Fun Father’s Day Tracks

Nowadays Father’s Day in the U.S. is celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June. But did you know that Father’s Day was first proposed in 1909 to complement Mother’s Day, which had been founded in 1908? Yup, that sounds about right, doesn’t it? Mothers were appreciated first and then fathers. Ladies first!

Sonora Smart Dodd, who was living on a farm in Spokane, Washington held her father in high esteem. When Dodd was sixteen her mother died in childbirth, leaving her and her father to care for five little brothers.

Dodd heard a church sermon about the newly recognized Mother’s Day and felt strongly that fatherhood deserved recognition as well. She approached the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and suggested her father’s own birthday, June 5, but the Alliance chose the third Sunday instead.

Now the question remains, what jazz music should you listen to on Father’s Day this year? Don’t worry–Night is Alive has got you covered with some recommendations:

Horace Silver – Song for My Father

This 1965 song is really the ultimate jazz standard for Father’s Day. This title composition was dedicated to Silver’s father, who is featured on the album cover artwork. On the iconic album cover, John Tavares Silver, sits with a cigar in his mouth and a smile on his face. The photo was taken on a trip to Brazil and, like the song, it captures a portrait of Silver’s father, who was born on one of the Cape Verde islands.

Cannonball Adderley – One for Daddy-O

If your daddy-o is a fan of jazz, he is sure to tap his toes along to this cool, laid-back blues classic. Released in 1958, “One for Daddy-O” features jazz legends Miles Davis and Art Blakey and provides the perfect ambience to lean back in a favorite recliner, drink a whiskey, or smoke a cigar.

David Arnay – Daddy’s Groove

Compared to the other tracks on this playlist, “Daddy’s Groove” is a bit newer: released in 1997. This instrumental tune creates a subtly groovy ambience that just might coax your dad into some sly dancing. The piano solos are especially noteworthy!

Bobby McFerrin – Discipline

The dispensing of discipline often falls to the father of the house. We may have disdained it when we were unruly teenagers, but as adults, we know that discipline is important. In this heartfelt 1990 song, Bobby McFerrin performs alongside his own father, the legendary baritone Robert McFerrin Sr.

Night is Alive’s albums are the perfect gift for any father or father-figure. Unsure which one to choose? Check out our best sellers.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Steven Abraham on Unsplash

Golden Hour Bossa Nova Jazz

Golden hour is a term usually used in photography to describe the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset, when daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is high up in the sky. Cinematographers and photographers also sometimes call this time the magic hour because the brightness of the sky matches the streetlights, signs, car headlights and lit windows!

I don’t know about you, but for some reason the golden or magic hour just calls for some bossa nova jazz, especially right before sunset. There’s nothing like driving home after a long workday, watching the red sun soak the scenery in gold, and letting some smooth bossa nova wash over you.

Bossa nova is a relaxed style of Brazilian samba that originated in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro. Bossa nova is essentially a simplification and stylization on the guitar of the rhythm produced by a samba school band: it is calm, syncopated with chords and fingerstyles that mimic the beat of a samba groove. The complex chords in bossa nova were not derived from jazz, but the two styles evolved at the same time, and bossa nova was influenced by jazz in the harmonies used and instrumentation of songs. Nowadays, many bossa nova songs are considered jazz standards!

Now let’s listen to a few bossa nova standards to help you unwind and ease into the golden hour:

João Gilberto – Chega de Saudade

This little song made big waves in the Brazilian school of music. Released in April 1959, “Chega de Saudade” was the first composition to showcase Gilberto’s new guitar beat that gave rise to the bossa nova genre. The tune’s harmonies are also particularly sophisticated and the lyrics are elegant.

Stan Getz & João Gilberto – Desafinado

Music historians cite “Desafinado,” released in 1959, as the first official bossa nova. This song was originally composed in response to critics that claimed bossa nova was a genre for singers who can’t actually sing. In Portuguese, “desafinado” means “out of tune” which is meant to mock the criticism. English-language adaptations then emerged that reframe the title as a love song about lovers who have fallen “slightly out of tune.”

Antônio Carlos Jobim & Frank Sinatra – The Girl from Ipanema

“The Girl from Ipanema” is probably one of the most well-known bossa nova songs. With Jobim and Sinatra singing together, the song really represents the fusion of Brazilian bossa nova and American jazz. It became a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s and won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965.

Manhã de Carnaval – Elizeth Cardoso

“Manhã de Carnaval,” often also referred to as “Black Orpheus” appeared in the 1959 Portuguese-language film Orfeu Negro, which was a romantic tragedy based on the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice but set in a contemporary favela in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. Versions of the song are sung or hummed by the two main characters, which makes it the main musical theme of the film. It was one of the first Bossa Nova compositions to gain popularity outside Brazil, especially in France and the U.S.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Pearse O’Halloran on Unsplash

Chicago Blues Festival

The sun is shining, there is a lightness in the air and kids are celebrating the end of the school year with field day. You know what that means: it’s officially summer! Summer is the season to get outside, spend time with family and friends, and listen to great music. So, why not check out the Chicago Blues Festival? This wonderful festival will combine all the greatest things about summer to create an experience that you’ll cherish forever.

The Chicago Blues Festival will run from Thursday, June 4 to Sunday, June 7 at Ramova Theatre and Millennium Park. That means five days of music and discussion panels to tantalise the senses and nourish the soul! And did you know that entry to the festival is completely free? I know, it’s hard to believe, but it’s true–the Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free Blues festival in the entire world. Some of the highlights this year include Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band, John Primer and Willie Clayton. To browse the full daily schedule, see this link.

If you can’t attend the festival but still want to enjoy some blues music, check out WDCB-FM’s live radio broadcasts that will celebrate the Chicago Blues Festival. These will be held monthly on Bluesday Tuesday and June 4 at noon.

Now to help you decide which musicians to see, Night is Alive will showcase a few of the performers, along with the time and location of their shows:

John Primer

Three-time-Grammy-nominee John Primer will perform on Thursday, June 4 from 7:15-8:30 in the Ramova Theatre. Originally from Mississippi, John Primer is a singer and guitar player known for his role in helping to create the sound and style of the Chicago Blues.

Freddie Dixon Blues Band

The Freddie Dixon Blues Band is a unique blues group that features a violinist and blends the genres of Blues and classical music to offer an unparalleled musical experience. They will be playing on Friday, June 5 from 6:30-7:45 in Rosa’s Lounge (North Promenade) of Millennium Park.

Gerry Hundt Trio

This is another fusion group that mixes Chicago Blues, Surf, Rock, Country and Jazz to produce an unforgettable performance that is tailored to each venue. This trio has performed across Europe and the U.S. If you enjoy Magic Sam, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush and/or Chris Stapleton, then this is the show for you! The Gerry Hundt Trio performs on Saturday, June 6 from 5-6:15 in Rosa’s Lounge (North Promenade).

Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band

The legendary octogenarian Taj Mahal and his three-decade collaborators have made a name for themselves as two-time-Grammy-award-winners with their albums Senor Blues (1997) and Shoutin’ in Key (2000). Now they are taking the stage at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Sunday, June 7 from 7:45-9pm. I’m sure their rich sound and rhythmic synergy will provide an electrifying show you won’t want to miss!

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash