Sunday, December 30, 2018

One Voice

I was straightening up the kitchen and loading the dishwasher when I heard the voice.  Not a personal revelation from a higher being or directions from within my head giving me some new life direction.  Rather the crystal clear voice was that of a soloist with beautiful composition and it was coming from the tv.  I had one of those Sunday morning talkin head shows on in the background mainly to fill the air as I worked.  With this being the close of the year for the show, the producer decided to end on a civil note and hence the song presentation.

Something about the voice I found striking and consuming.  I instantly stopped my chore and made my way into the family room to get a better understanding of where the sound was coming from.

The soloist was in her military dress with her smooth voice filling the cavernous church.

It turns out the voice and subsequent performance was from the United States Airforce Band performing at the National Cathedral.  I was so pleased that the show, rather than showing the typical snippet of a performance, let the whole song playout.

Here is this link to this performance.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q41ctPLDHvU

This the sound of one who makes a choice
This is the sound of one voice

I thought you might want to take a couple minutes and enjoy this performance.

Leave the rest behind it will turn to dust
This is the sound of all of us 

Surrendering to the mystery

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Baby Please Come Home

It was the Friday before Christmas 1990 something when I was watching Late Night with David Letterman.  I was staying up a little later than usual given that it was the start of the weekend.  At the close of the show, Dave introduced the musical act talking about the yearly tradition of having this singer grace them with this rockin holiday classic.

That is when the camera panned to Darlene Love at center stage.  That voice belting out joy line after line.  It turns out I had stumbled into Late Night tradition which had started in 1986.  Take notice of the actual album plugged by Dave as part of the introduction.  Here is a link to the first time that Darlene sang ‘Baby Please Come Home’ on Letterman’s show. 


Take notice of the low budget stage, four-man band with a minimal setup.  It is striking compared to the choreographed performances given over the years as the tradition grew.  Sometimes with a children’s choir, one of my favorites is with the singing Sergeants the Christmas prior to the desert storm conflict.


As the years passed I would make sure to watch the Friday before Christmas show to catch that year’s rendition.  More than once, falling asleep during the show only to be awakened by that voice.  That soulful voice that was seemingly made for this particular song.  The following is a mashup of Darlene’s performances through the years.  One of my favorite parts of the video is the portion where the sax player comes in.  Through the audience, through a fireplace or flying down from the rafters how the sax player came in was part of the yearly treat.


As Letterman had announced his retirement, I made sure to watch her final Late Night performance.  The scale of production now including a full orchestra, backup singers, all dressed to the nines and falling snow, while performing from atop a baby grand piano. 


I do miss this tradition.

It’s a little Love, Darlene Love at Christmas.