It has always tickled me to observe how my mind reacts when I hear a piece of music, because it seldom takes a predictable route. At first I might be just enjoying the music while thinking about the performer or possibly the song itself, but then inevitably my thoughts drift into distant territory

Here’s an example: I was recently listening to a recording of Tom Jones singing one of his best-known pieces, “Green, Green Grass Of Home,” a tune that’s been recorded by about a zillion singers. It’s pretty famously known as a mournful lament from a death-row inmate, but when I hear it my thoughts turn to — grass. And I don’t mean the kind you smoke.

Grass is not my favorite thing. Truth be told, I’ve always had a real distaste for yard work. I have vivid memories of my days as a sullen teenager, completely convinced that I had something better to do with my time than spending it pushing that old hand mower through the grass. Of course my dad thought otherwise, and he was right even if I didn’t think so at the time.

When I became an adult with my own lawn to worry about, I still hated the job and couldn’t wait until my own kids got old enough to take over. But I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you to hear that I soon found that history was repeating itself, except that this time I was the nagging dad.

In recent years, I’ve hired a guy to come and cut my grass, but I’m still not spending a lot of time worrying about it. For example, I probably don’t call him to come and cut it as often as I should, and I consider anything extra - such as fertilizer, reseeding, etc - to be an unnecessary frill, so the weeds have slowly taken over. And I’ll even admit that I like it when we have a dry spell because the lawn slows down and stops growing.

My next-door neighbor is my exact opposite. His lawn is always immaculate, and is reminiscent of the greens on a golf course. He works in his yard constantly, and I swear I’ve seen him on his hands and knees with clippers, trimming every little blade. That being the case, you might wonder how he’s handled living next door to me and having to look at my scruffy lawn. Simple — he built a tall privacy fence between us.

But back to that song. It just occurred to me that it really doesn’t apply to my lawn. If a death-row inmate was singing about my yard - unlikely, but for the sake of argument let’s say he is - the tune would have to be retitled, “Brown, Brown Weeds Of Home.”

Not many singers can claim a career that not only includes singing with Lionel Hampton but also recording with the three tenors, and Sylvia Bennett has done just that — but there’s a catch. She did spend years performing and recording with Hampton, but although her new album, Songs From The Heart, features ‘The Three Tenors’, it’s not the operatic variety. She is instead joined by three guys who happen to play tenor saxophone.

Appearing with her on the album are the late Boots Randolph, Ed Calle, and Kirk Whalum, and I think we can forgive her for the play on words, because all three are very good at what they do — as is Sylvia. In fact, there’s something like a dozen Grammy nominations spread among the performers here, with Sylvia’s own coming from her collaboration with Hampton and his orchestra.

Sylvia has always surrounded herself with good musicians during her three-decade career, and this album is no exception. In addition to the previously mentioned ‘tenors’, she also enlists the aid of a number of other outstanding pros, including another Grammy nominee, percussionist Sammy Figueros.

The album is a very nice collection of jazz standards, all love songs as might be intuited from the title, and Sylvia knows exactly how to handle the vocal chores on this kind of music. Her voice is warm and confident, a mature soprano that is perfeclty suited to the material, and the added attraction of her co-stars makes it pretty special. After all, torch singers and soft, soaring sax play are a natural fit.

The 12 tracks on the album are mostly familiar standards, including “Embraceable You,” with Sylvia backed by Randolph, “My Funny Valentine,” which features Calle doing the honors, and “You Make Me Feel So Young,” with Whalum taking a turn.

The most interesting piece is probably a song that was immortalized by Sixties R&B singer Lennie Welch, “Since I Fell For You,” which combines the backing of all three saxmen and Sylvia’s very nice vocalization. It’s just one of many nice performances on the album — another is her version of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” which was probably my favorite of all.

A nice collection of timeless jazz standards — recommended.

When I first began listening to jazz in the late 1950’s I was initially drawn to the older big-band style, but over the next few years I began to discover another type of music with appeal. Some of the younger guys were playing a different form of jazz, and it caught my attention.

My first favorite was Dave Brubeck, and I still remember playing his big hit, “Take Five,” over and over on the jukebox at my college student center. But even though I remain a fan of his to this day, I eventually began to look beyond Brubeck to see who else was making interesting jazz. One of the first to catch my eye - or my ear - was Jimmy Giuffre, and I was reminded of that recently when I saw that he’d died in late April, just two days short of his 87th birthday.

His music was certainly different from that of Brubeck, and I was intrigued and fascinated by his edgy sound, full of breathy tones and hypnotic rhythms. Although he was new to me, I learned that Giuffre had been around since the days of the big bands, playing sax and clarinet for Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, and Woody Herman. In fact, he’d written one of Herman’s bigger hits, “Four Brothers.”

But by the time he came to my notice he’d formed one of his many trios, and small groups would be his style for most of the rest of his career. However, he often experimented with different combinations of instruments within the groups, beginning with the Giuffre 3, which consisted of himself, Jim Hall on guitar and Ralph Pena (later Jim Atlas) on bass. At one time, he also formed a trio with Hall and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and yet another trio was composed of himself, pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow.

His best-known tune from those years was probably “The Train And The River,” (video below) and it’s one of my favorites, but I’ve also always liked “Voodoo,” which also shows Giuffre’s constantly inventive approach to jazz. It was a quest that defined his career, which actually was pretty low profile for the last few decades of his life. Although he continued to perform - and record - through the years, much of his time was spent in other aspects of music, including as an educator.

His music isn’t heard much these days and his passing didn’t get a lot of attention, but he should be remembered as one of the jazz world’s true innovators.

As I listened to guitarist Doug Munro performing on his newest album, Big Boss Bossa Nova 2.0, on the Chase Music label, the thought came into my mind that sometimes simpler is better.

Munro keeps it very basic indeed on the album, performing as part of a trio in a studio setting, where he’s joined by bassist Michael Goertz, and either Jay Devlin or Jason Anderson on drums. The result for listeners is a very involving and intimate musical experience, with a simplicity that’s very appealing.

It’s a little surprising when compared to its predecessor, 2004’s Big Boss Bossa Nova. That album did very well for the artist, but featured a much larger group of musicians and a sound that was more expansive and orchestrated, but it’s probable that the performer wanted something more than just more of the same.

Although he’s flown a little below the radar, Munro is an experienced and respected guitarist who has forged a nice career in appearances and recordings, with a half-dozen albums to his credit. He’s a versatile instrumentalist, equally at home with acoustic or electric, and isn’t afraid to venture into different musical arenas.

The name of the album will pretty obviously tell you that he’s focusing on Brazilian music, but the pieces selected and the arrangements used allow for a surprising amount of deviation from the theme. The opening track, Munro’s take on Corea’s “Spain,” demonstrates his outstanding playing ability while at the same time expanding the geography a little.

It’s just one of several of Munro’s energetic and ambitious attempts at recreating some classic jazz pieces. Others include his version of Monk’s “Bemsha Swing,” and “Blue Seven,” a piece best-known as a work from saxophonist Sonny Rollins.  

There are a number of other good listens here. Overall, a nice collection that will please most jazz lovers, leaving them with just one question. Will there be a Big Boss Bossa Nova 3.0?

I was listening to some World War II era music recently, and a tune by Harry James and his orchestra triggered some thoughts from childhood. The song was “Waiting For The Train To Come In,” and it brought back a memory of my Uncle John coming to visit us and arriving on the train.

I’ve had several uncles - and been one myself for a lot of years - and it’s a relationship that’s always sort of fascinated me. Uncles seem to inhabit a special place in the family dynamic, sometimes providing a slightly off-kilter influence on our childhood. Maybe it’s because they’re able to get away with things that a dad might not, or just that they provide a touch of adventure.

I had lots of uncles on both sides of the family. My dad had two brothers and a sister (I had numerous aunts too) and they’d been orphaned before reaching adulthood, so sort of went their separate ways. All four ended up spending time in the service during or after World War II, but Uncle John was the only one of the four who had a long and successful career in the military.

He spent many years in the Navy, putting his time to good use by becoming an expert in diesel engines, and he became so good at it that he later taught the subject at the big Naval facility in North Chicago. I remember visiting him there when I was a teenager, and by then he’d settled down with a wife and two young daughters. Eventually he retired and landed a good job in private industry.

But most of my earlier memories revolve around his visits to us while he was on leave, because he’d sometimes talk about his travels as part of the crew of different ships that always seemed to be going to exotic places. I loved those times and remember even seeing some of his mementos from those trips.

One of his biggest adventures occurred in 1955 when I was a little older. He was part of the crew of the Navy icebreaker USS Glacier on the first Operation Deep Freeze. It was a highly publicized expedition to Antarctica, one of many that would be made through the years. I can still remember him showing us his many keepsakes from the trip, and I think he might have even given me a couple. Wish I still had them.

Vince “The Prince” Seneri might be a name that sounds like it should be attached to a movie character played by Nicholas Cage, and Vince even looks a little like him, but knowledgeable fans know that he’s a talented organist who has spent the last couple of decades building a solid reputation in the jazz world. His newest album, The Prince’s Groove, will entertain and delight those fans, and is likely to make a few new ones too.

Seneri is considered to be one of the best Hammond B3 organists around, with an extensive background as a performer and leader, and has generated several successful albums. He names the legendary Jimmy Smith as his inspiration - as do many other organists - but he has the keyboarding skills to back it up.

He also shows his idol’s knack for surrounding himself with first-class musicians, in Vince’s case the outstanding guitarist Paul Bollenback, along with other guests, including Randy Brecker on trumpet, saxophonist Houston Person, and flautist Dave Valentin. And even though Vince is the star here, he’s smart enough to let the others have their moments in the spotlight too., resulting in some of  the best tracks on the album.

A good example is the group’s enormously satisfying take on a standard, “The Nearness Of You,” which showcases Person’s smoothly soaring sax while Seneri mostly just provides support until late in the piece. Similarly, “Dearly Beloved” gives guitarist Bollenback a chance to show his talent level - which is very high - while the others mostly provide support.

But although those tracks were two of my favorites, Veneri is still the leader and the main man here, and he saves plenty of space for his own keyboard work. His play on one of my all-time Latin favorites, “Sway (Quien Sera),” is nothing short of amazing, and combined with Valentin’s dancing flute and Bollenback’s guitar, create what is to me the best piece on the album.

But there are plenty of other good listens here, including the slow and bluesy “Walkin’,” and several nice originals written by Seneri, among them the title tune, which allows guest trumpeter Randy Brecker to shine. Overall, a solid recommendation for this album.

Sound samples available at artist’s website.

In 1990, an old song appeared in a couple of memorable movies, in the process introducing itself to a new generation. On the soundtrack of Goodfellas it was performed by Vito and The Salutations, but it made a much bigger impression in another film — Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. That movie appearance helped make a big hit of the Righteous Brothers’ version of “Unchained Melody.” (Video below.)

But the song had actually been around for a long time, and had appeared on the charts with versions by everybody from rockabilly’s Gene Vincent to Les Baxter’s big band. Ironically, the tune originated as the theme from an earlier movie, 1955’s Unchained, which was an otherwise undistinguished prison film. The song was nominated for an Oscar but didn’t really get a lot of attention. However, through the years it has become one of the most recorded songs in modern pop history, with an estimated 500 artists trying their hand.

One of the earliest - and best - of those versions arrived early in the life of the song, when R&B singer Roy Hamilton was one of the first to record it. His version of “Unchained Melody” ended up as his biggest hit, breaking into the top ten on pop charts and reaching number one on the R&B side.

Hamilton is not much remembered these days - his career was sadly cut short by his death at the young age of 40 - but he was very influential. He came from a background that included time spent in the boxing arena, but he was also well-trained in music — both gospel and the classics. He dedicated himself to a musical career, and his talent began to draw attention in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s on songs such as “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Ebb Tide,” before he hit it big with “Unchained Melody.”

He also had lesser hits with “Don’t Let Go” and “You Can Have Her,” but his health began to fail and he took time away from music for a while. Eventually returning to singing, for the next decade he had limited success but kept working, until his health worsened again and a stroke led to his death in 1969. Although his name is not heard often, he certainly inspired many other singers, including Jackie Wilson — and maybe even the Righteous Brothers with their brand of ‘blue-eyed soul’.

If you remember the Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson years, you might also recall that it was well-known as a place to hear good jazz, especially that played by a big band. Johnny was a fan himself, and he always made sure that the show’s band was fully supported. That made it a really solid gig for some of the best musicians around, and a showplace for guest stars too.

The Tonight Show and its music came to mind as I listened to Louie & Clark Expedition 2, a new album on the Percussion Power label. After all, not only did the stars of the album - drummer Louie Bellson and trumpeter Clark Terry - often play on the show, but another familiar name from those days was also associated with this album.

Tommy Newson was a fine musician and even led the show’s band at times, but was better known as a good-natured comic foil for Carson. Before his untimely death in early 2007, he provided many of the arrangements for the pieces on this album, which were all written by Bellson.

But the connection with the Tonight Show is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg for Bellson and Terry, because both have had very long and storied careers that date back to the days of the big bands. Both have led their own groups at times, and also played with many of the greats, including Ellington, Goodman, and Basie.

It’s that big band sound that they’ve turned to with this album, and they haven’t spared the horsepower, with a 17-piece group of pros that would have been right at home in the era. The album begins with Bellson’s four-movement “Chicago Suite,” an ambitious work that not surprisingly is percussion-heavy. In fact, when one of the best jazz drummers of all time is writing the music, it would be more surprising if any of the pieces here were not drum-centric.

On the other hand, Clark Terry’s trumpet - and occasionally his flugelhorn - gets plenty of opportunity to earn a share of the spotlight on other tracks, including the thoroughly enjoyable “Terry’s Mood.” I also enjoyed “Two Guys And A Gal,” which features guest drummers Kenny Washington and Sylvia Cuenca joining Bellson for a outstanding and unusual drum threesome.

The album is filled with a baker’s dozen enjoyable big band tunes, all written by Bellson. I would have liked to have heard this group of seasoned pros handling a few old jazz standards too, but Bellson has earned the right to populate the album his way. Good stuff from a couple of legends who are not quite ready to hang it up.

I was thumbing the TV remote control the other day and happened to land on an old I Love Lucy rerun, and although I’m not a huge fan of those shows I noticed that Ricky (Desi Arnaz) was talking about someone threatening to replace him and his band with Xavier Cugat’s outfit. I would guess that it was kind of an inside joke for them, because Cugat was actually Desi’s mentor in the early days of his musical career.

I’ve written before about Desi and his music and how Cugat helped him get started, but Cugat is a pretty good story too. Francisco de Asis Javier Cugat Mingall de Cru y Deulofeo was actually Spanish, but his family moved to Cuba when he was very small. He ended up as one of the most influential figures in Latin music, with a career that started before 1920 and didn’t really end until his death in 1990.

During his biggest years he had a number of hits, including “Perfidia,” the original (pre-Desi) “Babalu,” and “Brazil,” and he also created a showcase for many other Latin musicians. In addition to Desi, members of his orchestra included Tito Puente and other budding stars. He also provided a spotlight for some gorgeous ladies — even marrying a few of them. Rita Hayworth (who was not one of his wives) got her start with him, and his third and fourth wives, Abbe Lane and Charo, starred in his shows.

Charo is probably more familiar to most of us these days, from her many appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and her famous “coochie, coochie” and other comedic routines. She always made it part of her act to mangle the English language too, but was - and still is - fluent in several languages, in addition to being a fine guitarist. Abbe Lane was a talented entertainer who also made some appearances with Johnny Carson, but probably with a little less flamboyance.

Cugat was a master at finding ways to gain exposure, whether it was having beautiful ladies appear in his act or making movie appearances, and he even had his own short-lived TV show (although he didn’t appear on Lucy and Desi’s show). He was often dismissed by critics for his pop music approach but he had the final word on the subject when he said, “I would rather play ‘Chiquita Banana’ and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve.”

A little over a year ago, I wrote a piece about the early days of television that I titled Did Rock and Roll Kill Your Hit Parade? I’m not sure I actually provided much of an answer at that time, but that’s just one of many questions that are covered in an outstanding new book by Andrew Lee Fielding, The Lucky Strike Papers.

As you might guess from the secondary title of the book, Journeys Through My Mother’s Television Past, Fielding has a unique perspective, and he also has an insider’s access to many of the people and materials from the early TV era. But don’t make the assumption that this is just a sentimental tribute to his mother, even though his affection for her memory - and pride in her career - are obvious. It is instead a treasure trove of early TV history.

Sue Bennett was a featured singer on several early TV shows in addition the one in the title, The Lucky Strike Hit Parade (Your Hit Parade). Her son - who is a professional journalist with features in some of the biggest Eastern newspapers - has spent many years crafting what is obviously a labor of love.

Beginning with his own childhood memories and drawing on those of his mother, he also had access to some of her memorabilia and gradually added more from various sources. In addition he found that his mother’s name allowed him to interview many early TV personalities - including some pretty big names - in their retirement years. Merv Griffin, Morey Amsterdam, Arthur Penn, and many of the stars of Your Hit Parade are among those who took time to reminisce.

The result is a rich history of the early days of TV, complete with lots of pictures and trivia, and a number of delicious inside stories — some that will surprise you, even if you think you might remember a lot about an era when DuMont was both a TV network and a manufacturer of television sets.

Suzanne (Benjamin) Fielding, performing as Sue Bennett, was never a major singing star but she was a featured singer on several early TV shows, and along the way garnered quite a bit of respect for her musical talent. (Song sample here.*) She was also an eyewitness to the early history of television.

In the late 1940’s, TV was still very new to the American public, and those new-fangled TV sets were few and far between. In a poll taken in 1949, over 56% of respondents had never even seen a TV, and they were so expensive - with prices up to $1000, a year’s salary at that time - they were often only found in places like bars. But people were fascinated by TV, and over the next few years prices started coming down and the private ownership of sets skyrocketed, even though it was still a major purchase for most families.

Young Sue Bennett, fresh from college and with a desire to sing professionally, began to appear on some of those early programs originating in New York, including one hosted by bandleader Vincent Lopez. An even bigger name provided her first starring opportunity when bandleader and entertainer Kay Kyser brought his College Of Musical Knowledge to TV and she became one of the main singers. He’d been a huge star for years, and his orchestra and comedy bits were customer favorites, especially his routines with comedy sidekick, Ish Kabibble (whose real name was Merwyn Bogue). One of the interesting inside facts in the book that came to light via the author’s later interviews, is that Kyser and Bogue were not on speaking terms offstage for most of their years together.

Sue’s career included singing on some other shows too, but it was her time spent on Your Hit Parade that provides much of the material for the book. The TV program was modeled on the successful radio version, but with an important difference. As the top ten tunes were performed by the singers each week, they also acted out a little mini-play or story about the song. TV historians have called it the forerunner to MTV.

Sue was not one of the main stars - names such as “Snooky” Lanson and Dorothy Collins come to mind - but in the early days of the program she was one of the featured singers, often performing solos. She was also part of the group singing and sometimes filled in for Dorothy in the Lucky Strike “bullseye” that opened the show.

But again, the book is not really about Sue as much as it is about early TV, and it contains an amazing amount of information that includes not only facts and trivia, but also backstage gossip and examples of professional jealousy and feuds that were still alive even in retirement. Early TV was a fascinating world, and reading about it is the next best thing to having been there.

*Sound sample courtesy of Lost Gold Entertainment, Inc

Book available at Amazon and other sellers.