Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Ten Bold Cover Tunes Part XII: Theme From Peter Gunn Edition

Welcome to another edition of Ten Bold Cover Tunes. (See the links below for access to previous editions.). 

One of the most important songs in the history of rock-and-roll is bandleader Henry Mancini's "Theme From Peter Gunn." Peter Gunn was a private-eye television series that ran from 1958-1961. Mancini won an Emmy and a few Grammy awards for the soundtrack, and the music became more memorable than the actual show. 

The great Henry Mancini, known mostly for jazzy soundtracks, composed and recorded a rock classic with "Theme From Peter Gunn" in 1959

Because he was thought of mostly as a jazz composer, few in 1959 considered "Theme From Peter Gunn" to be a rock-and-roll song. Thirty years later in his 1989 autobiography, Mancini revealed the rock roots of the song: 

The Peter Gunn title theme actually derives more from rock and roll than from jazz. I used guitar and piano in unison, playing what is known in music as an ostinato, which means obstinate. It was sustained throughout the piece, giving it a sinister effect, with some frightened saxophone sounds and some shouting brass. The piece has one chord throughout and a super-simple top line. 

Henry Mancini's Original Theme From Peter Gunn

I believe the Theme From Peter Gunn is important in the history of rock-and-roll for three main reasons. First, it helped to establish that purely instrumental music could be included in the rock genre; the instrument only style would later proliferate in the surf era (early 1960s) and then the progressive rock era of the 1970s. Second, the song was a breath of fresh air for AM radio. By 1959, mostly because of racist pressures, radio programmers banished the early rock stars like Chuck Berry and Little Richard and replaced them with sappy "teen idol" music (think Frankie Avalon and Fabian) that did not offend bigots or parents (the bigot and the parent were often the same person). Third, Theme From Peter Gunn has some nasty horn playing that helped keep brass in the rock genre at a time when it was gradually being phased out in favor of the basic garage band guitar/bass/drum framework. To this very day rock has a kind of love/hate relationship with horns--songs like Theme From Peter Gunn helped to guarantee that brass would never completely disappear from the genre. 

Covering any song, as the Ten Bold Cover Tunes series has pointed out repeatedly, is no easy task. Covering an instrumental is doubly difficult, as the "personality" of rock songs is typically thought of in terms of vocal stylings. In order to cover an instrumental successfully, the cover artist has to find a way to stay true to the melody, but bring something fresh to the effort so that listeners don't experience the aural equivalent of watching someone paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa. In other words, when covering an instrumental the danger of dishonoring the original is quite high. 

Below are ten cover versions of Theme From Peter Gunn that, in my humble view, honor the original tune while bringing something fresh to it. In no particular order: 

#10 Guitar Hero Version: Roy Buchanan. The late Roy Buchanan, one of the most underrated guitar players in history (his name should be mentioned along with Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Page, and Van Halen) was known for his gritty riffs and wailing solos. Theme From Peter Gunn was the perfect vehicle for his style. 

Roy Buchanan Live: Theme From Peter Gunn

#9 Progressive Rock Version: Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Keith Emerson's legendary keyboard chops were on full display when progressive rock icons ELP incorporated Theme From Peter Gunn into their set list in the late 1970s. They introduced an entirely new generation of listeners to the tune--many thought it was an ELP original. 

ELP Live: Theme From Peter Gunn


#8 Soul Version: The Blues Brothers. The soundtrack to the iconic 1980 Dan Aykroyd/John Belushi Blues Brothers movie featured some of the best musicians from the Memphis Stax records label. The band recorded a version of Theme From Peter Gunn that stayed true to Mancini's original while simultaneously sounding like a Booker T & the MGs revival. 

The Blues Brothers: Theme From Peter Gunn

             

#7 Vocal Version: Joe Jackson. Lyrics to Theme From Peter Gunn were actually added in 1965 by composers Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. The great Sarah Vaughn then did a vocal version of it in that year. I personally prefer British New Wave artist Joe Jackson's 2019 version. Not only is Joe Jackson still in great voice (he has been performing and recording since the late 1970s), but his band absolutely kicks ass in this number. 

Joe Jackson Theme From Peter Gunn

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#6 Disco Version: Deodato. Eumir Deodato, the Brazilian multi-instrumentalist arranger and producer, rode the disco wave with this 1976 version of Theme From Peter Gunn. It's actually one of the most fun versions of the tune ever recorded, and of course the most danceable. 

Deodato: Theme From Peter Gunn
 

#5 Surf Version: Dick Dale. Jimi Hendrix listed Dick Dale as among his biggest influences. Listen to Dale's version of Theme From Peter Gunn and you will know why. "The father of surf guitar" brings Peter Gunn to the beach in a raucous, raunchy, memorable version of the tune. 


#4 Jazz Version: Dave Grusin. In terms of sheer innovation and originality, pianist/arranger Dave Grusin's version of the tune might be the best on the list. If Henry Mancini had decided to stick to his jazz roots in 1959 instead of producing a rock number, the end result might have been what Grusin came up with many years later. Truly amazing. 


#3 Synth Pop Version: The Art of Noise Featuring Duane Eddy. In 1986 British synth pop group The Art of Noise brought Peter Gunn into the MTV era. They invited guitar icon Duane Eddy (who had recorded his own version of the tune in 1959) to jam it with them, and the band won a Grammy Award for their efforts. 


#2 R & B Version: King Curtis. The late King Curtis was a saxophone wrecking machine, and played on a number of classic records including Aretha Franklin's version of "Respect." His sax playing does not disappoint on Theme From Peter Gunn. 


#1 Horniest Version: The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. I became aware of this version about 3 or 4 years ago, when I was searching online for Mancini's original version and came across Qatar's in the search results. It's really remarkable: ten horn players held together by a brilliant drummer. Great version. 


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Saturday, January 01, 2022

The 2021 TONY Awards For Excellence in Media

I would like to dedicate this year's edition of the Tony Awards For Excellence in Media to all of the journalists around the world who were killed, imprisoned, and harassed in 2021 for committing the "crime" of journalism. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2021 the number of journalists behind bars reached a global record of 293, up from 280 a year ago. Reporters Without Borders provides evidence that 488 journalists were detained in 2021, while 46 were killed, 65 held hostage, and two remain missing. The situation is dire. 

Who are the main offenders? China is the most oppressive country for journalists, leading an infamous top five that includes Myanmar, Egypt, Vietnam, and Belarus. 

Zhang Zhan is a Chinese citizen journalist. Arrested for her independent reporting on COVID in Wuhan, she was tried and convicted of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." After her imprisonment, Zhang Zhan went on hunger strike and has apparently been force fed.  There is a realistic chance that she might die in prison unless more international pressure can be directed at the Chinese government. 

In the United States in 2021, over 50 journalists were arrested or detained while doing their jobs according to the US Press Freedom Tracker. Meanwhile the United States government continues to make it impossible for whistleblower Edward Snowden to return from exile in Russia, while Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange (now in his tenth year of detention for revealing that the global emperors have no clothes) wastes away in a London cell. As noted by Chris Hedges: 

Assange committed empire’s greatest sin. He exposed it as a criminal enterprise. He documented its lies, callous disregard for human life, rampant corruption and innumerable war crimes. Republican or Democrat. Conservative or Labour. Trump or Biden. It does not matter. The goons who oversee the empire sing from the same Satanic songbook. Empires always kill those who inflict deep and serious wounds. 

Against that backdrop, let's reveal the Tony recipients!  I operate from no automatic set of criteria when deciding what to honor, but I am generally drawn to: 
  • insightful works that shed light on some important public issue.
  • creative works that deserve a wider audience.
  • informative works that provide eye-opening education on a difficult topic.
  • courageous works that speak truth to power.
  • humorous works that skillfully provoke laughter and thought at the same time.
  • local works that promote community and civic engagement.
Like all end of year lists, mine is purely subjective and I do not pretend to come even close to recognizing all the great media produced during the year. If you don't like my list, or have some other works in mind worth recognizing, the solution is simple: invent your own award and write up a list of recipients! 

And now, without any further ado, here are the 2021 Tony Award recipients: 

*Best Local Journalist: Miles Maguire of the Oshkosh Examiner. This is Miles' fifth consecutive Tony. Though he operates on a budget that is a fraction of what the local corporate chain media has at its disposal, Miles produces trustworthy journalism of depth. If every city in America had at least one Miles Maguire producing independent journalism, I dare say that leaders would be held accountable in ways they currently are not. If you have not already done so, consider subscribing to the Oshkosh Examiner. (For some added motivation to subscribe, read Miles' New Years Day letter to readers.). 

In 2021 Miles appeared on the Running on MT podcast with Matt King and I.  You can listen to that here. 


*Best State of Wisconsin Journalism: The Wisconsin Examiner. The Wisconsin Examiner is the unmatched leader in producing daily, rigorous, progressive, Wisconsin based journalism. In their mission statement they say, We take our inspiration from the motto emblazoned on a ceiling in our state Capitol: “The Will of the People Is the Law of the Land.” The Wisconsin Examiner's outstanding staff (Editor-in-Chief Ruth Conniff, Deputy Editor Melanie Conklin, reporters Erik Gunn, Isiah Holmes, Henry Redman) reveal that inspiration in all of their stories and opinion pieces. To find out what is really going on in Wisconsin's politics & government, work & the economy, education, environment, criminal justice, and civil rights & immigration, do yourself a favor and follow the Wisconsin Examiner. The site is available for free, but you can donate whatever you can afford here. 

In 2021 Wisconsin Examiner journalist Erik Gunn appeared on the Running on MT podcast with Matt King and I. You can find that interview here. 

*Most Surprising Story of the Year: National Public Radio's "The Clear and Present Danger of Trump's Enduring 'Big Lie.'" There was a time many years ago when NPR could be looked to for hard hitting, independent reporting. Over the years NPR management allowed itself to be bullied by partisan attacks, and so for at least the last decade NPR reporting has featured the worst of kind of "both sides do it" reporting, or what NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen calls the "view from  nowhere." The result? Mediocre reporting that achieves the purpose of shielding NPR from partisan attacks, but in the process diminishes any meaningful watchdog impact in the public sphere. 

Much to my pleasant surprise, in late December NPR's Melissa Block reported on Donald Trump's Big Lie in a hard hitting way that was the complete opposite of the mealy-mouthed babble flooding the network for far too long. As noted by professor Rosen: 

*Best Photo Feature: The Wisconsin State Journal's Picturing a Pandemic. Across the Internet one can find thousands of photo features documenting the pandemic. I like the Wisconsin State Journal's March 7, 2021 compilation because it avoids the temptation to become the "misery porn" that is so much of the visual representation of the impact of COVID-19 on our lives. Instead, the State Journal feature is striking in how it captures the struggle of ordinary people to remain . . . well, ordinary during the outbreak. 

This picture of a masked grandpa and his grandchildren enjoying a day at Vilas Zoo shortly after its reopening is the kind of human moment captured in the Wisconsin State Journal photo feature. 

*Letter of the Year: Raleigh Mayer's Letter to the Editor of the New York Times on the Oxford, MI school shooting. Raleigh Mayer needed only seventy words to capture, with blunt truth and poignancy, how we are now in "banality of evil" territory when it comes to gun violence and the mainstream coverage of it: 

The reference to the massacre at Oxford High School as "the year's deadliest school shooting" is, through no fault of the reporter, shocking in its banality. 

The fact that we now compare the numbers of schoolchildren murdered the way we might measure the stock market ("this year's most volatile trading day") or sports teams ("their biggest loss this season") is disgusting. 

If school shootings are banal, then we are evil. 

*Best Video Documentary of the January 6th Insurrection: The New York Times' "Day of Rage--How Trump Supporters Took the US Capitol."  According to Haley Willis, one of the producers of the NYT video: 

Our Visual Investigations team synchronized and mapped thousands of videos of the U.S. Capital riot to provide the most complete picture to date of what happened on Jan. 6 -- and why. This was a massive team effort over six months, involving resources from across the Times newsroom. We went to court to unseal police body camera footage, scoured law enforcement radio communications and interviewed witnesses. 

The 40-minute documentary is a remarkable and troubling spectacle. It is a powerful indictment--not just of Donald Trump--but of his congressional enablers who continue to minimize the violence, shift blame, and frustrate attempts to hold the perpetrators accountable. 
*Best Journalistic Warning Shot: Barton Gellman's "Trump's Next Coup Has Already Begun" (The Atlantic). In meticulous detail, Gellman exposes the political treachery at work that is slowly eroding what is left of representative democracy in the United States. Much of Gellman's report centers on retired New  York City firefighter Richard C. Patterson, whose story is a kind of representative anecdote of millions of patriotic Americans who have been conned by the lies and conspiracy theories emanating from Donald Trump and his core enablers. Writes Gellman of Patterson: "His convictions are worth examining because he and millions of Americans who think as he does are the primary source of Trump's power to corrupt the next election." 

To explain the passions and potential of the "lumpen Trumpers," Gellman turns to Robert Pape, Director of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST). Pape has spent most of his adult life studying the roots of political violence globally. He argues that the Biden Administration is wrong to conceive of the most extreme elements of January 6th as "lone wolves." Rather, CPOST's survey data leads him to believe that in the United States right now there are as many as 21 million "committed insurrectionists" representing a "new, politically violent mass movement." Many of them are White Americans motivated by fear of the "Great Replacement" Theory (propagated by Tucker Carlson and others on the Right) that Americans of European ancestry see their numbers dwindling as a result of an elite conspiracy to replace them with more compliant, non-European people of color. 

Gellman concludes: "Donald Trump came closer than anyone thought he could to toppling a free elections a year ago. He is preparing in plain view to do it again, and his position is growing stronger. Republican acolytes have identified the weak points in our electoral apparatus and are methodically exploiting them. They have set loose and and now are driven by the animus of tens of millions of aggrieved Trump supporters who are prone to conspiracy thinking, embrace violence, and reject democratic defeat. Those supporters, Robert Pape's 'committed insurrectionists,' are armed and single-minded and will know what to do the next time Trump calls upon them to act."

We ignore Gellman's journalistic warning shot at our own peril. 

*Best Vote Fraud Debunker: The Associated Press. In 2022, expect the most Trump-debased elements of the GOP to continue to spread disinformation about 2020 voter fraud. When you hear that horseshit, refer to the Associated Press's thorough investigation of all battleground state fraud claims from 2020. Kudos to the AP for providing a well documented, independent, and legitimate examination of what actually happened in 2020. 

*Best Climate Change Reporting: The New  York Times' "Postcards From a World on Fire." This truly outstanding New York Times feature provides 193 stories highlighting the intensity of global climate change across the globe. How tragic that world "leaders" continue to lack the will to do what is necessary to address the crisis. 
*Best Talk Show Episode: Marc Lamont Hill's Interview of Chris Rufo (Black News Channel). In 2021 the political right, with much success, held up the specter of "Critical Race Theory" as the latest in a long line of efforts to scare white people in general, but especially white voters. Republican legislators in almost all states have attempted to ban "anti-racist" teaching in schools. Some pundits argue that anti-CRT sentiment contributed to the Republicans retaking the governor's office in Virginia in 2021, and that CRT is "on the ballot" in 2022. 

Much of the hysteria against CRT and anti-racism teaching in general has been sparked by Chris Rufo of the Manhattan Institute. His claims have been amplified and largely unchallenged by conservative media. Meanwhile, rather than debate the merits of CRT or anti-racism education, so-called "liberal" mainstream media promote the narrative that such educational practices do not even exist. The result is that news media consumers never get to witness a genuine debate about what anti-racism education is, is not, or should be. 

If mainstream media were truly interested in educating the public about anti-racism education, then news directors should do whatever they can to make sure that Americans see the brief debate between Chris Rufo and Marc Lamont Hill on Hill's "Black News Tonight" program on the Black News Channel. Hill has invited numerous CRT critics on the program, and more often than not they reveal that they have not actually read any credible CRT sources. Mr. Rufo, on the other hand, is very well versed in CRT. His debate with Hill was one of the only times (perhaps THE only time) he actually was confronted by someone with expert knowledge on the topic. I urge everyone to watch their exchange. The last few minutes are especially fascinating, as Hill politely but firmly explains to Rufo why Black people in American cannot benefit from saying "I don't see race" in the same way that White people do. By the end of the interview, Hill had succeeded in showing why CRT or something like it is actually very necessary in our schools. 

See the exchange between Rufo and Hill here. 
Best Reworking of the First Amendment: Professor Mary Anne Franks.  The United States Constitution is an 18th century document written by people who could not have imagined the complexities of 21st century life. We SHOULD appreciate the fact that it is difficult to amend the Constitution; if it were too easy we would have powerful interests spending huge sums of money to rewrite it to align with their own interests. On the other hand, we SHOULD NOT treat Constitutional language like it is some kind of God ordained gospel that cannot be tinkered with lest we rot in hell.  

Professor Mary Anne Franks is the Michael R. Klein Distinguished Scholar Chair at the University of Miami School of Law and the author of "The Cult of the Constitution: Our Deadly Devotion to Guns and Free Speech." The book actually came out in 2019, but in 2021 Franks' push for reworking the first two amendments got more notice thanks to a Boston Globe op-ed and coverage in other sources. I'm not sure if I completely agree with Franks' suggested redo of the First Amendment, but I do believe that a debate about whether or not the current language is meeting our 21st century needs is a debate worth having. Here is Franks' suggested wording: 

Every person has the right to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and petition of the government for redress of grievances, consistent with the rights of others to the same and subject to responsibility for abuses. All conflicts of such rights shall be resolved in accordance with the principle of equality and dignity of all persons. 

Both the freedom of religion and the freedom from religion shall be respected by the government. The government may not single out any religion for interference or endorsement, nor may it force any person to accept or adhere to any religious belief or practice. 

See Professor Franks speak about her views on the Constitution here.
Song of the Year: John Fogerty's Weeping in the Promised Land. Fogerty's song came out early in 2021 and it was largely a response to his observation of 2020. Unfortunately a year later we are still weeping. In this song, which is probably Fogerty's best since his Creedence Clearwater Revival days, he laments the twin tragedies of our failed COVID response and continuing racism. 

Watch and listen here. 
If you got this far, thank you and continue to support quality media! Happy New Year. 
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