Best Tributes, Covers, Dedications

Ed Palermo Big Band does terrific big band arrangements of Zappa. Zappa plays Zappa just tries to do what FZ himself did -- which is something FZ would never do, if you know what I mean. But Palermo's stuff is excellent.

I've been through the new Richard Lloyd cover album (Jimi Hendrix) a couple of times and it's interesting. The arrangements sound "thinner" (less dense) and, while some of the original's "funk" appeal is lost, the "pop" appeal of the songs is enhanced. At the risk of offending, it sounds like a white guy covering Hendrix. Lloyd's playing is excellent, but unlikely to please die hard fans of the original. Worth hearing, but not earthshaking.

Marty

Dgarretson,

When I looked at your post again, I realized that Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs had done a Vol II of "Under The Covers". I'm a big fan of Sweet and, even though I found Vol I a bit disapointing (good song choices, cover versions a bit too tame and perhaps "respectful" of the originals for my taste), I set out to find Vol II.

A glance at the cover got my attention quickly. The track list looks like I dictated it. A dozen of my A list favorite candidates for cover versions, including one by Lindsey Buckingham and two!! by Todd Rundgren are included. (These are my two favorite rock artists.) I fired it up in my car on the way home from the store. Ah, well.

I find these covers (with the exception of a very interesting re-work of Yes' "I've Seen All Good People/Your Move") also too tame. They're all good, but I really wanted/expected more. The cds are still fun, but I really wish Sweet and Hoffs had taken a few more risks.

Marty

Marty, at least Sweet's eclecticism is in good taste, if sometimes a little tame.

Another good one is "Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix"(2000) with covers by Taj Mahal, Eric Burden, Buddy Miles, Vernon Reid, Michelle Shocked.

Dgarretson,

Thanks for the tip. "Blue Haze" appears to be right up my alley. I'll try to chase it down.

As to Matthew Sweet. Judging from the "Under the Covers" cds, I guess that he (and/or Hoffs) and I share very similar taste. He is a fine guitarist, but he always has an even beter player in his band for live shows (often Ivan Julian). I've seen him play a half dozen or so times when I lived in NYC.

The "Covers" cds make me wonder how much he just wanted a shot at some of the guitar parts - parts that he would often defer to his bandmate. He does them well, but not enough to redefine the songs, IMHO. In any case, I do like the Covers CDs, even if I can't shake the feeling that they could have been even better.

Marty