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MUSIC
HUFFINGTON
11.24-12.01.13
Dog Ears: Stuffy Turkey
In which we spotlight music from a diversity of genres and
decades, lending an insider’s ear to what deserves to be heard.
BY THE EVERLASTING PHIL RAMONE AND DANIELLE EVIN
FLETCHER
HENDERSON
Swing bandleader pianist/arranger
Fletcher Henderson was born in Georgia
in 1897, where he earned his degree from
Atlanta University. After moving to New
York in 1920, he found his postgraduate
path blocked by racism, and instead took
work in the music business. By 1922, he
made a home at the legendary Roseland
Ballroom with his Fletcher Henderson
Orchestra, which remained a staple
for nearly a decade. In 1939, he joined
Benny Goodman’s troupe. Collaborations
include Coleman Hawkins and Louis
Armstrong. Henderson toured intermittently for the rest of his career, until he
had a stroke in 1950. The impresario
died in 1952. Remember him with the
1948 recording “Stealin’ Apples,” from
Ken Burns Jazz—Fletcher Henderson.
BUY: iTunes.com
GENRE: Jazz
ARTIST: Fletcher Henderson
SONG: Stealin’ Apples
ALBUM: Ken Burns Jazz–Fletcher
Henderson
HONEYCUT
JOHN PRINE
Honeycut is the San Francisco-based
art rock ensemble founded in 2003.
The pack comprises California natives
Bart Davenport on vocals and drum
programmer Tony Sevener, along with
transplanted Frenchman RV Salters
on keys. Collectively, their collaborations include The Loved Ones, Femi
Kuti, DJ Mehdi, The Kinetics, and
fellow Quannum bands Lifesavas and
Blackalicious. The unit has an avant
step, and moves in unexpected ways.
Highlights include not one but two
Apple ad campaigns. Download “Dysfunctional,” from their 2006 release
The Day I Turned to Glass.
Singer/songwriter John Prine was born
in Maywood, Ill., in 1946 into a musical family. His grandfather played with
legendary picker Merle Travis; Prine’s
steelworker father was also a guitarist;
and near the age of 14, he learned guitar
from his older brother. In the early ’70s,
Prine was discovered by fellow musicians Steve Goodman and Kris Kristofferson, who championed his first record
deal with Atlantic Records. Prine’s collaborations include Bette Midler, Joan
Baez, The Everly Brothers, Lucinda
Williams and John Mellencamp. After
releasing his first live album in 1988,
Prine won the Best Contemporary Folk
Grammy for The Missing Years, which
was produced by Howie Epstein, and
had guest appearances by Petty, Bruce
Springsteen, and Bonnie Raitt. “Daddy’s Little Pumpkin,” from The Missing
Years, has stood the test of time.
BUY: iTunes.com
GENRE: Soul/Electro Rock
ARTIST: Honeycut
SONG: Dysfunctional
ALBUM: The Day I Turned to Glass
BUY: iTunes.com
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