. Please note: Many of the 350 videos are showing unavailable now, but you can search for an alternative, if you wish.

301 ➤ All I Want Is You......…..............….............................. Roxy Music
302 ➤ Different Drum …................................................... Stone Poneys
303 ➤ Starman.........…........................................................ David Bowie
304 ➤ Fill to me the Parting Glass .......... Shaun Davey with Orchestra
305 ➤ Willin'...........…....…......................... Linda Ronstadt / Experience
306 ➤ To Her Door...............………......................................... Paul Kelly
307 ➤ Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) ..................... Jerry Garcia Band
308 ➤ Comin' Back to Me ……….............….…......... Jefferson Airplane
309 ➤ Cry Baby.…………..................................................... Janis Joplin
310 ➤ Motorcycle Emptiness.........….…......… Manic Street Preachers

311 ➤ Paris 1919….…............................................................. John Cale
312 ➤ Sweet Jane …............................................................... Lou Reed
313 ➤ War......…….............................................................… Edwin Starr
314 ➤ Everlasting Love ........................................................ Love Affair
315 ➤ Milky Way........……....…..............................................…… Kitaro
316 ➤ Splendor…….….……..........….............................................. M83
317 ➤ Guitar Jangle ...................................................... Jason Loughlin
318 ➤ Floodlit World ……….................…............................ Ultrasound
319 ➤ Jumpin Jack Flash……….............................… Ananda Shankar

320 ➤ Revolution.........……................................................… Tomorrow

321 ➤ Get Over You….….….……................................. The Undertones

322 ➤ Universal Soldier ......................................................... Donovan
323 ➤ Look Through Any Window .......……...................... The Hollies
324 ➤ Six Blocks Away .............................................. Lucinda Williams
325 ➤ I'll Find My Way Home........................…............. Jon & Vangelis

326 ➤ True Faith................................................................... New Order
327 ➤ End of Me ...............................................................… Billy Talent
328 ➤ Latin Quarter ………..............….................…….… Marc Antoine
329 ➤ Parallels.…………..............................................................… Yes
330 ➤ First Born Leaders..............…...........................… Jon Anderson

331 ➤ Horizontigo….….….……....................................................... Lau

332 ➤ Gimme Hope Jo'Anna …......................................... Eddie Grant
333 ➤ Telstar………......................................................… The Tornados
334 ➤ Yesterday .............................................................. Blues Beatles
335 ➤ Even If I Could........…....................…. The Mamas & The Papas

336 ➤ Stay With Me.…….….………............................................. Faces
337 ➤ The Bluest Blues .....................................................… Alvin Lee
338 ➤ The Heart of Saturday Night ….….........................… Tom Waits
339 ➤ Black Light Night.……..............................… The Hanging Stars
340 ➤ The Driving of the Year Nail.…................................. Leo Kottke

341 ➤ Zadok the Priest ............................................................. Handel

342 ➤ May You Never ….................................................... John Martyn
343 ➤ The King Will Come .…….................................... Wishbone Ash
344 ➤ 007 Theme Tune ....................................... John Barry Orchestra 
345 ➤ Waking Up ...................…............................................... Elastica
346 ➤ Shake Your Money Maker .…......... Paul Butterfield Blues Band
347 ➤ If I Had the World To Give ...............................… Grateful Dead
348 ➤ Diana ………..............….……...................................... Paul Anka
349 ➤ Walking In Memphis.………….................................. Marc Cohn
350 ➤ I Put a Spell on You .…………............................. Alan Price Set

  

Today is number 350 on the 'Star Track' playlist. Time then for a bumper posting.

But first, how I got to today's track... 

For the majority of this year we have become addicted to watching re-runs of the TV series 'Heartbeat' on ITV3. The result being it has reminded me of many songs from the 60s, some quite obscure, lost but not forgotten. The programmes, which were lovingly made between 1992 and 2010 hold up very well and in recreating those innocent times of my youth are a mark of its continued popularity. This is how I was reminded of 'I Put a Spell on You'. 

From here I found this website "Far Out" which added versions I was not familiar with: "The 5 best covers of 'I Put a Spell on You'". Originally written and released by 'Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1956 I quote "Far Out":- Over the years, various artists have come up with different presentations of ‘I Put a Spell on You’ using the influence gathered from their own genre of music.

So buckle up and click here for those 5 versions - as listed below:- have a listen, take your time and take your pick

1. ➤ Creedence Clearwater Revival > from 1968, great guitar from John Fogerty

2. ➤ Nina Simone > a very jazzy version

3. ➤ Natacha Atlas > British-Egyptian singer well known for her diverse musical experimentations - this has WILD middle eastern beats 

4. ➤ Alan Price Set (see below)

5. ➤ Annie Lennox > another different take - simple piano builds to a bigger production

The version I heard on 'Heartbeat' was by the Alan Price Set from 1966 > which put me in mind of the Animals 'House of the Rising Sun' (due to the organ sound from Alan Price*)

Not surprisingly 'I Put a Spell on You' is another song from the Hall of Fame's 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. 

* Curiously Alan Price turned up in a Christmas episode of 'Heartbeat' in 2004, as a shifty musician. 

   

I didn't have any blue suede shoes and I didn't arrive by plane and it certainly wasn't pouring with rain.
But I was definitely in the land of the Delta Blues and I was unmistakably walking in Memphis, walking with my feet, ten feet off of Beale !

10 years ago, I was doing exactly that - on the road from New York via Nashville to New Orleans - destination Thanksgiving Day 2012. 

Cue Marc Cohn, composer and singer of "Walking In Memphis" with the official music video [in B/W] 

Some of you may prefer the version by Cher [click here then] 

  

November 14th, 1952 – the first UK Singles Chart is published in the New Music Express. It is published as a Top 12, although it comprises 15 singles - because of ties at No. 7; No. 8 and No. 11. The No. 1 is Al Martino's 'Here In My Heart' and the first No. 2 is Jo Stafford's 'You Belong To Me'. The NME chart is henceforth viewed as the start of the Official Singles Chart lineage. 

As that first chart of single record sales goes it's not very Pop and it certainly doesn't Rock or Roll, so I'm jumping forward five years to one I remember from my parent's collection. A 78rpm [DB 3980 on the Columbia label] - another UK No.1, occupying top spot for 9 weeks in 1957* - 'Diana' by Paul Anka.

I actually have my parent's original 78 shellac record, still plays too, complete with the very same outer sleeve seen here in this retro video. Let's play the record player... 

Fun Fact: DJ Bob Harris bought his first 78rpm disc in 1957. It was Paul Anka's 'Diana' (which apparently, he still has, too). 

* Replacing 'Diana' at No.1 at the beginning of November in 1957 was 'That'll Be The Day' by Buddy Holly & the Crickets.  

An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary. Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out ! Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

On the Mexican Day of the Dead here's some more Grateful Dead -

From the acclaimed 'Europe '72' live triple record release, this is "China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider" - and a fantastic psychedelic video to complete the 'let's get high' experience...

From the same record check out 'Jack Straw'; 'Ramble On Rose'; 'Sugar Magnolia' & 'Morning Dew' 

There was a special anniversary edition of 'Europe '72' released earlier this year [see here] 

  

This coming Tuesday is the Mexican Day of the Dead - "Dia de los muertos".

In some way this has been, for me, the 'Year of the DEAD' - as in the Grateful Dead. Back in January I discovered a lot of music from the Jerry Garcia Band [see January 21st blog], and since then more great music has come to light. 

Starting with 'If I Had the World to Give' from the band's tenth album 'Shakedown Street' released in 1978 - it's very Beatles-ish I think you'll agree. 

So now I consider myself a 'Deadhead' - which is what all fans (and there are many famous people who are - Matt Groening of Simpsons fame for one) call themselves >

Coming this Tuesday - please log on for more Grateful Dead from the 'Europe 72' album. There's a real psychedelic video from YouTube to also blow your mind.

   

Today's Star Track is prompted by two thoughts.  

Our, soon to be, new local watering hole (more on that coming soon) has a gallery of old black and white photos on display, one being of a very young Mike Bloomfield, then guitarist with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. 

While the title of this particular track off the band's 1965 debut album seemed a good one for the lucrative world of the property market.  

"Shake Your Money Maker" was written by Elmore James in 1961 and is included in the list of 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. Covered here by Paul Butterfield (harmonica and vocals), Mike Bloomfield (lead guitar), Elvin Bishop (rhythm), Jerome Arnold (bass), Sam Ley (drums) & Mark Naftalin (organ) - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band > 

Check out other tracks from this album - especially 'Last Night' written by Little Walter.

Plus a 'live' recording from Monterey in 1967 - 'Drifin'Blues' > 

With Mike Bloomfield talking to camera as an introduction - click here